Safeway

Seriously. You come here hoping to avoid the crowds st Wegmans and they have less than half the registers open. Guys, you’re helping to ensure your own future closure. Oh, not one shopping cart in the store and your Starbucks employee could barely tear herself away from her phone. Epic fail.

Frequent this store, for the same reason as most, purely because it is the most convenient. I usually go either on my way to work or on my break late at night. Let’s just say late at night, employees can’t be found to check you out, and those you can find just ignore you.
Specifically for the Starbucks:
This has been something I’ve been meaning to send for a long time. This location is a disappointment. I will purposely go out to my way not to visit, but sometimes I’m in a hurry and it is the most convenient on my way into work. Over the last several months, unfortunately, I have had to visit this location. Having worked for a licensed store inside a Safeway as well as a standalone Starbucks, I am embarrassed for the employees who work here. Multiple times I came there the barista did not know how to make my drink properly, therefore I left with a drink that was at times absolutely DISGUSTING. I will compliment one employee, Wossen, if he even works there still. Every interaction I had with him was professional, polite, speedy, and he knew his recipes. The rest of the staff is highly lacking in those departments. I am rarely greeted in a friendly manner, there have been multiple occasions where there was receipt paper laying on the counter with hand written notes stating the barista was «on break» or «in the bathroom». Recently a woman in front of me attempted to order a pumpkin spice latte, they were out. My last visit I ordered a caramel apple spice and oatmeal. One of the two baristas working rang me up and say my cup on the counter by the register while she made my oatmeal. The second barista stood in front of the espresso machine staring at something on the counter. Once the oatmeal was done, the same barista that was helping me resizes they are out of apple juice. I asked for a white hot chocolate. She then stood at the register staring at the screen for a long period of time, I can guess attempting to void the caramel apple spice and add the white hot chocolate, instead she ended up charging me for two caramel apple spice. After getting my receipt I pointed this out to her and she looked at me like I was an alien. After getting my refund, she then made my drink, I was not given a sleeve and their sleeve holder was empty, so I can only assume they were out of those too. I never drink my beverage right away because it’s always too hot, so I got to work to find she made me a white mocha.
In conclusion, this store needs help.

One star is too many!
Came here tonight and couldn’t find an employee. This has happened a bunch of times.
One of the other customers got on the intercom system and twice called for an employee to check us out. Finally someone came up who wasn’t authorized to check us out. I appreciate him at least trying to help! All 3 customers that had been waiting for 10 minuets left the store. I can’t speak for the other two but Safeway has just lost at least one customer.

Horrible — Worst self-​checkout I have ever seen. Self-​checkout is slower than regular checkout…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…



…
…,…,…:!!!,!!!,?,!.!,?.?,‘xnx.?!,!,?.,?!,!,!,!!,!,!.‘cnvbbxn…,???,???,???,…,…

Avoid. The check out lines here are insane. There’s usually only one or two check out clerks working even at the peak times. Takes forever to check out. More expensive turn Giant, and less selection. Less quality, too. And if you want to get something from the deli, well let’s just say you’d better not be in a rush.

I come here all the time for one reason which is the pharmacy. They are the only pharmacy that will order my chap stick that I need that no other pharmacy has. Their service is great and they are really nice.
I went the other day to get flowers for a friend. I asked the florist if she could point me to where the daises were and she full on admitted she had no idea what those looked like. She went to wrap my flowers and had no idea what she was doing, She didn’t have any tape to secure the wrap so she tied it with a bow what wasn’t even made nicely.
I went to check out and asked the cashier if they had any tape and he said «go to customer service.»
Customer Service at the pharmacy: 5 star
Customer Service at the flower dept:1 star
Customer Service at the cashier & customer service desk: 1 star

Terrible. I constantly find expired food on the shelves, and have seen straight up mold in the salad bar. I only go there if I’m working and have no other choice.

Horrible… this one lady in customer service was cheat chatting with her friend while I was in line with a question. After about 3 minites She pointed me with her finger and said «do u need something?» I showed her a picture of an item I am looking for. Then she goes «oh we don’t have it. I never seen it before. It looks like you need to go to costco or walmart». I told her that my friend just got it from here last week. She said she is not sure if that’s true. Then she called someone. A guy came and took a look at the picture. Then he showed me exactly where it is. How can she possibly work at the customer service? They need to either educate her or let her go. Very unpleasant experience. I won’t go to this safeway again.

I hate this store and every time I go I ask myself why? They are always lacking in staff and never have anyone to help. Today I waited for 20 minutes while they paged someone twice to the floral department only to find out that they were out of helium and I was unable to get what I wanted. The only reason I go is because it is the closest store to my house but if I can help it I will always go somewhere else. I would avoid this store!

I usually find expired items on their shelves and they never fixed this issue! The lack of workers is also another negative. They have offers on their shelves different than those at checkouts ! I wish i can give them a zero star

Okay guys, I’m going to preface this review by letting you know that I am a healthy person and actually just had my blood pressure checked last week at a doctor’s visit. My blood pressure was LOW. This all changes when I go to this Safeway and have to purchase the items in my cart.
By the time I left Safeway today, my blood pressure was so HIGH because I was so mad at the general lack of service and the ridiculously long lines that this store *always* has. I was thankful for the cold air as I exited the store because I was fuming, hot, and felt rage inside of my body!!!
I recently moved to the area, and like the other reviewers, this grocery store is the closest to where I live. Well let me tell you, convenience or not, I will NOT be shopping here any more. I honestly think this store might be worse than Wal-​Mart and their notorious single open cashier lane. I have seen the line at this Safeway reach more than halfway down the aisle… that’s more than halfway to the BACK OF THE STORE. Customers look very confused as to why the line is so long. Meanwhile, customers are inconvenienced because the line is backed up to the area where they are attempting to shop. If you notice, I say «line» because there is only ever one line open, one register open, and even the self-​checkout line is wrapped around and into the shopping aisles.
Which leads me to this — old or not, the store needs to be remodeled or rearranged so that there are not check-​out lines backed up into the aisles where patrons are attempting to shop. However, this would not need to happen if there was ever sufficient staff on hand to open more than two registers at any given time. Take into consideration peak shopping times, holidays, sporting events and HAVE RELIABLE PEOPLE ON HAND TO WORK. It is not rocket science or brain surgery.
I’ve mentioned these issues to the manager several times, to no avail. he didn’t seem to care and only mentioned that his staff had the flu and rolled his eyes. But I’m sure he hears the complaints so much now that it’s all he can do to keep from going crazy. like the customers of this Safeway.
With this review, I shall no longer patronize this Safeway and will be taking my frequent business elsewhere. somewhere that doesn’t make my blood pressure rise every time I enter the cashier lane; somewhere that doesn’t require a 20+ minute wait in line; somewhere that won’t make my frozen food go bad just from waiting in line; somewhere with employees who actually give a shit; and somewhere I can comfortably shop without having to dodge an aisle-​full of people waiting 20+ minutes to get to the cash register.

Closest grocery store to where I live but I swear every time I’m in a hurry and try to just dash over and grab something, they are either out of it or there is a ridiculous line to check out with not enough cashiers working. I would’ve been better off driving further and getting in and out faster. Skip this place and go to either Harris Teeter on Fair Ridge Dr. which is 2 minutes away, or better yet, Wegmans on Monument which is 5 minutes away but infinitely better. Only redeeming quality here is a Starbucks, but it’s limited and slow.

Sad old grocery chain. Covers all the basics but nothing special. Fairfax deserves something more interesting.

Writing reviews for large chain grocery stores seems weird to me but I was so angry this afternoon that this deserved a review. I usually have typical experiences at grocery stores– nothing great but nothing terrible– …until today. I ran over to get groceries and used the self check out section. I had about 4 – 5 bags and my big purse and as I was leaving one of my bags ripped open and spilled everywhere. Two employees– one girl and one guy– just stared at me. My food was on the floor and I was juggling a bunch of bags and they looked at me and continued standing by the self check out area with their heads shoved up their (you knows) without even asking if I needed help. I had to put all of my groceries down on the floor and make two trips to get bags from the self check out area they were standing RIGHT NEXT TO and still– no «can I grab a bag and help you with that?» Of course not. I know I’m not your grandma and I don’t have a disability but Jesus Christ my hands are full and my groceries are over the floor and you just stare at me like I’m not even human. I asked the girl for another bag the second time and she just stared at me for a second like I shouldn’t be asking an employee for help– what do you get paid to do sit in front of the self check out and ponder about life? Great customer service.

Not even sure why I still give this location a chance. More often than not they don’t have what I am looking for. I must admit my standards are raised after frequenting Mom’s, Wegman’s and even Harris Teeter. Unless I catch a sale, I don’t really see the need to come in here. They are in dire need of some renovations and I’ve never seen more than two checkout lanes open at any given time. UGH

I really hate this Safeway and do not come here to shop. I only stop here to drop or pick up Redbox movies because it’s on my way home from the gym. The parking lot situation can be a pain because it is off a main road and getting into the parking and leaving can leave you in tears.
The Safeway store itself is on the older side of other Fairfax Safeway stores and tends to be uncleaning looking. Nothing really looks appealing when I have came in here to buy a thing or two out of desperation.

This is the closest grocery store to my condo so I frequent it often, purely only out of convenience and certainly not because of quality.
There are a few ladies that work the registers that are quite nice and recognize me because I am there often. Other than that, the staff is generally less than helpful. If you ever go to the customer service counter because you can’t find something or an item you came for is out, good luck getting help. I’ve been told on more than one occasion «guess we don’t have it then.» Really? Thanks for reminding me why I’d much rather go to Wegman’s or Harris Teeter when I have more time.
The produce selection is less than stellar. If you need basic items, you’ll probably be able to find them. In terms of meat and seafood, selection is decent. Items in the frozen food/​ice cream aisle are often picked over.
Be sure to check the expiration dates on anything in the dairy aisle. I have often picked up shredded cheeses, particularly, that are weeks past their expiration date. Disgusting.
Their booze selection is a brighter spot of the store. They sometimes have fun deals like buy one get the second for a penny.
Tonight I ran in the store to grab some wine before heading to a friend’s. As my friend and I walked towards the wine aisle, we noticed that the entire display of the salad bar/​prepared foods area like olives and banana pudding were covered *barely* with thin layers of trash bags. So we went over to examine closer and it was clear that tons of air and bacteria would be flying right into the display all evening, and that customers tomorrow would not be aware that their food had been sitting out 24 hours plus. This is screaming health code violation. Let me mention this was at 8pm on a Saturday night when the store was full of customers. Pictures attached.
Enough said.

This is the closest grocery store to my friend’s condo, and that is about the only reason I ever have to come here.
As the other reviewer state, the produce here sucks. It’s never a decent quality and generally moldy and gross.
The beer selection is blah, and seriously overpriced.
The lines… OMG, the lines. Labor Day weekend… I ended up here like 5 times. I stood in line (half way down the isle) forever. It’s a holiday weekend, beef up the staff.

I shop here more out of convenience than anything else.
You have to watch the fruits and vegetable that you pick out — it’s not always fresh. You have to check the expiration dates on milk & cheese because they’re known to be out of date or really close to being so.
Prices can also be high, especially the alcohol (Like a $ 4 difference to other grocery stores in the area).
When shopping here, make sure to check out the sales ads, use your safeway card & take the extra time to make sure your purchases are FRESH!

To be honest, with the abundance of nicer grocery stores in Fairfax, I am surprised people still shop at this Safeway. I’ve been in a few times out of sheer convenience and each time I found the same things other reviewers commented on — less than fresh produce, not a great meat selection and a generally older, dingy store. Unless you are purchasing items on special, their prices seem high. I will say I have not experienced the long lines or waits. I generally use self check. Also the staff I encountered were friendly enough. The parking lot, much like every other parking lot in Fairfax, is a nightmare. I will gladly drive a bit further to ensure I find fresh produce and meats.