Kroger

One of their worst ‘high profile’ stores. Please read others reviews for this store for the fuller picture.
Today …6 lanes open. 4 lanes for 15 items or less.
All 4 ’15 items or less’ lanes have NO customers. The other 2 packed.
Piss poor mgmt. Employees have lousy attitude.
Their attitude is clearly «Screw the customer!»
Penalize the customers spending the most money.
This is a common experience for me at this location. The only difference today was the store wasn’t packed with shoppers, for some reason.
Even less of an excuse for Kroger’s LOUSY MANAGEMENT, TO BE SO UNOBSERVANT AND CLUELESS!
Shame on you Kroger…

I can’t believe the bad reviews this place is getting so I have to provide my opinion.
First off, many of the reviewers seem to be complaining about how busy it is.
To me this is a sign of it being the best grocery store in the area, as that many people prefer to go there.
When I moved to Oak Forest about three years ago this store was a huge improvement from what I was used to in EaDo (Randalls near downtown). There is one feature of this store which I have not seen ANYWHERE else and it definetly has helped form my positive opinion. The cashiers take your cart and run your items through for you! You don’t have to put them on the conveyor at all!
The variety of food is good: organic and conventional produce, health food and bulk food section. Really I cannot imagine anything that I would want that they don’t sell and would be interested if people would give examples of what they don’t have.
One last tip for those who complain about parking: there is usually a cluster… something around the main entrance to the parking lot, simply cruise past there and find any number of spots slightly out of your initial view. Back up to the row lining the buildings sidewalk for easy grocery loading.
The area is definetly ripe for a Central Market or HEB but this Kroger has clearly won the current competition.

This Kroger use to be a really nice store, so I’m not sure what happened with the diminishing quality of selections. The produce is over priced and not up to par wit other grocery stores in this area.
Parking is hit or miss, you can never get in and out in a reasonable amount of time. Check out lines are the worse and the self check out isn’t much better. If you have to wait on a prescription to get filled, prepare to wait forever.

Worst Kroger in the world!!! I hate this place!!! I don’t understand why the produce department is always blown out and the checkout lines are so long!

I stopped shopping at Kroger about seven years ago after experiencing one terrible experience after another. I decided to give them another chance based solely on convenience. This Kroger is the closest grocery store to my house.
I’ve been here six or seven times now and it has confirmed my previous thoughts. I need to shop elsewhere.
They never have enough lanes open. I’ve never waited less than 15 minutes to check out.
This store has also been out of several products almost every time I’ve been here. I rarely find everything I’m looking for and I’m only buying everyday products. It looks like I am destined to have to spend more time and gas money to drive else where.
I’ve tried to give you my business. I’ve tried several times and you’ve failed every time. Thanks for nothing Kroger.

I love shopping at this location, however I arrived at 5 am this morning only to be greeted by a sign that said closed until 6am. Under the circumstances, I needed groceries and had to drive 5 – 7 miles to another Kroger’s.

This Kroger has a terrible pharmacy. I was informed on two occassions that my prescription was ready only to show up, wait forever, and then be informed that they still needed to order the medicine from another location and that it wasn’t actually ready. They seem completely incapable of running the most basic aspects of a pharmacy. Horrible customer service. Horrible parking lot too.

Two stars is about right.
Let’s see…
Cons:
Bad parking lot
Cramped store
Birds EVERYWHERE
Lots of loitering
Limited selection
Long lines and self checkout has bad service
Pros:
Only grocery in Oak Forest
Open 24 hours
Kroger Gas
We prefer the Kroger in Heights. I’d recommend it.

I may delete this review later, but right now I’m really unhappy and I feel this is inexcusable. I went a good 2 – 3 miles out of the way to go to this Kroger in preference to the one closest to my current residence, on the way back from another event. They are supposed to be open 24 hours, but the security guard tells me when I walk up at 10:30pm that they are closed and he cannot discuss why. Not cool. I wind up having to go by the Kroger closer to the house anyway.
(Maybe this is why there are so many one– and two-​star reviews of this location…)

OK– Now I’m a little frustrated about the carts. There were a bunch with locked up wheels in parking spots the other day. I understand having the wheels lock so people don’t steal your carts or push them all the way to the bus stop, but if the wheels lock before you try to leave the premises, preventing you from returning them to a corral, the system is really not that helpful.

I think the remodel looks GREAT, a much needed face lift. Very friendly & helpful employees =) especially the Pharmacy dept. Their always super busy but know how to take care of the customers.

Kroger had a good beer selection and I spent more time pouring over that than I did anything else in the store. I’d like to look around more but I check into every new place I go into just to boost my consumer signal.
Everything else about it screams grocery store. What else can you say?

So I said I would re-​review a few months after the renovation. I will up it by one star to two stars. Besides the aesthetics, there seem to be some other efforts to improve but in other areas, not so much:
The store is definitely more pleasant inside. The layout is a bit classier and not as dated as the old store.
However, still a lot of problems:
1. Produce is way variable. Both in quality and quantity. They seem to run out of stuff that makes no sense to run out of — and it is not consistent — one day it’s horseradish root and the next day it’s tomatoes and the day after that avocados. Frustrating.
2. The deli /​cheese inventory also seems to be on random rotation. You cannot rely on any one product staying around.
3. Checkers seem to have improved somewhat, with the exception of a few hangers on that seem to have an attitude.
4. Generally the exterior an the interior of the store are still cluttered and dirty. Do the employees really need to take their cigarette breaks on the benches near the shopping carts and where 75% of the people entering have to walk by?
5. Parking lot still a mess. Carts not taken care of (see reviewer that commented on the «stuck wheels») — this is also just something that customers should take a little responsibility for — but the bags and trash and other detritus scattered about is not appealing or professional.
6. Still can’t get command of managing the lines at checkout very well.
In summary — there have been some improvements in availability of items, but then a downturn in other areas. This could be a GREAT store — it is still just not very well run. I have overheard employee conversations about directives to «cut hours» etc. This is not the way to improve.
I will re-​review a few months AFTER the renovation is finished. On the positive side, they are at least giving some thought to making the store a nicer place. It is tough to carry on doing business during a renovation so some kudos for the attempt. However, this store seems to also suffer from a severe lack of management that was obvious before the renovation even started:
1. Trash everywhere in the parking lot
2. Carts all over the place, strewn about
3. Employees sitting around outside on the benches, smoking, texting, sleeping all while #1 and #2 are obvious.
4. The manager here can be seen fiddling with end-​displays, re-​arranging shelves, and other tasks that should be done by employees — definitely NOT managing the store.
5. Finding higher quality items is almost impossible. Almost everything is standard, mid or lower grade products.
6. Walkways outside are a mess — (See 1 and 2) — and hey, how about a pressure washer?
7. Nobody seems to pay attention to length of lines at check out. (Again, manager fiddling with floral displays while lines build!)
Might give this another go once the remodel is done. Highly, highly disappointed in what could be a very nice store.

This Kroger is horrible! They never have anything I need in here and it causes me to have to go to another Kroger store. They are doing some remodeling so maybe that will help.
I will just have to start going to the one on 11^th and Shepherd since this one is severely lacking.

Expired foods constantly. Smells so bad. Will not buy any meat it seafood here. I drive the 10 miles to HEB even those this is .2 miles from my house. Always have long lines and no carts. But I see employees, managers included, just standing around talking. Deli counter service girl was very rude. Pharmacy is always backed up. Really bad store!

I must say that the floral shop is beautiful and so is the florist ;0) she really does amazing work! Every thing is so eye catching and bright. She has her own style and is so detailed in every step. She has so many dimensions to her work I could watch her all day.

I can’t believe it’s been almost a whole year since I moved into the area. This is my alternative Kroger location. I usually only come here if I am looking for office supplies such as drinks. I do also take advantage of their gas station, it’s just a bit odd that it’s disconnected and on the back side.

This review is based on the pharmacy. They are horrible! Go across the street to Walgreens or drive 10 miles to find ANY other pharmacy, but avoid this one like the plague. They are rude and they don’t care about their customers. I was annoyed that they were supposed to refill my daughters monthly prescription and failed to do so without notifying me. When I went to go pick it up and the guy said they couldn’t refill it, HE gave ME attitude because I was annoyed with their lack of communication. Then my wife tries to transfer a prescription to Walgreens and Kroger told them she didn’t have any refills, which was a flat out lie!!! Add to these things that the line is almost always long and slow… and I’ll never go back again.
If you do business with the pharmacy at this Kroger… do so with the knowledge that you are probably going to regret it. You’ve been warned…

This is my Kroger. And oh how I wish it were better than it is, but I have to deal with it unless I want to venture over to Fiesta. First, I have to give a couple of tips:
1. Avoid the discount meats (ugh, nasty) — they are brown and smelly, and if you can’t see that from the package, which usually you can, by the time you open it at home, you will see.
2. Always check your wine prices at the register — on several occasions, I have been overcharged for my wine purchases and had to go to Customer Service to correct it.
3. Avoid any pre-​packaged, single serving salads — the lettuce must be a month old, after a day in your fridge it will turn a redish color and make you sick.
4. Beware the onions, there are always gnats lurking about. Bag your onions and then seal it.
5. Avoid weekends. Shopping in the store is alright, but the battle that takes place in your car with the other drivers to find a parking spot, or even just make it into the lot can be tiresome.
Second, I wish they had more variety:
1. The cheese section has a couple of many types of cheese, but they don’t nearly compare to the vast selections that stores such as HEB offers.
2. Sometimes they run out of certain fruits and veggies: How can a grocery store run out of Roma tomatoes? Plantains are a more rare fruit, but I love them and wish they had them all of the time, but they only have it very rarely. And only sometimes do they have a very small amount of mangos and melons.
Overall, I’m satisfied with the location, it’s very close to home for me. And I’m happy they are open late. The staff is usually friendly and helpful. And I typically don’t have to wait in very long lines. On a very positive note, as a fan of Habaneros, their «Pepper Section» is to be commended.

Sadly, this is not the best Kroger… and «sadly» is because it is walking distance from my house. It has the staples, like milk, bread, etc., but the specialty items like the meat and seafood department and the delicatessen, leave some things to be desired. The «fresh fish» I’ve purchased here is 50÷50… could be descent, but has been not so descent many times… and I often come into the store after work around 5 or 6 to find the meat department disassembled and pretty much closed for the evening.
On a positive note… there is a guy that is often times out front BBQing ribs for sale, and they are awesome! He’s got the magic touch and has delivered many impromptu dinners for me and my family!
BOTTOM LINE: I take the drive over to an H.E.B. or to Central Market when I can and only stop at this Kroger when convenience trumps quality.