Safeway

Clearly, Safeway’s Threes a Crowd promise is just talk… Four open registers and people lined up to the aisles of food. Again…

The wine department at this store is 5 stars and the man who runs it is incredibly helpful! The floral department used to be my go-​to place to buy hostess gifts and arrangements for my own home. However, I just had an incident in with the floral department that was so unfriendly that I won’t be visiting this store again any time soon.
Last weekend was prom for almost every Menlo Park high school. My son had a very last-​minute prom invitation (as many a 16 year old does!) so I went to Safeway figuring they would be the most likely to accomodate a last-​minute corsage request the day before the prom. The floral section was surprisingly empty as I entered the store and the first thing I noticed was a large sign on the counter that ALL PROM ORDERS MUST BE PLACED EARLY. As I am a weekly floral customer there I thought I would ask nicely if they could do a simple white rose corsage for me – and the lady just laughed.
Yes — we would all love to place our prom orders weeks in advance, but sadly Prom brings out the last minuteness in many a teenager. Safeway wouldn’t have had the need for the rude, rude, rude sign if there weren’t a lot of desperate Menlo Park moms running to the store they thought would rescue them! This desperate corsage rush must happen every year — Safeways’s floral team should just make up an extra-​large batch of corsages and have them at the ready — playing hero for their tried and true customers rather than laughing at them. This formerly loyal Safeway floral customer would have really appreciated it.
But the good news is I found a really nice florist in San Carlos who went out of her way to make a special corsage for me – and win my floral business form now on!

910pm on a Sunday evening. More than 30 people in line. Two check outs open. Unacceptable.

I wish I could give this and all the safeways in the bay a negative star! I have yet to have had a remotely pleasant experience at this Safeway. What prompted me to finally write a review? Tonight I walked into Safeway at 9pm to discover one cashier and a line from one entrance to the other… I looked for the item I needed, they were out of it and I just gave up. As I was walking to return my cart and leave, the wheels locked right inside the exit door. I just gave up and left the cart in the middle of the doorway. This is not the first time any of this has happened. It’s also not the second or third time…
Examples of other 0 star events…
— I had my prescriptions there. I went to pick up an antibiotic for pneumonia and the pharmacy was closed, when it was supposed to be open. I brushed it off and went back the next day. It was again closed and the store manager had the nerve to tell me that people that had diseases that could actually kill them couldn’t get their meds either. I called a different Safeway to see if I could get them to fill it. The answer was no! Then I had to get a different doctor to write me an order, but because Safeway had run the prescription, I had to pay out of pocket because my insurance wouldn’t cover the same medication twice… When I finally went to the Safeway to pick it up, I said something about it being closed and the lady was incredibly snarky. I am moving my prescriptions somewhere else…
–I picked up a cake that had been customized. It looked like a child had written the message
Thanks Safeway for making every experience I have had in your stores terrible!

I have being this particular store several time, and now since they carry my favorite brand of cool meat, which is gluten free, I can enjoy them

I have never had my deli party platters be right when I pick up. I had problems for years and quit coming here but decided to try again with a very simple order of 2 platters.
The ordering process was painful. Trying to communicate with someone who simply doesn’t understand or speak the same language as me was extremely frustrating. I asked for a manager who took the order and it was still wrong. The confusion when I called to confirm it was ready for pick up was also concerning.
The clerk told me that in the future I need to come in to the store and order to avoid errors. It is my responsibility to go out of my way to accommodate a language barrier. I’ll be sticking with Draegers and Whole Foods. It’s worth the extra few $s!

It’s after midnight and there are 15 people in line for 1 checker and they don’t open up another line. 4 people walked out 2 were in line 2 weren’t and included was an officer from Atherton PD. SERIOUSLY though only one checker at night. There was no one to back him up or help him clear the line.

Can’t give a zero. Went at 11 pm only two cashiers open and at least 25 people in line when I got there and worse by the time I left.
My checkout cashier signed out to take a break after I checked out with warm beverages. Her mgr let her go and watched the whole time we the line went down the lane and off to the side of the front lanes.
Self checkout was closed.
Epic fail.

This is what you call a «premium» Safeway. I know this based on the schematics and overall selection of offerings. There’s even an olive bar and loose weight offerings… All the makings of a premium Safeway which will probably charge you more because of location, location, location!
I used to work at Safeway corporate so I know the prices here can be ridiculous. You need not worry though! I always buy my items at Safeway that are either club card or j4u eligible. To buy at regular retail is absurd! This isn’t your posh neighborhood’s Whole Foods!
Overall, I think this Safeway has a huge selection of all your essentials and more.

Safeway just made a useless app to waste time to get «extra» discounts on products. I see the reviews on the app are at 1 whole star because it’s complicated and wastes time.
Fortunately, Tee, the awesome cashier, helped me figure out how to use it even though Safeway employees haven’t even been trained to use it yet (Safeway, get it together…) I appreciated her going the extra mile to get me my savings since I went through the trouble of downloading and registering the app.
Overall, it seems like a nice Safeway. Good flowers. Jamba Juice inside!
Thanks, Tee!

Deli Department Only:
I have to admit this is one of the cleanest Safeway stores. The person making my sandwich and the cashier were both very friendly. I wanted to get a sandwich from the Safeway deli but haven’t done so. Today, I made a stop at the Safeway Deli Department.
It was still lunch time upon coming in and ordered a sandwich. Smoked Turkey Sandwich with Pickles, Bacon and American Cheese on a Soft Roll was delicious. I absolutely enjoyed it and am craving for another one while writing this review. Even some of the customers here were very nice.
Reasons for rating:
— Friendly staff team
— Prompt service
— Clean facility
— Seats available for those who eat in
— Jamba Juice & Starbucks Coffee available in store
Overall, positive first experience here so I’ll definitely be back when I am in the area.

Hot bar: 4 stars, produce: 1 star, meat: 0 stars, lines/​wait: 2 stars, wine selection: 3 stars, beer: 4 stars.
The hot bar is great, ranging from chicken to Chinese food and an antipasti area with different types of mushrooms and olives is pretty sweet.
The cheese selection is horrible, would you believe that they don’t carry goat cheese? Feta, yes, but goat cheese in log form-​no. A first for me.
Their meat selection is minimal and overpriced, really nothing more to say.
Produce is way overpriced compared to TJ’s and the weekend farmers market-​even Sigonas at the mall.
Wine is pretty great, they can usually give you really good advice whether your question be based on price or taste.
They have a large juice and milk section but for the most part, cheese and other dairy items are scattered throughout the store-​this is including deli meats.
The lines are always long, no matter the time of day.
Overall, I come here because it is the closest to my house. I only buy pastas, eggs, milk/​soy/​creamer, butter, wine, and bulk lettuce (if necessary). Otherwise you can find everything cheaper and of better quality in nearby places (at least what’s on my list).

I think Safeways in general are quite expensive for some reason. I’m not sure why because they strike me as very middle class and certainly not in the same tier as Whole Foods. The eggs here are around $ 5 when the same product can be found for $ 3 at Trader Joes.
Anyway I came here on a Saturday night and there definitely weren’t enough cashiers open. Why is this always an issue. Even the self checkout line had a good 6 people or so in line.

This review is for the specialty café specifically. I’ve been standing here for almost 5 minutes now and the two people behind the counter have been carrying on a conversation and just ignoring me and the other person in line. If they’re busy, that’s fine. But at least say «I’ll be with you in a moment.»
Management, take note. It’s 830am on Monday the 21^st.

This is the closest Safeway to my house, so naturally, I’m here often. Like seemingly everyone else, I do my grocery shopping on Sunday afternoons. It’s always pretty busy, but not unbearably so.
Produce selection is pretty good — much better than trader joes! It’s a huge store and has variety in most everything, like you can expect at Safeway.
Last week at Safeway, I noticed some honey had spilled on some of the cheeses. I told the woman in the bread department, and the man working in the deli. (I cared because it was the cheese I needed) nothing got cleaned up but I knew they were busy. Today, I’m back, a week later — and the spill is still not cleaned up. And, apparently, no one has bought provolone this week.
Convenient, huge, busy, with its own Starbucks and jambs juice… It’s not charming by any means, but it’s the best option in the area so I’ll be back

Gave them a three star mainly because of their prices, it can always be lower!
Store is the largest grocery in the area. It has most everything and every dept you may want. Aisles are wide and clean, shelves are usually stocked.
There are usually lots of carts and baskets, but there is the occasional time there are no carts so you have to take a basket.
This visit I entered the store into the produce/​flower depts with really high ceilings that make it seem very large. I was thankful for the a/​c since we are experiencing very hot weather.
I came for a few items and ended up with lots more, plus a Starbucks drink.
I did need directions to find items and found a very helpful employee who directed me to them.
Checkout was about average. I was number 3 and there were some problems with the people in front but the cashier knew what she was doing and the line kept getting shorter, and I was done
Overall this Safeway is the best grocery in the area and carries lots of assorted foods and other items. I do recommend it especially on Fridays when they have their $ 5.00 sales. You can really get a good price on those items selling on that particular friday

Not a great Safeway, but not too shabby either.
Clean store, with lots of parking, in a central location, but there is no left turn out of the parking lot and there is no U-​turn for several lights going south on El Camino. A pain if you want to go north after grocery shopping.
Produce is 2x — 3x prices you would find at a local grocery store, like Berkeley Bowl in Berkeley or Milk Pail in Mountain View. Peaches and tomatoes at $ 3.99 right in season? Marked up for 1000% profit, good for shareholders I guess.
Fruits and vegetables are unripe and hard, as in most safeways. Produce section is very limited.
They are pushing organic very hard in this location to claim 2x — 3x prices for comparable produce. They have many produce items only in organic section, and do not have the non-​organic, affordable counterpart. Organic we cannot afford leads to reduced consumption of healthy fruits and vegetables and is patently detrimental to consumer health.
They also have an excessively brightly-​lit over-​the-​counter drug section. Trying hard to be like Whole Foods, which I abhor.
Pushing organic and vitamin pills so hard to claim exorbitant prices, they have a whole aisle of Progresso soups laden with extreme quantities of salt. So much for healthy eating and goes to show the hypocrisy of safeway corporation.
The paper towels and toilet papers are not in any one aisle, but scattered into different sections or piled up in corners where there is no price tag for customers to see. Quite frustrating.
They do not have paper tissue and sometimes have plastic bags in the meat section, where pre-​packaged meats are regularly found leaking or oozing with bloody juice. I now bring my own tissue with me in case I hold one of those and have to wipe my hands.
Checkout is another pain. Even in rush hour 5−7pm there are only 2 – 3 cashiers.

Ambiance/​/​
This place is rather spacious. The ceiling is really high! It has a large selection that’s really organized! I got there right before it got busy. I was in and out rather quickly! Also, the bathrooms have four stalls and are relatively clean!
Parking/​/​
Lots of parking!
Prices/​/​
I only buy items that are on sale here. If its not on sale or there’s no coupon, its not worth it. Poor graduate student here!
Staff/​/​
Everyone was really nice, but it did take awhile to find a staff member so I could ask where the restroom was. Must be understaffed, but they are rather quick! I set something down in an aisle so I could go to the restroom without holding it. And when I went back to get it, it was gone! Wow they’re super fast!
Random fact/​/​
When I got home, I found a random onion in my bag. So weird! Thanks for the free onion Safeway???

This is the nicest Safeway in the area.
But!!!
The last time I was there, a staff member tossed their dirty sweat stained shirt on top of the veggies while they loaded new veggies in a nearby display. I checked backs at the end of my shopping trip and it was still there. I added a photo to the galley of this. Nasty.

Zero! NO FRIED CHICKEN!!! Wtf?! Not even cold fried chicken! Sorry, love y’all. Was jus havin a moment.
Always friendly folks and the food to go is always relish! Much love to the kitchen staff and all other staff included!
They are a team of hard workin helpful folks!
Thank y’all for bein there for us all!