Safeway

Review #055 — 2016
I’ve lived in Orinda since 2009 and have been to this Safeway at least once or twice a week and never actually come across any issue.
Up to date, this Safeway has been a late night life saver because I am a night owl & maybe that’s one of the biggest reason why I don’t have any problems because there’s never anyone in line with me.
I am usually in and out in less than five minutes because I just rush in to grab what I need and rush back home.
The night cashiers are usually stocking shelves so I understand that I need to locate someone when I’m ready to check out so that’s not a big deal for me.
I usually come in for their sushi around 1 PM when I’m too lazy to drive out to a restaurant and have never had any bad experience with that either. You can order exactly what you want when there is a sushi chef available so you don’t have to stick with their pre-​made items.
I don’t understand why some people dislikes this Safeway so much because I’ve been to Safeway’s in other areas where their customer service people are downright rude and useless.

Sadly this is the only grocery store in Orinda. Most of the people that work their are very nice and helpful, but the store is long in the tooth. Safeway has obviously been working hard at carrying more local and healthy items, but it just seems as if it’s time has run out. My husband and I call this store the mausoleum as it is so lifeless, dark and depressing. PLEASE replace with a Whole Foods!

Good food and produce but the customer service not so good they need to be more nice at least a smile not the long face!

I like Safeway and their products but this branch is absolutely the worst in terms of staff and management. Today at 5:30 p.m., three checkout counters were at least 20 customers deep each before they called for a couple of backup cashiers. Even then it wasn’t enough to ease the checkout traffic. I had been in line for 10 mins. Left my intended purchases because i couldn’t wait any longer. This is a regular occurrence at this branch. By now you’d think their management would have taken steps to alleviate this issue.

This is sadly, our local grocer and the only game in this town. It has been mediocre at best, but is definitely in a downwards slide. As difficult as this may seem to believe, I have to revisit the stores customer service area at least once per 3 visits due to errors on my bill, spoiled groceries not yet at their expiration dates, or as I chose to do this week, personally show the store manager and the butcher the very nasty and gross bright green insides of a Foster Farms chicken that I had purchased there just the night before. Fortunately, I have documented and photographed the problem to send along to Public Health and Foster Farms because I have no confidence that local management will follow up on the problem. Then again, I have little confidence that Home Office will seek to correct any problems either.
I really believe in supporting my local merchants, and I have tried, but that’s about to change. If I go as far as Lafayette, I can shop at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Lunardi’s and my favorite, Diablo Foods. Yes, it is a little father to go, but since I do not anticipate the need for a repeat to the grocer because of spoiled or damaged food items, I feel like time wise, I’ll at least break even but quality wise, I will be far ahead. Just count me as another terribly dissatisfied Safeway shopper.
I should have done this years ago!

I needed to do a pit stop here cause well I’ve been drinking a ton of water! Well Thank goodness I knew there was a Safeway on my way to my gal pal’s house. So I was able to relieve myself and also pick up some gorgeous floral arrangement to cheer my friend up. The cash registers were all open and the lady at the counter was quite friendly! Much better service than the Safeway in my neck of the woods (South Fremont). The clientele seemed to err on the side of seasoned, but you know what? I like that. Cause they tend to be nicer.
I only wish I had this Safeway near my home to make my day a little more cheery.

My wife calls this store the «Soviet Safeway» because there’s nothing on the shelves and always long lines. They get 2 stars for being open 24 hours and being convenient. I would much rather drive a few extra minutes to Diablo Foods in Lafayette where the food quality and customer service is in a league above Safeway.

reading some of the reviews cues me to look for slow, rude service. didn’t find rude, but slow, maybe. maybe i’ve been prejudiced…
micro brews weak in selection, no doubt giving up to BEWMO downtown.
eats: philly cheese sammy (5.49)
–lots of meats but this doesn’t make it a philly steak
–provolone and swiss cheese, mayo used instead of cheez whiz.
–options of veggies, sauces add ons
not a good judge of what to put so sammie average but tasty
good value, just not a philly sammie. 2.5 stars
crumbs:
–service ok, quality of offerings not up to par
–sammie rang up in regular line, not deli section, more deay
2iish stars.

I’m sure the morning workers hate me because once a week I come here and buy 100 items lol. It takes 15 minutes to check out.
It’s a bit pricey, but whatever.

WORST. Safeway claims to be so customer service oriented but their cashiers couldn’t be worse. They are so slow. I stood 10 minutes in the express lane with ONE customer in front of me. Once the cashier finished taking 7 minutes to finish the transaction ahead of me, he decided it would be a better use of his time to fiddle with his personal belongings and jacket in a plastic bag instead of check us out. Walked out with two bags of ice and just left cash on the counter and cashier didn’t even notice or care. Sucks I had to pay $ 10 for two bags of ice and not get my change but I couldn’t afford to wait around another 10 minutes. Go to Moraga Safeway. So much better.