Safeway
reviews and complaints

Slowly but surely, Safeway is dropping all the brands that I like and replacing them with its own brand. For years, I had been buying Mrs. Butterworth's Lite syrup until, suddenly its availability was spotty at best. Finally, the store just stopped carrying it. It still carries the regular Mrs. Butterworth's and the godawful sugar-free stuff (I don't mind less sugar, but I do mind the fake chemical sweeteners). You might think it's because the demand dropped, but at the same time, suddenly a Safeway brand of "Lite" syrup showed up.

I went looking for Saran Wrap, which is the only brand of wrap that has the right amount of hold. Safeway's brand is awful. It has little hold. And Glad's is way too clingy. Guess which brand is missing from the shelves? Yep, Saran Wrap.

Finally, the store has dropped the Ruffles Reduced Fat brand. It's just like the Mrs. Butterworth's deal. Safeway still carries the godawful stuff with Olean. But just carrying the product with less of the bad stuff without a substitute chemical component doesn't seem to be in Safeway's DNA. I haven't yet found a Safeway brand of low-fat ripple chips.

But I am so tired of finding products I have bought for years and years just disappear. According to the company Web sites, these products are still being made and merchandised. Just Safeway has dropped them.

Yes, I do know that Safeway's profit margin is much higher when it sells its own brand. But I don't shop at Safeway to increase its profit margin. I'm happy if the company can stay in business, but I shop there to find products and brands that I like. I don't want to be sold on a similar brand.

It's like the time I told my husband to get pickles, and he returned with one type of pickles--not the brand I'd requested. "Pickles are pickles, aren't they?" he asked. Well, no. They're not. Different brand pickles taste different. Different chips taste different--and there is no other non-baked, non-Olean-laden, lower fat ripple chip on the market. Different syrups taste different. Different plastic wraps cling differently.

Please, Safeway, stop dropping my brands.

Received 30 Days of Savings for YOU mailer to my home - it had 10 items listed for me to receive discounts on and 4 $10.00 coupons off $50.00 + purchases at Safeway stores. I shopped for a large order, drawn in by the savings on the mailer, and when I gave it to the cashier I was told it didn't apply to their store. I spoke to the manager and he didn't know about the promo but agreed to give me $10.00 in cash. I purchased milk stated as $1.79, bananas as .39, & strawberries as $1.49. I paid the regular price on these items - $2.49 for milk, .59 for bananas, & $3.50 for strawberries. I am angry to have been lured in to a Safeway store by false advertising -- I know many other people were having the same problem -- I want to be compensated in some way by Safeway because of your unfair business practices. During this time of higher food prices I would think you would be doing everything you could to entice people to shop Safeway, and not mailing bogus coupons that are denied at the very end of a shopping trip.

I have been shopping at this store for many years and have come to know most of the staff. I must say, that the manager, Grace, is the most unprofessional I have ever seen! Not only have I seen her belittle her staff in front of customers but I have two horror stories to complain about. I was not going to complain as several of her staff members have said that if a complaint is made about her that she will make their lives miserable, but, enough is enough.

A few months ago I was shopping in the evening, around 8 or nine P.M.when I overheard one of the bag boys telling the manager that he had had an accident in his pants and that he needed to go home. The manager told this poor guy that he had to stay or he would be written up! I was horrified when I saw him bagging groceries! The entire front end of the store smelled of ### and most of the customers were covering their noses and mouths to try and not smell the stench that this guys accident had caused---plus, he was handling our food! The checkers were terribly embarrassed and the bagger was completely ashamed!

This is beyond a health issue--it is completely wrong! My second story has to do with two people that have checked me out, in the past couple of months that were very obviously sick. One of them said that she had a strep throat (one of the most contagious infections there is) I asked her what she was doing at work and she said that her boss will make her life miserable if she didn't come in two work, including cutting her hours and giving her shifts that she knew would be very difficult to work!

This happened on another day also and I have seen it way too many times over the years! How could she do this to these people? What kind of manager is this woman? I hear nothing but horror stories about this woman from the checkers and the bag boys! Why is she allowed to be managing a store with this kind of unethical behavior? do you people ever see this woman in action or ever talk to your workers in the stores?

Not only did she expose many customers to disease and horror but she treats her staff like crap! Please be aware that she may go after the person that had the strep infection, if she recalls that time.

I went to safeway rivermark today 7/13/08 @ 2:30 pm and picked up a premade birthday cake. I asked the woman behind the counter if someone could write Happy Birthday Candice. She asked the oler Oriental gentleman behind the counter and he said No, I'm too busy, SHe said "You're too busy?" and He said "yes". She then told me she will do it but cannot guarantee me how it looks. I tld her forget and Give me the cake, I will put it back.She looked at me stunned. I then yelled to the man in the back "Thank You", I picked out an ice cream cake and paid at the front register. I asked to speak to a manager but spoke to a cashier. She then called up a manager and told him what happened. He never came down to talk to me. She told me he will take care of it. I don't feel like I got any satisfaction. I will definitely go see the manager when I return to safeway. I have a family of 6 and spend a lot of money buying groceries there. If I get no satisfaction I will shop elsewhere.

Today, for the first time, I received a grocery delivery from Safeway.com. While pulling into my driveway, the delivery person hit my fence, snapping a concrete-imbedded pole at the point where it is embedded in the concrete.

The driver asked that I not call Safeway as this was his second accident in one week. He offered to repair the fence and gave me his phone number so he could repair the damage without incurring another offense to his driving record.

My landlord asked that I call Safeway to report the accident. I called the Safeway customer service number, was asked if I knew the delivery persons driver's license number (I didn't), but I had a record relating to the delivery. I asked about safeway.com's policies re destruction of property and the customer service rep said she'd file a complaint for me but couldn't provide further information. I was also told that it would take two working days for my complaint to be filed with Safeway.

Safeway is the only store in our small town "Chewelah Washington" and for that they are raping us on the price of goods. Boycott Safeway, drive the extra mile. Safeway can care less how long you have to stand in line also. It also seems that the local Safeway only employee's the low IQ people. Every time you ask them a question they can not answer it. No matter what you ask them. Management isn't much better, they give you the biggest BS story you have ever heard. Come on when will it end? If anyone from the Chewelah area reads this please shop somewhere else, also write your comment...please.

I am a regular shopper at the Safeway on the westside of Bend, Oregon. After shopping I often buy a cup of coffee from Starbucks and sit in the lounge area for awhile. Unfortunately, Safeway has one employee who's choice of perfume is so overwhelming, you can smell her coming. I have many friends that have mentioned this person. They refer to her as "the patchouli woman" and she has made more than one person cover their faces and run for the door.
As for me, my time sitting at Starbucks with a cup of coffee ends as soon as she walks by. I will not check out food in any lane that she is near because I know I'll feel ill for awhile after being near her. Its that bad. I don't understand how her supervisors overlook this problem. They should be aware, though, that even if they overlook it, their customers do not. Their store is getting a reputation around Bend because of this employee's overwhelming smell.

This is a regular theme with Safeway. For starters some twenty years ago we got pregnant and my woman she worked full time and went to school regularly and commutes upwards of an hour at a time. I worked in town so I did the food shopping. I was continually harassed about anything that came to mind by the employees and security. Car, clothes, just anything. Taunted with school children words that I would expect from a sixth grader. for instance 'you the woman in the house, is he a she... huh huh huh...'

One time I worked late and didn't have time to wash and change from an all day shift cleaning up other people messes {I was a property managers assistant handyman guy on a gov. supported welfare housing complexes section 8 housing) apparently the offspring of Safeway employee's)} and was arrested for being 'drunk' but the thing was I was not intoxicated. And I had to be back to work in about 9 hours.

They will do things such as spend ten minutes talking to some ancient woman about her hair in line in front of me. and then she takes her sweet time writing the check and checks the balance also. But when I show up its as soon as the drug addict checker is done tallying up my bill its as if I can't get the cash out of my pocket fast enough and they make a bunch of offending hostile noises. One time this female redneck checker insinuated I was selling drugs because I did not have my check book or credit card.

Today was the same as always I live within walking distance of a Safeway and needed a quarter to do my laundry because it takes 8 quarters to run the washing machine and I only had 7 quarters and a bunch of dimes and nickles so i walked down to the Safeway and I was telling myself don't do it but I went anyways I am apparently an optimist and wouldn't you know it I think because I was not dressed in a sport coat wing tips and slathered with all manner of makeup they immediately called up security I heard on the intercom and then I walked over to the customer service counter and they refused to serve me.there was maybe twenty five people in the store and not one of them would move their papered ### and change two dimes and a nickel for a quarter so I could do my laundry. Maybe I should have went and bought a $6 hallmark card for the Mentally handicapped checker with the attitude So that it could 'FEEL' like moving in a manner that makes one appear as though there is a brain inside it's head. I have come to the conclusion that Safeway hires these people who behave as if they are on stage because there is nothing inside their heads to cause the management of the operations any kind of trauma from actually having him or herself having to think.

I remember back in the late 80's there was a fire in the Oakland warehouse I can still smell the fire ###ant in the ice cream they sold me I can actually taste it sometimes. And this store I was just in I can smell the refrigerant all over me and its been at least two hours since I was there. I have ate food there that has given me worse diarrhea than what i got on a campout with my drinking buddies.

I gave up on them a bunch of years back and just started using them to purchase canned, sealed goods from name brand manufactures. only when its on sale. beer in cans, cheap wine, soda pop, candy thats about it maybe a little hamburger if I know who the butcher is who made it but thats about it.

At approximately 11:30am, I went to Safeway located on 196st Lynnwood, WA this morning, to purchase the steak which is on sale. After a short searching, I could not the find the item that I want, so I asked a lady who was working in that area. Then she asked the guy who was working inside the department through the window. The guy told us they don’t have that now but it's coming soon. Therefore, the lady told me it would come out in 15 minutes and told me to do other shopping first. After 20 minutes, I got back there but still could not find the steak. So I asked the guy again. This time I got the worst treatment that I have ever had at Safeway. The guy had a really bad attitude and said “We don't have that right now!” When I asked him how long I should wait, he told me “an hour” this time with the cold attitude and word, and he also pointed his working area and trying to show me that he was busy for other things. He also said “I already told you, ok?”

I feel so bad about Safeway’s customer service. I’m a Safeway’s regular customer, and I think they did really good job on customer service until this Morning. That guy’s attitude made me so angry! I was wondering “why you treat your customer that bad especially when you short on the item they need?” I really DO NOT APPRECIATE it. I will not be shopping there again!

If is was not enough that all the fish at safeway look rotten even though they are not past their expiration date, I spotted one disgusting package of red snapper and it had a WORM! The worm was squirming and was very much alive. I don't know what kind of worm it was, but it had the same color as the fish meat. I could spot it's reproductive segment though. Unfortunately I did not have a camera. When asked if I needed help I asked them on it, they responded "we don't package these", as if I had asked.

In retrospect, I should have asked someone for a camera, because they to it to the back and started discussing about it. This is too much.

I just recently finally gave up on using Safeway's online delivery service. After appx. 6 uses, I haven't had a single one arrive with more than 80% of what I had ordered. Produce is uniformly of poor quality (although the meat is average). Delivery delays, overcharging, and unauthorized substitutions are all addition problems that I've had to deal with every time. The service would be a good one if they could actually fill their orders, but it seems that Safeway is incapable of that for now.

On 12/29/2007 at approximately 2:38pm, I went to Safeway located on Argonaut Drive in Fremont, CA, to purchase a Visa gift card for my daughter for Christmas. After diligently searching for the correct card as stock was pretty much depleted, I located the card and proceeded to the check stand for purchase. A checker by the name of "Terrie" was there. We greeted each other as we normally did, I handed her the Visa gift card and informed her the amount I wished to put on the card, $125.00. As I removed my ATM card from my wallet, she asked how would I purchase the card, ATM or Credit. I stated, "Oh, it doesn't matter. ATM is fine". She asked to see my card and my ID of which I handed to her. I thought nothing of it at first. She returned the items to me and she called for "Nick or Celeste to check stand 8". Mind you, I had already punched in my ATM pin number. After waiting for 2 minutes, I asked her what was the problem. She asked to see my ID and ATM card again. I stated, "I am sure this has something to do with the color of my skin, doesn't it?". She looked at me and stated no, they ask this of everyone. I thought this was very peculiar as I have purchased my groceries at this location for years and have rarely ever been asked for my ID for credit card nor ATM purchases before. She then called for the same two people again. A guy in white shirt and tie walked toward the check stand and "Terrie" left to meet him prior to him reaching the check stand. She had her back towards me and proceeded to tell him something. The entire time, he looked at me. He walked over and asked to see my ID. I asked for the reason of needing to see my ID again. He stated an ID is required for all credit card transactions. I indicated I purchased the Visa gift card by ATM and the system had already processed the transaction. The ATM/CC module stated "Thank You" after processing my pin number. He stated, extremely loud and very rudely, "I just cancelled it and you need to leave right now!". I said, "Excuse me. I have been patronizing this store for over 10 years and have never been treated this way. I am purchasing this by ATM and you are kicking me out?" The guy stated, "You need to leave". I left, humiliated, embarrassed and in tears to my car where my children were. They asked what was the matter as I tried to hold back the tears and told them what happened in so many words without going into detail. Not willing to allow the ignorance of two damper our afternoon, I went to the Safeway located on Washington and Fremont Blvds to try it again as I was not willing to give completely up on Safeway. I parked, walked in the store, found the card, walked to the check stand, purchased the card (AGAIN with ATM), never once was asked for my ID, thanked the checker, and left the store. This entire transaction took no more than 5 minutes.

The same day, I called the Customer Service line and asked to speak with a Supervisor as I had just experienced the worst treatment at Safeway ever. A supervisor by the name of Reggie Hodges left a message for me as I was in the mall with my children and missed the call. I returned her call at approximately 8:00pm and informed her of the incident. She indicated how shocked she was and apologized profusely. She then "gave" me a 10% discount on my purchases until the end of the month and stated she would follow up by calling the store to find out "what was their problem". She confirmed my reasoning by asking me why would they ask for an ID if I was paying by ATM. I stated this was my question as well. She then stated that she wonders what the "Terrie" said to "Nick" as she instigated the entire event. I stated that I agreed but wondered what she could have stated other than her asking for my ID a thousand times. I stated my name on my ID and my ATM card are the same, there is nothing different. I then suggested that maybe something happened in the store recently with another Black woman and I was profiled. I have no idea. She stated she would be out of the office for the holiday and would return on Wednesday and she should be able to provide me with some information as to why the incident occurred. I thanked her for her assistance and her spiritual words and thanked for her assisting me; or so I thought.

I called Reggie again after not hearing from her on Wednesday nor Thursday. I received a voicemail message from her on Friday evening stating she called the store. Nick could not give her a good explanation for the incident other than "she made a scene". Of which, I find the fabrication of the century and begged her to look at the store tapes to see for herself my demeanor. She continued to state that she was going to write up the store and the General MGR, Division MGR and someone else would receive the report. This last statement took the cake. She told me to "Get over it and move on". If this is not a slap in the face, I don't know what is.

As I stated earlier, I along with my family have shopped at Safeway for over a decade and have formed some really great relationships with some of the checkers. I have been invited to their homes and them to mine. We have followed each other through pregancies, childbirth and some checkers we knew have past on. During the Christmas holiday, one of my closest friends (of whom is a checker and I met at Safeway) had a gift for me and my family waiting at the check stand because she knew that I would be shopping and wanted to give it to me before the holiday. She did not call me to tell me to come in, but knew that I would be in because of how often I am in the store. She gave me the gift, hugged me and I left. A customer who was behind me asked me how did I know all of the checkers as he saw me speaking with a large number of them. He thought that I worked there until I explained that I met them by coming to the store. He seemed shocked, but then pleased to know that there are people who work in the store that are friendly and worth knowing.

I am deeply saddened, embarrassed and humiliated by the treatment I received from a store that I and my family spends thousands upon thousands of dollars in. This treatment and "band-aid" theory just lets me know that Safeway treats other individuals of color in the same manner, give them a 10% discount (or not) and send them on their way without any repercussions. And then to be told to get over it was unacceptable.

Apprehension is an understatement to describe how I feel about returning to the store. I went to try and get over my apprehension, but will not go alone anymore for fear of what may happen the next time. Who knows, "Terrie" or "Nick" may call in SWAT or some other agency if I attempt to purchase a stick of gum with cash! That is just how ridiculous this entire ordeal has been.

There should be no where that an Asst MGR and a checker could be able to profile, lie, and get away with it. What kind of message is this sending? I work for one of the largest companies in the country and manage cases in the Alameda County area. I have to resolve issues between employees, labor unions and management all day, every day. In my profession, it is essential to find out all of the factors before making hasty and irrational decisions. These types of decisions can and most likely do, come back to bite. It is not only for this reason that I am concerned about the behavior of, both, Nick and Terrie, more so Nick. As being a manager, he should have taken a couple of minutes to find out the nature of the matter, saw whatever Terrie stated to him was an embellishment, completed the processing of the transaction and that would have been it. Unfortunately, it did not happen this way.

I am sending this to you for some assistance with resolving this issue in a matter that is both satisfactory and fair. Being told to get over it is not my idea of satisfactory nor is it fair.

Feel free to contact me via cell number as I will be eager to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Sonya Brooks
510.396.2078

My truck was totaled in my driveway by someone insured by safeway insurance company. After ignoring my calls for almost 3 weeks,now they are lying about the value of my truck and will only pay for 50 % of my fence that was destroyed. The agent handling this is Sylvia Gomez. Phone Number is [protected]. The case number is 0050335-il-ppcl . Sylvia Gomez told me she was using the NADA Guide for the price of my truck. She said they had to deduct 700.00 for the miles on the truck it is really 500.00. The price she gave me is the base price for my truck in poor condition. My truck was in excellent condition,has 4-wheel drive,air.and aluminum wheels that she did not allow for. All I want is to be able to replace my truck and fence with the same as what I had. I told them I needed this to be settled, so I guess this is why they figure they can cheat me. Please help to resolve this. Thanks, Rollin Kenning

This is America, isn't it? Why should I have to go into a Safeway store and not be greeted by someone who knows how to speak english. I went into a Safeway Store and tried to get fresh hot French bread. To no avail, I had to try to speak tp 2 people who could not get a normal sentence out. I don't care what the ethnic background is, but if you want the american dream, then become an American. Until we as a people decide to something about this it will continue. Mcdonalds is not better and absolutely worse. We need to stop changing who and what our forefathers believed in and where. We need to act as one and not as African American, Asian American, Native American or Even Norweigian American. The great people who created this country believed that the mixture of culture is what made this country what it is. The idea was to become one not what the few are. To learn the laws and abide by those laws. To assimilate and yet be different at the same time. Please help all of us in this troubling and ongoing problem. Stand up for what your ancestors believed and lived for. Please don't shop at places where they allow this to happen and definitely not Safeway!