Safeway

Very limited selection of packaged vegetarian/​vegan health foods. The quality of their produce varies tremendously, and the prices aren’t amazing. I have frequently waited 10 – 20 minutes to check out, and they will often have only 2 registers open despite huge Sunday afternoon lines. They have a decent cheese section, but their deli is also limited. It’s certainly conveniently located and there is always ample parking, but it’s not the greatest.

10 pm Saturday and there is one person here qualified to work the cash register. A loooong line, but not worth leaving now that I have a cart full. I’ve lived near here for 20 years and this Safeway has historically been poorly managed. I typically now shop at another location. Stopping here tonight just reminded me that in spite of the convenience and nicely done renovation it’s not worth the time.

The store has undergone a terrific facelift! Still issues with not enough employees. The folks that do work there are good though :-)

This is a wonderful store especially after the remodel. The only bad thing is that the lines can be long at times. They have expanded many of the selections of beer and wine. I have also seen more organic food as well. The produce looks pretty good overall. The workers are very friendly. The Starbucks is a huge bonus.

Two registers open on a Sunday. Pathetic. No wonder people abandon full carts in aisles. Close the store, deem as worthless!

DO NOT SHOP HERE. The Store Director treated me very rudely on 2÷13÷2016; I’ve spent thousands of dollars here over the years and I will NEVER return. This place is also very racist. It’s all White People. Any other race and you are profiled. And I’m a White person saying this.

customers come first!

Update 2: What are these prices? Shortly after the big recent snowstorm, regular — bad, nearly rotten — cauliflower was $ 5.99/head. Well after the snowmaggedon stocking issues had abated, a bag of chocolate chips was $ 4.49. The same bag sells at Target for about $ 2.50, and elsewhere for around $ 2. The organic produce is terribly overpriced ($ 5.99 for raspberries or $ 4.99 for blueberries), and half of it’s rotten (literally — moldy berries, rotten pears).
COME ON Safeway. This is wrong.
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Update 1: Whoever the female cashier is who works alone later at night (after 10 pm), OMG, she is the RUDEST person I’ve ever dealt with at a grocery store. Actually spoke to the guy before me and called him «Sir»; this was the first time I’ve ever heard her speak. With me and the woman behind me, she said not a single word except the total. «TWENTY-​FOUR SEVENTY-​FIVE». Glared at me the entire time. Knocked over my bottle of wine, which crashed onto the scanner glass and made everyone in line jump. Said nothing. This goes well with the shit she gave me another time when I had a dented can that I didn’t want, and yet another time, when she put the ripe avocados underneath 15 pounds of groceries and I threw them all away.
I get it — you hate (almost) everyone and everything. I’ll do your job. Please suggest to your managers that a self-​check lane is always welcome. If this doesn’t work, just quit jacking up my groceries.
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It’s a stop of last resort.
Staples: You can buy most of the staples you get here for less (way less) at a commissary, Trader Joe’s, and sometimes, even Whole Foods. Occasional deals on things like avocados or gigantic cantaloupe.
Layout: Asinine. End cap displays, cutesy pyramids of 12-​packs of soda, toys hanging in the middle of the aisle ensure collisions with other shoppers. Balloons EVERYWHERE — it’s like a goddamn birthday party, every day. 700,000 «sale tags» on each individual item on the shelf (this alone must keep at least 5 employees working full-​time).
Checkout: The lines at the checkout are haphazard and confusing. Even with «line starts here» indicated at the self-​checkout, it’s Lord of the Flies out there. Constant hangups with self-​checkout. If you have someone check you out — especially after 9 pm — good luck to you. I’ve never had such ridiculously, overtly rude checkers EVER.
Shit going down: Often. Last time, a man with a case of beer cut in line at the self checkout, earning the hatred of the 7,000 other people in line. Due purely to karma, the beer wouldn’t scan, and he had to flag someone to help him. Like literally, arm in the air, bellowing, «I NEED HELP HERE! I NEED HELP HERE! YOU! CAN YOU HELP ME?» The employee walking by said, in the snottiest tone imaginable, «NO! :-D», and kept walking.
Nice. Beer guy is going to pull a weapon. Can I just buy my giant cantaloupe and leave?

Don’t know what the fuss is about, this Safeway is fine. Good prices, relatively fresh, staff give a damn. They try to class it up enough to get results but not too hard so as to go for the whole foods snob factor thing. Going in after midnight is always interesting.

They will RACIALLY PROFILE you! I would give 0 stars if I could. I went with some friends and a couple of us got pulled aside and told they thought we were stealing. The LP said he saw us from the parking lot and had been watching us since we came in. None of us are white, we are a mix of colors. The LP guy was black but this location is in a more white area. We were not checked to prove we had nothing. We are now banned forever. I wrote to Safeways CORPORATE ETHICS department over 3 weeks ago, and no acknowledgement. F U Safeway!

Bigger, brighter and the «check –yourself-​out» (you know what I mean) aisles are a welcome sight as they have a Safeway employee right there is there’s an issue. The cool part about that is that if there is a sale on something, like today and the bagels I got, they notice it– come up and reduce the price for you if you didn’t get the full discount. Now that’s cool.
Employees in the meat department were singing a song, old school Motown, this morning. Now I doubt that’s in the Safeway employee handbook, but to me it showed that they have a team spirit and the place just had a great feel to it today.
Fully stocked shelves, sale items easy to spot– and the Safeway card made the prices reasonable.
There’s a Starbucks in side on the left entrance– so that’s a plus for me too.
And now I have «My Girl» going through my head. This is a good day indeed.

I have to confess I’ve been having a few issues with Safeway over the years. The produce isn’t always fresh. Breads from the bakery are dry and tasteless. Store brand deli salads, sides, and soups lack flavor. Fried chicken from the deli department tastes too salty.
Overall, Safeway’s pricing, regardless of whatever is on sale or not, is overpriced when compared to similar products purchased from Shoppers Food Warehouse, Giant, and Harris Teeter. And contrary to what surveys of grocery store pricing for the region may say, Safeway’s prices, based on what I have seen and purchased, are the highest in the Washington, DC area.
In order to get the most out of the «Just for U» offerings in the weekly ad, I have to either cut out the requisite coupons or go to the Safeway website and have the coupons I plan on using «electronically uploaded» to my Safeway Club Card account. Wouldn’t it be easier for Safeway to upload all of the weekly sale/​savings items for everyone who possesses a Safeway Club Card? It sure would save a lot of time by avoiding the use of scissors with the paper ad and point-​click time on the Safeway website.
Because all of us Belle View Boulevard Safeway shoppers have something else to do than waiting for the cost of our grocery orders to be tallied, a two-​star rating is awarded for the long and winding check-​out lines.

I’m unclear why the sandwich making area has a worker never wanting to do the job.
One time it was 15 min until the sandwich shop closed that the lady told me it was closed. I believe the sign said 8 pm and it was only 7:45 pm. I explained this to her and she quite reluctantly made me a sandwich.
Another time in the morning, I went to the same station to grab a breakfast sandwich while waiting for my CVS minute clinic appt. The lady was making sushi however, she didn’t acknowledge my presence for a good solid three minutes. When another employee looked at me, who also didn’t offer to help, the First Lady said someone will be with me. So I waited another 3 minutes as she chopped sushi and then I left.
I won’t shop here except for staples absolutely needed at that moment. NOVA you could Lear a lot from Publix Stores in FL… you feel that they actually want you to be there.

Been shopping here since February due to convenience, but after the most recent experience I decided I had to write a review. I have just been grinning and bearing the crappy customer service, but I can only put up with so much.
Every single time I go to check out, there is an unnecessarily long line. It doesn’t matter what time of day, or what day of the week. I have talked with other shoppers and they all have the same complaint. We are all left rolling our eyes.
Other than waiting an eternity to check out, if you dare need to do anything at the customer service area, good luck. The store employees just stare at you as if you are a lost child at an amusement park… until you finally force them to help you… comical!
They never answer the phone and just let it ring like the Dude in the Big Lebowski… more comical incompetence!
I could go on, but you get the idea. I mean, compared to third world countries, this store is pretty damn good, at least there is electricity and the place doesn’t smell like rotting fish… but I think we can do better.

This Safeway underwent a major overhaul over a year ago, and it has been a big improvement. Before, my rating would have been closer to 2.5÷3 stars, now it’s solidly 3/3.5. I can’t say I’m enamored enough with it to bring it up to 4 stars, there are still a few drawbacks that keep it below a supermarket like Harris Teeter. But whereas before I’d only go to this Safeway for basic/​prepackaged/​dry goods, now I’ve been doing a lot more general-​purpose shopping here.
The interior is fresh, clean, and well-​lit. Much more appealing than before the renovation, when the place looked worn and somewhat forgotten. The produce section is larger and has a better variety than before, though the freshness /​quality isn’t always the best. It’s fine if you need to pick up a few apples and a bag of carrots, but if you’re someone who buys a lot of fresh fruit /​veggies, you’re probably better off somewhere else.
The wine/​beer section has been expanded, and carries a much better variety than before. I can generally find what I need there, and the prices are reasonable. They’ve also added in a small area near the deli that carries a few fancier cheeses and such, so I can stop in and get my BabyBel rounds without having to hunt around for them.
The rest of the store is unremarkable from any other grocery store, but I don’t mean that in a bad when. It serves its purpose, but doesn’t stand out or lag behind in an appreciable way. The meat section, like the produce section, is fine, but doesn’t go the extra mile in terms of selection or quality. The staff here seem to have improved somewhat since before the remodel, and take more care in bagging your purchases than before. Service can still be a bit slow and at times hit-​or-​miss, but it gets the job done.
For me, this is a straightforward supermarket. It does what it needs to do, and works well for general grocery buying. Those who regularly shop for fresh items, or who seek out more variety or quality from things like meat, cheese, and produce, would probably be better served making those purchases from a chain like Harris Teeter. That’s usually where I go when I need to make a «BUY ALL THE THINGS» run. Safeway is for my mid-​week re-​stock runs to pick up cereal and lunch food for work.

A meh store from a meh supermarket chain.
I went in to grab a thingy of something to drink this early lunchtime, but not without doing a quick reconnaissance of the store layout.
I walked towards the produce area, and noticed an end cap of wine on sale. It gave me an idea for later, but,…there was only ‘an’ endcap of wine. I expected for the rest to be around, or signed, but nowt.
I had to walk across the bank of registers, but not a single one was open? Pretty strange. There were three seperate women standing at the foot of different lanes, looking towards the tills, half-​expecting for a young employee to magically appear from thin air, but unfortunately they don’t seem to make appearances like that here.
As I walked back past the registers, one of the women made this obvious-​looking, dissatisfied expression — it kinda exaggerated her features what with all the layers of make-​up she smeared onto her chevy chase. The other two women further down must have recognized The Signal (?), because they made their way back towards the Make-​Up Lady. When I walked past, I realized there was a bloke working on the first of two self check-​out machines, and the other was either next or just not being used. I don’t recall seeing any other machines.
There was also a thin young chap with a smock standing at the end of the self check-​out aisle being worked on. I asked him about more wine, and he pointed me over to the opposite side of the store, where their frozen foods are.
I went over, and sure enough found a narrow selection of beer — that’s it? And the wines a little ways further behind on another aisle.
I quickly browsed the beer but they were missing a lot of their selection, except for all the rubbish like Bud Light and Miller Lite etc. Picked-​up a pack of Fat Tire, and that was that. I walked over to the wine, but in the end I didn’t feel like giving it much more than a glance. I had my lunch burning a hole in my hands and I wanted to get the beer home soon, too.
I left back the way I came, and stood in line waiting my turn. In truth I didn’t wait too long, but the bloke from earlier was still wrestling with one of the self check-​out machines. The other one, closet to the exit, was just there. It was on but I guess it was still going to be worked on /​was already worked on?
Who the hell knew, and neither the young chap or the lady at the adjacent till who helped us check-​out didn’t tell us one way or the other whether that self check-​out station was okay to use.
Oh well.
I didn’t mind this Safeway too much, I just thought it was odd that there were no cashiers in sight.
I’m slowly realizing this is how supermarkets tend to work here in the DC metro area — Bring Your Own Cashier.
In the end, I got sorted, and left to eat my lunch.
Until next time, unflattering and vaguely staffed supermarket chain. :(

Worst shopping experience ever. 10 customers per line and less than half the registers are open. Never coming here again. If they’re this short on people the manager better be at a register checking. I’ll vote with my wallet next time and take my business elsewhere.

This Safeway just had a major overhaul which would make you think that everything should be perfect or near perfect, but sadly that is not the case. No, it’s more like the guy who convinces his wife to lose a few pounds and go for a round of plastic surgery, because he wanted to show off his trophy wife. I say she was fine before and actually had many qualities that made her more real than the revamped, plastic Barbied version.
I guess that is kind of how I few about this Safeway. Yes, it is more modern, and it initially has a certain look that draws you in, but like the wife who was forced to have plastic surgery, she may have been better off untouched. For example, the first thing I noticed was that the aisles are about a 18 inches smaller than before. Sure, this allows Safeway to stock more product, but it also means that I will have the opportunity to crash my shopping cart into other shopper’s carts like Ben-​Hur in a chariot race. Yesterday, I witnessed two women almost collide into one another as they were rounding the aisle from opposite ends. And of course, there is the fact that with additional aisles there comes confusion, for the layout is so confusing that you can hardly find anything.
But, not to fret, dear shopper, for this Safeway has a Starbucks! Ugh, please! This is the Easy Bake Oven of Starbucks. It is small, slow, and somewhat annoying. Its main contribution to the shopping experience is offer another place for shoppers to congregate in line. The deli section seems ok, but prices are a little higher than before, especially where cheese is concerned. Oh, and the vegetable section has been remolded with a wooden floor as to conjure up memories of an old country store, but just it all feels just as unreal as Mr Safeway’s wife’s breast implants, plastic and contrived.
Of course all of this new efficiency is designed for one thing and that is to get you to buy! buy! buy! Smaller aisles and snaking traffic patterns mean that you will spend more time in the store. More time spent in the store means that you will spend more money. Well, Mr Safeway, I really just want to get my cheese and beer and get out. And I don’t really love fighting through the increased number of customers brought on by your renovation or perhaps the illusion of increased traffic brought on by shrinking aisles.
Oh, and on a final note, the look may have been changed but customer service remains pretty much where it was before.eh. Yes scratch the surface and you will see that the facelift hasn’t changed some of the underlying issues of the old version. For example, on a trip up to the store’s restrooms, my bf and I both observed that the water in the mens and womens wasn’t working which meant that we couldn’t wash our hands. However, these restrooms also served as the employee’s restrooms which means that the guy who had handled my vegetables (that sounds a bit naughty. sorry) hadn’t washed his either… double yuck!

Definitely an improvement from what it used to be! This was my first time seeing the «new» Safeway, having moved away a few years ago and only coming back periodically. I now compare everything to my local Publix in Florida (happily biased) and I have pretty high expectations for neighborhood grocery stores… but my expectations were met here. A Starbucks, self checkout, and beautiful new atmosphere. Not bad! Selection is pretty much the same though. For such a busy area, the renovation was much needed and they did a good job.
As my dad said: «everything changed… except the people who work there.» There’s that part.

Post-​renovation update:
Pros:
The renovation has improved the look, layout, and traffic pattern of the old Safeway. There is more room to maneuver and the two entrances add to the ease of entering and exiting the store.
I love that you can now actually take your cart out to the parking lot and there is a cart corral for returning it.
Beer selection has much improved /​expanded.
Seafood meat, produce, & bakery departments have improved drastically in appearance, sanitation, and product.
Checkout /​service has improved dramatically. More registers are open, and the people at the registers are more careful about bagging and overall more professional.
I love the addition of the self checkout.
Cons:
Despite a huge amount of real estate being devoted to prepared foods, it’s all the same old boring stuff. Safeway should have taken a hint from Harris Teeter in this area.
The hot bar /​prepared foods section didn’t live up to my expectations. We still have the old chicken tenders, potato salad, macaroni salad options, but now they’re in the to-​go section, the deli section, the hot bar, etc. And olives. There are olives everywhere! But I’d have preferred a salad bar.
The Starbucks is also a let-​down. They’re just not fully functional yet. I think they need some help from corporate.
I do have to say that I was seriously grossed out by a food handling violation I observed in the hot food bar – so grossed out that I walked away and wrote a letter to the manager, to which I have not received a response. I’ve stayed away from the prepared foods ever since.
Overall, meh. It’s my neighborhood store. It’s gotten slightly better, but still not enough for me to actually say that I’m a fan. Plus, I have a real fondness for safe food handling practices, so seeing blatant violations makes me unable to give more than 2 stars.