CVS Pharmacy

I went to the pharmacy today and needed my medication to get preauthorized. Not only did they help me as best they could, but also called both my doctors office and insurance to see if they could hurry it along. They were all so very nice and helpful. I’ve never had a better experience at a CVS before. Plaza America you’ll always have my business! to all the pharmacist who worked tonight at plaza America THANK YOU for making my frustrating day so much better

Extremely unprofessional service. They took my information so that they could fill a prescription and mentioned that they would call me back. After four hours and no call, I called them to find out the status. They said that they would place the call right now since they knew that several hours had passed by. They then told me that they don’t have my right information (old address etc…). Could they not have found this out earlier that morning. Why did I have to chase this down. This is in direct contrast to the perfect service at Harris Teeter locations. I would make the switch back to HT but my insurance forces me to go to cr*p a$$ CVS. UGH

I have been going to this CVS store for more almost 2 years now and my experience has been kind of mixed. The staff seems to keep changing (not in pharmacy section, but at checkout) and sometimes they are really courteous, helpful, and the other times, plain rude. Just yesterday I went to get passport photos from there. We stood in front of the photo kiosk waiting to be helped. One of the staff members asks us if we needed help. I said yes and told him that we are there to get passport photos. He replied in a very rude manner saying «we don’t store any photos from your online order». I told him that I took my passport photos in-​store and I was wondering if they would store those. He again rudely said «No». I got ticked off and immediately left the pharmacy store. Considering CVS had a big flub around their online (
) service, the staff should have had an apologetic tone instead of how he spoke to us. Nevertheless, that prompted me to look for alternatives and I am never using CVS to print passport photos, as these services are rip-​off. I am better off using epassportphoto and then get 4 passport photos for 30 cents instead of paying 12 $ for 2 photos. Most of the pharmacists seem to be friendly though, but I do have gripes about rest of the staff.
I have also been to the one at RTC (not in the pharmacy section) and the staff their seem to be much better to deal with than the one at Plaza America. And parking is always a nightmare here, unless of course, you go after 8 PM. Traffic mostly dies down by them.

When we went to fill an urgent prescription in person the pharmacist at CVS Plaza America mistakenly entered the quantity of 24 prescriptions instead of one packet of 24 pills. Of course the prescription was rejected by the software system they use because of her clerical error. She was unable or unwilling to help us while in the store. Instead she advised us to call our insurance company for assistance. This caused us hours of grief and waiting on the telephone so our insurance company could walk the pharmacy through the issue. It took so long to resolve because the pharmacy was busy and chose to prioritize other customers. Such a simple clerical error causing so much grief is ridiculous. I guess it’s time for us to transfer all of our prescriptions elsewhere.

I’m not a fan of CVS usually, so I was pleasantly surprised to find the staff here to be extremely friendly and very competent. While in line, I noticed the pharmacy staff greeted each customer by name and remembered personal details, and I only waited a few minutes each visit. When I came back to change my Rx for a name brand rather than the usual generic — I hadn’t noticed at checkout — the pharmacist handled my request efficiently and courteously.
I had been wary of this place from past experience a few years ago and from seeing the reviews here. But it seems the negative reviews are pretty old — it’s true I wouldn’t have complimented this CVS branch a few years ago, when the service was frankly terrible. But having been out of state for a few years, now I barely recognize the place: it’s efficient and friendly. I never thought I’d say that about a CVS, but I actually enjoy coming here now.

Every negative review here is spot on – this is THE worst CVS, period!!! The women who work here are the most uncaring people. I came in with a simple generic prescription and told Clerk #1 that I’d be in the waiting area, which is three dirty chairs to the right of the cash registers. I naively assumed that she would actually remember me.
I sat patiently for about 20 minutes waiting for my name to be called. Meanwhile, another customer stood at the cash register and chit chatted with CLERK #2 for a good 10 – 15 minutes. Of course, the whole time I was being ignored and I got this nagging feeling that they had forgotten about me.
I got up and stood in front of the registers, in plain sight. CLERK #2 at this point — having finished her social time, looked right past me at another male customer who had come in after me, saying «Sir, you’ve been waiting for awhile …» I then spoke up and pointed out that I had waiting even longer. She finally acknowledged me and said she had called my name, which was a lie since I had been sitting right there and would have heard my name.
Meantime, CLERK #1, who knew I would be waiting, stood nearby and didn’t say a word, pretending like she didn’t know anything. What scum these people are. To add insult to injury, there was no apology or even a thank you. These two women should be FIRED. Time for CVS to clean house and hire caring people.
AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!

So I think the two issues here need to be separated. Yes, it’s a busy pharmacy in an awful, busy location (the Plaza America parking lot is one of the worst in NoVA — nevermind this place being next to a Whole Foods, Starbucks and a gym — getting in here after work is near IMPOSSIBLE) — but that could be excused if the service inside was good but slow due to the busy nature of the place. The pharmacists themselves are good, but the techs and other people working there just don’t seem to care. Every time I have to call in about a prescription, it’s like pulling teeth and I’m on hold for 10 – 15 minutes.
Part of this also seems to be due to the clientele. I’m not sure if there’s a retirement community nearby, but there always seems to be a couple of old people at the pharmacy counter, and man, do old people love to sit there and chat about their drugs and aches and pains. Don’t even try coming in here between 5−7PM on a weekday. If you find parking, you’ll be standing in a line almost back to the front registers.
Take your prescriptions to someplace like Target down the road or the CVS in Herndon. Yeah, they’re both busy and slow too — but at least they pretend to care.

Why are they always out of redbull?!
Cig prices are cheaper here then 7 – 11 or any supermarkets in the area.

I didn’t realize how harshly criticized pharmacies were until now. It’s a pharmacy… they are always busy. Is everyone that hard up for their drugs, no offense. The main pharmacist lady told me, Thank you for coming in. Who says that?! I felt welcomed even through the mess of their rush of disgruntled patients. She was even happy to give out flu shots, laughing and making small talk with an elderly gentleman. Oh yea, and they gave me the correct prescriptions, I thought that was important.
I think this pharmacy deserves some positive recognition!

This pharmacy is the WORST. As for the store itself I have no complaints, but the pharmacy itself is horrible.
I moved to Reston two years ago and made the terrible mistake of choosing to fill my monthly prescriptions here. At least three times I have received an automated phone call that my prescriptions are ready, only to show up within 1 – 2 days and be told that they were put back on the shelves bc I didn’t show up in time. Really? I wasn’t aware I had to show up within five minutes of the phone call.
I switched a medication last year, and they STILL keep trying to fill the old one and give it to me.
Lines are always ridiculous. Customers always having issues and having to argue with the pharmacy cashiers about them, which holds up the line even more. The old man who works at the cashier is consistently arrogant and rude towards me. At least twice, he has loudly announced the names of the medications I’m buying in front of other customers. Beware of this guy, he’s a jerk unless you’re a 60+ woman, then hell waste everyone’s time sweet talking you.
The last straw was today, I called to see if my (supposedly automatically refilled) precriptions were ready for pick up before I went there (they weren’t of course.) woman on the phone informs me one of my scripts has no refills. I say can you fill it, and when I get there in 10 min I’ll give the new script? She says «no problem.» Guess what wasn’t filled when I showed up bc they didn’t have the new prescription in hand?
Seriously, go elsewhere. I am DONE with these idiots!

In the horse race between the «big three» drug store chains in Northern VA (CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens), Rite Aid is the winner — just try finding a Rite Aid near Reston. Walgreens is decent but I’ve read how poorly they treat their employees. CVS is bottom of the barrel bad. No surprise that their stock is worth the most of the three. They jam as much as they can into their aisles. That is their model — more more more, how do you hate it how do you hate it. Their check out counters are «anything goes,» and I’ve seen my fair share of shouting matches between people who didn’t know where the line started, and those at the end of the line (usually halfway down the toys and candy aisle) yelling at the would-​be cutter, who simply didn’t know where the line started (I HATE European-​style check out lines — see Starbucks for more examples).
And the staff at this particular CVS — refer to aforementioned bottom of the barrel comment. If only we could go through life without having CVS to gobble up independent drug stores, or take over classic movie houses in Washington DC. The world would be a better place.

I think I’m a glutton for punishment. I keep telling myself I need to take my prescriptions elsewhere, but end up being too lazy to do so.
I constantly have issues when I go to the pharmacy with my prescriptions.
Example 1: I have a prescription that gets «automatically» refilled. It has now expired and the pharmacy has to call the Dr. to get authorization. I say «I would like my prescription ready at 1pm.» I go in at 6pm that evening and the pharmacy cashier says «Oh. It’s not ready. Your Dr. needs to see you before she’ll authorize a refill.» …
You (CVS) have my phone number. Did you not feel the need to call me to inform me of this? «Oh we tried to call but we didn’t have the right number.»
I confirm my # and it’s correct in the system. After catching SERIOUS attitude, the pharmacist gave me a few pills to hold me over until I could get in to see my Dr. (This was a Sat and the Dr’s office wasn’t going to be open until Monday).
Example 2: A different prescription that is to be automatically refilled has run out of refills. Again, on the automated prescription refill line, you can request that CVS call your Dr for you to have it authorized for a refill. I ALWAYS give plenty of time between when I call and when I request to have it ready to allow the Dr’s office to be contacted and to respond. I go in 24hrs after I had requested it be ready and the pharmacy cashier says «Your Dr. never called us back.»…
Okaaayyyy…could you not call again? Could you not call me and let me know that my prescription wouldn’t be ready? I get that they’re busy at the pharmacy and I’m not their only customer BUT c’mon. Don’t offer to call the Dr’s office for your customers if you’re not gonna follow through.
Example 3: Similar to the above where I asked the pharmacy to call the Dr for refill authorization. I came in to pick it up, the cashier tells me the Dr’s office never called back so right then and there I call the Dr myself and they said they never received a phone call from CVS. This happened for a second time yesterday!
I don’t care if you live next door to the CVS, I don’t care if you live IN the CVS and the convenience is ridiculous… take your prescriptions somewhere, ANYWHERE else! Yesterday was the last straw for me.

I agree with the two ladies above, negative star (s) if I could give designate them. The cashiers and the asian gentleman at the pharmacy are fine but HOLY COW what is it with the younger ladies who answer the phone at the pharmacy and ring the register there?! YES, they give me impression of hating their job (if so, there are other options). Was kept on hold for twenty minutes 3x during the course of one day, but I was desperate to get a prescription I really needed and could not leave my sick toddler at home to check and urge them on in person. When they did finally answer the phone, the ATTITUDE. Isn’t it their job to answer questions about refills, medication, etc??? I am confused as to what their job description entails. The CVS management should seriously review their pharmacy admins. staff competence — meaning the young ladies that are not pharmacists or at least the senior pharmacists. When you are very ILL and need to get your meds, this is the last thing you need.

To the pharm tech with the nose stud: I get it. I really do. You hate your job, you hate the after-​5 rush crowd, you hate the dumb customers who shoulda-​woulda-​coulda. But your visible attitude is reprehensible. Your customer service skills are crap, and have driven me back to the Elden CVS with raging finality. Asking you to confirm that my doc called in an Rx I don’t want to fill yet shouldn’t induce visible eyerolling.
The CVS is part of the Plaza America lot, sort of along the right side closer to the business quarter. I only point this out since during green seasons the foliage in the parking lot is positioned strategically to hide shop signs and give unfamiliar shoppers maximum walking experience. Stopped by to drop off my scrip before my eyebrow waxing appointment at the spa at the other end of the strip, said I’d be back in half an hour to pick it up. «Okay, no problem.» I come back 40 minutes later and am told it will be another 30 minutes. Thirty minutes of wandering around later, I’m still waiting. What is this, a ploy for impulsive shoppers to buy nonessential essentials? Well it worked but I’m not happy. :P Stocked back up on beauty goods, picked up a new hairbrush, and still had time to mutter angrily.
What’s up with the aisle listing bread not having bread? Chips and cookies are snacks, don’t give me false hope. Dispirited as I was, I couldn’t resist $ 10 wine, ha ha. Two cheap bottles of riesling on sale to cope with it all, and I went on my way.

Yet again this is a NEGATIVE 1 star.
Work has been somewhat slow here and there so on really boring days I run errands and get lost at Starbucks… on this one particular day I decided to go to CVS to pick up a few things I needed for the weekend trip. Like always I get side tracked by shiny things or bright colors. I found myself oogling the new nail polish colors by Orly. I shook one bottle (Buried Treasure) to see it’s actual color — because everyone knows that nail polish needs to be shook up. Out of nowhere — literally — a tiny little maybe 18 year old stock girl gets about 4 inches from my face and says in the nastiest attitude «can I help you?» I smile politely (a bit confused too) and say «no thank» she proceeds to tell me that they can’t sell nail polish if I use it, EVEN though I hadn’t opened the bottle! I put the bottle down out of disgust with her attitude and she grabs it off the shelf and while walking away says «we can’t sell this». I felt like I was in the twilight zone.
So I went and grabbed my other items… still in shock. So beware CVS shoppers. There have a little blind troll monitoring the nail polish and making accusations of people USING it. I was so angry at this point but still really liked the color I was trying to look at, so I went back to the aisle and grabbed another bottle and went to pay for my stuff.
Unbelievable. I didn’t even have the energy to complain to someone at the register about her behavior BUT it definitely was enough for me to never shop at that location again. I’ll wait til I get back to Centreville to go to the CVS off of Pickett. ugh. bleh