Trader Joe’s

I do not like shopping at this Trader Joe’s. They must be doing something right because the place is always packed but my last several experiences have been horrible. Lately the employees have been very rude and act like it is a hassle to answer my questions and check out.
I even talked to a manager on duty one day because of the attitudes.
I do not understand how management can continue to allow these employees to act in this manner. This seems to be a training problem.
I do not plan to go back to this location ever again.

Trader Joes is amazing. How are the prices so low? The only issue with this place is that during peak days/​hours (usually Sunday & Mondays), the lines are completely out of control. They literally have someone directing traffic the same way you have cops direct traffic when a sporting event gets out. The lines from the register will nearly reach the back of the store. I’d suggest going during off hours if at all possible. Otherwise, the prices and selection here really are fantastic.

This is a very busy location! I think the founders of Instacart got their idea after visiting this store. It will take you nearly an hour to check out. Seeing how popular this location is I would expect them to expand to the CVS nearby. It’s hard to shop the frozen isle since there are shoppers lined up to check out.

TOO CROWDED! UNDER STOCKED! CLOSES AT 10PM!
I live within two blocks of this Trader Joes and I would love to shop there except:
1) It is constantly PACKED. Often the checkout lines go all the way back into the aisles! Don’t come here unless you have an hour to wait for hipster clerks to leisurely check you out.
2) I have tried to come here at night around 9PM before the store closes. At this time the entire store is usually out of stock of common items such as Milk and Bananas. Useless trip.
3) Amazingly, this store closes at 10PM every night of the week. Obviously, if you need groceries after that time, you need to go somewhere else.

This Trader Joe’s location is one to be avoided due to the very, very, very long lines at check out. The employees at this location have all been friendly but clearly the mgmt is OUT TO LUNCH. For some reason there is no attention to details like having plastic bags stocked in the meat area — every time I’m at this location I go to get a plastic bag to but my chicken into and they are gone. Such an easy FIX just put a second plastic bag holder in the meat area!
It’s one thing to be so crowded — which can only mean higher sales for TJ’s — but to have to constantly double check the «sell by» date on food is tiring. I keep finding items especially in the bakery section that are past the sell by date –same with the half and half etc. I can’t believe that I even have to write this — thus doing the job of the management myself. Please Trader Joe’s send me a paycheck for pointing out the most basic rules of good food handling. Maybe the Manger of this location should get a basket and shop and wait in line to really understand how poorly run this location is. Never have any issues at other TJ’s — but here it’s like everyone is too «busy» to care.

DO NOT come here on a Monday night. 50% of the city is doing their weekly shopping here.
It is literally (LITERALLY) too crowded to shop – the checkout lines run down multiple aisles and you can’t see what’s on the shelves because of the hoards of people. They have a guy doing air traffic control at checkout directing people to the next available register – credit to that guy, he was seriously hustling, keeping track of 200 shoppers and 4 or 5 registers second by second. The experience probably qualifies him to manage incoming aircrafts at SFO.
It was my first time at this store and I didn’t know where anything was. I left without half my list, and ended up buying a bunch of stuff that I didn’t want but was right in front of me because I was physically unable to get to other aisles and frantically grabbed what was in front of me.
The only reason it’s not one star is because I still love the products and its relatively cheap.

I’ve been going to Trader Joes since 1995 in So. California and have been to all of the stores in San Francisco where I’ve lived the past 20 years. I’ve never complained about any Trader Joes before but the one on Nob Hill I will never set foot in again. Something’s going on in the employee culture at this store that’s scary to me as a customer.
Besides the heavy foot traffic in the store, there’s a high stress environment with extremely long lines. Their check out registers are poorly designed and uncomfortable to squeeze hand baskets into such a small space. Islamic music was played over their stereo system (Nov. 3, 2015) that I had to ask for them to change the station and present a case as to why that if they were going to play it I wouldn’t be shopping there. They changed the station, but the problems with a high stress abnormal experience continued visiting the store thereafter.
I no longer visit this Trader Joes though it’s two blocks away. One less customer in line, and hopefully I’ll lose a few pounds from standing in their long lines when I could have been working out at my local gym.

I love that this trader joe’s has a parking garage above and under ground. It is also super convenient since the cable car picks up right outside my place and stops on Hyde and California! They usually have everything well stocked but occasionally runs out of the frozen seafood or shrimp gyozas! noo! Luckily they always have fresh flowers and mochi ice cream in stock. I purchase my basil plants here. they’re only $ 3! Cant beat that. :) anyway the workers here are always so friendly and polite. They just got new credit card machines.(card with the chip) and it’s been kindda crazy. lines are longer than I’m used to be seems to go fairly fast.
Love their wine selection and they occasionally have specials on other adult beverages. ;)

Skip this location, unless you’re going in the morning on a week day. If you try to go on a week day evening, the line will literally be stretched all the way to the end of the store. Never mind the fact that the store will be insanely crowded– once you’ve made your selections, you’ll have a lengthy wait to pay– possibly even an hour. No food is worth the kind of hassle.

This Trader Joe’s has some of the most self-​rightious employees that I have ever encountered. If you’re not with them and their faux organic look at me I’m all about the environment so I’m cooler than you attitudes then they will treat you like shit.
It’s always a toss up experience when I come here which is often because it’s so conveniently close to my home. The cashiers have given me dirty looks when I asked for a bag, tossed my receipt not caring where they threw it, and recently, given me such a dark look for something that I apparently did yet I don’t know what it was that I did. Seriously, it looked like he was going to murder me (his name is Ariel V.).
Confused, frustrated, a little insulted? Yes I was, all of the above.
Some other people have noted that their customer service is very unpleasant because of their attitudes and I obviously agree. You aren’t saving the world, you are working at Trader Joe’s so get off your high horse and stop thinking the world revolves around you.

What can I say? Of course I keep coming back to my neighborhood Trader Joe’s. I can pretty much find everything I need here (some exceptions, of course) at a decent price. Staff are also friendly. The only downside is how crowded it gets but this can mostly be avoided by steering clear of the back-​to-​work rush at the beginning of each week.

I came in here to see what the place looks like after the remodel from the old Cala.
The parking lot is the same.
The store is spaced out pretty well
Looks like most other trader joes.
I got ginger chews with other light groceries like cough drops and almonds.
Check out is fast.
Prices are good.

I’ve sat on this review. This store needs a reform! Retrain all employees they are not all on the same page the customer service is seriously iffy I sense attitudes of entitlement from more than half of the workers! Many behave as if stocking with a lofty self-​important air is more valuable than appearing friendly. The wine guys are helpful and helped quench our thirsts yet a bit neurotic they act stand offish first and they often look spooked.
I have rarely eaten the samples due to the unfriendly attitude of most of the servers. Lost sale I’m an easy customer after sampling! Last week I asked the female produce clerk for organic brocoli. No we don’t have that– we have brocoli florrets… which were organic. So quick to say no when she had what I needed and I’ve seen her working there for months. Don’t know your stock yet?!
And lets not forget the young man who gave my brand new Wells Fargo 20 dollar bill a hard time when my husband had made a trip the previous day with a wilted 20 dollar bill and his clerk didn’t hold it up to the light and give a big spiel about fake dollar bills. Oh, I phoned the store immediately after it happened as I’m much too seasoned to be profiled. Ta!
If this store wasn’t so close to our condo I’d avoid it period as is only use for emergencies in-​between Costco runs. Basically there needs to be a pro-​customer service attitude adjustment.
Tonight was going to do a health stroll up Nob Hill to Trader Joes for chicken wings carrots and ice cream the husband ya know. Instead will stroll down the hill to Costco where the customer service suits my needs.
PS The staff at the Trader Joes 9^th and Bryant are angels compared to this store they are real dolls very helpful! Take lessons management!

So it seems like I’m on a supermarket roll… Oooh did someone mention buttery, piping hot, fluffy rolls? Oh sorry, where was I?
Trader Joe’s everywhere is Trader Joe’s which means your standard TJ’s items — a unique aspect that you don’t find with many other supermarkets.
So what’s unique about this TJ’s?
–The people of Nob Hill/​Pacific Heights area travel near and not so far for their TJ’s items.
–It is always crowded. You will always have to wait at least 3 minutes for a check out line — especially during peak hours. Seriously, do people go to the grocery store for fun around here?
–Parking garage. I don’t have a car, but it seems like enough parking room.
–The aisles are wide enough, the veggies and items are always plentiful, and they have their signature sample station.
All in all, a solid Trader Joe’s. Oh, did someone mention Trader Joe Joe’s (TJ’s oreos)?
If this is any indication, guess it’s time for a snack.

Great location, parking, clean, organized. I’d recommend coming to this location. This is one of the nicest, cleanest locations I’ve ever seen. It’s super busy so make sure to prepare yourself for complete chaos. The lines are super long, but prices and cleanliness of the store make it worth it.

This is one of those Trader Joe’s that gives Trader Joe’s a bad name. Perhaps it’s a victim of its own success?
I suspect it’s about as bad as the one on Masonic but I dare not set foot in that one so I can only speculate, based on the stories I’ve heard.
But…back to THIS Trader Joe’s. It’s crazy-​close to where I live (no stalking) yet I only stop here in times of desperation, even after having anxiously awaited its much-​delayed grand opening.
Why is that?
Well, first let’s talk about the parking lot. As in, who striped that shit? Nearly every time I attempt it I’m behind a line of other cars passing up empty but too-​narrow spaces.
Now, if *I* were the only one passing on those spaces I would say that it was due to my fat ass being afraid of getting hemmed in. However, I see skinny bitches passing on those same spaces because even THEY fear that their tiny hips won’t achieve clearance.
The next annoyance is the produce/​deli/​bakery area. Seriously, what a PITA. The Fisherman’s Wharf location is about ½ the size of this one yet it’s at least 3 times easier to navigate. Not to mention that the Fisherman’s Wharf store has only one parking level versus two. What’s going on here? Isn’t there some sort of retail engineering devoted to avoiding this, or is it inevitable due to the location?
Then the grocery/​staples aisle. Oh, the grocery/​staples aisle. You want canned beans? Marinara sauce? Toilet paper? Might as well turn around and hit the corner store because you are SOL.
Shall we talk about the lines now? Don’t EVEN come here after work on Monday unless you’re conducting a social experiment that involves the effects of store-​length lines on the human psyche. Does it really have to be that way? I mean, I hit the Fisherman’s Wharf location almost every Monday (again, no stalking) and it has yet to reduce me to sweat-​soaked, cart-​abandoning tears.
Long story short: I tell my kid all the time that engineering is a great job because it exists everywhere. Maybe someday an engineer will rework this location.

Parking lot from hell. Customers lacking spacial awareness. Decent size. Busy enough that the lines are long and kind of slow.
I much prefer my Millbrae location, it’s less stressful.

This TJs is small, but organized and efficient. Lines on Sundays are sometimes long, but you move real quick.
This TJs always has great little samples, and the staff are helpful and walking around. I’ve never been to overwhelmed being here during the busy time, though the Sunday after New Years’ they were empty of almost everything… Regardless, I’m a loyal TJs Hyde St

My go-​to grocery store in the Nob Hill neighborhood.
On the plus side:
— parking structure (garage and parking lot)
— CVS attached next door
Meh:
— not as big as other TJ’s, it’ll get packed quickly
I like that TJ’s constantly has little booths where they offer free stuff to try. Security is wandering around the parking lots to make sure no one exceeds the 2 hour parking limit.

I really don’t like their checkout system. One day it’s one line feeding into all the basket-​only cashiers on both sides and another day two lines. They create this ambiguous issue of who will get to be served first. They let people cut you even though you’ve been there a long time. Not to mention their lines are hot mess.
End of my story. End of my coming here.