Safeway

Forget anything about the food… I have never been to a Safeway store with bearable customer service or employees. Truly shameful. They just don’t care and they’re less than intelligent.
GO TO GIANT INSTEAD/​closeby. Same prices, better customer service

The employees are about the most unprofessional group of people you could find. Totally unhelpful and only interested in socializing with each other.
Food is sub-​par. Don’t expect anything in the produce department to be on par with other grocers. They seem to be focus primarily on soft drinks, chips, and processed foods.

This is the first negative Unilocal review I have ever written. Safeway is in the same complex as my gym, and they validate parking for up to 90 minutes. Every time I work out, I pop into Safeway to buy an item so I can get free parking — which means I end up using this Safeway about 5x a week.
It doesn’t matter what time of day I go — early morning, midday, late evening, rush hour, not rush hour — I always have to wait in a long line. It’s like they have a special formula in place to ensure that they always have 2 – 3 fewer checkout lanes open than is needed for the amount of people in the store. What should be a 5 minute errand (popping in, grabbing a juice, popping out) takes me 20. There are always many employees standing around, and I wish more of them were operating checkout lanes to eliminate the long wait. One time, I actually saw an employee open up a lane just to check out a friend, then immediately close it (turning away everyone who tried to hop in line) so that she could go back to chatting with her friend on another aisle. I’ve also had the folks working the checkout line just stare at me without helping at all while I try to bag all of my groceries and the person behind me waits.
The store is clean. The selection is fine. They have a severe management problem. Safeway Headquarters — wherever you are — you need to send some central staff down to this branch and help them get their systems into better shape.

Way understaffed and the store has the worst selection of veggies even though the store is huge. Total waste of space, this should be a whole foods or a mom’s. Also the crackheads and homeless losers that hangout across the street add a nice touch for all the single yuppie girls walking around. Makes everyone feel safe to watch young girls get insulted by homeless locals that are disgusting… What a great place! Come check it for yourself.

I’m writing specifically about the steakhouse chili at this Safeway location. I don’t know if they prepare it there on-​site or have it shipped in but it’s the best chili in the world!!! I’m becoming obsessed with this chili. It’s worth standing in the sometimes long lines to get a taste of it. The store is fine. It’s clean and usually have what I go in for. The only complaint is the lines can be sometimes long and annoyingly slow but other than that it’s a nice store.

I’m glad to have a Safeway in the area. It’s true. But, jeez, the lines are rough. Whether there’s a large crowd in the store or it’s nearly empty, the clerks seem to move slowly. Really, slowly.
It’s also nearly impossible to find an employee when you’re in need of assistance. Trust me — I’ve tried many times. The customer service center won’t impress you either.
On a very positive note, the store’s stock is generally well-​maintained and fairly inclusive. Thankfully, there are even small sections dedicated to natural foods, vitamins and pet care items, none of which are ever a given in DC groceries. For that alone, I’m tempted to give the place four stars. :)
My tip? You’ll probably be happiest using their home delivery service. That way, can take advantage of the well-​stocked variety of items while avoiding the lines. It’s a win-​win!

The have really worked hard to improved many aspects of the store, from employees to product quality, even lighting in the store. It is nice to see the great efforts made!!!

Ghastly! This Safeway is near my office, and it’s nice to have a large grocery store nearby – HOWEVER, after a few trips here, I’ve vowed to never return (unless I’m in a real pinch). It’s poorly managed and downright unpleasant. The self-​checkout always seems to be chaotic, and there are NEVER enough cashiers working. I’m talking about a weekday afternoon – would hate to see what it’s like here on a Saturday. Cashiers seem to be grumpy all the time. The produce seems to be «subpar.» There are some excellent Safeway stores in the DC area, but this ain’t one of ‘em!

Great wine selection. Good convenient location… close to the Hyatt Arlington.

Get your groceries delivery. Even if you live a block away — like I do! — it’s just not worth it.
Goddam awful. You’ll pay more for delivery, but it’s worth it.

Worlds worst large Supermarket. Clueless and charmless — and generally horrible staff who dont seem to care — self check out only unless u want to wait in long lines at frequently under-​manned check out lanes. The inventory for such a large place is for the most part pathetic — for instance I wasn’t even able to find a bag of frozen peas and carrots (on two tries). If this place had a competitor in the area they would be out of business in a nano second. Safeway as an organization should be ashamed of themselves. Too bad they are the only show in my vicinity. If I want something other than milk I have to get in the car.

This place is a comedy of fools, but I suffer it because it’s super convenient. Open ²⁴⁄₇ and close by.
Usually, half the self-​check out lanes are malfunctioning or closed, so at peak times, the lines will go halfway down the grocery aisle. It’s a pain, but sometimes easier than dealing with the cashiers in the other lines.
The grocery selection is decent. I haven’t been disappointed much, except for the meat selection. I’d head up to Giant or elsewhere for better.

This has to be one of the most atrociously awful experiences I had at a grocery store. Incredibly rude management. My friend and I had bought snacks at the store and were eating in the Starbucks area. Not only were we harassed repeatedly by a another customer who was belatedly taken away by security, but the manager was incredibly rude and asked us to leave when we were peacefully eating the food that we BOUGHT at the store. I will never return to this store and will file a formal complaint with the Safeway corporate store. AVOID THIS STORE AT ALL COSTS.

I live across the street from Sexy Safeway (it’s a DC thing to name your Safeway). I neither love nor hate this Safeway, which is odd, since I tend to develop relationships with the local supermarket. By DC standards, it is reasonably priced — certainly when you compare it to a full-​on earth-​muffin grocery like Whole Foods or Yes! This Safeway is big, even huge, for the location, and has just about everything I could want. Produce is abundant, if uninspiring. Same with the meats and seafood and bakery. The biggest headache is with lines — the place is perpetually staffed just below what it needs. 4am? There will be a line, both at the staffed checkout, and the self checkout (since half of the stations are broken at any given time).
You’re okay, Sexy Safeway, but I don’t love you.

What is up with all the negativity here, people?! This poor location is surely crying itself to sleep at night with all these sour reviews, and it deserves better.
Yes; it’s a DC grocery story. So, no, it isn’t the best store you’ve ever shopped at in your life. But my gosh, especially for DC? It’s pretty darn good. For starters, it’s by far the best grocery store in the area. It blows the nearby Giant out of the water (with the exception of a less impressive gluten-​free/​health food section, though neither store is great for that). Actual produce selection, including some organics. I can usually find every fresh produce item on my list here. Prices are average. They have a Starbucks, a floral section, some prepared foods. It’s reasonably clean. The staff is friendly and helpful every time I encounter them. It’s never that crowded. I’m not fighting the hoards of trophy wives, hipster millennials, or yoga-​mat-​toting hippies like I am at the always nightmarish DC Whole Foods or TJ’s locations (that gets old, and I AM a yoga-​mat-​toting hippie, and a millennial to boot). Convenient location. Parking validation. Metro accessible. Sweetgreen, Chipotle, and a hardware store next door. I mean, really, what more are all of you negative Nancys looking for? I say we give this respectable Safeway the break that it deserves.

While the people who work here are generally helpful and polite, the lines are always way too long because they only open a small handful of lanes. Even when it’s busy– you’ll see maybe 1 or 2 lanes open with a line halfway down an aisle.
Also, I feel like the selection is always lackluster here.

This is conveniently located near a metro. The store has validated 90 minute parking if you spend $ 5 or more. The pharmacists are nice. The managers are helpful and make up for the lack of enthusiasm by some of the cashiers. There is a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ chance you will get someone with a sense of urgency to help at the customer service desk. I am not sure what the purpose of the guards are, except to look bored and text while on duty. I respect that the store didn’t charge $ 50 for a shovel during a giant snowstorm.

Well, the major pro here is that it’s close to work. The other major pro is that there’s a Starbucks inside, and the third major pro is the clean bathrooms. Overall, it’s a fine place to get groceries, the donuts are good, and we order coffee travelers from the Starbucks for work quite a bit. (Bonus: You get an entire bottle of half-​and-​half with a coffee traveler purchase. Downside: They don’t carry stock plain white sugar packets, which seems odd, but I suppose you could buy white sugar in the store pretty easily…)
The cons, however, are probably worth mentioning. First of all, I’m not sure that I’ve ever met more disgruntled employees at a Starbucks. I had one conversation over the phone that went like this:
Me: «Hi, I’d like to order a coffee traveler, please.»
Her: «OK.»
Me: «And I’d like to pick it up in 15 minutes or so.»
Her: «OK.»
Me: *waits* «…and it’s for Rachel.»
Her: «OK.»
Me: *waits* «So…I’ll see you soon, then.»
Her: «OK.»
Not exaggerating. And that’s pretty typical, but maybe they’re just annoyed that there’s no tip jar on the counter (I have noticed this with grocery store Starbucks – I hope they at least pay them a better hourly rate).
Also, the Safeway’s salad bar is… well, not great. Granted, I’m only basing this off of one experience, but I had broccoli that was verging on no-​longer-​good-​to-​eat and tomatoes that were definitely rotten.
So, you know, if you’re one of those people who reads reviews of places before you go buy a gallon of milk, that’s my two cents.

This is such a horrible store. And that’s coming from someone who:
a) comes from a place (California) with lots of Safeway stores, and, in general, likes Safeway.
b) LOVES grocery shopping.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, because my apartment is great), I live directly above this store, and it’s open 24 hours. So I cannot avoid it…
Here is why I dislike the store:
–Their fruits and veggies are not always fresh. In fact, they are often moldy.
–The lines to check out are super long, any time of day or night. For absolutely no reason. Most of the time, only 1 or 2 registers are open, but 10 – 15 people are in line for each. This shows that they have a COMPLETE disregard for customer service.
–The store is very disorganized, and oftentimes if you can’t find what you are looking for, neither can the safeway employees.
–Unlike some Safeway stores, they don’t carry much organic or natural meat which is disappointing.
–It’s really dirty in the store.
–The cashiers are rude and act like you’re bothering them by shopping at Safeway.
The good:
–Okay wine/​beer selection.
–Convenient location.
–Open 24 hrs.

Oh, Safeway. The new Giant at City Market at O is kicking your butt, yet you refuse to improve!
I still come here seriously almost daily as I live right across the street and it could not be more convenient — and when I’m toting along an infant, I’m all about convenience. However, I become more and more disappointed with Safeway by the month. A few years ago, when it was new and shiny and lovely, this place was awesome. But quality of service and selection has seriously deteriorated.
I feel like in the past couple of years, they have re-​done their aisles SO many times but really with no visible improvement to the feng-​shui of the store. As in the case of the most recent «remodel» and «grand re-​opening» last summer, literally weeks went by when aisles were empty or partially stocked, and even after things were sorted, MANY employees didn’t know where to find things.
Also, during the latest remodel, they removed one of the greatest and unique features of the store — the NUT BAR! I mourned its loss, as I’m sure did many other customers.
A few things did improve, like a greater organic produce selection, more gluten free options, and better card/​gift wrap selection. But those things don’t make up for all the negatives.
The people who work here, for the most part, are unmotivated and ambivalent. One of their cashier policies (which I know because it is posted by the manager’s office) is to always thank customers by their name (via the receipt). Now I know my last name is a tad unusual, but it’s not hard to pronounce if you know phonics, and the fact that 80% of the time the cashiers don’t even bother to follow this policy by trying to say my name shows the kind of lackluster attitude here. (I should note that there is one young gentleman who works as a cashier — I don’t know his name — but he is the epitome of excellent customer service. Whenever I see he is working I try to get in his line because he is one of the few employees here who cares about doing the job correctly and politely!)
When you are checking out, be sure to check what is being rung up, particularly with fresh produce that doesn’t have a bar code. TWICE in the past 5 days I’ve been mischarged for items — in the end, not huge price differences, but still, if this is your job, you should know the difference between a lime and a lemon (yes, that happened). Both times when I caught the mistake of the cashiers, they gave me looks like I was inconveniencing them. This has happened to my husband several times as well, so they aren’t isolated incidents.
There are a lot of self-​check out kiosks (they book-​end the regular check out aisles), but 9 times out of 10, the five on the south side of the store won’t be open, and the ones on the north end will only have 2 or maybe 3 in operation. I don’t know why they bothered installing so many if they weren’t going to have them fully operational all the time — or at least during regular day hours. During the busy rush hour about 5 pm the other day, after waiting for seriously 10 minutes in line for a self-​check-​out kiosk, I asked the man who was «monitoring» the kiosks why the second set of self-​check-​outs is NEVER open. His response? «There isn’t enough need for it.» Um… so I guess Safeway thinks that having lines of people literally stretching down aisles to check out doesn’t necessitate the «need» to open more lanes. Absurd.
Besides the location’s convenience, the other thing that keeps me coming back is the Just-​For-​You personalized deals and promotions (like personalized coupons) that get updated each week. If you are a regular at Safeway, sign up for it online (there is also a mobile app).
I feel bad ranting against this store, but it really has a long way to go to restore itself to its original glory.