Whats the worst grocery store?

[-]

claudial12@reddit

Every single time I buy fruits or veg, they mold within 48 hours. We've banned the place.

[-]

There’s an Aldi’s near me and every time I’ve tried their produce it goes bad by the next couple days, the layout is a bit weird and dirty, and the checkout lanes are only 1 at most and you can spend a lot of time there waiting, and if you didn’t buy your bag or bring your own they don’t give a crap for you to move your stuff out of the way and start to scan the next person hahaha

[-]

robbzilla@reddit

That last part sounds more like a you problem than a them problem. Spend the 50 cents for some paper bags, cheapskate!

[-]

BobcatOk5865@reddit

It’s a first world problem and I like my personal space, I’m an Aldi hater :)

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

yeah their produce is the only thing im not a fan of.

[-]

strog91@reddit

For me, it’s because shopping at Aldi’s feels like shopping at a gas station. Most of the shelves are filled with snacks / junk food, and what little produce they do carry is often blemished and/or rotten.

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

their produce is the only thing i dont like

[-]

robbzilla@reddit

I do about 50% of my shopping at Aldi's. I'll have to give you a hard disagree.

[-]

AnastasiaNo70@reddit

Yeah, honestly I’ve never understood the appeal of Aldi’s. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[-]

Jackieray2light@reddit

Oh the appeal is easy, Aldis milk and eggs are half the price or even less than other grocery stores.

[-]

MilkmanResidue@reddit

Seeing a ton of Kroger here but I pass the Tom Thumb to drive to my Kroger. Our Tom Thumb charges convenience store prices and you have to check the dates on everything you buy there because a lot of it is expired on the shelf.

[-]

Furrealyo@reddit

The new coupon app sealed it for me.

I have the TomThumb card.

I have the TomThumb app.

Get to the register and find that, no, you now also need this OTHER “coupon” app to get the advertised discounted price.

I hope they enjoyed restocking the full cart I left at the register.

[-]

CalvinIII@reddit

The person who had to restock the full cart of items that you left didn’t make the decision to require an app for certain deals.

That person makes $11 an hour and doesn’t have any say in the policies of the corporation.

[-]

Furrealyo@reddit

And they got paid the exact same $11 an hour to restock that cart as they would have cleaning the toilets or chasing carts in the parking lot. “It all pays the same”.

Restocking my cart was the best and easiest task they had all day.

[-]

CalvinIII@reddit

But because of you that had to clean the toilets, chase carts, AND restock all of your groceries.

You are the asshole in this situation.

[-]

taz1113@reddit

Got to love the times that in order for you to get certain deals you have to do it as part of a curbside order … and to have a curbside order you need to spend $30. They are figuring out people like me only go in for the deals and don’t fall for the buying the overpriced items out of convenience.

[-]

monkeyman80@reddit

That was one part of the major downfalls of Target Canada. Target is built on getting people to shift grocery habits and be a one stop shop. They want to be a place where a mom would like to look at cute clothes and also pick up groceries. Get a starbucks drink, maybe a pizza hut snack/popcorn for the kid and spend an hour.

Canada doesn't have a problem going to three or four different places because they know they can get meat cheap at this place, produce is great here, and other goods elsewhere.

(They had a million other different issues but that was one of the big ones).

[-]

qolace@reddit

Yes that's right. Take it out on the overworked, underpaid staff who are in total control of the app deals and coupons. /s

[-]

DangerousRedVinyl@reddit

This. I don't want your spyware on my device. I don't want to "clip" imaginary coupons into an imaginary file. I just want my fucking orange juice somewhat near to the advertised price.

[-]

NotADoctor108@reddit

Don't forget. You have to buy 8 bags of chips to get the advertised price.

[-]

LittleSubject9904@reddit

What new coupon app? What’s it called?

[-]

4ofheartz@reddit

Yes! The updated app is nice. They’re getting close to competitive!

[-]

saintelbow@reddit

Completely agree. Things are either expired or already opened and put back on the shelf.

[-]

taz1113@reddit

This!! I’ll go in for when there is an ad for strawberries when they are about $1 per pound but when I get there EVERY. PACKAGE. HAS. MOLD. At least with Albertsons if I say something they will clear them & run out some fresh ones. Tom Thumb just shrugs it off & is like well are you going to get it or not?

[-]

ReamOfEnvelopes@reddit

Albertsons and Tom Thumb are the same company.

[-]

taz1113@reddit

Same parent company but I have totally different experiences at the two.

[-]

HailToTheThief225@reddit

Only redeeming quality about the Tom Thumb near me is that it’s almost always less crowded and quieter than the other stores. If I only need a few things I just go there because I don’t wanna deal with the inconsiderate crowds of people at Kroger

[-]

Csharp27@reddit

My problem is that if I step into a grocery store, I always remember the few other things I need and then I’ve spent $30 before I even think about it. At Tom Thumb it ends up being like an extra 10 because their store brand granola is like $7 or some bullshit like that but I’m already there. They basically won’t price drop their meats either unless it’s visibly going bad, I could rant for a while since there’s one right next to my house and it’s the “convenient” option but fuck them.

[-]

Csharp27@reddit

Holy shit this is exactly what I was gonna come type. There’s a Tom Thumb a quarter mile from my place but I drive the extra mile further to Kroger. It’s all the prices and bullshit of a place like Market Street without any of the benefits. Kroger has decent prices, always some really good sales on meat, and a great selection. Hell even their cheese setup is top notch. Tom Thumb never fails to piss me off whenever I cave and run there for something quick and it ends up being multiple dollars more there than the other stores nearby.

[-]

JefaMujer@reddit

When Tom Thumb was locally owned by the Cullum family it was superior to other grocery stores. They had Simon David. Randall’s out of Houston bought it and the sold to Safeway. Killed it. Never went in one again.

[-]

HigherTed@reddit

Simon David was the Jewish father of Central Market.

[-]

clhiod@reddit

This is soooooooo vindicating, I always talk about how terrible Tom Thumb is and how expensive it is for NOTHING, like the same stuff you would get at Kroger, and people look at me like I’m crazy. I would not go to Tom Thumb if you paid me, I would walk ten miles to go to literally any other grocery store instead.

[-]

HylianSysadmin@reddit

100%. Tom Thumb even after the club card is still 20-25% more expensive. And their groceries suck in quality.

[-]

Matchboxx@reddit

Not our experience. Especially when we wait until Cowboys game days to buy groceries to get the jersey discount.

[-]

red_whiteout@reddit

Tom Thunb is absolute ass. We need an HEB so bad.

[-]

saysthingsbackwards@reddit

And they called me ugly!

[-]

Prestigious_Spread46@reddit

AGREEE about Tom Thumb being the fucking worst and so expensive and they don’t even have a good selection or good produce.

[-]

MilkmanResidue@reddit

Agreed. I’d rather shop at 7-Eleven! 😂

[-]

Kathw13@reddit

I have purchased items in the deli that almost immediately got moldy.

[-]

belugabluez@reddit

This is the correct answer, if Tom Thumb has no haters then I am dead lol

[-]

MonthElectronic9466@reddit

Tom Thumb is stupid expensive. The one near us is clean though.

[-]

msondo@reddit

I know what you are talking about but, oddly, the Tom Thumb in Las Colinas is one of my favorite grocery stores in DFW. I know several people that go out of their way just to shop there. It is kinda pricey but it's really well run, always well staffed, and they have a really good bakery, deli, and wine selection. They even have people play the piano while you shop sometimes.

[-]

NintendogsWithGuns@reddit

I pray for the day that all Tom Thumbs/Albertsons are replaced with HEBs in Dallas. Prices are crazy, selection is awful, very few Texas brands, etc.

[-]

robbzilla@reddit

all of the Randalls stores are stupidly expensive. You can score some decent sales, but anything not on sale will be more than Kroger, almost every time.

[-]

HotBeesInUrArea@reddit

I moved here recently and was super excited to try all the new grocery store options because Kroger has the area I'm from in a vicegrip. I'm glad I didn't start with Tom Thumb as opposed to Trader Joes or Aldi because that would have seriously knocked the wind out of my sail. I had no idea you could have a store be that cheap in quality and that expensive in price simultaneously.

[-]

tacoscholar@reddit

100%, I moved here three years ago from a city that doesn’t have Tom Thumb/Albertsons and was in disbelief at the prevalence of these stores given their price/quality ratio. I will absolutely “pay more” to shop at Whole Foods than go to Tom Thumb/Albertsons

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

FUCK tom thumb.

[-]

Jackieray2light@reddit

By reading these comments it is obvious that there are a whole lot of soft, privileged folks living in Dallas. If you want a dirty, overpriced, understocked grocery store, that you might actually get robbed in the parking lot you need to head south. There is a Cash Saver on Ledbetter and Lancaster that would terrify and gross out 95% of the commentors and it is the only grocery store in the neighborhood.

There is an overpriced, understocked Fiesta about 3 miles north on Lancaster but the sewage smell builds up in the store overnight so don’t go 1st thing in the morning.

[-]

doyouknowdewsy@reddit

I live near Lancaster and Oak cliff, you get used to it after a while. It almost has its weird little charm

[-]

Jackieray2light@reddit

Yeah, I live in the neighborhood behind the VA so i know the "charm". My 1st time at Cash Saver I came out and started my truck but when I put it in reverse nothing happened. Right then an older guy knocks on my window and says he noticed my truck isn't going into gear. He went on to say he is retired from Ford and thinks he knows how to fix it. What the F did you do to my truck was my response and I knocked him down with my door as I was getting out. I felt kinda bad for a second but then anger set in again and I said you need to fix it now. He said its just the quick release on your shifter cable, rolled under my truck for a couple seconds, then scrambled off saying he was sorry. I got under there to check it out before I drove away and yup there is a quick release on my shifter cable.

[-]

qolace@reddit

Seriously! Labeling a grocery store as "the worst" because the staff is just doing their job and checking your receipt against your cart is fucking WILD.

[-]

doyouknowdewsy@reddit

WOOO LANDCASTER REPRESENT 💯💯💯

[-]

WooshyWooshes@reddit

THANK YOU! I was going crazy seeing some of these answers.

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

lmao upvoting for insane accuracy

[-]

rougefalcon@reddit

Ghetto Kroger

[-]

halfuser10@reddit

HAHAHA. Maple ave or Haskell? 💀

[-]

Betty_Boopsie@reddit

Those aren’t bad to me. The one on Cedar Springs is the worst.

[-]

spookyscaryskeletal@reddit

this one is always stocking & outta shit, but our peers seem to feel differently. maybe it's the time we go lol

[-]

Shirkaday@reddit

Wait what!? Granted I haven't lived down there in 8 years but we loved Groger! (Our lame way of blending 'gay' and 'Kroger')

Why is it the worst?

[-]

clhiod@reddit

That’s the Kro-giiiirrrllll

[-]

halfuser10@reddit

Everyone know it’s Krogay. Groger sounds like a garden gnome.

[-]

Shirkaday@reddit

Haha wow that IS so much better. Damn. All those years... I always thought Groger was very low effort and not great.

Krogay even sounds fancy too! Like something French.

Crogeé ...

[-]

halfuser10@reddit

Upvote for fancy spelling. I will pass this spelling along to the gays.

[-]

Existing_Quarter2791@reddit

I actually pick to go to that one. It's always a nice little in and out trip for me.

[-]

qolace@reddit

You shut your whore mouth about Krogay okayyyy!

[-]

dallascowboys93@reddit

How? That’s my go-to Kroger and never had a problem there.

[-]

dallascowboys93@reddit

It’s funny cause that Kroger is so nice but can be a little ghetto

[-]

Existing_Quarter2791@reddit

Lmaooo omg the Kroger on Maple is on my sh!t list! When I first moved here in 2022, it was the closest thing grocery store I THOUGHT to my home so I was like 'why not, I don't want fast food and you're used to Kroger'. HELL NO! The food was miscolored! Like the Gatorade and juices were all so outdated they were completely wrong colors. I've never been back lol

[-]

tbear87@reddit

Why does every city have one run down Kroger that everyone refers to as ghetto Kroger? I've lived in 3 places that have Krogers. All of them had a ubiquitous ghetto Kroger lmao

[-]

Lobotc2dfw@reddit

The original Kroghetto is in Cincinnati near the University of Cincinnati. (Kroger HQ is downtown) The college students gave it that name because it was on the edge of a slum and most of it's non-college customers were very poor and on food stamps back in the day.

The area has since been gentrified and the orginal Kroghetto was remodeled/replaced after about 40 years of being extremely gross and run down. Pretty sure it's maintained the nickname though .

So, ATLiens? Now you get to explain Murder Kroger.

[-]

InternetsIsBoring@reddit

Denton has a murder Kroger. Due to a guy dying from a stab wound behind it.

[-]

HailToTheThief225@reddit

I can’t remember, is Murder Kroger the same as Rat Kroger where they had a rat problem?

[-]

InternetsIsBoring@reddit

Lol yeah.

[-]

SomethingHasGotToGiv@reddit

Oh yeah. I remember Murder Kroger from when I lived in Atlanta. There was also Disco Kroger.

[-]

robbzilla@reddit

Let's discuss this Disco Kroger a bit more, shall we?

[-]

SomethingHasGotToGiv@reddit

😆

[-]

SomethingHasGotToGiv@reddit

Sad it’s closed. Apparently it was a great hook-up spot!

[-]

qlr1@reddit

Per WSB TV: the store used to be next to a disco club. It has closed, though.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/beloved-disco-kroger-closing-buckhead-location/XTJ5H4K54VCZJKYTFXR5ZNWGHM/

[-]

qlr1@reddit

Murder Kroger… I had no idea that the name went back to the 80s. Someone was killed there; decades later, a dead body was found in a car there. That location was torn down and remodeled and the name has never gone away lol. There aren’t many Kroger stores in the city of Atlanta and I actually preferred shopping at this one vs the other ones in the hood.

[-]

SomethingHasGotToGiv@reddit

Coppell’s Kroger is ghetto too. It’s so dirty (inside and out), the employees all hate their jobs, the app never works inside the store, and their registers never ring up the correct prices.

[-]

halfuser10@reddit

Calling a grocery store in COPPELL ghetto is insane. 💀

[-]

SomethingHasGotToGiv@reddit

I forgot to add expired food at every turn, loooong, dark aisles, overcharging at the deli 100% of the time. You want one pound? Too bad, you’re getting a pound and a half. The pharmacy is horrible as well. No reason to go there. You can absolutely have a building/business anywhere that isn’t good.

[-]

chaiblazer@reddit

All facts!

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

which one

[-]

rougefalcon@reddit

Northwest Hwy @ Plano Rd is mine, but plenty of others from which to choose

[-]

MapPuzzleheaded4983@reddit

this is mine as well but I kinda love my little K-Rog. I do hate people trying to pull out of the shopping center onto Plano Rd during rush hour. There was a bad wreck there yesterday. Wish plano rd was 3 lanes going south that right turn only is ridiculous.

[-]

superschepps@reddit

Walnut and garland rd. When we first moved to garland this one was closest and first time I went, it really bummed me out. So now I drive a bit further to the one at shiloh and bush and it's great. Awesome cheese counter, good beer selection, solid produce. Smoked bacon from the meat counter beats whole foods and central market hands down

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

I use this one. Honestly never had issues with it except one time they had closed at like 10 PM

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

thats the other kroger i go to 😂😂😂

[-]

rougefalcon@reddit

It just gets worse every time I visit.

[-]

thumpcbd@reddit

Omg. I thought it was only me. Same. Plano and NW Hwy Kroger is awful.

[-]

rougefalcon@reddit

Nope! It’s a dump. Enjoy your day neighbor!

[-]

FantasticForce6895@reddit

Kroghetto! We avoid and go to Mockingbird as much as possible 😂

[-]

robbzilla@reddit

360 and Arkansas in Arlington. I lived 5 minutes from it, and would drive past it to get to a better Kroger.

I have a mental tier system for Krogers. The massive ones with furniture and jewelry stores are Tier 1 (Like the one off of 360 in Mansfield or the one on I35W in Alliance). The nice ones are T2, on down to the ghetto ass T5 bullshit Kroger on 360 and Arkansas.

[-]

ShelbyDriver@reddit

I30 in Garland, but only because it hasn't been updated since it was built circa 1980. The food and produce is fine. Same as everywhere else.

[-]

enteringthevoids@reddit

God the one at Wynnewood Village is… appalling.

[-]

DifficultyCharming78@reddit

I lived in Vegas for awhile. We def had a ghetto kroger (smiths over there).

People were so sketch, the cops were often called there.

[-]

VelvetAfternoon@reddit

👍 IYKYK

[-]

peepeight@reddit

Scary Walmart. Iykyk

[-]

scratchgolf2019@reddit

Walmarts are shit.

[-]

blitzzo@reddit

I'll give them a pass for straight up lower prices, I don't have to have a loyalty card or buy 10 bags of bread to get a discount.

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

Exactly!! Not the worst place to do a good portion of your shopping at.

[-]

scratchgolf2019@reddit

False, Walmart is now the same price as target. Their produce & meats are shit. They used to be a great deal but there’s no difference anymore

[-]

imakemoopoints@reddit

Walmart on 635 and Midway is awesome. Very clean, really good produce (as far as Walmart is concerned, so that's a low bar). We usually get our produce from central market, but on occasions when we shopped at this location, I was very happy with the produce, dairy, and other food selections.

[-]

rinap88@reddit

so there is a dirty dirty one called Davids in very small towns outside the metro and in Alvarado the one at the square is filthy and you have to check dates. We used to live nearby and it was disgusting. They sold expired food. There was a talk show host a few years ago came out over some legend of cocaine buried in the town square and people were warning the talk show host about the expired food

[-]

Actual_Necessary6538@reddit

Albertsons

[-]

Pure-Bat-9722@reddit

I can tell you the best one. HMart in Carrollton. 🙏

[-]

HailToTheThief225@reddit

I kinda glazed over the first sentence so I was about to ask why on earth you’d say H Mart is the worst lol. I can agree. Besides the crowds, it’s such a fun experience even just to browse

[-]

crayyarccray@reddit

Walmart has 6 people watching me do the self checkout and tries to get me to show my receipt when I walk out. I stopped going there. If you're so concerned, have a person check me out.

[-]

bdweezy@reddit

Felt like a criminal last time I went there. I actually went through a check out line with an actual employee (not self-check out) and STILL got interrogated and my receipt checked when I walked out. I couldn’t find my receipt at first because I had shoved it into one of my bags and had to stand there and search for it and then he inspected it like he was in the FBI. Won’t be going back. (Marsh and Northwest Hwy).

[-]

HailToTheThief225@reddit

I find it frustrating that if you need to leave without purchasing anything you either have a choice of suspiciously cutting through the checkouts, or exiting through the automatic turnstile things which will beep loudly when you exit through them. Both options make you seem like you’re trying to make a run for it. It’s insane.

[-]

FREE-AOL-CDS@reddit

Just hand the receipt over to them and keep walking

[-]

qolace@reddit

It's amazing how different some people's lives are versus the one you're living. This is absolutely normal for me and I have my receipt ready at all times. I experience the same at Ross and other discount department stores. It blows my mind how absolutely offended people get by this. Like on one hand, I get it. But on the other, I wish my life was going so well that I'd feel super inconvenienced and annoyed by this. It really isn't that big of a deal.

[-]

crayyarccray@reddit

Well people have different opinions.

[-]

yoitshannahjo@reddit

Walmart can’t force you to stop, they can ask to check your cart but you can tell them no and move on. Only places with a paid membership like Sam’s can require you to stop. JUST SAY NO to intrusive cart checkers.

[-]

Matchboxx@reddit

Even then, the membership places can’t “make” you stop. They can’t detain you. You can still blow past them, but expect them to revoke your membership.

[-]

mllllllln@reddit

Lol yeah I just went to one for the first time in ages and did self-checkout with like 10 items right by the exit. The receipt checker saw me do it and then still bugged me when I had my hands full on the way out.

[-]

curiosity_2020@reddit

If you go into Walmart overdressed, they profile you. Buy some outfits they sell and wear those when you shop there.

[-]

SynthPrax@reddit

Tom Thumb's continued existence seems suspicious. Like what kind of underhanded dealings are keeping them in business?

[-]

taz1113@reddit

Trader Joe’s. Not totally because of the store … even though I don’t much care for the layout compared to let’s say Aldi … but because of the customers. That’s the only store I’ve had a grandma try to shove me over to grab something out of a freezer that there was at least 20 of still in there because I didn’t move in less that 2 seconds.

[-]

HotBeesInUrArea@reddit

Honestly, fair. TJ's is my favorite store of all time (do NOT pass up Pepita salsa, I promise it will change your entire life), but they're always the size of a shoebox located centrally in the middle of ritziest neighborhoods. While I can see the marketting benefits to each for Trader Joe's, it definitely makes for some close quarters with absolutely nasty clientele. You gotta gear up with elbow pads and be ready to take down some housewives.

[-]

Pixabee@reddit

Can't decide between upvoting for the pepita salsa or downvoting for the housewife shade 😅 Trader Joe's gets cramped for sure, but if anything the level-headed politeness of the clientele stands out to me

[-]

AnastasiaNo70@reddit

I love TJs, but yeah. I go to one in McKinney and you have to look out for the women wearing $3K shifts and $300 sandals. They’ll knock your ass over and never look back.

[-]

taz1113@reddit

I’m more in the mid-cities so Southlake is the closest one to me. That’s its own unique level of cringy; they are wearing the $300 sandals and reek of the thousands-millions in credit card debt.

[-]

chaiblazer@reddit

So the most pretentious = higher the credit card debt

[-]

taz1113@reddit

When I was in high school I worked a seasonal gig at a GameStop over there that used to be off 1709/kimball area. The stuff folks admitted too based on the stories we all pieced together talking about regulars and random customers. The one that pulled on my heart a little bit … for the kids sake… was we had a regular that was genuinely a good kid; polite & you could tell he was an awesome kid. His parents would bring him in as a reward for good grades & such. The dad accidentally let it slip how much in debt they were just keeping up with life in that area.

[-]

BobcatOk5865@reddit

I’m a chick who also goes to that one 😂 they need to make on in frisco to lessen the crowd in McKinney imo, and their flowers are bomb, unless it’s Saturday midday and they’re all gone lol

[-]

AnastasiaNo70@reddit

Agreed!

[-]

thedeadlysun@reddit

That’s interesting, I thought I would have a similar experience when I started shopping at Trader Joe’s but I can’t say I’ve ever had a bad experience with other customers at my location. It’s the only grocery store I shop at, has helpful staff and a wide variety of food for good prices.

[-]

ArdentlyArduous@reddit

Kroger. I hate the Kroger near me. There are other Krogers that are fine. It's the only store I shopped at in my college town. The one over by me: trash.

[-]

Whachugonnadoo@reddit

Tom Thumb - so many expired items

[-]

Majsharan@reddit

Is there still a food lion?

[-]

joistbound@reddit

Tom Thumb.

Feels like a weird lab experiment there, always smells weird, expensive prices. Just bad vibes.

[-]

Delicious_Hand527@reddit

The neighborhood market Walmart stores, or whatever they are calling their grocery-only stores. Bad selection, not great prices, and missing the rest of the store. Pointless.

[-]

Western-Crew2558@reddit

So if not Tom Thumb or Kroger, then what are your go to grocery storess?

[-]

Hamilton650@reddit

I think it depends on each physical location - my area it may be Kroger , other part of town Tom Thumb or something else. Each store is managed differently

[-]

ryoon21@reddit

Tom Thumb by far

[-]

S4ndm4n93@reddit

Denton Murder Rat Kroger. Always packed, traffic and parking lot fucking sucks, always out of shit that I want, it's known for Murder and Rats so yeah

[-]

29again@reddit

WALMART

[-]

Ok_Argument9186@reddit

All of them not named HEB.

[-]

matmoeb@reddit

Man, I’ve yet to have a good experience at HEB. The two I’ve gone to were insanely crowded even though the store is way too big.

[-]

HotBeesInUrArea@reddit

I've actually been to HEB twice, both times I've shot for morning hours on random weekdays, and both times were insanely busy- like Sunday levels at other stores busy. Good for HEB I guess but it is a big turn off finding out I didn't just get unlucky and that's just the way it is.

[-]

mllllllln@reddit

I go to the Plano one sometimes and yeah, it's even crowded at 10am on a random Tuesday and it sucks.

[-]

SomethingHasGotToGiv@reddit

I’ve gone to HEB once and don’t know if I’ll ever return. As soon as I walked into the store at produce, an employee was on an elevated “stage” with a microphone, shouting about deals or something. It was LOUD and it was crowded. Waaaaaayyyyu too much stimulation. I like putting in an earbud and zoning out at the grocery store. It doesn’t work at HEB.

[-]

Shirkaday@reddit

Yeah I wanna love HEB, and it is great, but that's the problem. We just need more of them like Austin & Houston so it's normal and people from points south don't "have to" flock to the Plano one.

[-]

nobodyishere71@reddit

You're getting down voted, but it's true. I live about 10 minutes from the one in Plano on Preston Rd., but go to Kroger instead to avoid a crowded store.

[-]

bdweezy@reddit

HEB is not in Dallas though. I wish it was.

[-]

berserk_zebra@reddit

HEB is overrated and not what it used to be. Their checkout lines are terribly placed and their layout isn’t very good most of the time. They are dropping a lot brands to put in their not quite as good brand. Lack of specialty food is becoming an issue as well.

[-]

BobcatOk5865@reddit

Def not what it used to be, and them barely reaching the north Dallas area a lot of people are making it over saturated, when I lived in Houston it was never THAT packed like the McKinney Plano Ellen of frisco locations, we were blessed with tons of HEBs

[-]

msondo@reddit

I hate the big Kroger in Las Colinas on MacArthur and 635. It's huge. Like comically big. If I forget to grab milk or bread or something at the opposite end of the store, I sometimes just give up. It was kinda cool when it first opened because they used the extra shelf space to stock a lot of more obscure things (especially international foods) that you couldn't find anywhere like Calasaparra rice but lately it's just the same overprocessed crap you find anywhere else, and they weirdly run out of a lot of produce.

[-]

im-buster@reddit

Still leaps and bounds better than the one on beltline and Northgate.

[-]

Wafflesnobbert@reddit

That Kroger though used to have an AMAZING international aisle.

[-]

Sosantula21@reddit

That one is disgusting, growing up I hated when my mom would want to go that one

[-]

UncleJulio@reddit

Fear not. We're getting an HEB I think in 26

[-]

msondo@reddit

Heck yes. Traffic is gonna suck, though. It's already pretty bad on MacArthur/635.

[-]

UncleJulio@reddit

I curse it daily

[-]

bigdeallikewhoaNOT@reddit

You are crazy. The specific CM is the best grocer store in Dallas.

[-]

SexyOctagon@reddit

Fuuuuuck Central Market. Like you said they have a weird layout, but they also have that confusing system for produce where you weigh everything and print tags on the spot, which causes a huge bottleneck (at least the one in Plano).

[-]

AnkitJain7@reddit

If I forget to grab milk or bread or something at the opposite end of the store, I sometimes just give up because I don't want to trek across the store.

Thank goodness I'm not the only one.

That being said I still almost always shop there because the 635/MacArthur Target doesn't have produce section and I detest Walmart with a passion and avoid it as much as I can.

[-]

NoDepartment8@reddit

You can cut through the produce aisle to the supplements and cosmetics section that’s near the checkouts and there’s another one that’s between the wine section and the bulk dry goods and coffee (I think). You don’t have to do the full slalom.

[-]

warrior4488@reddit

Of the many Indian grocery stores I visit India Bazaar is really bad. Stuff is not properly organized and hard to find, also not very clean.

On the other hand Desi Bros and Patel Bros are quite good.

[-]

Wafflesnobbert@reddit

When India Bazaar first came to North Texas, specifically the Irving location, it was AMAZING and even better than Patel brothers. But times change, management moves or sells and it has gone down hill so fast. It's nasty now. Won't go there.

[-]

mijo_sq@reddit

There was a small Indian store which had someone post to yelp the expiration dates were wiped.

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

awesome insight

[-]

Polmanning86@reddit

Tom Thumb is for the rich, who don’t care about prices

[-]

friskyintellect@reddit

I lived in Austin for 22 years. When HEB rolls into Dallas they will cut through the competition like a scythe through wheat.

[-]

halfuser10@reddit

Tom Thumb/albertsons. I hate Tom Thumb. Passionately.

They have the exact same foodstuffs as Kroger or any other major grocery chain and yet are for whatever reason a solid 25%+ more expensive for no reason.

I worked on a project with them when I was consulting and they straight up admitted they knew they were expensive and that there wasn’t a damn thing they were going to do about it.

Their prices are absolutely outrageous for what you’re getting. In California, Safeway (Albertsons!) is worse because they have a monopoly on the west coast. You have no other options.

People shit on Kroger for it having shitty locations (true!) but oh my god Kroger is leaps and bounds more affordable on a daily basis. Their simple/in house/organic brands are actually decent and priced well (relatively speaking). Their app functionality is so much better and their integration with fuel points/shell is absolutely the bomb.

I don’t even shop at Kroger or go to shell gas stations lol. But I will go out of my way to avoid a fucking Tom Thumb.

[-]

Architect__@reddit

Exactly this. I used to work at Tom Thumb in high school and they always told us that they knew they were more expensive than other stores, but that people shopped there because of the great customer service 🙄

[-]

TrustMeImShore@reddit

Man... I just go to HEB (I moved to Houston) and shop their app deals, order pick up. For weekly stuff, I just go to Aldi's. Less people and faster check-out.

[-]

FranofSaturn@reddit

Fiesta and El Rancho Mercado are top tier in regards to process and selection.

[-]

jeremysbrain@reddit

I agree with you on Kroger. They have remodeled most of the stores around me, so they aren't all shitty.

What I don't get is the cult like love of HEB, when at least in the Dallas area, HEB is almost as expensive as Tom Thumb or Albertsons and has the crowd and parking problems of a Walmart.

[-]

tbear87@reddit

This cracks me up because I'm from the Midwest and we constantly joke that when something is expensive you must have got it at the Krogers. Bonus if it's really expensive you say you got it without a Krogers card lol.

[-]

musiquarium@reddit

it's not plural or possessive.

[-]

Bbguy5@reddit

Verified from the Midwest since you added the ‘s’

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

you sound like me lol. Tom Thumb is expensive for no damn good reason. I hate them very much lol.

[-]

Cream5oda@reddit

Oh it’s expensive for a reason. It’s never a shit show in a Tom Thumb. I only go for the meat clearance when grilling out for a lot of people. Buy one get two packs of chicken/steak/pork. And they have a generally superior alcohol selection than most grocery stores. Even the largest Tom thumbs I feel like there’s only 20 people inside lol. That’s the only good thing about it. Pay premium for a more relaxed shopping experience. But yes otherwise they are bullshit

[-]

AlexLambertMusic@reddit

Ah, the age old question:

Are you paying a premium for a relaxed shopping experience?

Or

Is the relaxed shopping experience a result of the premium?

[-]

Cream5oda@reddit

Both. But they’re will in business so it’s working lol

[-]

arlenroy@reddit

Especially for fruits and vegetables, Fiesta is where it's at. Sometimes the meat quality isn't the best but those seasoned riblets are fucking delicious. But fuck Tom Thumb and the horse it rode in on. I live on Preston rd, a few miles south of Beltline. There's a Tom Thumb I'll occasionally go to out of convenience, still the shits though. Well theres a Central Market on Preston and Royal, there's a few things there I get that I can afford, I pass 2 Tom Thumbs on Preston going there. It's not a far drive either. How in the hell do they have 3 stores on Preston Rd in like a 8 mile stretch? How many people shop there?

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

You said the answer yourself: "Preston Rd" 😂

[-]

StingraySurfer@reddit

Fiesta all day

[-]

BlazinAzn38@reddit

Mexican and Asian markets are awesome for meat if you’re not looking for choice or prime

[-]

Sure_Information3603@reddit

Fiesta rules!

[-]

tbear87@reddit

Honestly? Fuck all of them. Coming from Austin, I have been appalled at the options. They are all over priced and have terrible selection. The Kroger pharmacy also treated me like a crack head because I needed ADHD medication the month I moved up here and my dr in Austin wrote it. They refused to fill it and basically called me a junkie.

Fuck Kroger in the ass with a spiked bat.

I took HEB for granted.

[-]

Chocogoose@reddit

How do the HEBs here compare? I have loved our local HEB since it opened in the spring :)

[-]

tbear87@reddit

They are newer so they are bigger and nicer. But, they are also way more crowded, which is saying a lot because I hated how busy they always were in Austin.

Still drive 40 minutes to Plano to go to their pharmacy once a month though because the pharmacies here have bizarre restrictions on medications that go well beyond the law. I can't fill ADHD meds unless both my doctor and my address are within 12 miles of each other. Why? That's not even big enough to cover the metro area. Why do you dictate my doctor based on some made up rule?

[-]

Zidormi@reddit

I get filled at Target/CVS and don't have that problem. My psych is 45 minutes away in fort worth (and I'd rather make that drive once a year than find one closer). In a pinch you could try them.

[-]

tbear87@reddit

My doctor is in Austin. I don't want to switch doctors "just because" some pharmacist says so... It took me years to find a good psychiatrist and I go down there for work regularly so it's no issue to be seen in person if needed, though usually we do virtual. There is no law against filling it a certain distance away. It's all arbitrary bs.

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

where do you live now? HEBs are steady popping up here

[-]

SameSadMan@reddit

Not sure if it's still around, but Food Lion. The old one in Flower Mound is now the police HQ (and has been for a couple decades). Just recently I was talking old Flower Mound with some ppl at the Point, and we all had independent memories of that place being shitty.

[-]

0099_@reddit

No one is talking about the Kroger on Wynnewood Village? I went there about a year ago and all of the fruit was spoiled, the parking lot was very sketchy, kids stealing food, empty shelves, and so on.

The rumor going around within the Oak Cliff FB groups is that managers get sent there as a way to push them out.

[-]

bigdeallikewhoaNOT@reddit

I went there 1x the first month I moved to Oak Cliff. I will never go back. That was 4 years ago..

[-]

0099_@reddit

Yeah, I returned my things to the shelves and walked out. I heard it got a remodel in the past year, but I won’t go back.

[-]

Pitiful-Discipline-7@reddit

I can understand peoples gripe with Aldi since it’s not as nice as other places, but it’s incredible when you’re on a tight budget. There is some really good shit and it’s a fraction of the cost of even cheap grocery stores like Kroger. If there was an HEB next to me I’d go there (I know it’s crowded in DFW but it’s the best grocery store chain in the nation, no question) but I don’t so I almost always go to Aldi or Kroger.

I’d say HEB > Kroger > Aldi > Trader Joe’s > Fiesta > Albertsons > the dumpster in the back of Walmart > Tom Thumb.

[-]

perfectdozen@reddit

Honestly, as a non-Kroger hater (I live by the one on Greenville and Mockingbird), an Aldi's appreciator, and a TT hater, this is my ranking exactly

[-]

Pitiful-Discipline-7@reddit

I don’t buy much at Kroger but they usually have good deals on ice cream (and a much larger selection that Aldi), dog food (they sell Iams fortunately), flowers, and some produce. Everything else is mid.

[-]

batfacecatface@reddit

Tops never mops.

[-]

travtheguy@reddit

Try the Merry Mart on grand view and beacon

[-]

acorneyes@reddit

whole foods. there is literally 0 kitten food, and the saddest tiny shelf for cat food/litter next to the mile long aisle of dog stuff.

there’s also no haircare products that aren’t snake oil. it’s all “paraben-free/sulfate-free/etc.”

[-]

Horror-Reporter-3754@reddit

H‑E‑B. yeah I said it

[-]

cilantro88@reddit

Walmart Neighborhood has a heavily armed security guard for a reason. Seen multiple domestic disputes in their parking lot. I used to shop at Kroger until I saw rats running around the store on separate occasions and have crossed paths with crazy people and shop lifters in their parking lot and store. I don’t mind paying a premium to avoid rats and being harassed by the crazies.

[-]

ice-eight@reddit

You mean the one in uptown? That place is super ghetto. It’s also awkward to get to because the roads around it cut it off from the rest of uptown, and that’s probably on purpose to keep its clientele out.

I still shop there because it’s cheap and nearby, but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a cart with four functional wheels

[-]

parkerbuhler1010@reddit

North Garland Walmart, not sure why but something about that store for whatever reason makes me hate every nanosecond I'm alive in there. Maybe it's my autism and their lighting? But I go to the Rowlett Walmart pretty often and I don't feel the same way so idk 🤔

[-]

jape2116@reddit

I know what you’re saying here. It’s just always crowded, but not always busy if that makes sense. I also have been spoiled by neighborhood Walmarts since moving here, so the big ones are just so extra

[-]

MsBlueBonnet@reddit

Albertson’s in Casa Linda. Absolute shit show with no more than 2 checkout lanes open, this is including self-checkout. Expired products on the shelves. It even smells bad when you walk in. And they have the audacity to price gouge at their disgusting store.

[-]

DallasM0therFucker@reddit

They’re almost all bad now. The Fiesta on Loop 12/Ledbetter used to always smell like rotten fish but usually had decent prices and good produce. Then they remodeled and improved the butcher area and the smell, raised prices, and cut their staff so you have to bag it yourself. Produce has gone downhill too. It’s still better than Tom Thumb’s prices, but Fiesta’s selection of dry goods sucks and at least you can get full service checkout most of the time at TT.

[-]

Plenty_Start_6662@reddit

Tom Thumb

[-]

Specialist-Tailor68@reddit

Do they still nickname the different locations of Tom Thumb the way they use to in the late 1980’s?

Buffy Thumb (SMU area) Mary Thumb etc?

[-]

SugoiHubs@reddit

The Kroger in Mesquite on Galloway is literally falling apart. Water damage everywhere, missing parts of the ceiling, most employees are school kids who don’t even pretend to look busy while they keep a single checkout line open in the evenings when everyone is there picking stuff up after work so you wait for 25 min. I just couldn’t stand to go there anymore and am willing to pay more at Albertsons.

[-]

LittleSubject9904@reddit

I hate Kroger. They’ve sold me unexpired but rotten chicken more than once. I won’t buy any meat from them anymore.

[-]

efuff@reddit

Unpopular opinion probably but Sprouts in Lower Greenville. Super expensive and their produce is awful!

[-]

inkypinky186@reddit

On the other hand, Aldi is truly superior. Prove me otherwise fr

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

their produce is the only thing that sucks. Thats completely fine with me. Meat prices are awesome and so is everything else there.

[-]

valmerie5656@reddit

Costco at Frisco… is way too crowded.

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

Tbh I dont consider Costco or Sam's as grocery stores

[-]

BarnabyColeman@reddit

I hate Tom Thumb. Every time I walk in there it's as if I've entered an early 90s depression-festival.

[-]

laltxreddit@reddit

Krogers produce isn’t fresh and always surprised how fast it goes. Aldis is better.

[-]

ComprehensiveCake173@reddit

This. I shop at Kroger because it's convenient, cheaper than than the nearby TT, and it has the branded items we like. But I refuse to buy produce there. It's almost always moldy. One time I tried to buy a bag of oranges and damned if every single one had at least one moldy orange.

[-]

4ofheartz@reddit

I would say Kroger & Tom Thumb. But last week I’m at Tom Thumb & cashier showed me their updated app. I had 20 coupons! Because the store had just been remodeled I got $20 off my entire bill plus the coupons. Btw all my Tom Thumbs have self checkout. I noticed price drops on things I frequently buy at other grocery stores. HEB is getting their attention! Sadly no HEB near me.

[-]

ProProcrastinator24@reddit

I gotta say Kroger. My local one is never stocked, only ever has one register open and only half the self checkouts operational, rarely has bags so you have to bring your own, there’s lines halfway down the aisles to check out, curbside takes 40 minutes, etc. but maybe it’s just mine in the ghetto

[-]

hajime2k@reddit

The Tom Thumb in Irving (MacArthur/Northgate) has been fine for me. I order delivery from that store and the orders arrive without any hiccup. If an item I want is unavailable they will notify me by phone or the app and ask if I want a substitute item.

I don't have a family to shop for, so my shopping tastes are somewhat simple.

[-]

Legitimate_Dig4024@reddit

Walmart on lake June, right off 635 😂

[-]

StingraySurfer@reddit

Aldi

[-]

Critical_Safety_3933@reddit

Aldi is a disorganized mess of chaos and insanity. Nothing is where you think it would be and trying to find specific items is like an Easter Egg hunt on Halloween.

[-]

BloodyNora78@reddit

It's cheap. I'm willing to brave disorganization in order to save $100 each month.

[-]

HotBeesInUrArea@reddit

Exactly. The key to Aldi is its small, so you go spend 20 - 30 minutes like once a month zooming the lanes grabbing the essentials and bulk shopping. Lots of dry goods there that will keep for a long time so this works really well (though I think their produce and meat is even better than Walmart). At the end you should have just about everything covered, and anything you can't you can fill in the holes elsewhere and still wind up saving more than enough on your bill to cover the inconvenience of having to do that. And even then that depends on who you are and what you want, the only things I usually have to go find elsewhere are coffee creamer and diet soda.

[-]

v4por@reddit

Aldi is fine for basics but I've never been able to get a whole week's worth of groceries. And some of the food is just gross and should be avoided. If there were a closer location to me I'd probably regularly shop for basics there but it's just too out of the way for me to seem worth it. It's not the worst imo but I just don't get the hype.

[-]

Starkalark88@reddit

It definitely depends on the location. In Denton for example, we have 2...one is a dumpster fire and the other is very well laid out.

[-]

randomjeepguy157@reddit

Disorganized mess of chaos? No way. I think they are better organized and easier to shop. It’s the whole German model of efficiency.

[-]

TexasDonkeyShow@reddit

Any particular location? Because ALDI is badass.

[-]

StingraySurfer@reddit

The one on Frankford. It's possibly the worst "supermarket" I've been to. Very rachety, gives me the vibe of a Payless outlet store in the middle of nowhere.

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

why?

[-]

migs_003@reddit

Hunts... if you know you know

[-]

_______woohoo@reddit (OP)

in PG?

[-]

migs_003@reddit

Yep

[-]

Stove-Top-Steve@reddit

Idk why you got downvoted. But ya doubt very many people on here going to know about Hunts

[-]

migs_003@reddit

Cause people dumb.

They can't stand to watch me win... ha

[-]

halfuser10@reddit

What the hell is a hunts?

[-]

migs_003@reddit

Like i said... if you know

All else pales jn comparison

[-]

Top_Captain3210@reddit

Tom Thumb used to be good before it was sold by the original local owner. He had a good thing going and then it went down immediately. Leadership is horrible.

[-]

Electricdragongaming@reddit

Kroger in DeSoto off of 35E.

[-]

iamchris@reddit

Not a bad store, but fun is World Food Warehouse on Floyd Circle near TI. Pretty good produce and great buys on olive oil. Not so much currently with the supply issues in the Middle East, but usually far less than others including Sam’s or Costco.

[-]

Merciless972@reddit

Kroger

[-]

davis214512@reddit

Albertsons stocks expired items. Tom Thumb is expensive. I wish HEB was in the heart of Dallas.

[-]

Tight_Cat_80@reddit

Tom Thumb. Their prices are outrageous for crap quality. They’re Safeway in CA and I grew up on that store and liking their products. When I moved out here 11 years ago I was shocked to see how $$$$ Tom Thumb is and I wasn’t impressed with the quality at all.

[-]

AnastasiaNo70@reddit

Safeway existed here in the 70s and 80s.

[-]

Tight_Cat_80@reddit

I always wondered if It was in other parts of the country back in the day and not just on the west coast!

[-]

AnastasiaNo70@reddit

Walmart. Close runner up: Kroger.

[-]

SomethingHasGotToGiv@reddit

For everyone saying what they like/dislike Kroger, have you experienced their new surge pricing? If so, what was your experience?

[-]

Gloomy-Context-5614@reddit

Any grocery store that is sticky every time you walk in

[-]

AnastasiaNo70@reddit

So…Walmart.

[-]

nanajoth@reddit

Every grocery store not named Fiesta in Balch Springs or Pleasant Grove.

[-]

Famous_Rooster2719@reddit

Patel Brothers

[-]

DKShyamalan@reddit

My vote is for Kroger, but any of those chains that charge convenience store prices without loyalty cards is absolute garbage. I just think all of these practices are just predatory and they just syphon money from people for no reason.

[-]

HiFiMarine@reddit

They call it Tom Scum for a reason...

[-]

Jameszhang73@reddit

I have yet to go to a Kroger where there aren't flies circling around the fruit and produce section. Pretty nasty and their employees just don't seem to care at all. It's always kind of depressing going there.

Plus, very few of their employees or customers wore masks at the Kroger by me during the pandemic. I always seem to see at least one MAGA person there too.

[-]

cramothmasterson@reddit

HEB. So overrated.

[-]

winecat5@reddit

Im jumping on walmart. Very few in far north are nice. Most are dirty, nasty, expired products, and sketchy people

[-]

tauzeta@reddit

From an aesthetic pov: Kroger. They look dated.

From a selection versus value pov: Probably Tom Thumb, but sometimes Kroger.

Best: HEB and Aldi

[-]

James324285241990@reddit

Walmart. Just a generally terrible shopping experience. The employees are miserable, the customers are rude and usually stupid. It's the gathering place for the worst of humanity

[-]

HumbleHawk9@reddit

I tried a Fiesta market bc it was close to where I was running errands. Never again. They had a colony of birds living in there.

[-]

DukeOfDallas_@reddit

Tom Thumb. They are price gouging.

[-]

Cinamunch@reddit

As someone who comes from South FL, the grocery stores here are horrible. Even comparing the same grocery store brands (e.g. Aldi DFW vs. Aldi SFL or WF DFW vs. WF SFL). The SFL ones are much better organized and stocked properly. Oh, and there's no Publix. I never thought I would miss Publix so much.

[-]

Swdannycactus@reddit

Tom Thumb, every single location smells like rotten fish. they try to mask it but doesn’t work

[-]

KennyDROmega@reddit

The Kroger on 121 in Lewisville next to T's was pretty bad.

Sitting in a mostly empty business park you kinda had to know it was there, so it usually didn't have many people in it.

Inside had their eerie ambiance. Business lighting made it feel weird, and while the food is the same as it is everywhere else, the store didn't feel as clean, and the lack of customers made it feel like something was wrong.

I definitely still shopped there but I wasn't stoked about it.

[-]

tbear87@reddit

Oh! And the target by west village. That location is ass and super sketchy.

[-]

BlueberryPlayful5017@reddit

Tom thumb. They never have adventised sale stuff. I onky stop there if driving by to get marked down $99 bread and bagels

[-]

Bodwest9@reddit

Probably Whole Foods on Greenville/park. The employees/management are miserable/rude, the prices are a joke and the selection is actually terrible unless you want to pay 3x the normal price of something. Otherwise, it's pretty good; parking is always good, probably because of the aforementioned.

[-]

alphabet_sam@reddit

I’ll vote for Tom Thumb solely because twice in my life I have lived next to Tom thumbs that had no self checkout. Talking to people? In this economy?

[-]

Nahdawg2023@reddit

If this isn’t satire, you understand that the “off brand”ness is on purpose. It’s like TJ’s without the flair and package design budget. The idea is you’re getting good stuff without the razzle dazzle. So, lower cost goods, no bags, means savings gets passed on to you.

[-]