Grocery shopping (Virginia Beach, Newport News, Danville: for sale, house, to buy)

[TBDBITL]

Is 'Aldi' in the area?

[Erma]

Originally Posted by TBDBITL

Is 'Aldi' in the area?

I haven't heard of them down here, but my Mom shops there and she lives in Wisconsin.

[jemis9]

I was treated like a criminal last night at the Harris Teeter grocery store in Newport News, VA. I had gone into the store in the late afternoon and purchased some items because it was triple coupons day but we were on our way out to friends for dinner so decided to go back on the way home to get our frozen food items. It was around 11:15pm and after finding all the items I needed I went to check out, only self check out available. First the lady overseeing the self check out seemed unusually crabby when she told me I set my little basket in the wrong place, I scanned a few items and then tried to scan my coupon but that didn't work so I asked for her help, she treated me like I was doing something wrong and actually scolded me while telling me I am NOT to try to scan my items and then scan my own coupons. OK so I am new to this and rarely get to this store and have never used self check out there. When I finished, I handed her 3 or 4 coupons to scan for me, a manager came over and said to me "I am not going to let you use these coupons here because you were in here earlier today and used your 20 coupons" I said I was there earlier but doubted I used 20 coupons and he said I did use 20 and he would not allow it. I was so insulted, customers were watching and listening to this and I felt like a thief or something. I said to this little man that he could keep the groceries and I would not be shopping there again after being treated like a criminal over coupons. When I left the store I checked my receipt from earlier that day and yes I had used 17 coupons. I was upset all night over this episode. I am a Senior Citizen and never in all my years have I ever been talked down at and made to feel so low. I am so upset yet today and have no idea what to do.

[Erma]

Originally Posted by jemis9

I am so upset yet today and have no idea what to do.

I wouldn't go back there! I won't go back to any store where I was treated less than a paying customer. you can go into their corporate website, click on the "contact us" bar in the upper right hand corner and call them to let them know how you were treated.
www.harristeeter.com

[Aibutiej]

This is an interesting thread because I am moving to Williamsburg later this year (yes, that is still the plan) and often wonder what my grocery shopping will be like there. Reading over the descriptions of the different options doesn't really answer my questions, though. I wonder if I describe what I like about shopping at my local Stop and Shop, could someone tell me what might be most comparable? I am not one to hop in and out of different stores. I like to go to one place (maybe two) and do all my shopping there. So:
1) I like the self-checkout because I like to control how my groceries are bagged. And I've started using the canvas store bags that are so much better than paper or plastic.
2) I like the cleanliness of the fruit and veggies area. The fact that I can buy broccolini and baby potatoes is good too.
3) I like that there are many all-natural products that, because they are a store-brand (Nature's Promise) are not too expensive (less expensive than Trader Joe's, for example)
4) They carry Kashi Heart to Heart cereal, which is the only one I eat.
5) Prices are good and there are always things on sale, especially for Stop and Shop card holders. I hate clipping coupons.

So, which place should I check out first?

[Erma]

Originally Posted by Aibutiej

This is an interesting thread because I am moving to Williamsburg later this year (yes, that is still the plan) and often wonder what my grocery shopping will be like there. Reading over the descriptions of the different options doesn't really answer my questions, though. I wonder if I describe what I like about shopping at my local Stop and Shop, could someone tell me what might be most comparable? I am not one to hop in and out of different stores. I like to go to one place (maybe two) and do all my shopping there. So:
1) I like the self-checkout because I like to control how my groceries are bagged. And I've started using the canvas store bags that are so much better than paper or plastic.
2) I like the cleanliness of the fruit and veggies area. The fact that I can buy broccolini and baby potatoes is good too.
3) I like that there are many all-natural products that, because they are a store-brand (Nature's Promise) are not too expensive (less expensive than Trader Joe's, for example)
4) They carry Kashi Heart to Heart cereal, which is the only one I eat.
5) Prices are good and there are always things on sale, especially for Stop and Shop card holders. I hate clipping coupons.

So, which place should I check out first?

Food Lion! They carry a nice assortment of organic vegetables as well. I don't think in any store I spoke of that the vegetables weren't clean. Brocolli and baby potatoes can be found at any store in this area. I use them in my stews and boiled dinners.
Food Lion has MVP cards if you do not care to use coupons and (this is what I like the most) if I forget my mvp card, they scan a card for me.
Harris Teeter will not do this. They actually sent me out to the truck to get my purse...I didn't like that.

[jemis9]

Hi Erma, I did call Harris Teeter Corporate customer service and voice my complaint. I am told that the store manager will call me. I am still very upset over it. According to the CS rep for HT I really had only used 12 of the allotted # of double or triple coupons allowed in a day. I am still wondering how would they know I was there earlier in the day and how many coupons I used. Spies in the skies or something. I have only shopped at HT about 6 times in the past 8 years so it's not like they know me personally.

[Erma]

Originally Posted by jemis9

Hi Erma, I did call Harris Teeter Corporate customer service and voice my complaint. I am told that the store manager will call me. I am still very upset over it. According to the CS rep for HT I really had only used 12 of the allotted # of double or triple coupons allowed in a day. I am still wondering how would they know I was there earlier in the day and how many coupons I used. Spies in the skies or something. I have only shopped at HT about 6 times in the past 8 years so it's not like they know me personally.

Prolly traced it on your VIC card. I'm glad you called and even though you are still upset, you let them know about their store personnel's behavior.

[citydweller]

I used to to shop at FL all the time before I moved. Now that Kroger is a block away it's just more convenient. I find the Kroger to be a nice sized store and they do have some good specials.

[Erma]

Originally Posted by citydweller

I used to to shop at FL all the time before I moved. Now that Kroger is a block away it's just more convenient. I find the Kroger to be a nice sized store and they do have some good specials.

They do citydweller, but I think what attracks me to them the most is their meat counter. I took some fresh catfish fillets and shrimp out to my bro's in the midwest country area, where their only seafood is Red Lobster and they bout went nuts when we cooked em' up in P-Nut oil and Golden Dipt. Those folks out there have no idea what everyday seafood is like, other than the frozen stuff they get at the seafood chains.