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Wegmans 95 locations, 7 billion sales, 58,000 employees most stores in NY, PA, - Publix 1167 locations 34 billion sales 188,000 employees most stores in FL and GA. Wegmans is more of a niche company, relatively new and able to pick and choose areas to expand to. Mostly located in high tax, slow growing states but recently expanding in VA and NC. Publix dominates FL and is the most popular chain in the GA, FL, AL, SC, TN. Wegmans has to stand out since the areas they serve, for the most part are in the dying NE. Publix has the good fortune to be located in the SE which is growing rapidly. In my experience Publix is nicer to shoppers. For example, finding someone to help you in Wegmans is not easy whereas in Publix the employee/owners are much more helpful, eager and sincere. Wegmans employees are employees and Publix employees are owners. Wegmans has generous benefits but the employees don't seems nearly as engaged as Publix. Wegmans stores are generally larger and because they are competing in price conscious areas like NY and PA they have to emphasize higher margin prepared foods and baked goods because they can't compete on price against Walmart, Aldi, Target and other discounters. To compare them in a vacuum Wegmans looks better but if both companies went public tomorrow Publix would fare better because they are in a much better economic area. In NY, no wine can be sold in supermarkets, in Florida, everywhere. Many people have their anecdotes about Publix and Wegmans and opinions are divided and from the poll here Wegmans with their devoted fan base wins. I have shopped at both extensively and before I moved to FL I would have sworn up and down that Wegmans is the best supermarket and its the one and only thing I would miss about leaving WNY. After a year I really haven't given it much of a thought except to post on here. Publix has much better seafood, comparable produce and nice BOGO deals, Wegmans has better (albeit outrageously overpriced IMHO) prepared foods and baked goods. For example I used to buy Wegmans chicken stuffed dumplings, which I loved, until one the the price went up 50%. Wegmans constantly raises prices and the hot food bar went from 5.99 to 8.99 or 9.49. I was always grumbling about it but in Buffalo you have zero choice except Topps, which is much worse or Walmart, which I do not care for. If you are well off Wegmans is nice since you can pick up an entree with 2 sides for 6-10 depending on what you selected as a main course. They also have nice cafes with free Wi-Fi where you can eat your purchase. By the time you get a drink, you are looking at restaurant prices for a meal. If you are single and don't like to cook, its great. Publix stores are for the most part smaller and do not cater to the eat-in crowd. Think of Wegmans as a giant less expensive Whole Foods. I doubt they will ever compete head to head with Publix except in a few areas.
Publix (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia)
Wegmans (Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia)
This is like comparing Winco Foods (Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington) to the other 2. Not everyone has one near them. I'd LOVE to have an Aldi's in Vancouver, WA. I thoroughly enjoyed shopping there while in Iowa.
Your friends lied. They aren’t similar at all. They both sell food, and that’s pretty much where the similarities end.
I completely agree. I think Publix is trying to up their game but they aren't even close to being Wegman's. I do think Publix is better in the bakery/deli area than Harris Teeter.
That's one of the things I missed the most when we left the DC area for NC. Wegman's. We would get their subs for lunch and their subs are much better than Publix subs. Shopping at Wegman's is an experience and one that everyone should have the option. I really hope they make their way from Cary down to Charlotte.
In my experience Publix is nicer to shoppers. For example, finding someone to help you in Wegmans is not easy whereas in Publix the employee/owners are much more helpful, eager and sincere.
Too eager, IMO. I think one of the reasons I don't shop at Publix more often is that every.single.employee I encounter feels the need to engage with me. If I need someone's help, I will seek them out. To be honest, my ideal grocery shopping experience involves me putting in my earbuds and listening to a podcast or some music while I do my shopping, then making minimal small talk with the cashier. I can't do that at Publix.
I've never had trouble finding help when needed in Wegmans.
Wegmans 95 locations, 7 billion sales, 58,000 employees most stores in NY, PA, - Publix 1167 locations 34 billion sales 188,000 employees most stores in FL and GA. Wegmans is more of a niche company, relatively new and able to pick and choose areas to expand to. Mostly located in high tax, slow growing states but recently expanding in VA and NC. Publix dominates FL and is the most popular chain in the GA, FL, AL, SC, TN. Wegmans has to stand out since the areas they serve, for the most part are in the dying NE. Publix has the good fortune to be located in the SE which is growing rapidly. In my experience Publix is nicer to shoppers. For example, finding someone to help you in Wegmans is not easy whereas in Publix the employee/owners are much more helpful, eager and sincere. Wegmans employees are employees and Publix employees are owners. Wegmans has generous benefits but the employees don't seems nearly as engaged as Publix. Wegmans stores are generally larger and because they are competing in price conscious areas like NY and PA they have to emphasize higher margin prepared foods and baked goods because they can't compete on price against Walmart, Aldi, Target and other discounters. To compare them in a vacuum Wegmans looks better but if both companies went public tomorrow Publix would fare better because they are in a much better economic area. In NY, no wine can be sold in supermarkets, in Florida, everywhere. Many people have their anecdotes about Publix and Wegmans and opinions are divided and from the poll here Wegmans with their devoted fan base wins. I have shopped at both extensively and before I moved to FL I would have sworn up and down that Wegmans is the best supermarket and its the one and only thing I would miss about leaving WNY. After a year I really haven't given it much of a thought except to post on here. Publix has much better seafood, comparable produce and nice BOGO deals, Wegmans has better (albeit outrageously overpriced IMHO) prepared foods and baked goods. For example I used to buy Wegmans chicken stuffed dumplings, which I loved, until one the the price went up 50%. Wegmans constantly raises prices and the hot food bar went from 5.99 to 8.99 or 9.49. I was always grumbling about it but in Buffalo you have zero choice except Topps, which is much worse or Walmart, which I do not care for. If you are well off Wegmans is nice since you can pick up an entree with 2 sides for 6-10 depending on what you selected as a main course. They also have nice cafes with free Wi-Fi where you can eat your purchase. By the time you get a drink, you are looking at restaurant prices for a meal. If you are single and don't like to cook, its great. Publix stores are for the most part smaller and do not cater to the eat-in crowd. Think of Wegmans as a giant less expensive Whole Foods. I doubt they will ever compete head to head with Publix except in a few areas.
LOL Wegmans certainly isn't "new" relative to Publix. It has about 15 years on that supermarket.
Wegmans was a small chain in Rochester until they started expanding to Syracuse in 1968 and Buffalo in 1977 which I remember. They tore down the first Buffalo store and rebuilt it. Publix was, by 1974 the dominant supermarket in Florida.
Location: Finally the house is done and we are in Port St. Lucie!
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Wegmans has a much larger selection of goods. It's almost too much. We go there when we are in Pennsylvania and end up buying not very many things. Just way too big.
Not impressed with their ready made food selections. Again, they do have more options but because there are so many, none really stand out for me.
I love Publix and yes, it is a much friendlier store. I've never felt bugged by the employees but we do get a greeting from each one we pass by. I like that.
I am from Giant Eagle country originally (PA) and I hope Wegmans moves in on their territory.
Asked my son about just that. His answer is that there are no plans to move into Giant Eagle territory. In turn, G-E has no plans to move into Wegman's territory. That only makes sense as where G-E's hold ends, Giant Stores takes over. Southwest Pa has G-E's Market District and there's little Wegman's could add to that mix. Better opportunities elsewhere for Wegman's.
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