Here in Millinocket, we only have two: Hannaford and Save-A-Lot. I think Hannaford is a Northeast or New England chain. They are all over Maine. I have only been to the Save-A-Lot once and, since they expect you to bring your own bag or buy a bag, I haven't been back. So Hannaford is the store I usually use. When I lived in North Carolina, there were several choices, and I preferred Harris Teeter. In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, I used HEB. In Southern California, where the choices were endless, I preferred Albertson's, as they had a good selection and were always open.
I shop at Trader Joe's and Von's ( Safeway). Those two are my favorite ones. Plus my daughter occasionally sends me a $100 gift card to Trader Joe's just because she knows I love that store...she does too. I still have about $20 left on a card she sent me recently. When I first use it the cashier always says "someone must really love you"! I say, "yes"
When we go to Arlington, Virginia, we shop at a Safeway because it's the closest, and the only one we know of. It's hugely expensive, but that's probably because it's in the capital district, and maybe the only one that anyone knows of. Safeway wasn't particularly expensive when I was in California.
Were Vons and Safeway always the same? When I worked at a paper bag plant, we made bags for both Vons and for Safeway, as well as most of the others, so I had assumed they were separate stores.
Yes, but did you have the card for the discounts? It's not the cheapest store here but I like it...and I really don't watch my money when it comes to food. I watch it elsewhere. Not saying I'd go shopping at Whole Foods regularly...that's too pricey.
Yeah, the second time we came down, we did sign up for that. My wife is the one who generally looks at prices. I look for things that I recognize or, barring that, for nice packaging.
No point in me telling you where I shop because you won't know them at all..but we have several large supermarket chains and I use all of them depending on what type of food I fancy..or if I want to buy certain types of food or clothing that another doesn't sell etc..
No , that's True. Well since you asked, I shop mainly at Marks & spnecers, Waitrose and Sainsbury (they are higher end supermarkets) ..our biggest chain is tesco.. and I'll shop there maybe once every couple of months because we get money off vouchers for using a loyalty card. Aldi's here is good for fresh bread, milk and good fresh meat, so I go there too...although I've got friends in the USA who have Aldi and the stores there don't sell 1/2 of what ours do... at the lower end of the budget, there's Lidl ( a budget German owned supermarket chain ) I don't like it, they always seem to be grubby here... yet the same Lidl stores on the continent are spotless.. and finally there's a budget supermarket chain called Asda..I hate that store, never shop there if I can help it, the quality of the food is awful IMO.. (but everyone to their own of course, some people love it) it's was bought out by walmart in '99, and we thought it might improve it, but nope, it's still horrible!! BTW we don't have walmart here apart from Asda of course Then of course there are dedicated budget frozen food stores... maybe once every couple of years I'll shop there for a few things.. but not somewhere I'd do a weekly shop, but many do... ETA...I forgot about Costco et al...they are out of town stores so we have to make a special trip to them, and we used to use them often, but now there's only 2 of us we don't need huge packets of things, so I gave up the membership a few years back..
I've been to Aldi's in North Carolina, I think it was. I don't care for the food at Walmart at all. Their fruit, in particular, tastes like cardboard.
Holly, you could for instance tell us whether you also shop at Safeway. For the essentials I shop at Aldi now because it's the only food store within walking distance. But I also shop elsewhere when I take the car. There are also Aldi stores in the US now but not in all states. Edit, ok, my post was too late...
A friend of mine has an aldi in Connecticut where she lives ...she said that it doesn't sell half the things ours sell For example game birds etc..
We do most of our shopping at Fred Meyer, a Kroger affiliate. We used to have two larger independent small store chains here, but when Wal-Mart made plans to move into the area, they both sold out--one to Kroger and the other to Safeway. Wal-Mart moved in in a big way and Target followed. Target has a very limited grocery selection here, though. My wife used to do all here shopping at the store that became Safeway, but once they sold out, she switched to Freddy's, as the Safeway store became the high-end "yuppy" store, and the prices are significantly higher, even with the discount card. Fred Meyer's used to sell almost everything--lumber, hardware, fabric, etc., but when Kroger bought them they concentrated on food. They DO have a large sporting goods department, and when corporate Kroger made the decision that the chain would no longer sell guns and ammo, it didn't go over very well here. The local store still hasn't removed the guns as it is one of their biggest revenue areas. We'll see if it really happens. Wal-Mart once made the same pronouncement, and they have a HUGE gun area and are the biggest ammo source in the state.
I've heard of Marks and Spencer! Trader Joe's Safeway sometimes. Target for certain things. Their food section is good with good prices. WINCO Only in the Western US I believe. I've never been in a Aldi, I don't think they are in our area and I'd like to go to a Whole Foods. A Super Walmart opened in another town in my county. I went there once when I had my taxes done in my town. I'd go again. They fought it to be built in my town so this other one took it.
The only one we have here in my little town is Food Lion. There are several in a town about ten miles away. But my favorite grocery is a family owned Piggly Wiggly in a town nearby. They have the best customer service I have ever seen. And some of the best steaks I've ever had. They actually still have a meat cutter who will cut your meat just like you want it.