Safeway
Reviews and Complaints

It amazes me how an employee that is known to verbally harass people in her community from vendors, customers, to employees remains employed especially in this economy. A store manager came up to me and said I was not shopping in a "normal" way and as the conversation progressed (or digressed!) I found out she was trying to indirectly accuse me of trying to shoplift! A week before that an employee offered to let me try an item before I bought it but I wouldn't want the product to go to waste if I didn't like it. I shop with recyclable bags. She even went as far as telling me I needed to leave her store. I did and went to a neighboring store and got a lot of my products for way less.

Safeway has some lame policies, but by far the most annoying to me is the practice of attempting to read your name off your receipt when you check out and trying to thank you, by name as you are heading out the door. Very insincere. Very stupid. They need to stop this at once.

Why? Well, for starters, check out clerks aren't the most literate people in the world so unless your name is smith or jones, they are going to mispronounce it. And since the name that appears by using a store "club card" is often wrong, they call people by the wrong name frequently.

I know because i have both problems. i have the wrong name on my club card and it is apparently difficult for safeway employees to pronounce although i don't see the problem, really (it's Voightlander). For the past five years, employees in the Santa Rosa, CA Safeway (4th Street) where I shop have been calling me that name. I tell them it's not me but they still do it. And they absolutely butcher it every time. I've gotten to the point where I just answer to it and usually help them with the pronunciation. Sometimes I'll offer an explanation like, "Oh, it's Dutch.'" They just nod, blankly.

It just amazes me that some corporate genius thought this was a good idea.

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who has gone up to the checkout stand only purchasing alcohol while completely sober and getting the snottiest attitude from the checkout lady.

Here goes:

It is my turn in line to checkout (I do not even get a "hello"), and I could not understand the checkout lady when she was mumbling under her breath, and I thought that she was asking me a question, and I asked her "could you repeat that." Not only did she not answer me, she gave me the dirtiest look, rang me up, and did not even tell me to have a good day.

I thought that this was strange, and decided to write a letter of complaint to Safeway . After clicking on to this website, I saw that someone had a problem with purchasing "only alcohol" at Safeway. I see now that this was the problem, and the checkout lady is nuts!

I am writing this letter to inform you about the offensive and unacceptable behavior of Safeway Assistant Manager, Felicia Fisher, at the Safeway store in Sacramento located at 3320 Arden Way Sacramento, California 95825.

My mother and I went to shop at Safeway today, as we do regularly. We decided to get a sandwich at the deli before shopping. The deli counter did not seem that busy, but the sandwich took approximately 15 minutes to make, which I felt was an excessive amount of time. The deli cashier was very slow, so we decided to eat our sandwiches, finishing our shopping and then purchase our sandwiches and groceries all at one time. We took the tags off the sandwich wrappings to ensure we paid the correct amount at the register.

While shopping for groceries, I received an important call from a business associate. I told him to meet me in the Safeway parking lot to deliver the construction plans, so my mother and I briefly stepped outside in front of the store to meet my associate. While in front of the store, the Assistant Manager, Felicia Fisher, stormed up to me and my mother, and accusingly in a rude tone, demanded the receipts for the deli sandwiches. We immediately explained to her that we were coming back in to finish grocery shopping and planned to pay for them then.

Ms. Fisher stated that she recognized my mother as a frequent shopper, but said she did not know me. She then forcefully said we must follow her back in the store and pay for the sandwiches now. We complied and followed Ms. Fisher back in the store to pay for our sandwiches. My mother and I felt especially disrespected and embarrassed, as other customers began to take notice of Ms. Fisher’s hostility. At this time, the general manager, Joe Chappelle, came over to see what was transpiring. Ms. Fisher inaccurately told Mr. Chappelle we were not planning to pay for our sandwiches. I showed the sandwich price tags to Mr. Chappelle, explained the situation and assured him we would pay for our sandwiches when our grocery shopping was completed. In an effort to diffuse the situation, I went to the counter and paid for the sandwiches. While I was leaving the store, I showed the receipt to Ms. Fisher. She responded saying that my mother and I were no longer allowed in the store and should we return to the store, she will call the police on us!

My family has been loyal customers of Sacramento Safeway stores for more than 30 years. In that time, I have never been more offended and disrespected than I was today by Ms. Fisher. As a small business owner, I know first hand that reputation is everything. I do not make it a habit of writing letters, but the treatment my mother and I received today, from an Assistant Manager, a trusted leader of your company, was just too offensive not to report. I trust you will take the appropriate measure to ensure Ms. Fisher’s actions do not become acceptable customer service practice at Safeway.

I have to say, as of this morning, I am really disappointed in Safeway. I went there with my brother and my baby son to get some groceries for breakfast, we were in great moods, laughing and talking. All of a sudden, a manager (I assume he was a mngr.) who I have never seen at that store before came walking up towards us, smiled and said hi, then walked behind me, turned around and looked down at my rear. I was wearing a sori (long skirt) and I guess it had moved down a bit while I was holding my son, because this guy says, "Miss, you're showing a bit, you need to pull your skirt up." No problem! I thought he was just being polite, so I pulled it up and said, "Thank you!". He looked right at me and said, "More." Ok...still being polite? So I inched it up a bit more. I looked at him, he looked at me and again he said, "More." By this time my brother and I are looking at each other, wondering what is wrong with this situation. So I pulled up more, right next to my belly button, and this guy looks at me, raises his eyebrows, sighs, and says, "A LOT more than that!" I said, "Excuse me? Just where am I still showing?" My skirt was up at my belly button by this point, NOTHING was showing. For that matter, nothing was really showing in the first place, because I asked my bro., and he said he hadn't even noticed anything, but that maybe an inch of skin and the very tops of my undies. I see girls ALL THE TIME walking around in nothing but their bikinis - or they have on a pair of shorts so short that you can see almost their entire rear, and a little extra in the front. Since when did Safeway become the Fashion Police?

Needless to say, I am a customer of over 2 years at that particular store, and I was humiliated in a store full of people, and am feeling somewhat sexually harassed, considering it was a male mngr., and he deliberately walked behind me, and looked down at my rear.

Produce Manager, Larry, from the Greenwood Safeway has lost my family's business & we have boycotted the store just because of his comments!

He has no control over his emotions, and I could tell when he was unable to be nice & listen to a customers request. I was totally turned off by this & because of a threat he made to a friend of mine. Making threats like that is probably against the law, but definitely against Safeway policy!

Business is numbers & for someone to be so upset about a customer asking for a specific juice, that's uncalled for and very immature! I hope that his numbers will decline & that he can find some other way to deal w/ his emotions. Only crazy people act like that, and I can't believe he still has a job at this location!

Colfax and Garrison sold us bad meat for the third time.Expiration date was expired on pork chops but safeway willingly sold it again.Loosing trust in rotation of meats.Finished shopping at safeway.Will start shopping at kingsoopers and will encourage others at my apt. that I manage to do the same.The meat department is to blame for this.I have a tenant here that had bad experience with the steak.There were worms in it about a month ago(Dec.2009)our problem was today around 3:00(Jan.28, 2010)You were so convient for us but can't take a chance getting sick.I'm a Apt. Manager at Dudley St.Apts. and also have our own business cleaning restaurant ceilings.No time to be laid up with food poison.

In short, these people are dishonest and deceitful in their business practices. Their movers are careless and caused extensive damage (approx $2000 in our case). I strongly suggest you do not do business with these people, and definitely don't give them your credit card number.

In Sept. 09 we spoke with Bill Shade (bill (at) safewayvanlines.com) to contract Safeway Van Lines for a home move from Maryland to Virginia, within the DC Metro Area. They first picked up a refrigerator at my parent's house (also in Maryland), then came to move us out of our rental home.

At my parents' house, the movers pushed the fridge the wrong way out the door leading to the basement, and broke the doorframe. Damage is estimated at approx. $650. Only two weeks earlier, Sears delivery people moved this same fridge through the same door with no problems at all.

Later that day, at our home, the movers scratched the wood floors in several areas, and even described to me *how* they accomplished this (improper use of the dolly). Total damage to this rental property was approx. $1300. This was taken out of our security deposit.

I called Bill Shade to file a damage claim, and he said that if we followed their claims process to the letter, we should have a response from their insurance company within a couple of weeks. This was in late Sept/early Oct 2009. It is now February 2010, and we have yet to hear anything from their insurance company - who, I am sure, was never notified by Bill or "his claims guy" of this claim.

While, Bill Shade is very responsive when you are negotiating a move and talking numbers, he falls off the face of the earth if you have a damages claim. But I didn't stand by and hope he would get back to me.

Multiple, multiple calls to Bill got either no answer, or, on the off chance he did answer (usually when I disguised my phone #), he told me that:
- He doesn't handle that, let me put you through to our claims guy. Claims guy's voice mailbox is full and not taking messages. Called Bill back, sent to voice mail. Left message, no return call.
- Their claims guy doesn't work afternoons, but Bill will make sure he calls back tomorrow. No call back.
- Their claims guy is out for a few days, give us until early next week so I can get "the update" (I got this one a few times). No return calls.

I could go on and on. It has been 4 months, and still not a word from Bill, Safeway Van Lines or their insurance company (if they even have one). We have paid almost $2000 in damages for which they are responsible, for a move that was supposed to cost around $1000.

On Saturday night, Jan 30th, 2010, at 10:15 pm, I was at the Safeway in Everett, WA on 41st street and Evergreen Way.

I was in the frozen food aisle and was looking at tv dinners when the manager walked up to a lady a few frozen food doors down from me and started yelling at her. She was saying she didn't want any problems and he was trying to pick a fight with her, telling her he didn't like her attitude. I don't know what their issue was.

I asked if he was a manager because he looked like one and I wanted to go get a higher manager to intercede. He then started yelling at me..?

I told him I didn't want to argue with anyone, I was just surprised that he was a manager and yelling at customers. I asked if there was another manager higher than him. He said he was the only manager.

He told the woman he had been yelling at, to get out of "his" store.

She said she would call the General Manager on Monday(today.) and I offered her my phone number as a witness to what happened.

He then told me to leave.

I said all I did was offer her my phone number. And he started yelling at me and saying I was a problem too because I was giving her my number to report him. The he said was calling the police if we didn't both leave. And pulled out his cell and called the police while I was telling my disabled mother that we had to leave. She was in the next aisle.

We went to the parking lot along with several other people who came out of the store and all waited for the police and described the yelling manager to the police when they showed up.

The police talked to the manager then came out and apologized to us and asked us to leave for now and make sure we reported the manager on Monday(which is today, Feb 1, 2010).

I have shopped at that Safeway for years. It upset me and my disabled mother so much that we won't be going back, even though we own a house by the store.

I felt assaulted after being yelled at and told to leave for no reason. You need to remove that manager, he's bad for business. And he's scary. Too scary for me to go back.

I always believe and justice, but now I know that some companies are above the law and they can do whatever they want and getaway with it. This is the case of Safeway and his Management people HR. Even if you Complaint and have proved how bad they are, Nobody Want to do anything about them. Now I will Like to know if you ever have a problem with Safeway, post your comments because I want to put together a Class Law suit.

I have had it with the absolute # cashiers who are perpetually telling customers when and how to swipe their debit card! The next time a cashier tells me when or how to swipe my debit card I am going to slug her/him! The stupid idiotic store managers and store owners who tell cashiers what to say are equally as guilty and should wake up! We know how and when to swipe their debit card and for those of us who don't know we will figure it out! Speaking to a customer when they are busy navigating the debit card machine buttons only serves to distract and confuse the customer and waste mire time! It is not helpful to interrupt a customer who is trying to deal with the varying instructions on equally varying debit card machines! So cashiers and store managers I suggest you shut the hell up and stop telling customers when and how to swipe their debit card or one day some customer is going to go absolutely ballistic on you and you will have deserved it!

I moved into the area where this Safeway is located about 8 months ago. I live 3blks. from the store which is extremely convenient. I am a foster parent and I use an EBT card (state provided card for the child) and also use WIC vouchers (Women, Infants, and Children state run for healthy children) and I have never felt so uncomfortable using these as I have in this store. Every time I use the WIC vouchers, the cashiers make faces and sigh or make some kind of noise that let's me know that they are not happy that I am using these vouchers. On another occasion I used my EBT card and as the cashier was handing me my receipt he made a comment, "Don't worry Mam you'll get a job soon. The economy is bad right now.". As I was walking out I kept wondering why he would say such a thing to me because I am employed and then it hit me that it was because I used the EBT card. I was very offended by this assumption. I feel this store is prejudice against low-income people, but yet the store accepts the use of these two forms of payment. It is not their business how or why someone pays for their groceries in that way. I don't go to that store unless it's an emergency and that's sad for both of us since I live so close.

Thank You,
Cindy Serrano
[protected]@yahoo.com

I had my first experience in this store in Lodi off of Kettleman. I was pleased that no matter where I went through this store employees were very friendly. Then I went through the check out and had a problem with EBT card. The store manager was called for assistance and he was very rude and sarcastic. Had it not been for the friendly checker I would have left the food and store never to return again. I will not return to any safeway because of this experience much less that particular one. This gentleman should not be working in a customer service position and I was deeply offended.

My husband worked for Safeway for just a few months, and had problems with them most of the time. First he had to wait an entire month to recieve his first check, I thought that was ridiculous. Then he recieved one or two checks before everything went downhill. Over $600.00 was stollen out of his wallet by a fellow employee. They watched the video and found out who it was, then he was told he would be getting the money on his next check.
Well low and behold, he never saw another check from Safeway again. Weeks went by and they would give him false dates as to when he could expect his checks, but when the day came, he was given the run-around. He's been calling the main corporation and they've been doing the same thing as the store, giving false dates or telling him they don't know what to tell him.
Everybody that worked there when he did is gone, and he was told over the phone by the main corp. that Safeway is having financial difficulties, but trying to solve them while keeping it on the d.l. ...What, by not paying their employees?!? I thought Safeway was a company that could be trusted, but I've swiftly learned, after waiting several months for pay that we now know we probably wont be recieving, (three checks), that Safeway doesn't care about their employees, they are horrible business-people, and horribly dishonest.
Please, if you know what is good for you, don't work for or shop at Safeway anymore.

i work on a sat or sunday morning shift and we get paid every thursday. for the last few pay periods i worked sat and sun yet was only paid for one of those days. when i spoke to the manager he told me that it wasn't on the time card. yet they don't keep track of the cards and they are gone so there is no trace of my hours. safeway is ripping me off and i am now putting in my notice. they will not pay me . for hours i worked. they say i didn't work them.

I think that the assistant manger Patty who works at Safeway and the head clerk by the name of Sarah Holmes leave little to be desired. They are very rude to begin with, but the talk down to the other head clerks and checkers while customers are present. I am not sure what makes either one of think they are better than their staff but most of the staff is very friendly and always willing to help, both of them walk around and when asked a question they act like you are bothering them. I have seen them call the starbucks manager to the front and make her cry and yell at her in front of the customer. Sometimes I go to walmart of I see them in the store just not have to be treated so hateful by them. I feel bad of the employees for this store to have to but up with the crap in order to keep their jobs as no one wants to lose their jobs right now.

I bought $50.00 gift card for Black Angus. I then found out they were closed in Modesto and the closest Black Angus was a 2 hour drive away. I tried to exchange Black Angus for Olive Garden and was told by the Safeway store they won't exchange gift cards. I was told to call 1-800-safeway and they would give me a refund. I called that number and was told to call Stephanie at [protected] ext 6402 at Black Angus and she is such a sweet girl she would take care of my problem. I have called several times and all I get is a message machine. This is a terrible rip off by Safeway and should not be patronized. Why not sell gift cards for Florida Resturants in California. That could be a bigger rip off. I will never buy at Safeway again and will urge all friends and relatives to shop at Save Mart and Raley's