51 replies to this topic

[Principia]

Oops, forgot to mention that sushi is out because we're going to Kotobuki on Saturday with my grandmother. Pizza is out because we went to 2 Amys last week. My mom makes the best Chinese food in the world IMO (though Joe's Noodle House comes close), so that leaves pasta, the salad bar or the sub shop. That works for me. Thanks for the tips.

One other thing -- does Wegman's have a seating area, or is it strictly take out? Because if it's the latter, I suppose we could go to the Hard Times in Herndon. They certainly don't serve Texas or Cincinnati chili in Beijing.

There's a large seating area upstairs. The soups at Wegman's are quite good too.

There's a Sweetwater Tavern in Sterling, for that matter - although I'd hardly characterise them as fast.

[Hannah]

One other thing -- does Wegman's have a seating area

There's a nice seating area upstairs from the cafe, so you should be fine there. If you're not planning on having leftovers, I'd stay away from the pasta or the salad - they're not really one-sitting meals unless you're really, really hungry. The soups are good across the board, but the kosher soups are particularly good (they're actually made on premises, and since they moved the regular soups out into the center island I'm not sure they are anymore). The subs or the baguette sandwiches at the bread counter are both good. Pizza and wings are also entirely acceptable. Basically you can't go wrong with any of it, and unless you hit them right at lunchtime or just after work, it's easy to get in and out quickly.

[Principia]

...since they moved the regular soups out into the center island I'm not sure they are anymore... Basically you can't go wrong with any of it, and unless you hit them right at lunchtime or just after work, it's easy to get in and out quickly.

I'll double-check next time I'm in the store, but to my knowledge the stuff only got moved to an island because they wanted to free up a person from manning that station, not because the soup's no longer made in-house.

I would also recommend eschewing them right before any notably important sports events; if that's unavoidable, just know that the subs and pizza counters are going to be slammed.

Edited by Principia, 20 January 2006 - 12:27 AM.

[Hannah]

I'll double-check next time I'm in the store, but to my knowledge the stuff only got moved to an island because they wanted to free up a person from manning that station, not because the soup's no longer made in-house.

Well, since they never have anything but the ones you can also get prepackaged (chicken noodle, gumbo, italian wedding, clam chowder, shrimp bisque) on the bar anymore, that would seem to be a pretty big sign that something other than the location has changed. For instance, they haven't had mulligatawny once that I'm aware of since they moved out to the middle (and we're in there a lot). They also haven't had the soups from the recipes that run in the magazine, which they used to feature behind the counter once or twice a week. If they're still making actual soup in the back instead of just reheating, one would think they'd vary the selection a little more.

[bilrus]

Well, since they never have anything but the ones you can also get prepackaged (chicken noodle, gumbo, italian wedding, clam chowder, shrimp bisque) on the bar anymore, that would seem to be a pretty big sign that something other than the location has changed.  For instance, they haven't had mulligatawny once that I'm aware of since they moved out to the middle (and we're in there a lot). They also haven't had the soups from the recipes that run in the magazine, which they used to feature behind the counter once or twice a week.  If they're still making actual soup in the back instead of just reheating, one would think they'd vary the selection a little more.

I've seen a few different (from the pre-packaged) ones on the soup bar - cream of broccoli one night, a lentil soup (not the chili) another. Still dont' know if that means they are made there or not.

They must have a huge kitchen in the back of that place either way.

[silentbob]

My mom and I had the gumbo and shrimp bisque on Friday night. Piping hot, totally hit the spot. We also split a meatball sub with provolone and sweet/hot peppers. Solid, if not spectacular. We'd never been to Wegman's before, and the place definitely puts Whole Foods to shame.

[Principia]

I've seen a few different (from the pre-packaged) ones on the soup bar - cream of broccoli one night, a lentil soup (not the chili) another.  Still dont' know if that means they are made there or not. 

They must have a huge kitchen in the back of that place either way.

Didn't get the chance to interrogate anybody on my last trip this weekend, but I did get to two tasks:

1. Trying their kosher soups. The Corn Chowder was most excellent.

2. Determining that the contents of their prepackaged soups vary from those in the kettle, which reinforces (well, to me, anyway) my belief that the soups for the bar are still made in-house. One very critical difference for a portion of the population is that while some of the prepackaged Wegmans soups are gluten-free, nothing that has come off the bar is.

Edited by Principia, 23 January 2006 - 04:56 PM.

[Hannah]

According to the soup chef I spoke to this weekend, the soups are prepared in house, but Wegman's corporate has asked them to stick to the "signature" varieties (ie the stuff that you can also get prepackaged), which means no more mulligatawny or white bean and escarole unless enough people complain. I asked if it would help to email corporate, and the chef said "yes, they definitely read their email."

The comment section of their website is at http://www.wegmans.com/guest/index.asp (scroll down for the comments form).

[Escoffier]

My mom and I had the gumbo and shrimp bisque on Friday night.  Piping hot, totally hit the spot.  We also split a meatball sub with provolone and sweet/hot peppers.  Solid, if not spectacular.  We'd never been to Wegman's before, and the place definitely puts Whole Foods to shame.

Try the new one in Alexandria on Duke Street across the street from Table Talk. Decent supply of esoterica, a good prepared foods section. My better half and I had dinner there the other night, both had roast leg of lamb, she had roasted fingerling potatoes, I had french cut green beans and sauteed asparagus. Not bad for around $10. The lamb was excellent, way better than I expected.

[mdt]

While Wegman's has its moments I it is not worth a special trip just to eat there. And heaven forbid you actually go on a weekend. I do enjoy their bakery items myself.

[RaisaB]

Mike,
I have to disagree on the French Bakery items. I bought a Lemon Tart there recently, it was so beautiful. But it just did not compare, to what I make, or to any restaurant I have been to. It would have been so easy to make it taste good, I was so dissapointed.
I agree though, I would never make a trip for the soul purpose of eating there. Not the Fairfax or Sterling store. Have they opened the Maryland store yet?
And does anyone know when they are opening the restaurant at the Fairfax store?

Edited by RaisaB, 23 January 2006 - 10:11 PM.

[rbh]

While Wegman's has its moments I it is not worth a special trip just to eat there.  And heaven forbid you actually go on a weekend.  I do enjoy their bakery items myself.

I miss Wegmans - spending 4 years in Ithaca, NY does that. But now that I live in the District, I just can't justify trekking to Sterling/Fairfax/Hunt Valley for it. Don't know about Whole Foods, but it definitely puts Giant and Safeway to shame. Though I heard they don't make the apple fritters anymore

Maybe that big plot of land that DC will never figure out what to do with, aka the old convention center, could house a Wegmans.....

[johnb]

While Wegman's has its moments I it is not worth a special trip just to eat there.  And heaven forbid you actually go on a weekend.  I do enjoy their bakery items myself.

Well, I never suggested it was worth a special trip just to eat there. I just said that, while it's primarily a grocery store, it was an OK, even perfectly fine, place to eat, in contrast to Meaghan's chartacterization that the suggestion of eating there was somehow like porn. That said, it IS worth an occasional trip for stocking up, and you can eat there as well if you want to. I live in the district and probably go about once a month.

Note--it is as worthwhile for low end stuff as high end stuff. For example, their store brands of most things are very good, frequently superior to national brands, so I spend about equal time in the fancy part and the everyday part of the store. And the place is a delight to shop in, in contrast to anyplace I've been to closer in. Remember, those two stores are the two highest-grossing stores in the US, and there's gotta be a reason. I agree, they can get a bit crowded on weekends.

[Joe H]

Wegman's bread is not as good as the Bread Line. Nor is it's soup as good as New York's Hale and Hearty although several flavors are close to the Bread Line, gumbo among them. It's cheese shop competes with the Whole Foods in Vienna, perhaps even surpassing it. Wine is a disappointment. But this IS a supermarket. Pizza is decent. Subs are, too. Perhaps more so-just don't expect Atlantic City. Entrees are also "decent"-maybe real decent considering their price. Pasta can't compare to a single restaurant in D. C. where they make their pasta in house. But, after all, this is a grocery store. Remembering this it's really pretty good. Their salads don't compare to Sweetwater, Houston's, Coastal Flats or a dozen or even two dozen other restaurants in the D. C. area. Maybe three dozen. But this IS a grocery store. For that they are awfully good-better than any other. Their Chinese food does not compare to Chinatown. Or any of a dozen other places raved about on this or other boards. But, again, this is a grocey store and they have about 60 different entrees on a steam table-they are all at least as good or a better than a neighborhood Mom and Pop takeout.

They also have Serrano ham. And Proscuitto. And Black Forest from the Schwarzwald. And fantastic chocolate. And, seasonally, dry aged bone in Prime rib @$14.99 a pound. Don't laugh-it's $23.99 @Balducci's! And Zweigle's hot dogs in natural casing. Red and white. Hoffman's, too. And the best horseradish mustard of all to go on them!

Five cases of Coke for $10.00. Fancy feast for thirty nine cents a can. Vermont butter, both salted and unsalted. Shrub's pickles from Toronto. Violane nano AND Bomba-both under one roof. Dinosaur chili and chocolate Babka among New York's best. Route 11 potato chips AND Martin's chips.

Fairfax has a total of 35 registers to ring this up, Sterling has 33 total. On weekends all of these are open and there are no empty spaces in the 900+ space parking lot at Fairfax or God knows how many at Sterling with most full. Think about this for a second: 900 or so spaces @two per car, perhaps more than this considering that Wegman's attracts seemingly more families on weekends than individuals-it's an event. That's TWO THOUSAND OR SO CUSTOMERS SHOPPING IN ONE STORE AT ONE TIME. Two thousand!!! or more.

There is only one other Wegman's-and I have been in over twenty others-that even comes close to this and that is their former showcase in Rochester. Both of these are superior to it. Actually far superior. And to Woodbridge, Princeton and Norristown and every other grocery store whether it's called Central Market in Austin or Plano, 275,000 square foot Woodman's in Racine and elsewhere, 285,000 square foot Jungle Jim's in Middletown (bigger but nowhere near as good), Larry's in Seattle, Byerly's in Minneapolis, Schnuck's in St. Louis, Stew Leonard's and on and on and on.

No they are not Pike Place nor Bologna nor the market on the Ramblas in Barcelona. But they are ours'. We're lucky to have these two. They're worth the occasional drive from downtown. And farther, perhaps much farther. I've seen West Virginia license plates in the sterling lot. As much as I love Washington, D. C. there is nothing else even close to them either here or anywhere else. Just accept them for what they are: a grocery store. A very, very special grocery store, not in another city for us to talk about, wishing they were here. Wishing we could have something like this. They are here. They are our's.

Unfortunately fifty thousand or so other people know about them and another several hundred learn about them every weekend, giving in to seeing what they are like, only to return over and over. Still, Wegman's is growing. Leesburg is next.

Edited by Joe H, 24 January 2006 - 12:18 AM.

[Heather]

Have they opened the Maryland store yet?

Probably never, at least in Montgomery County.

[ScotteeM]

Have they opened the Maryland store yet?

Probably never, at least in Montgomery County. 

As far as I know, the Maryland store is open now.

This is not a huge chain at this point--maybe 65 stores nationally (all on the east coast). That is part of what--I think--keeps the quality up. I think they're great--their products, their selection, and their staff.

[JLK]

I too spent four years in Ithaca and I blame Wegmans for my double-digit weight gain, at least in part. Those damn chocolate chip muffins!!!! Curses. I was very grateful when they changed the recipe to include a glaze I find disgusting as it helped me regain my, uh, girlish figure.

For me (not a Dupont dweller), there isn't yet a Wegman's that's worth the trek. Anything frozen would melt by the time I got home. Hopefully someday because my present options are less than stellar.

Regarding "Eating Inside Wegman's," this is one of my mother's favorite things to do because she gets to indulge in things she tries not to eat in front of my perpetually-on-a-diet father: pepperoni pizza, huge subs, Chinese food. When she drags me along, I usually stick with the not-bad pizza.

[Walrus]

To me, "Eating inside Wegman's" sounds like some sort of indie flick -- perhaps Sundance is affecting me remotely?

As for dining within the grocery store, I've done it once and found it utterly unmemorable. I liked the place fine, but it really, really got on my nerves within a short period of time. Really, really.

I'd like to go back, largely to see if I can appreciate it more, but I'm pretty satisfied with the stores around where I live -- I'm walking distance from Arrowine, Safeway, Whole Foods, and Giant -- so don't really feel the need to trek from Arlington to Fairfax for groceries.

[JPW]

To me, "Eating inside Wegman's" sounds like some sort of indie flick -- perhaps Sundance is affecting me remotely?

Strike "indie" replace with "porn"

[Principia]

As for dining within the grocery store, I've done it once and found it utterly unmemorable. I liked the place fine, but it really, really got on my nerves within a short period of time. Really, really.

Let me guess... you were there on a Saturday? Me and mine don't come within a few miles of Weggers on weekends.

I'd like to go back, largely to see if I can appreciate it more, but I'm pretty satisfied with the stores around where I live -- I'm walking distance from Arrowine, Safeway, Whole Foods, and Giant -- so don't really feel the need to trek from Arlington to Fairfax for groceries.

I will point out that the original genesis of this thread was as part of a DRers query about quick eats near Dulles Airport. No one is suggesting that you trek halfway across creation just to go grocery shopping (or at least I'm not).

Edited by Principia, 24 January 2006 - 02:56 PM.

[Walrus]

Well, that would make more sense then

[DonRocks]

I ordered a carryout pizza from the Fairfax Wegmans (click here for the pizza menu), and got pretty much what I (should have) expected.

Dialing the phone number on the website, I was first tranferred to "Pizza," and then tried to order a Medium Steak Quesadilla ($12.25) pie, only to be placed on hold for a couple minutes by a bewildered employee. Then, someone else picked up and didn't know what I was trying to order (I suspect they don't do a ton of phone-in orders here), before finally saying they could do a steak pizza, and that it would take 20 minutes.

It takes twenty minutes because there's a slow-rolling, heavy-duty conveyor-belt system, which rendered the crust doughy, but not at all crisp on the bottom. With a food court the size of most warehouses, it's pretty much a given that you have inter-booth ingredients sharing, and that there's a vast array of choices for the hungry shopper.

As for the pizza itself, it ended up having thin, frozen steak, bland tomato sauce, gummy cheese, mushrooms, and onions. It's been forever since I've had a chain pie, but from what I recall, this was no better (and no worse) than the standard mega-places.

Not my cup of tea,
Rocks.

[FunnyJohn]

I ordered a carryout pizza from the Fairfax Wegmans (click here for the pizza menu), and got pretty much what I (should have) expected.

Next time try one of their subs. I likes 'em.

[Sthitch]

Not my cup of tea,
Rocks.

I have only eaten at Wegman's twice, but that was two too many times. The pizza actually sounds like a treat compared to what is on offer on the buffet (think Panda Express style 'Chinese' food).

[B.A.R.]

Yes, the subs are great. Only they are outdone by the $2.50 pints of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA at the Seafood Counter.

You have to order food, but 2 drafts and a nice Scallop entree for less than $20 is a steal.

[DanCole42]

Yes, the subs are great. Only they are outdone by the $2.50 pints of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA at the Seafood Counter.

You have to order food, but 2 drafts and a nice Scallop entree for less than $20 is a steal.

Agreed.

Every Monday night my wife and I have dinner in the Fairfax Wegman's food court, followed by our weekly grocery shopping.

The pizzas are nothing special, but probably better in the store than delivered.

[Joe H]

Wegman's food "courts" are nothing to become excited about. Not their soup, not their salads, nor their pizza. BUT, every day they feature a pasta or two which they cook to order. You can add a lot of "stuff" to these pastas: i.e. penne/linguini/spaghettini with a half dozen different veggies. In fact depending on the disposition of the person behind the counter you can ask them if they might even work their way across the expansive "deli case" or prepared foods and add any of a half dozen or more cold cuts/cheeses/veggies/prepared dishes, whatever they/you can find and talk them into adding to the sauce. They should also mention garlic which can make a lot of this taste an awful lot better. The end result-again, depending on the person you talk into doing this-can be spectacular. At least spectacular for a grocery store on, say, a Friday night.

[Albusch6]

The Wegmans deli sandwiches are terrific, the danny's favorite is a good choice everytime.

[Twinsdaddy]

The Wegmans deli sandwiches are terrific, the danny's favorite is a good choice everytime.

That's our choice too. Plus the full-size subs are MASSIVE. I can now get three meals out of one sub.

[Cooter]

That's our choice too. Plus the full-size subs are MASSIVE. I can now get three meals out of one sub.

Agreed. I can't remember if it's seven or eight bucks, but it's a great deal regardless.

[Joe H]

Fairfax, Centreville, and Chantilly aren't nearly the wastelands they used to be.

Speaking of the Wegman's in Fairfax it actually has a fairly good "Premium" Spiced Pumpkin soup which is ladled to order. It's expensive: $5.95 for 12 ounces and $7.95 for 16 ounces but it's surprisingly good. They also have a "premium" cream of crab soup for the same price which I thought was disappointing. I have not seen either of these "Premium" soups in any other of their stores.

I also find Jackson's to be uneven in Reston.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Speaking of the Wegman's in Fairfax it actually has a fairly good "Premium" Spiced Pumpkin soup which is ladled to order. It's expensive: $5.95 for 12 ounces and $7.95 for 16 ounces but it's surprisingly good. They also have a "premium" cream of crab soup for the same price which I thought was disappointing. I have not seen either of these "Premium" soups in any other of their stores.

I also find Jackson's to be uneven in Reston.

I never leave Wegman's unsatisfied, either with the prices and quality of the goods, or my belly full of samples, or the yummy variety on the olive bar, or the freshest seafood in our area. And I concur with the pasta station. Had one of the best pasta meals in recent memory last week, simple spaghetti with meatballs, lots of parmesan cheese, and a loaf of fresh bread from the bakery about 5 steps away. It went right in my two-tiered basket with a head of purple cauliflower and a tub of sashimi. Mmmmm....

[pras]

My love affair with Wegman's started when I was a college student at Syracuse University. I would frequent their Dewitt store several times a week. The Fayetville store is their first "large format" store with the food court. I practically lived on their subs for 4 years. A large was a full days eating!

The secret to their subs is the bread. The story goes that they bought the Rochester sub shop just for the bread recipe. Needless to say in my opinion, they make the best subs out there.

[wrash]

I've been to four of the Wegmans in Northern Virginia. The one I visit weekly is the Fairfax store. While I don't eat there on a regular basis (I'm there to buy groceries, after all) I have eaten at the seafood bar, and I've tried the Asian bar on occasion. In there fairfax store there are actually two food counters. The seafood bar is an actual sit-down seafood restaurant with a menu containing whatever is really fresh that day. There is a good selection of wine and beer pairings, the service is nearly immediate, and you're sitting in sight of the cook, so everything is delivered fresh and hot. While the store prepares fairly simple dishes, they're expertly prepared, nothing is overcooked, and the prices are very reasonable.

The sushi bar focuses on nigiri sushi. I tried to grab lunch there, but could never find a seat. There was a line. But the sushi is made fresh to order, and that's certainly a step up from grabbing one of the little plastic boxes and heading for a table.

The Asian bar tries to be more of a pan-Asian bar. There's Indian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese and faux Chinese. As steam-table Asian goes, it's pretty good. The containers are refreshed frequently, the variety of choices is wide, and the quality is much better than what you'll find in the horrifyingly bad Asian buffets in Western Fairfax and Manassas. But it's not the same as going to a good Asian restaurant. On the other hand, you can't go to a good Asian restaurant and have General's Tso's chicken, Naan and Indian Curry on the same plate, and share a bowl of pasta with your table mate. From that perspective, it ain't bad.

It is, as was previously mentioned, a grocery store after all, not a fine dining restaurant. But the seafood bar, at least, is very good for what it is, and it provides a nice lunch at a fair price. I have trouble finding fault for any of this.

Of course, I haven't tried the pizzas, and I haven't tried the subs. The bakery used to have its own selection of sandwiches in baguettes that reminded me a lot of sandwiches I'd had in Paris and Cannes in little cafes. They were not at all like the subs, but in a very good way. I don't know why those stopped, but I miss them.

Wayne Rash

[jayandstacey]

There are other threads mentioning Wegmans but none as a place to just go sit and eat. We did so last Saturday and really enjoyed it...with some comments of course. Worthy of its own thread? You be the judge

We sat at the kitchen bar where you can order food and have it prepped on front of you. The key/odd thing about this is they REFUSE to take any tips since it works like a restaurant ( in ghis part) in every other way. No way to add a tip onto the credit card slip and any cash is returned. This isn't a fine dining place but the service was great- friendly, attentive. We saw two patrons both try to leave a tip, both refused. So one just left about $6 on the table and the Wegmans folks said to just add it into the register.

Overall, the food was surprisingly good though not particularly complicated. The standout was the grilled veggies - squash/ zucchini with their "crack sauce", an olive oil with herbs that they sell in the grocery store (and which we went to fetch). I tend to be a sucker for salt, so I'll have to check the bottle - but it really made the "so what" side worth the effort.

OK, now for the blasphemy - the lobster roll was darn good, and I had one at Freddy's only 36 hours before. Wegmans was a little smaller and leaned more heavily on the sauce- but was very fresh tasting and just plain-old delicious at about $20.

Stacey and I split that and a beef tips sandwich that was tender.... Usually the issue with those... And enjoyable.

The whole thing was a pleasant surprise in Frederick MD; we're looking forward to a Germantown opening.

[Kibbee Nayee]

I have left a tip at their sushi bar a few times in the past. It was graciously welcomed.

[jayandstacey]

I have left a tip at their sushi bar a few times in the past. It was graciously welcomed.

I don't mean to imply there was any rudeness or hard edge to this "no tips" policy, but it was printed somewhere (menu? Sign? I forget) and then attempted to be graciously followed despite patron's other designs. For me, with no cash on hand, it made it a little odd as I really wanted to tip and had way to do so.

[genericeric]

I don't mean to imply there was any rudeness or hard edge to this "no tips" policy, but it was printed somewhere (menu? Sign? I forget) and then attempted to be graciously followed despite patron's other designs. For me, with no cash on hand, it made it a little odd as I really wanted to tip and had way to do so.

I've been told previously by the staff working at the seafood cafe area in the Gainesville location that if a staff member is caught accepting a tip, they'll no longer be a staff member. To be fair to Wegmans, the staff seemed ok with this and indicated that they get paid more than comparable, tip-accepting, positions at other establishments to compensate.

[mdt]

There is a similar policy at the Whole Foods in Fair Lakes. What's the problem with not having to tip? With the number of places that have a hand out for a tip I say be thankful.

[B.A.R.]

I eat at the Fairfax Wegman's all of the time. I always left a generous tip, because the drinking is ridiculously cheap ($3 16oz Dogfish 60 Minute IPA / $5 Chimay drafts, sometimes excellent wines BTG) and the food has great value as well. I stopped leaving tips when I found out that yes, the $10 or $20 left on the bar gets rung up in the register as a purchase, and not pocketed by the staff.

[johnb]

Personally I'm fine with a no tip policy. But then I would prefer a world in which there was no tipping, just well-paid employees who do a good job and if they don't they either improve or they get the sack, just like any other business and, for that matter, food service businesses in many other countries. Just my way of thinking.

AFAIK Wegmans pays its people well -- it has won "best employer in the US" awards in the past. Whole Foods too is known as a good employer. Clearly it would be quite unworkable to have a different pay structure in the restaurant area than in the rest of the store under the same roof, with (I assume) employees rotating in and out of jobs in the various areas at various times.

[jayandstacey]

There is a similar policy at the Whole Foods in Fair Lakes. What's the problem with not having to tip? With the number of places that have a hand out for a tip I say be thankful.

I dont have an issue, didn't say I had an issue, and rather like it given the setting. I only point it out as jarring, especially when sitting, ordering, being served, etc as you would in other establishments where the servers depend on tips.

[jparrott]

I've been told previously by the staff working at the seafood cafe area in the Gainesville location that if a staff member is caught accepting a tip, they'll no longer be a staff member.

A simple sign and policy: "All tips donated to <good cause of the week>" would work a lot better than ringing it up as profit and running the poor staff member who maybe was too busy to notice.

Maybe they could use the money to buy food at wholesale prices and donate it to the food bank. Some other grocery stores (not Wegmans, as far as I can remember) have the nerve to put donation bins right after the check-out counter, as if to say, "hey, customer, feel free to buy food at full retail price and give us our full markup, then drop it in this bin to donate."

[Joe H]

A simple sign and policy: "All tips donated to <good cause of the week>" would work a lot better than ringing it up as profit and running the poor staff member who maybe was too busy to notice.

Maybe they could use the money to buy food at wholesale prices and donate it to the food bank. Some other grocery stores (not Wegmans, as far as I can remember) have the nerve to put donation bins right after the check-out counter, as if to say, "hey, customer, feel free to buy food at full retail price and give us our full markup, then drop it in this bin to donate."

I have a feeling that if Danny Wegman had thought of this he would have done it. My guess is that someone, somewhere will point this out to him and a sign, sooner or later, will show up in a number of Wegman's saying exactly what you've suggested.

[DonRocks]

A simple sign and policy: "All tips donated to <good cause of the week>" would work a lot better than ringing it up as profit and running the poor staff member who maybe was too busy to notice.

Maybe they could use the money to buy food at wholesale prices and donate it to the food bank. Some other grocery stores (not Wegmans, as far as I can remember) have the nerve to put donation bins right after the check-out counter, as if to say, "hey, customer, feel free to buy food at full retail price and give us our full markup, then drop it in this bin to donate."

I have a feeling that if Danny Wegman had thought of this he would have done it. My guess is that someone, somewhere will point this out to him and a sign, sooner or later, will show up in a number of Wegman's saying exactly what you've suggested.

The convergence of Jake Parott and Joe Heflin: two polar opposites; yet, can one favor the North versus the South Pole? I think not.

Cheers,
Rocks

[jayandstacey]

A simple sign and policy: "All tips donated to <good cause of the week>" would work a lot better than ringing it up as profit and running the poor staff member who maybe was too busy to notice.

Maybe they could use the money to buy food at wholesale prices and donate it to the food bank. Some other grocery stores (not Wegmans, as far as I can remember) have the nerve to put donation bins right after the check-out counter, as if to say, "hey, customer, feel free to buy food at full retail price and give us our full markup, then drop it in this bin to donate."

I dunno. I suspect there are good reasons not to do this:

1 a customer gets bad service.... So the local charity gets the shaft?
2 Wegmans says "we donated $X" this week - do the employees think how that money would have been in their pockets if they worked elsewhere?
3 an employee doesn't like the charity of the week. Do they sandbag their efforts that week?

[johnb]

I dunno. I suspect there are good reasons not to do this:

1 a customer gets bad service.... So the local charity gets the shaft?
2 Wegmans says "we donated $X" this week - do the employees think how that money would have been in their pockets if they worked elsewhere?
3 an employee doesn't like the charity of the week. Do they sandbag their efforts that week?

1 a customer gets bad service.... So the local charity gets the shaft?
...Why would the charity get the shaft? They get whatever money is put in the box. End of story.

2 Wegmans says "we donated $X" this week - do the employees think how that money would have been in their pockets if they worked elsewhere?
...If they worked elsewhere, their hourly rate wouldn't be anything like the same. But of course if that's what they would prefer to do, they are certainly free to do so. Clearly the money could not have ended up in their pockets in any event because the place has a no tip policy anyway and they would be let go (based on something posted above) if they took the tips. It might be nice, though, if the sign said that the money would be donated in the name of the employees of Wegmans.

3 an employee doesn't like the charity of the week. Do they sandbag their efforts that week?
...Seems very far fetched. Hard for me to imagine anyone would act that way. Maybe I'm just naive.

[DonRocks]

1 a customer gets bad service.... So the local charity gets the shaft?
...Why would the charity get the shaft? They get whatever money is put in the box. End of story.

2 Wegmans says "we donated $X" this week - do the employees think how that money would have been in their pockets if they worked elsewhere?
...If they worked elsewhere, their hourly rate wouldn't be anything like the same. But of course if that's what they would prefer to do, they are certainly free to do so. Clearly the money could not have ended up in their pockets in any event because the place has a no tip policy anyway and they would be let go (based on something posted above) if they took the tips. It might be nice, though, if the sign said that the money would be donated in the name of the employees of Wegmans.

3 an employee doesn't like the charity of the week. Do they sandbag their efforts that week?
...Seems very far fetched. Hard for me to imagine anyone would act that way. Maybe I'm just naive.

I dunno. I suspect there are good reasons not to do this:

1 a customer gets bad service.... So the local charity gets the shaft?
2 Wegmans says "we donated $X" this week - do the employees think how that money would have been in their pockets if they worked elsewhere?
3 an employee doesn't like the charity of the week. Do they sandbag their efforts that week?

I have a feeling that if Danny Wegman had thought of this he would have done it. My guess is that someone, somewhere will point this out to him and a sign, sooner or later, will show up in a number of Wegman's saying exactly what you've suggested.

Personally I'm fine with a no tip policy. But then I would prefer a world in which there was no tipping, just well-paid employees who do a good job and if they don't they either improve or they get the sack, just like any other business and, for that matter, food service businesses in many other countries. Just my way of thinking.

AFAIK Wegmans pays its people well -- it has won "best employer in the US" awards in the past. Whole Foods too is known as a good employer. Clearly it would be quite unworkable to have a different pay structure in the restaurant area than in the rest of the store under the same roof, with (I assume) employees rotating in and out of jobs in the various areas at various times.

I dont have an issue, didn't say I had an issue, and rather like it given the setting. I only point it out as jarring, especially when sitting, ordering, being served, etc as you would in other establishments where the servers depend on tips.

I agree with everything written in these five posts.

Can it be possible that five (distinct, different, and disparate) posts by four (distinct, different, and disparate) members of donrockwell.com are all on the same page?

<nods head yes>

We are all friends, my brothers. Truly. May we please think of this going forward?

Cheers,
Rocks

[jayandstacey]

I agree with everything written in these five posts.

Can it be possible that five (distinct, different, and disparate) posts by four (distinct, different, and disparate) members of donrockwell.com are all on the same page?

<nods head yes>

We are all friends, my brothers. Truly. May we please think of this going forward?

Cheers,
Rocks

Absolutely. Despite the tone that could very well be read into my posts, I mean nothing personal and enjoy the banter. I'm just advocating for the devil. We can certainly all agree that Wegman's has us talking the way Giant doesn't...right?

One other reason that I suspect Wegmans would not do the tip idea...a patron might not understand, then be furious later that the money they thought was going to help the college kid instead went to help planned parenthood or some other organization they might disagree with. Again, kinda far fetched...but these stores do process 2000 customers at a time (from above).

Maybe one way around it: tips are accepted and kept, but an employee can decide to donate their tip to the charity or just keep it. If they elect to donate it, Wegmans will match the tip 100% to the charity (giving the charity 2x the tip total AND giving 1x tax credit to the employee), PLUS match the tip 100% into the employee's retirement fund (essentially allowing the employee to keep the tip for long term). If the employee pockets the tip, they just pocket it. A tip could go either way... up to the employee based on their needs...and make the patron feel good either way. Plus give about 6 new jobs to Wegmans bean counters to track all this.

[jayandstacey]

OK, now for the blasphemy - the lobster roll was darn good, and I had one at Freddy's only 36 hours before. Wegmans was a little smaller and leaned more heavily on the sauce- but was very fresh tasting and just plain-old delicious at about $20.

I stand corrected, the Lobster Roll is $13 and has 4 ouces of their lobster salad. Today's batch seemed to lean a little heavier on the filler than what we had a few weeks before, but at $7 less than I thought, it tasted almost 35% better.

We're told the Germantown location will open Mid May, 2013 and be as big or bigger than any current location.