640 replies to this topic

[RaisaB]

Joe, store them in the freezer,they should last longer. Over 2 years, but I still don't see how you will use 30 in that time.It is kind of like that Costco thing.

[smokey]

I've looked forward to going there to get bulk stuff that you pour yourself into bags ie: legumes, hummus, oats etc.
IT'S ALL PRE PACKAGED!! And it's incredibly hard to find specifically what you want because the labels have to fit on the 1/2 inch shelf and it's so small you have to cruise by closely and slowly to read it. Why oh why don't they have those big ol' columns of stuff that I can pour myself and label???
Are other WF doing this as well???

The one in Congressional Plaza in Rockville [aside: truly the worst WF I've ever had the misfortune to be a regular customer of] has done this. And, in the process, they've eliminated some things that I would have thought were fairly standard (e.g. polenta anybody?). Their spice selection has increased 20 fold, but as somebody pointed out, I don't need 30 nutmegs very often and, regardless, I almost always buy my spices through penzeys. So who gives a...?

The WF out in the Kentlands has a mix of the "old-fashioned" bulk and the new style.

My hypothesis had been that it had to do with perceived/real stealing of bulk items, in part based on the fact that they had made the switch at the Congressional location (which I suspect has a lower SES clientele compared with Kentlands location [NB: don't flame me about this, I'm not saying poor folks shop at WF in Congressional--it's relative to the folks who shop at Kentlands WF]) but not at the Kentlands location. However, they haven't prepackaged a bunch of stuff that I figure is absolutely ripe for the stealing (i.e. chocolate covered malt balls), and now i'm learning that they've made the switch at other WF. So, there's data that undermines my previous hypothesis here.

Anyway, rambling over--whatever the reason, I find it incredibly annoying.

[Heather]

The one in Congressional Plaza in Rockville [aside:  truly the worst WF I've ever had the misfortune to be a regular customer of] has done this.  And, in the process, they've eliminated some things that I would have thought were fairly standard (e.g. polenta anybody?).  Their spice selection has increased 20 fold, but as somebody pointed out, I don't need 30 nutmegs very often and, regardless, I almost always buy my spices through penzeys.  So who gives a...?

Not to mention those clamshells are a PITA to store.

[Principia]

The odd thing about my local Whole Foods is that they carry both a large bulk selection and a large quantity of vac-packed spices (et al).

Is it possible that the stores that don't have sufficient turnover of the bulk goods are the ones discontinuing their use? After all, between staleness and spillage issues, if very few of your customers ever use the bulk bins I could imagine discontinuing them.

[giant shrimp]

this is the time of day i customarily start spinning broken records, but the p street whole foods, from my experience, has done little to remedy its problem of ringing up higher prices at the checkout counter than appear on its shelves.

by eating out more and relying heavily on umpteen pounds of frozen tomatoes in the refrigerator, i have been able to almost totally avoid this place for at least a month. it's not just because of the price problem. the lettuce here, all varieties, is typically wilted beyond the stage where you would even arouse the interest of your pet rabbit. for whatever the reason, turnover appears to be a problem in the produce department and the quality of the fruits and vegetables has been spiraling downward, the same thing that happens at most of the grocery stores within the city. vacuum packing is no guaranty of anything, though you usually can make out the slime through the wrapping. unfortunately, that was not the case wiith a container of sprouts, which reeked of the dead when they were opened and had to be taken to the trash chute post haste, before arousing the suspicions of the neighbors. the store below calvert street was almost as bad recently when just about anything that was green and leafy was also limp.

but i have returned in recent weeks to the p street outlet. for one thing, where else can you find three-peckered billy goat coffee?

about two weeks ago i fell for a $6-off (roughly 30%) sale for a bottle of coppola sparkling wine named after his over-rated daughter/director. it's wrapped in pink cellophane. not that i mind, but that in itself is a form of deception, because the wine itself is white. it is marketed for picnics, valentine's day, big family weddings with dons, those sorts of occasions. not paying strict attention at the register, i discover in the unbagging process at home that i have been charged the full price.

returning to the store on the following afternoon, at the customer relations desk i ask for the store manager, who is the person you should seek out to resolve this problem, according to the kindly and generous advice from a former employee of this company who posts regularly on this site and has just left for florence. when he was the manager of whole foods stores, his policy was to refund the total price of the article. i have been told by someone who should know, but perhaps does not, that this is the law in montgomery county, where some whole foods are located. the woman manning customer service is doubtful, however, that the manager will be able to speak to me because he is extremely busy attending to the demands of running the store. i am certain that she will not be able to help me because i have checked out with her before and the situation turned contentious when she started loading my items into a plastic bag and i stopped her because i wanted paper. (you said plastic. no i said paper. no, you said plastic... and further idiotic conversation.) but this was my lucky day. the manager appeared out of nowhere, i explained to him, calmly, cogently (an effort for me) that i was continuing to experience the store's pricing problem, which had been occurring with increasingly regularity starting in the summer. maybe i was reading him all wrong, but i believe i evoked about as much interest as a fly buzzing the salmon steaks. he asked about the particular item and called over the manager of the wine department. not certain of the exact wine we were talking about, i guided her to the back of the store where the display had been the day before but was now dismantled. she now knew what i was talking about, and knew the amount in question -- $6. when we returned to customer service, the manager was on the telephone. The wine manager handed my receipt to the bag lady, who knew exactly what to do without being told, returning my $6 plus tax. the wine manager said she hoped that nobody else had been overcharged. i explained to her that the policy in some of the stores was to refund the full price of the item and that i had only returned to the store for a refund and to make the manager aware of the problem. she said she was very sorry, a few times.

two nights ago, i purchased another bottle of wine at the store, marked down $1, and was charged full price. this time, however, it looks like the item was entered by hand at the register, since it merely states that it is "wine."

if i were a kleptomaniac, and as far as i know i am not and have never been one, how long would whole foods accept my profuse apologies when i am caught stealing a bag of route 11 potato chips or the stray bottle of pomegranate juice? as things stand now, this store has little to lose by overcharging its customers, and much to gain.

Edited by giant shrimp, 19 January 2006 - 02:41 PM.

[smokey]

the situation turned contentious when she started loading my items into a plastic bag and i stopped her because i wanted paper. (you said plastic. no i said paper. no, you said plastic... and further idiotic conversation.)

LMAO!

I have had similar problems with overcharging (though not as egregious as you've experienced) at the WF at Congressional.

[goldenticket]

i have checked out with her before and the situation turned contentious when she started loading my items into a plastic bag and i stopped her because i wanted paper. (you said plastic. no i said paper. no, you said plastic... and further idiotic conversation.)

At the new WF store plastic is the only option - fairly detailed cards posted at the register explain all the environmental reasons for this (paper bags take more energy to produce than plastic, plastic is a byproduct of petroleum production, you can get more -5 times more- plastic bags on a delivery truck than paper bags, etc - all my details may not be quite right)

Sorry to hear that this pricing problem continues to happen - thanks for the reminder to be vigilant when I'm shopping - or more importantly, checking out - at the Old Town WF.

Edited by goldenticket, 19 January 2006 - 02:09 PM.

[Barbara]

RE: WF overcharging

Maybe I'm just becoming a cranky old hag, but my patience for this kind of stuff is exactly nil. Thanks to the internet, it's real easy to find the corporate website and to then send a detailed email to them. No kidding, you will get a response. It might not be the one you want (buy me a drink and I will tell you how I had to explain to Home Depot that they were engaging in FRAUD); but, even filling out those "Complaint" postcards at the Safeway will get action.

The bottom line is this: if the folks at the top don't know this is going on, the only way they are going to find out is from you.

[giant shrimp]

RE:  WF overcharging

Maybe I'm just becoming a cranky old hag, but my patience for this kind of stuff is exactly nil.  Thanks to the internet, it's real easy to find the corporate website and to then send a detailed email to them.  No kidding, you will get a response.  It might not be the one you want (buy me a drink and I will tell you how I had to explain to Home Depot that they were engaging in FRAUD); but, even filling out those "Complaint" postcards at the Safeway will get action.

The bottom line is this:  if the folks at the top don't know this is going on, the only way they are going to find out is from you.

thanks for the suggestion. i am willing to go to the top, even over the top.

[mktye]

Whole Foods Old Town opens this morning at 10am! It's the first new store in the area since P Street. Maybe I'll see you there, though I'll probably be in the back furiously making modifications to our recipe database.

It's gonna be a looooong day.

I was reading an article in today's Alexandria Gazette Packet about the opening of the new Whole Foods in Alexandria, when I turned to page 50 and there it was... a picture of our very own Al Dente. And he was not even holding a piece of chicken in front of his face.

[Al Dente]

I was reading an article in today's Alexandria Gazette Packet about the opening of the new Whole Foods in Alexandria, when I turned to page 50 and there it was...  a picture of our very own Al Dente.  And he was not even holding a piece of chicken in front of his face.

Wow! THE Alexandria Gazette Packet? Who would have ever thought I'd make it into such a respected and influential publication.

[giant shrimp]

after work let out last night i found myself flogging a dead horse at whole foods. they were still selling old lettuce and the automatic mister was doing little to revive it. however, flat parsley was in acceptable condition as were broccoli crowns, on sale. one curiosity: a basket of large, greenish heirloom tomatoes i neglected to delve into. in the summer months, this is the part of the store where the fruit flies like to hang out. typically, the brandywines, green zebras, pineapples and what have you languish there until they are completely spoiled.

penne rigate was at the top of my list, so i wasn't brusing for anything when i veered into the pasta aisle. i go for the rusticella d'abruzzo brand, which had been experiencing some price problems, but none, in my experience, since the fall. here was the dilemma: purchase the sole 1.1-pound bag on the middle shelf for $4.89 or head to the top shelf, where the stock has been replenished and is now selling for $4.59. ever the smart consumer, i chose the latter.

At checkout, a friendly clerk commented on the $42.99 bottle of deisen Barossa mataro (mourverde) I had picked up on impulse. Next time, you can come to my village, she said. I think this is a good mourverde, with a somewhat unfamiliar assortment of fruit to my palate, though I can taste raisins where others proclaim cherry. I’m not sure about eucalyptus. All I know is that this wine is distinctly pleasant in flavor, juicy, approaching effervescence, carrying the connotation of maybe too much sunshine for anyone in the mood for something to brood over.

Returning to what has become an unhealthy obsession, I scanned the prices on the computer screen before moving to the completion of the transaction and, no surprise, discovered that I had been charged the higher price for the pasta. A supervisor was called over and admonished the clerk: don’t you know how to do a price check? I accompanied the bagger to the pasta shelf, where my account was corroborated; the clerk dings the supervisor over, who, whether she realizes it or not, scowls at me as she makes the price adjustment. The customer behind me is obviously pissed, but the 20 items or so he has loaded onto the counter have limited his options and he waits patiently until the controversy is resolved. Are you going to change the price on the shelf? I ask the supervisor, and am told that this is something she does not have the authority to do. I volunteer that I could take care of this problem in a few seconds. The solution is to remove the lower price and leave up the higher price. But that would be too easy.

I eventually am granted an audience with the store manager. This is not hypothetical, I begin, but what would you do if you discovered that an item is ringing up at the cash register for a higher price than is posted on the shelf? She answers as if she has just woken up to find herself taking an oral examination which, I sympathize, can be a jolt to the psyche: first, I would do a price check to verify the price on the shelf, she intones. Then, if the price was higher, I would make a price adjustment at the register. She stops and stares, somehow figuring that it wasn’t going to be this easy to get a gold star. And then what would you do? I ask. She pauses, and then: I would correct the price on the shelf. Of course, half an hour has gone by and the price has not changed, and I am told some technical things by the manager about how the pricing is done in the store. I have heard this line of explanation a few times now from store representatives, but I don’t exactly understand what they are talking about, probably because I have not been paying attention. I think this has something to do with screwing up their accounting system. I continue the conversation by filling her in with the usual song and dance about my experiences with the store’s pricing problem.

The manager assures me that this is a serious problem and she takes it seriously. I have heard this tune before, as well. I respond that it is the policy of some of the whole food stores, at least I have heard, to refund the price of the item when there is a price discrepancy, that maybe it is a regulatory requirement in Montgomery county, and that it is a policy that this store should adopt since it has been unable to resolve this problem. She responds that it is store policy in the district to refund the difference but not the price of the item. In other words, I say, a store that markets itself as consumer- and environmentally-friendly isn’t going to do anything to resolve this unless it is forced to. I didn’t say that, she said. I know, I said it, I said.

I told her that I have been avoiding her store because of its pricing problem and before leaving wanted her to know that I was an unhappy customer. And that is where it ended, because there was obviously nothing that she could do to make me happy. (I had earlier turned down an offer by the customer service representative of tasting some new chips while I was waiting.)

It has become clear to me now that the managers, and customer service people, have been well trained at whole foods not to make any concessions to the customer on this issue, and they preserve their right to steal from them occasionally.

[giant shrimp]

Al, price check on aisle 4.

and aisles 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7!

[goldenticket]

My first complaint about the new WF is the nearly inedible "low-fat"* guacamole I picked up on Friday. It tasted liked someone had dumped a jar of cumin into it (and I'm talking about into the little 8 oz. container I bought).
To their credit, I was offered a refund or an exchange when I took it back yesterday. (the fact that the customer service rep blurted out "was it nasty?" almost before I explained my problem made me wonder if I wasn't the first to return it) I still wanted some guac so took a chance on another container with a different expiration date, thinking it would be from a different batch. It was better, more so after I doctored it with some lemon juice, but on the spicy side. I guess the lesson learned is to make my own guacamole, esp. at nearly $5 a pop for their inconsistent, mass-produced stuff!

* Low-fat = peas in the mix - not noticeable except for the occasional pea skin (?) hull?

I also made a stop at the Giant a little further up Duke St. and it was DEAD - unusual for a Sun. evening. Wonder if WF was the cause? (Noticed that poblanos were $1 cheaper per pound than at WF...)

[crackers]

I also made a stop at the Giant a little further up Duke St. and it was DEAD - unusual for a Sun. evening.  Wonder if WF was the cause?

Football game.

Edited by crackers, 23 January 2006 - 03:13 PM.

[cheezepowder]

I went to the new huge Whole Foods (my regular WF is the Clarendon one). Everything looks so pretty and new. They have quite a large selection of salt (fleur de sel, smoked salt, hawaiian salt, salt in coconut shaped containers, etc.)

[CrescentFresh]

You should see the egg display at the new Whole Foods Market in Alexandria. Single eggs available by breed of chicken. Duck eggs, quail eggs. Giant green EMU eggs for cryin' out loud! I don't know what the hell you'd do with them. But they're wild just to look at.

[grover]

You should see the egg display at the new Whole Foods Market in Alexandria.  Single eggs available by breed of chicken.  Duck eggs, quail eggs.  Giant green EMU eggs for cryin' out loud!  I don't know what the hell you'd do with them.  But they're wild just to look at.

I liked their display.
Quail eggs are pretty useful to make canapes or toppings.
I had a small quail deviled egg with caviar on top of toasted bread at the restaurant Eve.

Edited by grover, 09 February 2006 - 09:08 AM.

[ScotteeM]

Oooh, I missed the quail eggs! I did get some free-roaming eggs a couple of weeks ago. I think those are supposed to be from chickens who are actually exposed to sunlight.

I saw the emu eggs yesterday. Only about $20 each, but they look like they could feed a family of four per each!

[mdt]

Oooh, I missed the quail eggs!  I did get some free-roaming eggs a couple of weeks ago.  I think those are supposed to be from chickens who are actually exposed to sunlight.

I saw the emu eggs yesterday.  Only about $20 each, but they look like they could feed a family of four per each!

The Sunnyside chickens (eggs available at the DuPont market) are exposed to sunlight too if you are looking for some free-roaming chicken eggs. How much are they are WF?

[Pat]

I noticed the display of loose eggs at Whole Foods, but I didn't see what kind of containers they might have had to put the eggs in. I didn't notice any, but they must have something. Do they have egg cartons of some sort out? (I guess it's an odd question, but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the egg display. )

[Al Dente]

I noticed the display of loose eggs at Whole Foods, but I didn't see what kind of containers they might have had to put the eggs in.  I didn't notice any, but they must have something.  Do they have egg cartons of some sort out? (I guess it's an odd question, but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the egg display. )

They have these baskets that look like the baskets you use at the driving range. When you get to the check out, they put them in egg cartons for you. I'm not exactly sure how they package an emu egg though.

[mdt]

They have these baskets that look like the baskets you use at the driving range. When you get to the check out, they put them in egg cartons for you. I'm not exactly sure how they package an emu egg though.

How often to they rotate the emu egg stock? How long can those things stay fresh?

[Al Dente]

How often to they rotate the emu egg stock?  How long can those things stay fresh?

The emus just came in a couple of days ago and I haven't seen one cooked yet. I'm not sure how long they're rotated, but the eggs are very fresh-- that yolk really sets up on the other eggs I've seen. I imagine they stay fresh for about a week.

[mdt]

The emus just came in a couple of days ago and I haven't seen one cooked yet. I'm not sure how long they're rotated, but the eggs are very fresh-- that yolk really sets up on the other eggs I've seen. I imagine they stay fresh for about a week.

Are they from Virginia emu farms?

[Al Dente]

Are they from Virginia emu farms?

I'll see what I can find out.

[Al Dente]

The 411 on the eggs: They come from a farm in Ohio where WF will soon get ostrich eggs as well. When they arrive at the store, they were laid within a week. They should be good for about a month.

An emu egg is about the equivalent of 12 or 13 large chicken eggs-- the ostrich? They can range anywhere from 24 to 30!

[goldenticket]

The Sunnyside chickens (eggs available at the DuPont market) are exposed to sunlight too if you are looking for some free-roaming chicken eggs.  How much are they are WF?

The chicken eggs are 3 for $1.00 or 4 for $1.00, depending on what kind they are. I bought some Amish eggs from Ohio the other day, but they had a variety of breeds - barred rock is the only one I can recall. They beat the heck out of the ones I was getting from my CSA egg share last summer...

I was VERY excited to find that they have duck eggs. They are a real treat (as may be surmised by their inclusion on this year's Saveur 100 List). A farmer at the Courthouse market turned me on to them last year. His description was that the "white cooked up nice, not crispy like tinfoil like chicken eggs" and the yolks were like custard - he was right and they are GOOD! 2 for$1.00.

As noted above, the emu eggs are the most beautiful teal blue...and about $20 bucks a pop. Wikipedia says an ostrich egg can make an omelet for 10 people....

Quite fun to "gather" your eggs in the little baskets provided - and they put them in regular cartons when you check out.

[CrescentFresh]

You just know there's a thread split coming up. Titled "Recipes And What Else To Do With A Fucking Emu Egg."

[porcupine]

You just know there's a thread split coming up.  Titled "Recipes And What Else To Do With A Fucking Emu Egg."

I'm just wondering how to crack one so as to keep the yolk intact for the World's Largest Sunnyside Up Egg theme party I'm planning.

[David M.]

...the eggs are very fresh-- that yolk really sets up on the other eggs I've seen.

Agreed. Picked up a half-dozen Rhode Island Red eggs (3 for $1.00). Fried them up this morning and they were outstanding -- the yolk really does stay nice and tight. I can't imagine paying these prices on a regular basis, but for applications where a fresh egg really does matter, that's a different story.

Oh, and I asked the cashier how many of the emu eggs they sell -- she said she sees a couple per week come through her isle.

[Pat]

They have these baskets that look like the baskets you use at the driving range. When you get to the check out, they put them in egg cartons for you. I'm not exactly sure how they package an emu egg though.

Thanks for satisfying my curiosity. I'll have to look the display over more closely next time I'm there. And thanks for the other egg information too.

[porcupine]

Giving Credit Where it's Due

Recently got hooked on Peet's Coffee, and been buying it at Bethesda Whole Foods. A few evenings ago, I was driving by Rockville WF, realized I was almost out of beans, and stopped. They didn't have Peet's. So when I asked and was told they stopped carrying it, the very nice woman in the cheese dept gave me a free sample of beans. And not just a small sample, but more than half a pound of two different beans she mixed together, saying this was a good, medium-bodied blend that she liked. It was from the bulk bean section, the brand is Allegro, I think, and while not the best beans I've had recently, this lady went above and beyond.

So I'm taking a break from shovelling the driveway, having a cup of coffee, and thinking kind thoughts of WF and a very nice employee there.

[zoramargolis]

Recently got hooked on Peet's Coffee, and been buying it at Bethesda Whole Foods. 

We get regular deliveries, direct from Peet's. The beans are freshly roasted the day they are packed and sent, much fresher than anything in a store. If you are hooked on Peet's, as we are, this is definitely the way to go.

http://www.peets.com

[bioesq]

Giving Credit Where it's Due

Recently got hooked on Peet's Coffee, and been buying it at Bethesda Whole Foods. A few evenings ago, I was driving by Rockville WF, realized I was almost out of beans, and stopped. They didn't have Peet's. So when I asked and was told they stopped carrying it, the very nice woman in the cheese dept gave me a free sample of beans. And not just a small sample, but more than half a pound of two different beans she mixed together, saying this was a good, medium-bodied blend that she liked. It was from the bulk bean section, the brand is Allegro, I think, and while not the best beans I've had recently, this lady went above and beyond.

So I'm taking a break from shovelling the driveway, having a cup of coffee, and thinking kind thoughts of WF and a very nice employee there.

As of this morning, the WF in the Kentlands had a variety of Peet's on the shelf.

[PollyG]

The Whole Foods in Reston's Spectrum Center has stopped carrying coffee beans in bulk and has only prepackaged beans. There's no way of knowing how long those prepackaged beans have been on the shelf, and at $12.99 for 12 ounces, I'm not going to be sourcing my decaf Sumatran from them any more. At that sort of price, I can have Peet's ship them straight to me the day they're roasted.

[DLB]

Is it just me, or has anyone else notice the decline of the Whole Foods in Clarendon? Don't get me wrong I will pick WF any day, but recently have I have not been able to fine basic items, it think they should have, and the produce is suspect now and the seafood never really looks fresh. I still think the meat department is fine. I am not sure if that little store can keep up with the growing population in the area, with so many condo communities rising. I think it's time for a bigger store, as it never seems to be stocked properly

[Pat]

Is it just me, or has anyone else notice the decline of the Whole Foods in Clarendon? Don't get me wrong I will pick WF any day, but recently have I have not been able to fine basic items, it think they should have, and the produce is suspect now and the seafood never really looks fresh. I still think the meat department is fine. I am not sure if that little store can keep up with the growing population in the area, with so many condo communities rising. I think it's time for a bigger store, as it never seems to be stocked properly

I've only been there once, a few weeks ago, and I was impressed with the store. The meat department especially wowed me. I thought the produce was fine, but I don't know what it was like before.

Please don't tell me the store is slipping . I'm trying to find a new Whole Foods to go to since the old one in Alexandria relocated to Old Town. I really dislike parking garages and avoid them whenever possible [phobia alert ]. That Clarendon one and the one near Tysons are the only ones I know of with surface parking.

[Joe H]

I believe the Whole Foods in Vienna is the best one that I've been to which includes most of the ones in D. C. and Northern VA and several in Maryland. It's possible that I am being influenced by the building it is in and it being among their largest if not the largest but I really like it.

[ScotteeM]

The Clarendon WF is much better in terms of stocking than the Springfield location (which does have surface parking). My husband especially likes their meat counter. I've not bought fish there, not because I thought they were bad, but it wasn't what I wanted when I was there.

The Springfield location is undergoing remodeling, so maybe they'll soon be up to par, or at least a little closer, to the other area locations when it's completed.

I still wish WF would consider a Fairfax or Annandale location for the near future.

[DLB]

I've only been there once, a few weeks ago, and I was impressed with the store. The meat department especially wowed me. I thought the produce was fine, but I don't know what it was like before.

Please don't tell me the store is slipping . I'm trying to find a new Whole Foods to go to since the old one in Alexandria relocated to Old Town. I really dislike parking garages and avoid them whenever possible [phobia alert ]. That Clarendon one and the one near Tysons are the only ones I know of with surface parking.

You are correct the meat department is top notch for a store. We do all our shopping at that WF, and lately something has been off to me. I really think it has to do with the amount of people that shop there and the size of the store, it's too small and understocked.

[Joe H]

The Clarendon WF is much better in terms of stocking than the Springfield location (which does have surface parking). My husband especially likes their meat counter. I've not bought fish there, not because I thought they were bad, but it wasn't what I wanted when I was there.

The Springfield location is undergoing remodeling, so maybe they'll soon be up to par, or at least a little closer, to the other area locations when it's completed.

I still wish WF would consider a Fairfax or Annandale location for the near future.

One is under construction On West Ox Road near the Fairfax County Parkway.

[giant shrimp]

i said i would go to the top at whole foods, and maybe i will, though i have been short on extra time in recent weeks, or maybe i haven't bothered because i figure i won't like what i find when i get there.

anyway, at the p street store, the real price of 17.5 ounces of a brown bag of rusticella d'abruzzo penne regate, the price you will pay at the checkout, has climbed to $5.09 (maybe $5.19), up from $4.89 some six weeks ago. however, the price on the shelf is $4.59. it, also, has been that way for the last six weeks, except that the store has made the situation less ambiguous by removing a second, higher price tag for the same product, on a lower shelf, that is the amount you are actually charged.

six weeks ago i was assured by the store manager that this is something that she cares about greatly. (i know i am the only one in the world who really does care about these discrepancies.) another manager promised to look into it a couple of weeks ago. another manager last night is also going to try to get to the bottom of this, despite my skepticism, because she understands that many customers actually base some of their purchasing decisions on the price of the item.

here is how whole foods looks at it: you may get charged more at the checkout counter than the price of the item on the shelf, but you really are not getting cheated because the price you are paying is what the price should be. for anyone bothering to read this and passing by the store, consider this my gift to you of 50-cents. the pasta has just been restocked. it is on the top shelf. i like it, you may too, and it is available for a limited time at a discount. look for the $4.59 price on the shelf, and when it rings up higher, ask the clerk for a price check and wait for your bill to be readjusted.

(if you really have time to burn, go around the store looking for items that have no price. there was a nice example among the olive oils yesterday. guess what the price might be and then find out when it gets rung up. chances are, it will be more expensive than you had bargained for. also, while we are on this topic, i would not have you think that whole foods is any more a brute than you or i. if you are in the calvert and wisconsin store, the refrigerated organic sake in with the beer is just as good as the washingtonian magazine claims it is. you may want to pick up more than one. the bottles are small, and if the store is busy, you may find that you have finished the first before it even gets rung up. also, there were some monster two-pound milk-chocoalte candy bars from spain in there a few weeks ago; hopefully some more are on the way and i guarantee you won't be able to polish one off in the store, even if you seek help from a cart full of squealing putti. look for a cow on the white wrapper.)

[Pat]

(if you really have time to burn, go around the store looking for items that have no price. there was a nice example among the olive oils yesterday. guess what the price might be and then find out when it gets rung up. chances are, it will be more expensive than you had bargained for.

That's the case with a lot of Whole Foods. I've stopped buying produce without a label because: 1) the cashier most likely won't know what it is; 2) it will cost more than I anticipated if the cashier actually checks on the real price.

That new Old Town store is like playing The Price Is Right. It's weird every time I go there, with the guessing at what things are and how much they should cost. It usually works to my advantage, except once when a cashier insisted something was a particular type of mushroom when it was a different one. He and the bagger said it was one thing and I knew it was another, but I just gave up.

One time I was there I got a bunch of things cheap because the cashier didn't know what they were (even though I explained it), shrugged, and rang them up at a generic price. I understand that it's really hard for them to keep up with what all the specialized produce is, since there's so much of it, but on my last trip, I had a cashier unable to identify cubanelle peppers and shiitake mushrooms (probably the most common of the uncommon musrooms).

Then my other (related peeve) is that when they're out of something, they move the other stuff around on the shelf to cover that area so there doesn't appear to be an empty spot. I can't tell you how many times I've had to go to customer service to see if they still carry the product and will have it in the future (I'd have more confidence if there were accurate shelf labels.) I believe I read somewhere that the spreading things out to cover empty spots is a chain-wide policy. I'd frankly rather know what's not there and is out at the time, rather than pulling everything off the shelf in the hopes that one of something I want has gotten pushed to the back.

[JPW]

I have been known to give lectures to the cashiers about how to tell the difference between parsley and cilantro.

[goldenticket]

That new Old Town store is like playing The Price Is Right.  It's weird every time I go there, with the guessing at what things are and how much they should cost.  It usually works to my advantage, except once when a cashier insisted something was a particular type of mushroom when it was a different one.

This has worked to my advantage several times at the OT store - I keep getting things for free! Mushrooms and greens to be specific.

Just yesterday, I got some French Horn mushrooms, told the cashier what they were, he spent some time looking through his list, and then finally just tossed them in the bag and gave me a smirk and a shrug. This has happened before with other mushrooms - there are so many that aren't marked. I find this frustrating - more because I really would like to know what some of the unfamiliar varieties are than because of the price confusion! This is the case with a lot of produce items and the staff are (for the most part) unfamiliar with some of the more unusual things.

Emu egg update (for anyone who cares): They had 3 yesterday and the "egg man" [googoogjoo] told us they had sold 2 dozen after the opening and these were the remains of a 3rd dozen they had ordered. They have a long shelf life apparently (like most eggs) and the ones on display had an April 30 expiration. Still haven't tried one - guess I'll have to have breakfast with 10 of my closest friends one of these days and make the mega-omelet...

[ScotteeM]

If today had been my first visit to the shiny Whole Foods in Alexandria, I would not go back. It was baaaad.

It started with the parking guy at the entrance to the garage, who was not paying close attention--an accident almost happened right in front of me.

Not enough price signs in the produce department--maybe the long-stemmed artichokes were free and I didn't know it!

The guy who waited on me in seafood was very nice, but had no idea how to make a label for something that was priced by the piece, as opposed by weight. And the mussels I bought had a survival rate of about 50%--not great.

In the meat department, no one knew what a chuck eye steak was.

I went searching for butter, and finally discovered it was being hidden by two employees stocking the shelves. I managed to reach in and grab a pound as they moved apart momentarily. I was not so lucky by the chilled ice tea--the two employees standing there and talking would not move out of the way to let me look at all the choices. I went around the corner and selected a bottle of water for about a third of the price of the tea I might have bought if I could have seen it.

The shelf-stocking aisle-blocking is a new phenomenon at the Springfield WF also--the other night I skipped an aisle or two because staff were blocking the way. Don't they realize that we'll buy more stuff if we get to see it, and that our purchases pay their salaries?

Meat department staff need to know all the cuts, and fish department staff need to know what to do with their product to get it ready for customers to buy. Seems kind of basic to me.

[Heather]

The shelf-stocking aisle-blocking is a new phenomenon at the Springfield WF also--the other night I skipped an aisle or two because staff were blocking the way.  Don't they realize that we'll buy more stuff if we get to see it, and that our purchases pay their salaries?

But if the shelves aren't restocked, how do they get the merchandise where people can see it? This happens all the time at the Rockville store (which has very small, narrow aisles) but the staff will always move if asked, or more often will pull down what I need and hand it to me.

If the staff doesn't respond to "excuse me, I need something from that shelf" then that's a customer service problem that a manager should know about.

(And I'll own up to not knowing what a "chuck eye steak" is. I know what chuck, eye of the round, and ribeye are, but haven't ever heard that term before.)

[dcdavidm]

Good things coming to Tenleytown Whole Foods? Went there today and picked up their brochure on the rather ambitious renovations they have planned over the next few months. Creating a second floor with a cafe; an unexplained "open market; on the first floor; and, finally, a "full service" meat counter. Since WF is our closest supermarket, we are especially looking forward to a decent meat counter; there is no joy in the prepackaged stuff.

[giant shrimp]

although the produce at p street whole foods remains spotty, the store has been trying to earn back my respect recently. (yes, those cherry tomatoes can make quite a mess when you pick them up carelessly and they are spoiled, hard green heirloom tomatoes betray their pedigree even at $4.99 the pound and after a week or so frequent mist is inadequate to sustain even the crispest lettuce.) the mispriced pasta has at long, long, long last been corrected, at least for now, and to make amends, with a manager's blessing, i recently received, at just under $20 a pound, roughly $4 worth of free ramps because a code number could not be found. the cusomter just ahead of me, who also was buying ramps, received a similar act of atonement, although it was entirely at the clerk's discretion. "what is that, a plant?" the manager gasped. she clearly did not like what she saw, so i consoled her that the ramp season would be running out soon.

a couple of miles away, at the wf on wisconsin ave, a block down from the new $1 million, two-bedroom condos on calvert street (where they will soon have to resort to giving away stuffed animals to sell out the property, if it it is true what they say about the washington real estate market becoming cool), i had the rare opportunity to see what happens when there is no price or computer code on a bottle of italian red, the price checker fumbles her digits when she returns with the information from the shelves, the cashier doesn't believe that this particular wine could be that darling and doesn't really get along with the price checker in the first place, and the next customer in line is beginning to steam in exasperation. what happens is they sell you a $35 bottle for $2.43 (give or take a penny, i didn't keep the receipt.) call me old fashioned, but i haven't seen a discount like that since they ran their loss-leaders at the original bloomingdale's.

my only complaint: why can't they order enough ungarnished route 11 potato chips at either store? barbecued and sour creamed are not the same, otherwise you would not see them there.

my only other complaint: has anyone else noticed that the checkout counter conveyor belts at whole foods are jerky? as a customer who purchases a fair amount of bottles, my nerves are a wreck every time the mechanism starts up and all i can imagine is an explosion of glass shards.