The kiosk accepts phone numbers, just like checkout.

My local store is an Albertsons, but I prefer the Ralphs which if futher away but a better store. I did stop into Albertsons to pick up a late night snack the other night (with GC) and they asked for my club card. They had GC enter his phone number (ther ar no Albertsons in MA) then I said forget it, just ring us out. The checker asked if I had a club card. No. Did I want ont? NO. Can we just check out? I was mildly irritated by the whole procedure.

It makes me appreciate Trader Joes and their quality and pricing - and lack of gimicks.

We did actually use our Target coupons the other day, but they sent us cupons for products that we actually had purchased in the past.

When we first moved to the 'burbs we had a Safeway, an Albertson's, and a Ralph's.

Ralph's by far had the best seafood counter so got 90% of my shopping and the rest overflowed to Safeway (the corporate headquarters for Safeway is about five miles from us so our local stores tend to be at the cutting edge of Safeway offerings). Then the Ralph's closed.

Both Albertson's and Safeway have horrible seafood counters so now I'm hardly eating any seafood. That means chicken and while Safeway only sells Foster Farms packaged chicken, Albertson's also butchers their own and it is about 1/5th the price. So now I'm going there.

However, they otherwise suck in both selection and price.

I have no point other than that I'm still rankled by the closing of Ralph's. Anyway, if our Albertson's has this machine they either put it in within the last three days or have not placed it anywhere obvious.

Also, they have self-checkout which I love. Unfortunately it allows self-checkout of produce. This should not be allowed. You think it sucks when you get a cashier who can't remember the codes for various things it really sucks when you're behind someone who can barely remember what the vegetable is, let alone find it in a little book.

By us, the Ralph's is the ghetto option. The nice shiney Albertson's across the street is much better. But then there's the Stabertson's a little further away where the mentally challenged employee went nuts with a kitana and killed another employee. We don't go there.

The self checkout at our Albertsons has an illustrated touch-screen menu of produce to select from. Originally, the Ralph's did not. The first time I tried it, I put some potatoes on the scanner/scale, and before I did anything it said, "Potatoes, red, 99 cents." I stared rather stunned that this thing managed to ID my potatoes automatically. Until I turned and saw an attendant at the control console grinning.

Well now I am curious to go and check it out!

But, like you guys, the stores 'quality' vary from 'hood to 'hood.

The local Albertsons' has gone downhill, but, really I guess is just like any other market. It just isn't a 'super' market. The local Ralphs is bright and shiny and clean. Bigger, too.

Doh! And you had to remind me that GC is in town and I am going to miss him...yet again....:( {I have been able to somehow push it to the back of my mind, all of the fun I am missing....}

Albertsons up here has always been fairly pathetic. I'm surprised that there are actually nice Albertsons, as every one I've ever been in up here has had the same creepy vibe.

But it was cheep food poisoning! Try eating at a $50 a plate dinner and getting sick. That really blows! (Literally)

I've used it, CP. And it's a nice idea, but I didn't get the discount price on the item I purchased (you don't have to use a coupon, just scan your card). And while I have no problem with anyone seeing what I buy, I wonder about how for this is going to go to intrude into our privacy.

Go sign up for a new card. Give completely bogus information (the nice thing about Ralph's was they'd give you the card without requring you fill in the information and just ask you to bring it back or mail it in; I never did).

Then they are tracking the cohort of your purchases but can't easily tie it to you specifically.

Great idea, Alex. You are so devious. :evil:

(Sorry, I know you think the smilies mundane, but I couldn't help it!)

We have an plethora of grocery stores here. Within a 5 minute drive there is a Ralph's, an Albertson's, a Von's, 2 Pavillions, a Trader Joe's, and a Bristol Farms. Of these, the crappiest (and the one we never go to) is the Ralph's. The Von's (which is the closest) was just recently remodeled... and it's gorgeous!