I hate Albertson's
 

There's a reason I don't go to Albertson's unless I need currants. I need to remember that.

For once Albertson's was more convenient than Publix (Publix's world domination plan seems to be to have each Publix no more than 3 miles away from the nearest Publix--yes, I checked with the odometer once). Stranger things have happened.

Here are my "official" reasons why Albertson's sucks:

• The ones near me don't print out that nifty custom coupons thing y'all were going on and on about a few months ago.
• No feta cheese? What kind of grocery store doesn't carry feta? (Not even the crappy kind!)
• You have to/are supposed to have a card. I hate store cards. I have two for Albertson's. No, I don't carry either of them with me. No, I don't want to announce my phone number to the whole line behind me. No, I don't want to sign up for a third card.
• Only one checkout lane open.
• Stupid round bang-your-groceries-against-magazines-and-other-random-crap system instead of conveyor belts.
• Self-checkout. I don't do self-checkout. That's someone else's job.
• Employee who "opens" self-checkout and "helps" me at self-checkout, leaving as soon as he puts my money in, saying "your change will come out here, and your receipt will come out here."
• Self-checkout machine that short-changes me.

I am not amused. Next time I'm going the 2.9 miles out of my way to go to Publix. Unless I need currants, in which case maybe I'll go the 29 miles out of my way to find Super Target and take my chances. It would certainly be more pleasant.

Well, the Albertson's I go to have none of those problems. Not only can I get Fetta, they have a whole spperate section for hard to find specialty cheeses, including Buffalo (Fresh) Motzerella (Yummy with home grown Tomatos, fresh garden Sweet Basil, and a good extra-vergin Olive Oil, YUM!).

We have "Three' a Crowd. When more than three people are in line they open another one.

And I feel I can be faster than most checkers or cusyomers paying ahead of me. If I have less than half a cart load, and an available self check, I jump on it.

Pubix? I hate when I get them in my mouth!:eek:

Is there a Trader Joe's nearby? They carry currants (and all manner of dried fruits and nuts) and they carry a couple of varieties of feta and a ton of other good and great cheese.

I do understand your not wanting to make a dozen stops for little things, but I do love my Trader Joe's

Not a lot of TJs on the east coast...

Wow, Albertsons are aparantly a whole different world out there. At least based on the one that was near us at our apartment. It was always wonderful. And we adore self-checkout and sorely miss it since we moved (they're renovating the Ralph's by us and adding it. Yay!)

They've been scouting locations here in Spokane, and I can't wait!

Actually there are. Not sure where MF is located (sorry), loads in the DC area. I was never so happy, I knew I'd survive VA with a TJs nearby

Is this where I get to mention that I despise TJs? No? How about Monty Python?

There is a huge variation in the quality of Albertson's here in the Bay Area but I find it hard to believe that any of them wouldn't carry feta. Did you ask?

And if you're not going to carry the card or be willing to use your phone number, why did you sign up for the card?

I love self checkout. Not once has that machine tried to make awkward small talk with me and it will never commit the faux pas of talking about what I'm purchasing. What I hate is that severely retarded people (a class which apparently comprises the entire not-me population of the store) are also allowed to use it. I really like it on my rare trips to Wal-Mart where most of the cashiers seem to be even stupider than the customers.

Can't you type your phone number into the keypad? Usually that works to pull up your card.

You mentioned the non-conveyor belt - I've never been in an Albertsons that's that old.

Dido... I mean Ditto! :)