This Publix has gone way down over the last year and a half. The prep food area is a joke. Dirty, old food, slow and possibly understaffed for the amount of people that come through here. But that's not what we're going to write about today. Today, let's talk about the Publix Promise and overall lack of customer service. I'm betting the employees here have been told (by management no doubt) to NOT honor the Publix Promise unless the customer asks about it (due, also no doubt, to the multiple instances of incorrect pricing). Either that, or some employees just like to make things difficult. Case in point; today I bought 4 packs of chicken necks for my dogs, but found 1 to be labeled wrong after loading everything in my car to leave.
Before we get to that though, let me explain the Publix Promise for those that may not know about it. If you buy any item, excluding tobacco and alcohol, and you are charged the incorrect price then you will be refunded the cost of that item and given that item for free. If multiple items are purchased and they are all wrong then the price is corrected and you are given one of those items for free.
This transaction only takes about a minute to complete. However, when I brought my $2 package of chicken necks (for which I was charged $10 because it was incorrectly labeled "chicken cutlets") up to the front desk the woman behind the counter wants to bring it allllllll the way to the back of the store for the meat dept. to correct the price on the package. I have no idea why this needs to be done since all she has to do is clearly see the wrong price on my receipt, refund the $10, and hand me the package of chicken necks. But now I have to drive home and return, because I have about 15lbs of meat and a pint of ice cream sitting in my car in 95 degree heat. So, either the Publix Promise has disappeared into thin air or we're just going to do things the long way today. I don't know, maybe because it's Thursday, or because the sky is blue, or because that's just what we like to do with chicken necks ...NOT a new a employee, and she's well aware of the Publix Promise. I go here often enough to know these two things to be true. That's why I say they've either been told to ignore the Publix Promise, or some people just prefer to do things the long way.
Come to find out when I returned 15 to 20 mins later that what I was given was a refund for the difference instead of the full $10 refund. No, no, no ...now I want the other $2 just on principle. And for making me drive a hot car full of meat and ice cream home first. However, conveniently enough, in the 15 to 20 mins I was away there was a shift change and a new person behind the counter. Now I have to explain the transaction to her and ask "What happened to the Publix Promise?" Instead of listening to a very simple problem with a very simple solution it's time to shrug the shoulders and claim "I don't know what she did, I wasn't here". Explanation #2 takes place. "I don't know, I wasn't here but I'll give you the difference anyway." Yeah thanks ...for finally honoring the Publix Promise at ...gee, I don't know, where are we again? Oh yeah, PUBLIX!
Can't wait for Whole Foods to open up the road. Right now I spend a ridiculous amount of money at Publix because it's usually my favorite of the grocery stores, and because of it's location. But I'll spend the extra money at Whole Paycheck as long as they have it together up there. Plus, their hot bar though. Good stuff. In the meantime, I'll make the extra 1 mile trip to the Publix up on Johnson Ferry which seems to be 100 times better at doing Publix things at Publix. As far as Kroger goes, no thanks. Kroger = dank poo.
This is a long a** rant and review, but I don't care. And I barely touched the prep food area. Also, didn't even mention the new trend of expired items still on the shelf ...which used to be mainly a Kroger thing. Get it together Publix. Until then, you get 1 star and like it.
By the way, It's not my intention to slight any employee at this Publix. For the most part they are very personable and a pleasure to deal with. The problems mentioned in the previous four or five paragraphs are a reflection on management as far as I'm concerned. Like when your kids show out because your parenting skills are lacking. read more