I shop here quite often so I wanted to share my experience. I do find it to be a very busy store and have seen both the good and bad aspects. PARKING: I hear a lot a people complaining about this, but the truth is those people are either just too lazy OR unaware of the parking lot on top of the store. I go to the store at different times of the day and different days of the week and ALWAYS find parking on the roof. The small ground level parking lot is shared with other businesses and restaurants in the area and so if they can't find parking on the ground level, they are just very picky people usually in a rush. CHECKOUT LINES: Yes I agree there are long lines and waiting sometimes can be pretty bad. This is why I have to take away one of the stars from my review. I find that if customers are using a shopping cart, a lot of them have their carts loaded completely full with groceries (likely due to the reasonable prices of everything in the store for Burlingame standards) so it can get backed up along with people paying for their groceries using government "WIC" checks. You just have to be smart about it like anything else. I use the deli counter registers if I have less than 5 items (and things that don't need to be weighed) especially if you are picking some stuff up from the deli area. They usually are very good with keeping the deli counter staffed unlike the meat & seafood counter. QUALITY OF FOOD: In my experience, most people who shop at Safeway don't buy organic produce too often. They buy conventional produce but might get packaged organic goods like milk or meat. So the selection or quality of organic produce is not the best. Many times it feels like the conventional produce gets cycled through more often so the conventional produce seems fresher and the better value here. So yes if you are into "organic everything", the quality & price could be better at Whole Foods or other grocery stores. I do appreciate the bakery selection & the prices for meat/seafood (although both those departments are rarely staffed adequately most of the time) The wine & beer selection is better here than most other grocery stores (they just lock up the good stuff so you have to ask for a employee to unlock it). The deli counter sides & hot food is average so I don't take out food from here that often & I don't have huge expectations anyway since Burlingame Ave is full of better restaurant take out food. EMPLOYEE WORKERS: I've talked with a lot of the people who work at Safeway & in general they are nice people with their own quirks. Do a lot of them looks like they don't want to work there? Yes. They are overworked way more than some other grocery stores given the level of traffic. Why they don't hire more people is beyond me. What a lot of customers don't appreciate is the multiple roles each Safeway worker has to adjust to on the fly. I've seen a cashier also work the customer service counter, stock the shelves, and work behind the deli sometimes all in a short span of time. And that might be expected in many cases. But I do agree some of them lack professionalism or should have less smack talking. Subtract half star for not having a full staff behind the counters. ENVIRONMENT: The bathrooms always breakdown in this place and there is something wrong with the ventilation system in there (Go to Pizza-My-Heart instead). This is annoying enough to subtract the other half star just for the bathrooms. You will meet a lot of weird people (barely homeless, sleeping customers, etc) hanging out in the dining area sometimes next to Starbucks inside. The store itself isn't all that bad as some may point out. For Burlingame, because people like to compare Safeway with Whole Foods or Mollie Stones down the street, I can see why some folks would think Safeway is a mess or dirty. But if you compare Safeway with other Safeway or Lucy's stores, it's actually nice. I will continue to shop at Safeway because of their selection and prices are by far the best unless you follow a very strict diet or have specific preferences. I don't need an Apple Store experience for my groceries, but I do think this place deserves 4 stars if they can just find a way to better coordinate peak customer traffic shopping times so they don't have to calculate their breaks. read more

Super slow lines, super lame produce, very poor layout, epic congestion in parking lot. Only go here to get ice and a few other staples. This is the worst run Safeway I have ever seen. Burlingame deserves better. read more

I grew up in a family that shopped at Safeway and continued doing so myself as an adult. The new Safeway built in 2011 is an impressive building, gigantic, and the store employees are generally friendly and seem to be doing their best. So why the 1 star rating? For whatever reason, and I'll leave the speculation to some of the other reviews, this particular Safeway is woefully understaffed. Lines at checkout, including Self Checkout, snake around the store while the majority of cash registers are closed and not staffed. The Express Check Out is never open when I'm in the store. I live .03 miles from this store, a quick walk, and have gotten into the habit of going to the Millbrae store instead, which doesn't have these issues with their lines. This has been an ongoing issue for months but has gotten much worse over the past month or so, read more

Slowest checkout of any nearby Safeway market. For the inflated prices they charge the at least should have enough checkout clerks to keep you from having to wait in line 49 minutes read more

Looks nice from the outside, but the store has horrible customer service. To the point of one not wanting to go there anymore to get anything. Thank you, Safeway. read more

This Safeway is really bad. The food is OK; produce can be a little banged up, but nothing too bad. The reason I do not like this Safeway is the lines. We usually only purchase about 20 items, and prefer to use the self checkout. Every time we go there, we get at least one item that freaks the machine out, and requires an employee to help out. That would be ok, except that there is never an employee around. We usually waste about 5 minutes waiting for an employee, but that wait has been up to 15 minutes at times. When we use the cashier, the lines are usually about 10 minutes, which is just as bad. read more

For the past three years, it's been my favorite grocery store. Over the last few months, all the awesome staff that were friendly, knowledgeable, welcoming and hard working, have left! : ( Lines today were 12+deep, including self-check! Customer Service said they were having trouble keeping their staff and that everyone had quit. Not sure what happened but I'm disappointed to say it's no longer a great place for grocery shopping. Come back Mike! Treat your staff right, Safeway! read more

Safeway - Crazy lines with unhappy and inconvenienced customers! - Grocery Near Me - Burlingame, California

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Safeway, please train your deli staff to take and subtract tare weights. I just ordered a couple pieces of chicken and potato wedges and was given 2 white paper bags... We could have had zero waste by using my own tupperware, but they weren't trained. The rest of the store seems clean and has a good selection of items. I just wish they would incorporate selling in bulk so customers can buy things like grains, conditioner, nuts, etc. using their own re-usable containers to minimize the use of plastic and paper bags. Thank you! read more

Every time I go to this store I remember why I should avoid it: parking lot usually full and getting through the line is like entering a black hole where time slows down. The actual items sold and cleanliness of the store are fine. If you go, good luck parking and be prepared to wait read more

Tonight just CONFIRMED how terrible this Safeway location is. I have been coming here on my last minute shopping spur of the moment trips if I forget something before I cook dinner. I live about two minutes away and I always try to avoid this place like the plague. Everytime I come here, it never fails that the produce section is utterly atrocious. Most, if not, all of their "fresh" produce have been a huge oversight! There are fruit flies and frankly, the onion I just freakin' purchased tonight is crappy. When I cut through it, I just saw MOLD! GROSS! WTF. (see pictures) Not only that, they need to fix the temperature or HVAC ..it is constantly COLD in there. Seriously..is 'MEAT LOCKER' a setting? I went back to Safeway to return the onion and got my money back. Never coming back here again. read more

Safeway - this is the onion i purchased from safeway, burlingame! - Grocery Near Me - Burlingame, California

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I hate this safeway. I unfortunately need to come to this shit hole store from hell because it's the only reasonable grocery store in the area. Mollie Stones is expensive and will cost you your arm and leg. Every time I come here for meat products, I end up realizing the quality is piss poor and the odor of the fish is horrible. Let's take a couple of examples. I purchased chicken breast from here. When I came home and flipped the chicken breast over I noticed it was discolored and smelled funky. Threw it away and wasted my money. Today I went in, bought wild salmon and opened the package up at home. What do I find? A parasite on the skin, the meat smelling like it had been sitting unrefrigerated for hours and slimy meat that seemed to rub off like paste. You know what Safeway, fuck you. I'm glad you got purchased because the quality of your products is pure shit. Your fish comes out of the ass of a whale. Thanks for ruining my dinner. Now I'm hungry and do not want to go back to the store to buy food. What a waste of money for a pound of salmon. No wonder Whole Foods is taking over their supply chain for meat is far superior. Assholes. read more

I will avoid going to this Safeway at all costs. It's so tiny and cramped, limited selection, and strange parking lot. I'd rather drive to the one in Millbrae then go here. The convenience store on the corner is more aesthetically pleasing and has ample inventory compared to this grocery store. People who work here are nice though. The few times I did go, someone in the produce section always asked if I needed help. read more

1954 The last year my alma mater made an appearance in the Final Four. Twenty years before I was even born, yet every March the during the first two days of the tournament I skip work and ignore every email, sit on the edge of my seat and watch in anticipation as a 15 makes a run at bringing down a 2. Don't believe me? Ok, email me right this second and see if I answer. Go on, I dare you!! My ex girlfriend knows me like no one else on the face on the planet and know exactly what pushes my buttons. "There is a wine sale at Safeway" Really? "Yes, 30 percent off and an additional 10 percent off if you by six bottles" But I am boycotting Safeway and that stupid mega mall at the end of the street. Safeway has changed the complexion of Burlingame and has been instrumental in changing the landscape of my home. I kid you not. Five Guys and a Burger, a yogurt shop and Pizza of My Heart (soon to open) have all all invaded the town (I used to love) I live in. Safeway rallied support for this expansion and I always told myself that I would never step inside it's doors. Until todays wine sale.... Safeway I am still mad at you for kicking my bank (Wells fargo) out and replacing it with a stupid US Bank. This irked me to no end. I am however impressed by the new store you endless shelves of supplies of snacks that will keep me in doors until Sunday watching basketball. Fat and bald by 40? If the NCAA made the tournament a 365 day a year event I could accomplish this feat. Obama in 2012. read more

Horrible experience. I spent a long time adding deals online to my card and none worked when I got in line. I was directed to Yvonne at customer service. It felt like her goal was to prove me wrong with everything I brought up. She said once you add the coupon to the card, you have to add to the list ( wrong, manager corrected her). She said the cheese was the wrong one, so I walked all the way with her to the dairy department and did not say one word. I watched her look stupid as she babbled and realize she was wrong again. I got fed up and the manager fixed everything. I had to purchase everything and then get a refund. I was trying so hard to be very polite and patient. I did a great job :). Yvonne didn't even apologize. If I go to a store for an advertised price, I should get it. Care more about customers than money Safeway. read more

This is genuinely the most poorly run Safeway I've ever shopped in. Assuming the assortments are pretty similar across Bay Area Safeway's, there's nothing better or worse about their (generic) assortment of goods. Rather this particular store is diabolically managed - constant lines, self checkout machines glitching , and staff that seem harried and unhappy. Not a single person - customer or employee- looks happy to be there. read more

the worst produce in all of Burlingame. Strawberries are sitting there rotting and Safeway just let them sit there. You have to open and inspect the strawberries like you would your eggs. Not ok! The store is always dirty. Food is always rotting. I buy avocados open them the next day, and they are rotten inside. I've given up all hope of their produce department improving. I hate being hit up for a donation to a charity. I donate plenty all year round. Parking is a nightmare, maybe better in the lot above, but I haven't tried it. read more

This review is strictly for the pharmacy. They wasted my time and were accusatory in nature. It was my first time using their pharmacy and will not be back. read more

This Safeway has all the basic essentials and the staff is always very friendly. My favorite Safeway store to shop in, even though I no longer live in the area, I will make the trip anyhow. read more

Went to safeway at around 730 pm. A very rude cashier name Omar was working. , he told the other cashier, while there was a long line. "Hey check out my nails, I just had it done. Is it shiny?" Never even said hello to the customer or Thank you Mr. so and so..... He was talking to the other cashiers or bagger without acknowledging the customer. Even was speaking Spanish over the customers!!!! So ghetto rude!!!! We were like the second in line. When it was our turn, NEVER said Hi or made eye contact!!! Why is he working there? Please,,,,,he treated everybody the same way. We could not wait to get out of there...we even bagged our own groceries and never said Thank you! Such a PUNK!!! Did an update, I went online to speak to the manager ... No results , read more

Many years ago, this location was home to Safeway. When I was in high school we would show up here during the grocery workers strike and lift everything that wasn't nailed down. We called it a scavenger hunt. That location shut down and they spent a lot of money rebuilding it. Safeway reopened and when it did, it was a semi community event in the hood. I didn't grow up in Burlingame, I just knew where to butter my bread. Hotter girls lived here, rich white kid parties were here and eventually, I was able to live here for a couple of years. The store was on solid footing in the early days. You could walk down any aisle and if you even had a hint of "I can't find ish up in this bitch" look on your face, an employee would appear is if you rubbed a genie lamp asking if they could help you find something, then walking you to that specific item. For a guy who grew up in Bruno, this is quite a sight. Fast forward just two and a half years and this place has taken a giant dump on it's own shoes. The customer service is practically non existent these days. You get a half smile as if that employee remembers what he/she is supposed to do, but they just don't help you out anymore. Another example of setting the bar to high and underwhelming the hell out of everyone. I came in before work the other day, got what I needed and headed for the check stand. I know it was before 8 and all, but when you have 11 customers lining up, it's time to call in someone from the back. Furthermore, self check is highly ineffective if it's like, you know, not open. I mean, it's Burlingame and all and despite the story I gave above, I am certain customers can handle themselves well enough to self check without a chaperone. Here is where they've got us over a barrel. It's dirt cheap in comparison to the friendly staffed Mollie Stone's just down the road a piece. I mean, who wants to spend $7.56 on a box of oatmeal? Some do, but those Todd's shop at Whole Foods and all. Alas, I will continue to either shop at this Safeway or one of it's uglier brothers, but only cause society frowns upon sanity. read more

Greg the cashier was very rude tonight. He definitely looked like he didn't want to be there. As soon as we walked up to the register you can tell he was just not wanting to be there. I made one big purchase for a delivery service, and then had another small one to make. For the second one, I had to step away since the card wasn't working. I walked over to the ATM machine that was right across from the checkout line I was at. As I was doing that my partner was standing at the register still. I let her know to tell the cashier he can help the next customer in line as it is thanksgiving eve so it was a little busy. He told her that he couldn't cancel the order and demanded multiple times if she was going to buy it in that moment or not. He walked away to get support and you could tell he was irritated. I let the cashier finish up helping the customer before I went back to pay for the second transaction. I walked up to him and told him I'm ready and he said " are you sure " in the snarkiest way possible. I said yes. Then he scanned everything and I was paying for the items, and the machine didn't accept payment so instead of him asking me to try again he said in a very rude way " invalid payment ". I tried it once more and it went through. He handed me the receipt and as I was getting ready to walk away, I told him to fix his attitude and he groaned back at me while there was other people waiting to check out in his line. It's understandable to be stressed out working in a busy environment especially during the holidays but to have such a nasty attitude in your customers faces is absolutely ridiculous and very unprofessional. read more

Wow people be baggin' on this Safeway big time. sure old and small but have you been to the one on Peninsula? that one is way freakier...

Favorite Safeway in the area. Best produce (compared to the surrounding Safeway's). Has larger aisles too.

Thank you Courtney (store director) for offering to compensate for the tricycle. I appreciate your sincerity and the gesture was enough for us. We have already found our DD a replacement bike at no cost so all is well. Thanks for turning this into a positive experience in the end. read more

Been going there for years. Like what they have, people seem fine. The sandwiches they make are great and the people working that department work so hard....I wish they had a limit on toilet paper, paper towels, lysol, bleach and hand sanitizer- they have been out every time I go for the past month. I love that they did the one way lanes and monitor the number of people in the store. read more

Why so many bad reviews? I thought the Safeway very clean and prob one of the newest store I ever been too. Deli was very organize and also had many hot meats under the oven Quick service and love the self check outs Produce area was really clean and organize too Easy parking -- downstairs and upstairs If the low reviews r based on prices then people should know better than Safeway is just a convienece grocery store. Looking for low price goods? Then I suggest going to wInco or even Walmart.... read more

This store looks nice inside and out. However, it has deteriorated quickly and is not managed to keep up with its appearance. I opened the refrigerated dairy door and got a whiff of something nasty...curdled milk that had turned into cheese? It certainly hadn't been cleaned in a really long time. Also, I bought some items that were expired, but I only noticed it when I got home :( Finally, the self check-out process is frustrating and takes longer than even a really slow checker. I don't plan on returning. Also, it's worth noting that the prices here are considerably higher than Lucky's or Trader Joe's. read more

This is definitely the best Safeway I have been too. It's very clean and organized and the fact that it's 24/7 is a major plus! The produce section is always neat and smells like fresh fruits. The staff here are very helpful and most of the cashiers are fast. The meat / fish section is mostly very fresh and priced well. read more

The customer service is absolutely terrible! Plan to be ignored and wait for extended period of time. And this same type of behavior happened to me a few months ago so repeat problem. When someone does show up they tell you they have to stock items first and tells you to wait longer. Complained to management about ineptitude of the particular employees and makes excuse that "there's only two of them back there". That's not the point; the employees don't want to help their customers! Appalling! read more

My parents use the pharmacy at this Safeway and often need me to drive them to Burlingame. I have to say that the folks in the pharmacy are the best. They are friendly, informed and patient with any/all questions that my parents might have. For this alone, I give this Safeway 5 stars. Now, as for the rest of the Safeway...it's really great as well. I have only had positive experiences with the staff and they have a great produce section and deli. Bonus for the rooftop parking which I thought was a smart way to handle the amount of customers they have. I've never had any issues finding parking here. read more

I really don't know what everyone else is complaining about, but I was greeted three times in the store while I was shopping. I really love this Safeway. Yes, parking can be a hassle, but its nothing compared to other Safeway's in the area. Except for the San Mateo one, that one is nice. The bakery section is huge! So many selections. It is kind of a maze in the beginning, but you get used to it. Since Millbrae was always my go to store, I hope they build it like this as well. read more

The only reason and I mean only reason this Safeway is getting a 5 stars is because of Francesca!!! She is always so kind and caring and thoughtful and makes the best sandwiches ever. She really takes he time and listens to what u have to say and makes every sandwich perfect and delicious. I have had sandwiches made at other safeway's and was disgusted by their attitude and how little effort they put into my food. When I give ratings I take into account service as well as the food and that is why I never give 5 stars but Francesca is really the best!!! If your in the neighborhood and it's the morning come visit Francesca and get a yummy sandwich! read more

Safeway - I don't know if this picture does it justice but it's the best ever! - Grocery Near Me - Burlingame, California

You are very right it is a GHETTO-ASS Safeway. And the service at the DELI SUCKS! BUTT! I asked for a 1lb of Potatoe Salad and she puts the container on the scale and its 2lbs. i asked her to take some out and she give s me attitude. So in ONE SCOOOP she was able to take out EXACTLY ONE POUND!! She KNEW DAMN WELL WHERE in the container she needed to fell it up TOO! BUT SHE TRIED TO RIP ME OFF!! LIKE YOU GET PAID ON COMMISSION MORON! read more

Man oh man. I was here earlier today trying to buy a few zucchinis. I couldn't find them, so I asked the only employee that I could find and he did not know what zucchinis were. I tried to explain for a few minutes and he finally told me they did not have them, but I could ask at customer service. I went to the front at customer service where I was told by an employee who seemed to be in a huge hurry to go somewhere that I should look in the produce section. When I explained to him that I couldn't find them he paged someone to help in produce THREE times with no response. After nobody showed up he left me there and walked away..... so I left and went to Molly Stones. read more

This is a very pretty Safeway. They have a Starbucks and a place to sit down while your other half goes shopping. They also have a great deli and I love the breakfast burritos. Service can be non-existent. What I find more annoying is the difficulty in giving them money. But I find using the self-check out to be fast. They also have a lot of specials if you use their app. I always go to the back around the dairy isle, they usually will have a rack with day old bakery stuff for $2. read more

This store is dirty and outdated. it has not changed since my parents brought me shopping here when I was little. Unfortunately, that fact does not bring me feelings of nostalgia, but disgust. Most of us pay a premium to live here in Burlingame and we are left with the most disgusting grocery store to shop in. This place is just sad. A lot of times the shelves aren't stocked and the aisles are so narrow two carts cannot pass. Do yourself a favor, shop at Mollie Stone's. it's more expensive, but you don't have to deal with trashy people or a dirty, poorly stocked store. read more

Finally!! I moved to Burlingame just in time to visit the old Safeway before it was torn down. Needless to say it was a hot mess, and the decision to re-build was definitely a good one. If you can refer to a grocery store as 'state of the art' this new Safeway would be it. It blows every other location I've ever been to completely out of the water. There is an extremely large wine section which is always stationed with at least 1-2 dedicated wine gentlemen to help you out. The produce section is massive as well, and they even included a Starbucks this time around. There are several food counters serving dinners, lunches etc. and the staff is super friendly. Overall, I'll be glad to steer clear of the Peninsula Safeway from now on! read more

This store is reasonably well-kept. It does not have quite as many product options as some of the larger Safeway stores but is certainly adequate. As of late, my biggest complaint would be that Safeway is offering fewer and fewer sales, specials, and Just4U coupons to justify trips to the store. While I found myself regularly shopping at Safeway before, I now find myself going less than once a week. I hope to see Safeway return to some of the more aggressive sale and coupons that for months made regular shopping worthwhile. In the meantime, it remains a rare trip for me. read more

Good place for pumpkin carving utensils and tools! Plus it's within walking distance, at least for me, to Yogurtland. FroYo, bruh!

I don't know why this Safeway gets such a bad rating, because I think it's okay. 1) I do agree that the parking kind of sucks now that there's two levels. I've learned that it's a waste of time to circle around on the ground level for parking. Just drive up to the 2nd level and there's usually plenty of parking. 2) The store is huge ever since the remodel. Way better than it was before. There is a huge deli and produce section. It's usually pretty stocked up when I am here, but I only shop at this Safeway Mondays-Fridays during my lunch. 3) I do give the deli section (specifically the sandwich section) a negative rating because I've had so many hit or miss moments. I realized it comes down to who makes your sandwich. Sometimes I'll get the perfect sandwich that I'm used to and sometimes, it's eh. I get kind of antsy if the person takes a while to make my sandwich too, because before the remodel, it was really quick. I'm not sure if they had lost some of their old members from the remodeling or not. 4) I did have problems with the coupons using their "Just for U" system, but I realized it was because sometimes when I used my smartphone, it doesn't sync all the time (might be an app thing), but everytime I've inputted the coupons via my computer, it 100% works. As for customer service, the person I dealt with last time with the coupon issue helped me immediately and changed the amount. If you're just grocery shopping and picking up the essentials and want really good customer service and fed up with this store, I recommend driving a few mins to the one on Peninsula Ave. But if you want a newly renovated store with a lot of selections, then suck it up! read more