"Creative Cake Guru" Works Here! :) I commend all of those who work here as I frequent this Safeway lately -- be it early in the morning or after the lunch-time crowd. Regardless, I was thoroughly impressed with one of the "Jack-of-all-trades," Rick! I stopped in the day before I needed the cupcake order, as it was for a co-worker's birthday. I knew the frosting had to be teal, with a creative pretty birthday theme. Order was for a large cupcake with a dozen 'normal' size ones. Rick was a true professional in the fact of how he asked key questions, took notes while filling out the order form and low and behold, he was the Cake Decorator Guru! Not only does he hold that position, but like I said, "Jack-of-all trades," -- he wears many hats and just came across like a decent person who knew the facets to many roles in this store. He had terrific communication skills, trustworthy and knowledgeable. Upon arriving around 7:20am the next morning, he was already wearing one of his may "hats" and sure enough, we walked back to the bakery, as he'd already made the order earlier that morning and had it waiting in one of the large Bakery fridges. You have no idea how thoroughly impressed I was upon him showing me the cupcakes -- I was stunned at how beautiful the design was and the teal color! Honestly, Rick went above and beyond what I could have imagined as his artistry, in the details of the leaves and rose -- teal and various shades of blue and green -- I had no idea the creativity he would display in this edible treat! Not only do I give five stars to Rick -- for his professionalism, willingness to get creative in making a birthday cupcake order (early, early in the morning) be better than 'good," and overall service-oriented attitude in helping a customer --, but for all of those who work here and who I've had the pleasure of interacting with the few times I've been in -- I THANK ALL OF YOU!! :D The store is immensely clean, with warm and friendly staff, as well as plenty of free parking with a plethora of trees to offer many shady parking spots, during the Hell-like Summer days! Too, quite a few handicapped parking spots immediately up front for those of us needing that peace-of-mind. If you don't want a crowd, come in here before 2pm (weekdays) because once the high school lets out, many students venture there and it can become a bit of a zoo! As for the cupcakes??? They were a HUGE hit with everyone -- truly moist and soft, but also the frosting was delicious and gave some of us that unique 'teal lipstick' shade we'd been looking for! HAHAHA!! :)~ Certainly will keep frequenting this location merely because of the wonderful souls (RIck, Nancy, Chase and others) working here! read more

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If I had another grocery store close to me I wouldn't shop at this one. I always end up paying more even though I have clicked on the savings and saved it to my club card. I either get overcharged for bags or items purchased. I am beyond annoyed at this point! The clerks are generally very nice but I'm tired of being overcharged all the time! read more

Wasted My Time (But the Staff Deserve Better) I completely wasted my time coming here on Sunday morning for something I needed quickly. There was a long line first thing in the morning, no self-checkouts open, and only one register running. I understand businesses are dealing with staffing challenges, and I genuinely try to be patient. But this has been an ongoing issue for over a year. I've seen multiple reviews saying the same thing, so this clearly isn't an isolated incident. To be clear -- the staff who work here, are always kind, polite, and tell me to have a good day. They are not the problem. They show up and do their jobs well. Someone in management has been failing here for a long time, and I strongly doubt it's the people working in the store. Issues like this -- chronic understaffing, closed self-checkouts during peak hours -- are usually corporate-level decisions or operational failures higher up the chain. When customers repeatedly show up and can't check out efficiently, it disrupts people's schedules. That's how you lose serious business. People stop coming and start driving to other locations-pretending like you don't exist. This needs to be escalated and addressed at the corporate level. The employees deserve better support, and customers deserve a store that actually functions during high-traffic hours. read more

The people that work here... (ugh wow if only I lived further away I would never be here hahaha... )A joke. Don't get mad I said it because it's facts. All you get is attitude and eye rolls for asking the most basic thing. Like it's that hard. And it's not just the workers either... the managers? Going in and out talking with everyone else except the customers that need help. They are even worse. Always talking trash about customers like we can't hear them. Y'all really think you're funny but trust me nobody's laughing. Shopper service? Don't even bother. If all it comes with is a dirty look and an annoyed tone just take the sign down. No one wants to be treated like a problem for asking a question. And the food? Sometimes you get something decent... sometimes you get mold. Literally a gamble every time. The whole vibe was against the customer. I literally returned my pick up order and went and just shopped myself. This service sucks sucks sucks! People standing around ki'ing and gagging instead of doing their jobs. Like what are y'all even getting paid for? Help first talk trash later or better yet just don't. This place is rude. The energy is nasty. Do better or don't bother. Let me know if you want to add anything else for extra sting. read more

Their ambrosia salad is really good, BUT the service at the deli was so bad, there three staff there that would not service my wife's request to order the ambrosia salad. As soon as my wife tried to order, all three clerks turned their backs & went to the back! I mentioned to my wife to complain to a manager or supervisor, but she was so upset, we just left. read more

This store is always well stocked and clean. Easy to get in and out with no problems. The store manager Eileen has really made this store amazing again! read more

I just moved to Martinez 3 years ago. I avoid this store whenever possible. Tonight I thought "Ok, getting frosting couldn't be THAT bad, could it?" Wrong. At 7:00 p.m. They had 5 people in line, one checker and NO self checkout machines open. If this store is doing that badly, they should do a full overhaul of the entire place. I mean close it for months, remodel the entire store and then properly staff it. I will not step a foot back in this store until they do that. And just a note, I have been to almost every Safeway in the towns of martinez, hercules, alamo, Walnut creek, danville, orinda, lafayette and a few in Concord And this is the only one that gets bad marks. FIX THIS STORE. read more

Never been to this Safeway before, but, I was in the area and needed a couple of things. The lines were extremely long. I had a case of beer and the cashier at the Self Checkout waved me over. I know you can't pay for beer at the self check out registers and pointed to it. She said no worries, I'll ring you up at my register. Hella cool! Because I would have had to wait in very long lines just for 4 items! read more

I usually don't go to the grocery store but tonight I did and the cashier, Ken, was very rude and condescending towards me. I am a grown woman and he is young enough to be my son. He was not helpful when I asked about a discount. Instead of scanning my item he said he couldn't tell me how much the item was but I could go take a picture of the sales tag. I said never mind, I don't want it. I put it down and he said next time hamd it to me. Then, when I Started looking at the sales ad at his station, He told me that if I wanted to look at that, I'd have to go to the front of the store and grab my own. He came off as though he was better than me, smarter than me, and too busy to put in the effort to help me. read more

Rude clerks. 1 lane with more than 15 items open while 3 lanes at 15 items or less open. Why do we need check out clerks? Learn something from gas stations. Lower your prices. read more

I love shopping at this Safeway. The new store manager Eileen has really done a great job getting this store cleaned up & well stocked. Eileen & her staff are friendly & go out of their way if you need help finding something in the store. They make you feel welcome & that's rare now a days to get good customer service. read more

A shout out to.. ANDREA @ MTZ SAFEWAY SELF CHECKER.. SHE IS THEE RUDEST MUTHA F_ _ _ ER I HAVE EVER MET IN MY 60 yrs .. she couldn't be any ruder at the worst time!! My mom was at home crying in pain I took an Uber to go get that pain medication that the internet said Safeway had it turns out I already looked at they didn't have it.. I was asking her if they actually had a different section but she didn't give me the time of day to even finish my sentence except for ear drops cuz I interrupted her it was like yeah what do you want!! I said she whatever she said was so rude that I couldn't even make out the words and then I seen her hand point in a direction where I just came from because thank you to the security guard lady I already went to the section to look.. so instead of me getting any kind of service whatsoever I got a very rude attitude while I have an Uber waiting for me!! And my mom was still at home in pain crying at 81 years old! Shout OUT TO ANDREA, MTZ SAFEWAY SELF CHECKER.. FATTY B_ T_ H!! Lucky I have more respect for my mom than you do for your job cuz otherwise I would have knocked the s_ i_ outa you! 4 SURE THAT! read more

Safeway - Grocery Near Me - Martinez, California

I went to Safeway today, only to find that they now lock up their Fabric softener and some detergents. Both buttons for service were broken. Went up to the person working the self check out, but unfortunately, she could not find anybody to unlock it. I told her I would come back after shopping still took a while. Almost a half hour just to get fabric softener. And then they had one cashier today. I think I'll drive the extra 10 minutes to the Virginia Hills Safeway. read more

Although Safeway is conveniently located on my way home from work, this place is always hit or miss with their service. I looked and looked, but never did find the boxes of mashed potatoes. Some items weren't in logical spots on the shelves. But I located them in a remote display by the milk. When I was ready to check out, I went to 1 of the 2 lanes with humans working. The person working the lane I chose and their bagger were more interested in their own personal conversation than providing customer service. The only interaction we had was the clerk asking me my birthdate for the bottle of wine I purchased, and whether or not I wanted a receipt. Meanwhile the bagger bagged my merchandise and left it on the counter instead of putting it in the cart. So I lifted the heavy bag and putbit in my own cart. I left pretty upset. No one had cleared the cart corrals so I had to park the empty cart on a curb. I will go out of my way to shop at any other grocery store. read more

Cute Safeway, clean, lots of parking, but Safeway is getting pricier in general ¡like everywhere else). A box of cheerios shouldn't be $7, I really don't know how larger families do it these days. Just 4 U (the app) is nice to clip beforehand and save some money but honestly why not save people's time (time is also money) and money and not make them jump through those hoops if we all have the same free 'club card' Iit's really just to track our purchase and spending habits anyway because if you really cared about the customer you'd charge us all the same slightly lower club costs across the board without making us scroll through 300 items and select the offers one by one. Give me my 20 minutes back lol. This rant is for corporate and not this branch btw, they're just doing their jobs here. read more

Safeway - Front entrance. Pretty empty early on a Saturday morning. Alhambra St. and lots of parking behind me. - Grocery Near Me - Martinez, California

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Do people come here to just make bad reviews? This Safeway is great. I know most of the cashiers. Very friendly, and hard working. Been going here for five years. It's a smaller Safeway, and yes the lines got big. They added self checkout, and things seem flawless. Give these hard workers a break already. They are great peeps. read more

I want to give this place one star based on the cashier's response to me when the Just4U app was down across the board and my coupons didn't register: "Do you want to come back another day to purchase these items?" 1) As we are still in a pandemic and I am a working mom with little spare time, no, I do not want to come back again. 2) I already had the same problem at another Safeway earlier today and am tired of cashiers who don't want to help. 3) Today is the last day of this Just4U offer, so coming back another day doesn't help. However, it gets bumped up a star because a cashier who had no other customers saw the holdup and showed her how to apply the discount to my purchase. It also had the milk that I couldn't find at the other Safeway, another reason for stopping in over here. read more

I usually Don't leave reviews for places like this because the service sucks almost everytime. But the cashier here was so rude and dry I just had to. I go here early in the morning and the store is almost empty. I grab my things and check out and Damian starts scanning my things doesn't greet me, smile, or anything. After he finishes shoving my bananas in with my eggs he basically throws my receipt at me and mumbles "here" under his breath. Damian is horrible and needs to not be working with public. It was so weird and rude because I didn't say anything to him at all and nothing to warrant the attitude. Good riddance won't be shopping here again read more

So I walked over to Safeway as one does, and I went to get myself a sandwich. The deli lady asked me if I wanted a regular or a foot long. I said a foot long, because screw it, I want two meals out of this then when I said the foot long, she replied with: the whole thing?!!! Like omg I felt like she was oinking at me and calling me a fatty. Like girl I was gonna make it two meals. Breathe. read more

I have been a Safeway shopper my entire life, since the 1970s. I can remember the first commercials and ads and I have always been (most) fond of Safeway. I particularly like the store in Grass Valley CA, but the one in Martinez is nice, clean and usually well stocked. You really need to watch prices, they seem to know where to get you, so use coupons and shop for what you need of course. The fresh deli food is usually delish and great value. read more

Watch out for that incompetent Damian, the cashier! He can't count, he can't do Math what in the hell is he doing being a cashier?!!! I have no idea where he went to school, but his math skills are absolutely atrocious. Either that, or he's intentionally trying to screw with people when they catch his mistakes or ask him to do a little extra work. Seriously, does he think we're all complete morons? First off, my original total was supposed to be $9.65. But then, out of nowhere, after mentioning a digital discount, my bill magically jumps up to $12.65! And what does Damian do? He just stares at me like nothing happened, as if he didn't just try to pull a fast one on me. But it doesn't end there. Oh no! When I confront him about it, he goes ahead and adds two quantities of eggs to my purchase when I only had one! Are you kidding me? How can someone mess up a simple task like counting items? I'm telling you, be extremely cautious when you get your receipt from this guy. He's either completely incompetent or purposely trying to rip people off. Either way, he's definitely not someone you want to deal with read more

Shitty. This Safeway is shitty. I called the manager on the telephone to give him feedback about my experience, because I suspected their Yelp page might not get much attention. First, it took forever to even get our turn to order sandwiches and there wasn't even a line; the girls working had absolutely no sense of urgency. Second, when we finally go to order, the snail women weren't just slow, they were depressed. No friendly interactions. No smiling. Still no urgency. And on top of that...they seemed to have no knowledge of the sandwich menu they were serving. Lots of questions about what we wanted on our sandwiches when we ordered them right from the menu. Really unpleasant, that part. Third, the produce in the sandwich station looked just as depressed as the girls using it. Wilted, brown, old...not appealing. (The girls didn't look wilted, brown, and old.) We FINALLY made it out of there with sandwiches and my Italian was passable because I was starving, but my man's hot chicken bacon wrap was DRIPPING grease. It was disgusting. I don't want to come back no matter how hungry I am. I'd rather go to Subway. AND I HATE SUBWAY. read more

Safeway - Really gross, old bell peppers and sandwich station. - Grocery Near Me - Martinez, California

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This is my neighborhood Safeway and I avoid it if possible. The employees at checkout are not an issue, however the deli is of poor quality and I do not recommend ordering a sandwich from there. The biggest issue is safety and the state of the parking lot and store itself. This Safeway is dilapidated inside. And outside is a mix of drug deals, domestic disputes, cars and RVs parked for days, weeks or sometimes months, urine in bottles and garbage everywhere. We have witnessed people "living" there and checking in car door windows in the adjacent neighborhood. I don't feel safe shopping there and it is an embarrassment for our lovely neighborhood. Dawn, Yikes indeed! I have already sent a message through the official website on the Contact Us page. The feedback I've received from neighbors is they have tried to do the same and in person with no changes and everyone just avoids the place all together. I drove by this morning on my way to work to find the same RVs parked that have been there a few days already. This parking lot is disgraceful. read more

Bro at the deli was so rude and nonchalant at the same time, my guy couldn't give a fuck about his job lmao straight up told me to Google some shit when I asked him where to find some thing read more

You can tell that all staff are overworked and under paid. I think they are just as annoyed with the long lines as the customers. Even though I live two streets away I've gone here twice and won't come again unless it's a dying emergency, even then I might not. Lol Lines are just way too long. read more

3rd time here, experience was ok, took kiosk check out, machine's all touch pads were wrapped with clear plastic, but scan platform & area for items after scanned was not too clean, without choices, i had to put my stuffs down there, luckily all items needs to be cooked, if was food or fruits that can't be cooked, I would probably left without buying, no bags provided next to be found, staffs busy working so I waited, will try back when in the area to evaluate store again. read more

Safeway - beyond not clean - Grocery Near Me - Martinez, California

I really like this store. But they don't have any shopping carts. There are no carts outside, there are no carts inside, there are no carts in the parking lot. It's very strange, this store has about 10 shopping carts total. This isn't a one time event, it's been this way for months. read more

Don't buy the chicken pot pie from the deli. It comes in like a 6" diameter tin about 2.5" deep. When taking out of the box you see a beautiful round top about 8" in diameter ... But then cut into it and wow! There is maybe 1/4 cup of mix (never saw any chicken) about 2-3" of air between the mix n crust. Once crust falls it's all downhill. The mix tastes like mashed peas n diced carrots cooked in pea soup. Again, no chicken. The crust was rubbery n had no flavor! Do not recommend anyone spending $6 on something that belongs in a dog dish. read more

I left a 2 star review months ago regarding the cooked food expiring inside the deli. If I had not asked how long the burritos were there for, I would have been given burritos that have been sitting there for almost 4 hours. Not to mention it was a pan of about 12 burritos, just cook a few at a time for Pete's sake. The original review was commented on by someone from corporate already and I was told that the store manager would be notified. And she was. The employees are great but I think this problem starts above them. But here we are with the very same problem from months ago, with no solution? Timers. That is all you need. I am always in this store, if I see a timer in the deli, I will change my review. read more

I eat eggs every day. At least two a day. I have a joke that I made up that if I started my own restaurant it would be called International House of Eggs, or IHOE. So when the egg recall happened I was really freaked out. I had just bought an 18 pack of eggs a week before the recall and had only had 1 egg out of the pack. Plus I throw away the carton and put my little eggs in their little spot in my refer door. So I had no idea if I had bad eggs or not. I drove down and brought my eggs with my receipt. The customer service counter guy told me that their store was not delivered any of the said contaminated eggs and that it should be fine. I told him that I'm pregnant and don't want to chance anything bad happening. He said that if it makes me feel better to go ahead and get some new eggs. No questions asked, no menial paper work. I just walked over and got a pack of new eggs. It was that easy. Even though he probably thought I was ridiculous because they never sold the bad eggs he knew it was kind of important to me. I really appreciated it though. Still my only local go to Safeway. read more

Safeway - Grocery Near Me - Martinez, California

Okay this review is solely for Jorge and the deli area. First off, I love to stop off at this Safeway after I go to the doctors because they have the best roast chicken. It's always moist and sometimes they go buck wild on the seasoning and it taste like jerk chicken. (Most all other Safeway's chicken is dry and bland AF). So I stopped off to get some chicken and wedges before I made the long trek home. Today I was helped by a new face to me - Jorge. What a beautiful smile and really pleasant voice. You know how you can be in a mood and then some stranger you encounter can just stop you in your tracks because of their vibe and/or voice? Well that's Jorge. Our interaction was just a few minutes but I walked away with a smile (and we all know I don't like people and I don't smile). Just got a really good vibe from him. Also I want one of those huge deep fryers in the back at the deli and I've already told Jorge he's going to be the first one I invite over. So he can cook the food. Hahaha ;) Okay now for the deli. (FYI I have had food from Safeway's from Sacramento to San Jose as I travel back and forth weekly between both places) And this is the best Safeway deli even with its limited variety (other delis have a sushi bar or a Chinese food bar and some just have a mega display of cold prepared food and seafoods to choose from) of food. 1. It doesn't matter the time of day you get food (chicken in particular) it's always moist. (Some Safeway's you have to hit it as soon as they place the food out in the morning or you're getting garbage. Ain't that right Safeway off the Alameda in San Jose/Santa Clara). 2. The people I've encountered over the years are always really friendly. (Safeway across from the El Cerrito Del Norte bart - I know this is a new word for you but just try to say it , Friendly. It means to have a smile and be approachable. Not ignore customers until we have to scream threes a crowd or call the store from our cell phones to tell the manager to tell you to help us) 3. Their wedges! They are phenomenal. Like little seasoned pillows of mash potatoes with a crispy seasoned coating that melts in your mouth when you eat it. None of the other Safeway's get this right. They are either dry and under cooked inside. Or they are cold, hard and you damn near choke on it. 4. Their food is always displayed nicely. It never looks like a truck ran thru the display. As a courtesy I won't name the Safeway that is notorious for looking like a tornado went thru the deli constantly but let's just say it's in oakland and near a grand-lake ;) 5. Seasoning. (Let's all pause for a moment while the other Safeway's catch up). This Safeway's prepared food always taste like someone tasted it and made sure it was seasoned properly before putting it out. Many other Safeway's (too many to name but let's try anyway Safeway El Cerrito how do you have Chinese food that taste like absolutely nothing?! Safeway in the SF Marina your potato salad and pasta salad get rejected by the seagulls outside! And Safeway Campbell, all your prepared food needs some damn salt! Don't you people watch the food network. Taste your food. Salt/season your food. We're not asking you to put your foot in it (that's a southerners way of telling you they put their all in that food) but at least try) need to not just go by the recipe and then stop. Taste the food and make sure when you taste it it has some sort of distinctive taste. So I give major love to their deli and my new number one here Jorge! read more

We stopped for a deli sandwich before our road trip. A young man with long curly hair came to help me. I noticed he did not have a hair net and asked him if he had to wear one. He just said "Oh" and proceeded to try and tuck his hair under his hat OVER THE EXPOSED MEATS AND CONDIMENTS. Because of this I told him I no longer wanted to purchase sandwiches there. I saw the manager walking towards the register and flagged her down. I proceeded to tell her what I had experienced and her comment was " oh, he just got here". (What????) I just shook my head and walked out. read more

Safeway Martinez upscale? they price their beers so one must buy 6 to get the best price. at least one can mix and match with wines, not so with beers. (maybe that's why so many food marts-gas stations on alhambra sells microbeers). store looks modern since it's been recently remodeled. not so the parking lot which is cracked and has an uneven surface. buys: fosters big can(2) -smooth aussie beer -only decent single beer selling for a reasonable price.. read more

This Safeway is a convenient stop on the way home from work. If I was going to Gayle's, the Virginia Hills Safeway would be a better choice. This Safeway is on the small side, has a grittier and urban feel, and its selection distribution sometimes throws me off. And in this part of Martinez, it doesn't get any better than this (except for deli sandwiches - go to Buon Aroma next door). On the plus side, it's easy to park, I usually find what I'm looking for, and I've never had a significant issue with the lines. read more

This review is specifically for a lady in the deli by the name of Stephanie.. My boys go to Alhambra high next door. My youngest frequently goes there between school and sports for a ranch hand sandwich. He just loves it.. Must be a teen thing. Anyways, this week when he went they were out of cooked chicken breast and he would have had to wait. She made the sandwich substituting a different chicken and was very sweet to him. He liked it even more than the normal ranch hand Sammy. Most adults working near a high school are annoyed by the kids and don't get me wrong probably for good reason. But Stephanie treated him with respect and courtesy. He hopes she is there next time to satisfy his ranch hand craving. The store itself is a a normal Safeway. On the small side. But fairly clean and well stocked. The employees when I shop there have been friendly. read more

This is the worst Safeway that I have been to. I live locally and was surprised that I have not reviewed this place. That is because I refuse to come here. Here is my short list of my problems. Prices are outrageously high. There is never more that one person checking people out. The line is forever! Anything that is on sale is never in stock! And when I say never, I mean that literally. The high school rift raft that loiters around not good either. What did I learn today? Nob Hill is my go to for a grocery store in Martinez. read more

I just met Store Director, Denise Medina, today. What a "breathe of fresh air," she is! I'm seeking Goat Cheese Cheddar that I can shred for a Veggie Chili I'm making. We looked in deli; then she called a few managers to help. They found a non dairy cheddar that can work. She was very accomadating and helpful. Thank you Denise! read more

I haven't been in this store in a while so I decided to stop there and lick up some fried chicken from the deli and of course they do chicken ready and only one lady there I ask her was she going to make more fried chicken and she told me no really at 4:45 and you not making any wow I'm so disappointed with place there customer service has really gone down hill I could understand if they was busy but they was not they either don't have enough people or they don't know how to schedule the people so I will not be going back ever again read more

It's easy to find what you need and there is a decent selection. It's never super crowded and parking is pretty easy. However, there are never enough cashiers, the line is always backed way up down the shopping aisles. Sometimes only one register is open, while I see other employees around the store that could be helping. They don't even have a self checkout lane, which could move things along substantially. Also, it's near impossible to find shopping carts. None are in store, and you have to get lucky to find one outside. Combining that with long lines for check out means trying to carry your groceries in a tiny basket that gets really heavy while waiting in line, or results in dropping half of your items while you wait or try to shop. I've also had long waits at the deli line, where I recently overheard one employee berating another. Totally unprofessional. read more

This Safeway is badly in need of updating with products and staffing. That said I will say I love when "Elvis" the cashier is working. I have no idea what his real name is but he totally has the look. Not the slim sexy Elvis but the latter days when he had.....ahem.....a tad more round the belly. I just wish he would also do the voice. I would love to hear "Thank you. Thank you verrry much. Uh huh." You have to imagine it in Elvis' voice. Just thinking about it makes me giggle. If he would do the voice, as much as I dislike this particular Safeway, I would shop there every day. read more

Safeway - Jason in the deli makes the BEST roast beef sandwiches! - Grocery Near Me - Martinez, California

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