I largely don't shop at the local Safeway anymore--I don't remember a time when I've gone into the store and not had a queue of 5 or more people in each of the two open check stands. Enough business obviously exists to hire more checkers as I always have to wait ten to fifteen minutes to purchase my groceries but obviously my time is not as valuable to the store as it is to me.
Safeway's prices do not justify such ridiculous wait times; although I generally enjoy the variety of products available at the store, the higher cost and long wait times to check-out do not represent a good value for my family. The cost of Safeway's products is on-par with local grocers that staff their stores correctly.
Make no mistake--the workers that are present are pleasant and professional and do announce over the speaker that more help is needed, there just isn't enough staff to effectively serve the customers in the store.
Whether by store manager incompetence or because of some austere company policy, there just aren't enough people working at the store to serve the customers in a timely manner. Knowing how much money I've spent at Safeway and seeing the store so understaffed that shopping there is downright inconvenient is, frankly, insulting. read more
