Safeway | Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek
Food Safety Should Never Be an Afterthought
We've been purchasing Boar's Head deli meats from Safeway for approximately 20 years, and most of our experiences have been positive. Unfortunately, today's experience at the Bancroft Road location was anything but.
Let's start with something simple. We prefer our deli meat sliced extremely thin. Not sandwich cut. Not regular thin. SHAVED!
Safeway even has a display showing the different slicing options, ranging from shaved to thick.
The employee assisting us repeatedly showed us slices that were much thicker than requested, insisting they were thin.
A little frustrating? Sure. But certainly nothing worth writing a negative review over.
THEN CAME THE PART THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.
While preparing our order, the employee wiped his nose with the back of his hand and continued handling our deli meat without washing his hands or changing his gloves.
And he didn't do it just once.
HE DID IT TWICE!
Excuse me?!
Sir, I ordered roasted turkey. Not roasted turkey with a side of whatever you just wiped from your nose!
We immediately expressed our concerns about the unsanitary behavior.
Rather than acknowledging the issue and correcting it, the employee appeared dismissive and waved us off as though our concerns were unreasonable.
And THAT is where a bad moment became a much bigger problem.
Food safety is not optional. Proper hygiene when handling someone else's food should be a basic expectation, not something a customer has to explain.
Fortunately, another employee, Steve, stepped in to assist us.
THANK GOODNESS FOR STEVE!
But even then, the original employee attempted to give Steve the meat he had already started slicing.
NO. NO. AND ABSOLUTELY NOT!
We were not comfortable accepting any portion of that meat.
Thankfully, Steve understood and prepared an entirely fresh order for us.
STEVE DESERVES HIS FLOWERS!
His willingness to step in and correct the situation was genuinely appreciated.
AND YES, I BROUGHT IT TO MANAGEMENT'S ATTENTION.
I'm generally not someone who feels the need to escalate every unpleasant interaction. People have difficult days. Mistakes happen. I understand that.
But when it comes to food handling and sanitation, there is a responsibility to protect the people purchasing and consuming that food.
I requested management and spoke with Raquel at the front of the store. She indicated that she would pass my concerns along to the manager.
I sincerely hope that happens.
HERE'S WHAT I WANT SAFEWAY TO UNDERSTAND.
This review isn't simply about someone making a mistake.
It's about what happened AFTER the mistake was brought to their attention.
A simple acknowledgment, proper handwashing, fresh gloves, and a new order would have gone a long way toward resolving the situation.
Instead, we were met with a dismissive response that left us questioning whether basic food-handling expectations were being taken seriously.
We've been loyal deli customers for approximately 20 years, and I don't believe one employee's behavior should erase every positive experience we've had.
Steve deserves recognition for stepping in, and the many employees who have provided excellent service over the years deserve their flowers, too.
But this particular experience deserves management's attention.
MY FINAL THOUGHT:
Customer service isn't just about getting an order right.
It's about listening, taking legitimate concerns seriously, and understanding that when you're handling someone's food, you're also being trusted with their well-being.
I hope Safeway uses this experience as an opportunity to reinforce proper food-handling practices and remind employees that customer concerns deserve respectful responses.
Because we all make mistakes.
But how we respond to them is what makes the difference.
FINAL RATING: 2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Let me be perfectly clear: Both of these stars belong to Steve!
His willingness to step in, listen to our concerns, and prepare an entirely fresh order is the only reason this experience deserves more than one star.
After approximately 20 years of purchasing deli meats from Safeway, I never imagined I'd have to explain why wiping your nose twice and continuing to handle someone's food without washing your hands or changing your gloves is unacceptable.
Steve demonstrated what proper customer service and accountability should look like.
Unfortunately, one employee's professionalism cannot erase another employee's disregard for basic food-handling hygiene.
Two stars for Steve. And Safeway management, I sincerely hope you're paying attention. read more
