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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,458
Registered: ‎06-10-2015

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store


@noodleann

 

Nope, Wegman's dropped three points.  They didn't rule this year.


 

They rule in the Kingdom of Princess Noodleann. If they had Scoop Away, they'd be perfect.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,583
Registered: ‎06-25-2012

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store

Not a fan of TJ's. I've tried to see what the hype is but have been there multiple times and I just don't get it. Woman Indifferent

"Pure Michigan"
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,829
Registered: ‎03-18-2010

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store


@Burnsite wrote:

My Fresh Market is best on some things, too--not the place to go if you need Chlorox but excellent on certain food, fruit, veg, and flower items.


Yes, they are definitely not the place to get everything. I love the flowers, fruit and veg I can't get from CSA, the bakery and they have a lot of great prepared foods, cheeses, spices, great bulk section and I get Ciprianis pasta there which I really like. 

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
JFK
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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,829
Registered: ‎03-18-2010

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store


@jpie wrote:

@Moonchilde wrote:

@jpie, you know Aldi's and Trader Joe's are owned by the same company.

 

Aldi's was just starting to move into my area when I moved hundreds of miles, so I missed out. One day, there may be one within an hour's drive from me and I can check it out. I really want to!


________

 

Yes, I did know that they are owned by the same family.  I hope you get an Aldi's soon.  It doesn't have any frills, but oh my, the prices on groceries and household items (featured weekly) are so much less than a regular grocery store.

 

 


I love them at Christmas time too. They have so many great cookies and treats from Belguim, Austria, etc..

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
JFK
Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,430
Registered: ‎05-15-2016

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store

I shop regularly at Trader Joes's but I haven't had the experience of shiny, happy customers unfortunately. I don't know if every TJs is the same size but I find I'm always in someone's way even though I never park my cart by the products and don't linger once I get what I need but still get the frownie faces. Lol. I've found if I go between 8-9 pm the crowd has cleared out and it's more of the zen experience. 

 

Its the only place I buy meat and cheese and I enjoy their specialty foods but some of the produce like berries and melons aren't in the best shape. My TJs doesn't sell regular cucumbers, and the broccoli is not the freshest. I've also found their taco shells are often broken and I haven't found a salad dressing I like. They also don't have a soy milk or almond milk yogurt here.

 

My favorites are the Mandarin orange chicken, reduced guilt guacamole, gruyere and Swiss grated cheese, free range, organic chicken, stew meat, tzatziki, naan bread, dark chocolate bar with speculoos, kale and spinach dip, beer and wine, asparagus, frozen rices cauliflower, turkey chili, spices, gummy vitamins....so I'm a total fan but it doesn't fit my needs to be my only grocery store. I love reading their Frequent Flyer!

 

The checkers are pretty cool especially if you bag your groceries so the line moves faster but the parking lot is cutthroat. 😀

 

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,355
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store

I do pretty much all my food shopping at TJ's during the winter and there are no farmers markets.I buy very little frozen foods anywhere. I go to Costco for cleaning supplies, papergoods, chicken and meat. I go to ShopRite or Stop and Shop for their weekly sales. All these stores are less than 10 minutes from the house so I'm really lucky.


'I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man'.......Unknown
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,319
Registered: ‎04-28-2010

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store

I'm crazy about our local Trader Joe's.  Friendly employees; very helpful.  We all stroll around in order, more or less. ..........BTW, Did a bit of shopping at a Spr*uts, and that particular store was frustrating.  We were all running into one another head-on.  No distinct aisles in the large center area; no direction or smooth movement.  I'm sure other S. stores' layouts are better, though.  Otherwise, I liked their grocery items.  Huge Beauty and Natural products aisles on one side. Excellent bulk foods section, too. All in all, re: Spro*ts,  I decided, in the future, to occasionally shop there very early in the morning to avoid all of the indoor customer traffic and mayhem.  ........... In summary: I'm extremely loyal to our nearby Trader Joe's.  Excellent employees and help whenever we need it.   You can call early in the morning to ask about a particular item and whether or not it's back in stock, etc.  Truly a neighborhood store with lots of happy customers all around.

'More or less', 'Right or wrong', 'In general', and 'Just thinking out loud ' (as usual).
Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,620
Registered: ‎09-22-2010

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store

I shop at Trader Joe's, Costco and Metropolitan Market.  I am not fond of Trader Joe's produce or fish so I go to Metropolitan Market for that but I pay the price!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,592
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store

I've been shopping at Trader Joes since the late 80's.  I think I shopped at one of their first stores, in Concord CA.

 

I have never found any store where I buy 100% of everything I need, including things like Bounty paper towels.  I think most of us rotate to different stores to supply our needs, and also supplement what we buy fresh locally, with online shopping for the other items, and use services like Amazon Pantry.  

 

but when I think of where I've shopped the most over the last 30 years, and been the most satisfied, I'd have to say Trader Joes is my top choice.

 

Yes, there can be a problem with parking in their somewhat small lots.  I've learned the best time to shop when I can find parking easily.  

 

I know a lot of shoppers love Wegmans, which isn't in my area.  I shopped at a Boston area store with my daughter when she lived there, and although I liked the store....yikes...the parking there was worse than anything I've ever seen at the many TJ's I've been to!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,462
Registered: ‎07-20-2014

Re: Trader Joe's - America's Favorite Grocery Store


@september wrote:

I've been shopping at Trader Joes since the late 80's.  I think I shopped at one of their first stores, in Concord CA.

 

I have never found any store where I buy 100% of everything I need, including things like Bounty paper towels.  I think most of us rotate to different stores to supply our needs, and also supplement what we buy fresh locally, with online shopping for the other items, and use services like Amazon Pantry.  

 

but when I think of where I've shopped the most over the last 30 years, and been the most satisfied, I'd have to say Trader Joes is my top choice.

 

Yes, there can be a problem with parking in their somewhat small lots.  I've learned the best time to shop when I can find parking easily.  

 

I know a lot of shoppers love Wegmans, which isn't in my area.  I shopped at a Boston area store with my daughter when she lived there, and although I liked the store....yikes...the parking there was worse than anything I've ever seen at the many TJ's I've been to!


A few years (maybe more than a few) I was visiting a friend in Northern Virginia and we went to her local Whole Foods.  The parking lot was so small that they had valet parking!

 

The main TJs I go to has an ok parking lot.  But that's because about 5 years ago they remodeled the small shopping center with TJs and added a Ross, Bed Bath and Beyond, TJ Maxx, Famous Footwear, and a few small dress shops, so parking can be tight unless you park in the back lot, which I do.  It just means I have to carry my grocery bags a bit farther since they have those devices where you can't take your cart into the lot.