People in the U.S. are serious when it comes to their groceries. There are several grocery store chains across the country that have managed to cultivate cult followings—but perhaps none more so than Wegmans. Despite only having around 100 locations throughout the U.S., this Northeastern supermarket company has been referred to as the Disney World of grocery stores. But whether you're part of the "Wegmania" or are looking to join, there are some things you should keep in mind, straight from those who know firsthand. Read on for five warnings that ex-Wegmans employees have for shoppers.
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1 Don't take advantage of workers who will do anything to make sure shoppers leave happy.
It's no surprise why people love shopping at Wegmans. A former employee who worked with the grocery store chain for five years told Business Insider in 2019 that management at the store they worked at "didn't want anybody leaving the customer service desk or store upset," and they made sure that policy was known. "So nine times out of 10, we gave people whatever they wanted," the ex-Wegmans employee said.
But don't try to take advantage of this. The former worker also told Business Insider that people with "a track record of scamming or policy abuse" were the exception to this standard company practice.
2 The company's cult following can create problems.
Wegmans has clearly built itself a reputation but it's not always easy to be so beloved. In an Ask Me Anything Reddit thread, an ex-employee posting under the username @unvaluedemployee wrote that they worked with the company for almost five years and many Wegmans stores were treated like "an attraction" for shoppers.
"We were a popular destination for Sunday outings, Friday nights (we even had a kids movie shown every Friday on a big screen), and out-of-towners who have the place on the top of their list," the former worker explained. "This means that we don't really have the setup [or] staffing make doing the amount of business that we do, which makes the work difficult."
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3 Shopping at certain times can be worse than others.
These regular crowds can also be troublesome for many shoppers, but you might be making it worse on yourself depending on when you make a trip.
A former Wegmans employee from Syracuse told Business Insider in 2019 that late nights were the one exception to the typical crowded store scenes. According to the ex-worker, customers need to shop after 9 p.m. if they want "to avoid the crowds" at Wegmans.
4 You might not get a Wegmans in your area any time soon.
There are just 8 states in the U.S. with at least one Wegmans grocery store: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Delaware. And while there are future locations already on their way, don't hold your breath for a Wegmans near you if there isn't one already. Dave Adler, a former employee for the grocery company, explained in a Quora thread that Wegmans is very particular with its expansion efforts.
"Wegmans opens new stores slowly, and methodically," Alder wrote. "The company will usually open up to 4 stores a year. Sometimes only 3."
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5 You're not necessarily going to find cheaper products there.
If you're going to Wegmans solely because you assume the groceries will be cheaper here than anywhere else, you will likely be disappointed. In a Quora thread, Peggy Sears, an ex-Wegmans employee who worked with the company from 2014 to 2017, said that most products at the beloved grocery store are similar in price to that of other popular retailers, like Walmart. "If you identical items, your bill will be very close to the same," Sears wrote, noting that things like bread, milk, and eggs likely aren't going to ring up any cheaper at Wegmans.
In fact, you might even find yourself spending more than you would at Walmart, depending on what you're buying. "The reason people think Wegmans is expensive is because they have load of delicious foods that are on the more expensive side that can be hard to resist," Sears explained.
Kali Coleman Kali Coleman is a Senior Editor at Best Life. Her primary focus is covering news, where she often keeps readers informed on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and up-to-date on the latest retail closures.Read moreFiled UnderFood • News • Retail • ShoppingRead This Next5 Warnings From Ex-Safeway Employees
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