Letters to the Editor
Customer Complains About Her Local Supermarket Deli
I have complained at my local supermarket many times about the deli department. (Not that I am really thrilled with ANY department they have.) I like to shop their “buy one, get one” sales but don’t look at sale papers and don’t go in there for anything specific. As a matter of fact, I have been trying to move my business AWAY from the store, but the store is convenient for me.
When I complained at the deli for probably the third time, the area manager called me back and told me she had spent the morning in our store looking at the security tapes. Was I the customer with curly hair, wearing a floral shirt, etc? I was shocked that she had actually gone to that length.
Yes, that was me. It was about 5:20 pm, and I was angry that at that time, with people on their way home from work, there was only one woman [working] in the deli. She happens to be someone I do not really like. Her hair net is always ripped, she is extremely overweight, and she is VERY, VERY slow with a bad attitude and seems to hate her job. Why is SHE the ONLY one there when people are on their way home from work? Why do I have to wait over 10 minutes when there is only one person in front of me?
The area manager asked what I thought she could do to make things better. I told her I didn’t like only one person [working] in the deli at times when people are rushing — such as on their way home from work. That [one] person also was slow and miserable. I told her nothing really looked good. If any of their daily “specials” looked appetizing, MAYBE I would have tried them.
I often stop at a local specialty food store with a lot of fresh foods, which also sells Boar’s Head as does this supermarket, but I have to come home a different and less convenient way.
Oddly enough, even their sliced deli meat tastes different, although it is the same brand. Why? I don’t know. Atmosphere? Temperature? Whatever. When I am at the local specialty store, the salads always catch my eye. Pasta salad, macaroni salad, potato salad (3 kinds) — yum. The easy camaraderie between the guys behind the counter — no women, I don’t know why — is soothing. They work as a team.
My reason to email tonight? I had to stop tonight (Sunday, 8:00 pm) to get four items, one being lunch meat for my daughter for tomorrow. There were three people working in the deli. One was stocking, one was on hot counter/subs and, of course, the woman I don’t like was slicing meat and cheese. I was tired. I had spent the day with my friends and the kids and was on my way home. I only wanted 1/3 pound of turkey. I wasn’t tempted by anything else, because nothing looked good.
The man in front of me had ordered at least three items when the woman from
the hot counter came to take MY order. Then she apologized because I had to
wait so long for something so small. The woman slicing meat NEVER would apologize.
As a matter of fact, she was on leisure time, as she always looks like she
is. She doesn’t [seem to] care about the customer; she [appears to] hate this
job and doesn’t [seem to] even want to be here. 8:00 pm on Sunday night is
really a good time to have her on since she has worked here forever.
My questions are why doesn't the person stocking immediately stop stocking
and take care of the customer? Why, at the front, does the cashier keep bagging
for lane #3 when there are five people in her line? Why doesn’t she immediately
go to her line and open? That’s why I buy my bulk goods at a warehouse club
and stop at my local specialty store, a national health-oriented chain and
the farmer’s market for the rest.
If I am not looking for anything in particular and just browse their sales, it does not cost me any more. Our family would rather eat in than eat out. We enjoy going out, but I can cook everything we want the way everyone wants it. I’m excited when I find organic orange, yellow and maroon carrots on sale at the specialty shop for $2.99. My young daughter loves it, too.
Another thing is that Boar’s Head signs are always the same in every store. (Not that they are my favorite brand, but I can’t find an Italian deli that has everything I want nearby). The supermarket signs… so boring. A dark tan/brown line at the top with a number on the bottom. Even a two-color sign could look more tempting.
Name Withheld
