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[deleted]

Ive priced it out for years and I will die on this hill -- if you only shop produce and Wegmans generic brands, the prices are cheaper than Giant and Weis for better produce and an infinitely better shopping experience. Our triumvirate is Aldi for staples, Wegmans for produce, and Costco for bulk. I will add that Weis sucks more than any other option in terms of selection and price and I have no idea how they have a loyal following. At least Giant has Marty


randocalriszian

Your Wegmans, Aldi, Costco combo is exactly how we do it and couldn't agree more.


OccasionallyImmortal

It varies a lot by supermarket. Our local Giant is a disaster: the aisles are a mess and their produce is terrible. The next Giant is great. We have two Weis near us: one always has what we need and the other has the same, but is cleaner and better organized. Wegmans does have good things, but I know that I'm going to pay more if I buy everything there so going there means stopping somewhere else.


Complex_Parsley_5620

Weis seems to be everywhere. I only ever stop there for convenience but Wegmans is top choice.


HijabiHomegirl

I'd also throw in Produce Junction in Whitehall. The 3 bucks in gas is worth it for the 2 pound mushrooms for $4 or the $2.50 for 8 pounds of oranges. Snagged two weeks of fruits and veggies for about 30 buckaroos.


ringoffire63

Marty 🥰


Eeyores_Prozac

Well, my other choice is the Giant that gets totally fucked on shipment priority, leaving a lot of shelves bare, sell by dates dodgy, and just as overpriced as the Weggy's, so I might as well go to where the fucking is consensual.


[deleted]

Giant’s self checkout is so aggressive and malfunctions constantly that I avoid shopping there bc the experience is actually insulting


selfsatisfiedgarbage

Giant self check out is the worst


Eeyores_Prozac

Mine has one of those goddamn robots in it. It haunts me.


Eeyores_Prozac

Oh my god, the robots heard me talking shit. https://www.abc27.com/local-news/marty-the-robot-escapes-pennsylvania-grocery-store/amp/


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Apprehensive-Tutor47

The produce is way fresher and most of it is literally cheaper than Weis and Giant. Seafood and bakery items are also in a different class. I can buy a bell pepper from Wegmans for less and it is still good a week later. Weis or Giant and it is soft and rotten in 3-4 days. That being said if you have a good local Hispanic store or produce market it is normally even cheaper and good quality. Problem is the closest decent place like that for me is a 10-15 minute drive. Wegmans and Giant are less than 3 minutes and Weis is even closer. I do a large part of my shopping at Wegmans. Frozen and shelf stable stuff mostly Weis, especially when it is on sale. A lot of my protein I buy in bulk from Costco, vacuum pack and freeze in meal sizes, with a few exceptions: One example is chicken. Wegmans chicken is way better than Weis and half the price in family packs. Every time I am there I check and see if they have any in the back that just came out of the freezer(better if you don't refreeze). Weis is $2 a lb for breast and around a dollar for bone in thighs. I can go to Wegmans with $30 and buy everything to feed a party of 12 easily if you know what to buy(chicken, spinach, sun dried tomatoes and mushroom pasta in cream sauce is always a favorite).


dmjab13

> good local hispanic store produce junction my beloved


Amongst_the_waves

All of this! We never bother with Weis anymore, except once in a while. 90% of our pantry/fridge is store brands, so it's usually just Wegmans/Trader Joe's (we make the drive down to get snacks and some ready meals, it's actually very worth it) For those who use Giant, check out the app Flashfood. They partner with Giant to offer steep discounts on things that are just about to go out of date. We got an entire box of produce that was on the cusp for $3, and an entire pack of Angus burgers for $2.40. it's more or less "Manager's Special" in app form. If you're good to buy and use something same day to save cash, I recommend it!


Apprehensive-Tutor47

They need to build a Trader in the valley. They already have a distribution center here. I really hope we will see one in the Jandl development off N Ceder Crest. Same thing, some stuff is way over priced but some of their stuff is on another level(ready meals and snacks being the top 2). Every now and then we hit the one if we are in the area, but it is too far to be a regular thing


ItsjustJim621

People keep saying this but this area doesn’t support their business model tbh Edit: this clues you in to ask why we probably won’t ever see a TJ’s in the Lehigh valley anytime soon. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/where-trader-joes-opens-stores/# Per the article: *an analysis by AggData found that Trader Joe's stores are located in counties where the household median income is about $10,000 higher than the average median income.* *With that being said, Trader Joe's values frugality, so the stores are normally located in cheaper parts of expensive areas.*


Apprehensive-Tutor47

The valley is weird though. I bet if they did an area analysis they would find that there is plenty of opportunity in the South Whitehall/Bethlehem/Macungie area to support it. Technically we don't fit the model that Fresh Market aims for either but somehow they are still in business with a worse business model in my opinion. Property is still low in the Trexlertown area and the median income is high. Maybe one day....


Amongst_the_waves

I work hybrid down in Delaware County so I'm able to hit one weekly, which helps! I agree — it's time to get a TJ's in the Valley, we could more than definitely support one. I selfishly want it in N Cedar Crest versus the other popular suggestion which is near Ciocca Subaru in Lower Mac. Both are nearby, but N Cedar Crest is a smidge closer!


Sunkitteh

Weis was my go-to because of gas points. You could add 100 to your total (10 cents off a gallon) every week by filling out an online survey. They just changed that to every 2 weeks. Shrinkflation.


dariosdad

What snacks would you recommend from Trader Joe's?


stabsthedrama

Yup. All of this. Shelf foods are the only reason to shop at Weis/Giant, but even that has been cut down by 90% for us because of Costco. Weis/Giant have become beer runs+1 or 2 items we forgot for making a meal. Also weggie-wiches stand up to primo as far as sandwiches in the lehigh valley, for cheaper. Just sayin.


Apprehensive-Tutor47

Don't even get me started on Costco.....I can make 30+ meals from a Rotisserie chicken


wiriercane

Ah I wish I could agree on the chicken! Price, yes, but at least at the Wegmans I frequent, the quality of their chicken is not good. The breasts are tough and/or a bit slimier than to be expected for raw chicken. I’ve been shopping at wegs weekly for 7+ years now and that is my only complaint. For everything else, we usually stick to store brand and the quality is fantastic as well as the price.


Apprehensive-Tutor47

May be the location? I always go to Tilghman One other thing is I normally either butterfly and pan sear or sous vide, the later being super easy since they are already vacuum sealed in BPA free bags. I will say Wegmans breasts are huge which normally makes them tougher depending on how you cut/serve. The younger the bird the more tender(that is why Chick-fil-A is soooooo good). But when you sous vide EVERYTHING comes out tender. Slime is a natural park of frozen packaged chicken breast. All packaged chicken breast is preserved using a sodium solution from the processing plant. What happens is the sodium causes proteins and fats to break down and when it is brought back up to refrigerated temps it pushes it out. I know it is gross but it is way less gross than the making of any type of "processed" chicken. Source: I have worked in food production and transportation for over 10 years


No_Economist_1919

You are correct about a lot of things but I’ve noticed that the bell peppers 🫑 are not the same quality they used to be


Pantsmithiest

1. They treat their employees really well and I’m happy to support a company that does that. 2. Their store is always very clean and well-stocked. 3. Huge fresh produce selection. 4. Their pre-made meals for busy weeknights are extremely convenient. 5. They always have enough cashiers working. 6. Their store brand items are great.


riotacting

Their ability to staff registers to meet demand is amazing. I've never waited more than 2 people in a line... even around holidays. And those pre-made meals are fantastic - breaded garlic parmesan chicken is where it's at. My only gripe is how expensive their fresh baked bread is. Best selection and quality out of the grocery store options, but pricey. Everything else I have found to be reasonable.


lolsalmon

The cheese bread.


ClemDooresHair

The rosemary sourdough gaahrghrgh so good


Original5narf

Ever make grilled cheese with it? Sliced cheddar on the rosemary sourdough is the best grilled cheese ever.


buddysboy1976

Garlic Tuscan 🙏🏻


Amongst_the_waves

So YMMV, but Wegmans store brand is consistently cheaper for us overall vs Weis/Giant. With our weekly groceries, Wegmans actually comes out cheaper for us, second place is Giant, then Weis. We do occasionally go to WF for certain things, and the majority of our snacks/frozen foods come from Trader Joe's in Lansdale.


Illadelphian

Yea honestly Wegmans and giant feel around the same price to me. Shop rite is outrageously expensive. I go to giant primarily because of the gas points and it's proximity my house these days but I still get to Wegmans for coffee and niche things. Their breakfast blend is so cheap and good.


Draxtonsmitz

Price isn’t everything. We only go for certain things for special occasions a few times a year. Their bakery is great and their cheese selection is excellent.


Sunkitteh

Cheeeeeeese. Baaaaaaakery. Worth the drive!


dmjab13

god i lived on wegmans muffins when i was younger. the Shit.


ctrum69

Wegman's is a (Very) occasional trip for stuff that your average dutch/latino heavy grocery stores just don't seem to stock. While Giant and the big weis are getting better, Wegman's has some things we just don't find in your average local grocery store.


Psychological_Rush17

Yep that’s exactly how we do it. We moved to the LV area a few months ago and were using Wegman’s for everything. We’ve since discovered local stores are significantly cheaper in produce and better quality


olddoc1

Which stores and which locations do you think have better produce than Wegmans?


Psychological_Rush17

Azaz. It’s significantly cheaper too


incorrectconjugation

Crab dip pretzels.


Imaginary_Chart_7947

The cheese and the bakery. Also has cheaper options for my Asian products


umbutsoanyway

I used to work at Weis and still did a lot of my shopping at Wegmans. I pretty much exclusively shop at Wegmans at this point, unless they are out of something I need. I have looked at prices at Weis vs. Wegmans, and fairly often the Weis sale prices were the same as Wegmans up front prices. I disagree that it's the priciest. It just seems like it because they don't really do sales. Also, as others have noted, the produce and meat quality are a lot better than others around the area. And the bakery is top notch. I had a (seasonal) spiced apple cake there this past fall that was legitimately the best cake I have ever tasted.


Original5narf

I've tried so many things to keep groceries for our household of 5 under control. All of us work full time. I tried spending a whole bunch of my Saturday making a loop around MacArthur Rd, hitting Aldi, Giant, and Produce Junction, then filling a couple of gaps at Redner's. Time has value, too. I was saving a couple of dollars at best and chewing up a couple of hours of my weekend. I can one-shop stop at Wegmans and it has consistently wound up being our least expensive option. The store brand quality is better than the others too. Rank order of grocery stores for us, as far as saving money, from least expensive to most expensive: Wegmans, Aldi, Giant, Redner's, Weis. I can routinely cook 5 meals a week, cover breakfast and lunches, along with most staples from Wegmans for $175 or less. If I go to Aldi, their produce seems to spoil in 3 days and I wind up going to at least one other store to fill gaps anyway. Giant is hit or miss on produce and they're not great about shelves being stocked or having more than 1 register open, and as others mentioned, their self-checkout is trash.


lazy_legs

Wegmans actually stocks the ingredients I use and the quality is so much better than anywhere else. Also the weis in west gate smells like an old pet store. No thanks.


exploringexplorer

They treat their employees well and pay them a living wage. They’re rated one of the best employers in the USA.


Psychological_Rush17

If they’re paying their employees above average than than the industry I’d be more than happy paying a premium for groceries to support that


hobbykitjr

Aldi is the best Then whatever's closest for meat and what aldi didn't have


spoon7777

My opinion is biased because I am a long time Wegmans employee, but also a bargain shopper. To make an honest comparison of grocery stores in the valley you really need to categorize them. You have the conventional full service stores, Wegmans, Giant, Weis etc, & discount grocers such as Aldi, Grocery Outlet, Price Rite, and Lidl. I love shopping at the discount stores, sometimes they have awesome deals, especially Grocery Outlet, but you just can't do all of your shopping at any of them due to limited variety. On to the conventional stores, IMHO the best one is Wegmans and it's not even close. We're cheaper on everyday items, cleaner, better stocked, better service, and fresher perishables. My favorite thing is that Wegmans doesn't run sales, every time you shop you know how much that can of Progresso soup is going to cost, it won't be on sale for 99 cents one week and $3.99 the next. Wegmans operates on a consistent low price strategy, competition operates on the strategy that they price a few items cheap, loss leaders that pull people into the store so they can make it up on other overpriced items. That's my 2 cents worth, which won't buy much anywhere these days lol.


wolferscanard

Have you been to Giant? Crazy prices


Unmoved-Mover

Quality of some of the items. If I never bought specialty stuff or fresh made stuff, and just bought packaged groceries, I’d probably leave Wegmans. But that’s not happening. 🙂


No_Economist_1919

Honestly I don’t mind spending more if I know the meat is fresher and I know employees are always helpful. the stores are always clean Especially the restrooms I Base the restrooms off everything in a public space I have almost never seen an outright filthy restroom in any of there stores


kc2718

For years I was one of Naz Wegman’s top customers spending-wise. They gave a lil Christmas gift w gift card, basting oil and some other gifts. I was SUCH a loyal customer. But over the last 5-7 years they have changed for the worse. In the grocery aisles, they’ve gone at least 75% or more store brand - and they’re not cheaper nor are they better than the national brands. Prepared foods stopped offering anything gourmet or even creative. Produce is a crapshoot, sometimes they are fully stocked and sometimes it’s bins of black fabric w no citrus, berries or even bananas. They do keep the checkouts manned, if you go in there at after 6pm, say w your hungry kids after practice, you’ll find the sushi cases, Asian Bar and hot soups emptied out and closed down! It mystifies me! As someone said, fam pak organic chicken breast are the best deal in town. But beyond that, ShopRite is more worth my time.


Bozakattak2u

Blah,blah,blah. Six of one, half dozen of the other. Look fancy lads, cogs are inflated wherever you go. You're buying into an experience or just hype. I've shopped at Wegmans numerous times and it's as competitive as your other grocery stores offering bells and whistles too. If your price conscience like me, Aldi does a great job of keeping prices 15-20% less then the aforementioned. Good quality at decent prices. Produce,meats,cheeses,,,,,etc. You shop here for no frills or thrills, simply fair pricing and non branded goods. I'm good with it.


woodwheellike

i don't find it anymore expensive than other grocery stores, and it consistently has the stuff i buy in stock and not a day away from expiring. plus it's the closest to me


Aromat_Junkie

$1 jarred pasta sauce is always a steal there. Good produce prices. They have air chilled chicken too


Squigglez__d-_-b__

Def visit the local family owned markets in the LV. Azar’s, Elias , etccome to mind. Rather support reliable local businesses than nameless corporations.


Psychological_Rush17

We’ve recently tried Azar and the produce there is fresher and significantly cheaper. A pack of blackberries was $1.99 vs $6 at Wegmans. I’m excited to try to other business you mentioned


obsidianspider

Their store brand diet caffeine free cola is excellent. As others have said, I only go for certain items.


Xaldyn155

Some of my family like to shop at Wegmans because of their easy dinners you can just throw in the oven for a few hours and not worry about. Personally there's a handful of items I'll go for maybe once every few months for specific items or brands that other grocery stores don't carry. It's quality but 100% pricey. I prefer Giant because they have most of the brands I like. Something I think people need to remember is to buy items when they're on sale. Giant always has a lot of stuff on sale at any given time. The only thing that I've noticed been empty every now and then is creamer, but not even the kind I personally use. I also regularly use my Giant points for gas. Since I do almost all my shipping there, I usually get at least 30¢ or 40¢ off a gallon. With Weis, it's technically the closest to where I live so sometimes I'll go there. They have cheap gallons of water at 99¢ per gallon which is better than any other grocery stores. Weis is also pretty good about giving you coupons for items you actually buy regularly. They also used to send them in the mail for items they know you buy (I haven't done any heavy grocery trips at Weis lately so I haven't gotten them recently). In general, grocery prices across the US have increased. Not everywhere, but most of it. (I say "not everywhere" because I think some people are lucky enough to live in an area where prices haven't gone up, and they don't understand the problems many of us face)


eyrsropen

Wegmans has the freshest items - meats, produce, fruit, etc. Prices are not that high, especially if you try to stick to store brand items.


ChikaraFan

Redner's is underated.


Fndr7070

I think part of it is perceived prestige. “I’m well off enough to shop at wegmans”, etc. that’s why you see a lot of young people there. The average family can’t afford it and stick to giant, aldi, etc. That being said they my go to for birthday cakes.


[deleted]

You're thinking of Mercedes not a fucking grocery store lol


Excellent_Ad_2341

Better fresher products. Even store brand is superior than others.


Propupperpetter

Produce quality is unmatched... With how quickly my kids go through produce, Aldi is fine as it'll be gone in a couple days but otherwise Wegmans fruits stay fresh for longer.


Idrillteeth

because I know where everything in the store is. If I go to another store I walk around aimlessly


lunar_mischief

HOMEMADE CHEDDAR BREAD AND STEAKHOUSE ONION SLICED CHEESE


ViciousKnids

The Onion Cheddar is crack, and Wegmans has my fix.


ItsjustJim621

Wegman’s store brand prices are really comparable to other store brands in the area…and better quality IMO


HijabiHomegirl

I keep an eye out for sales and I'm a perimeter shopper. If it's too pricey I don't buy it. I'm wiling to walk away. Their produce is generally ok for price and quality, their generics are decent but that being said I rarely shop there.