Giant Eagle

Giant Eagle, for those three people reading this who don’t know, is Pittsburgh’s largest grocery market chain.
You might shop at Giant Eagle because it exists, and because it has a larger selection than Pittsburgh’s other markets, but the odds of your loving it are pretty low.
Almost all staffers are glum and indifferent. Many of them are working way beyond what would appear to be a reasonable retirement age. I have heard Giant Eagle cuts people off at under 20 hours a week to avoid paying them benefits.
Apparently Giant Eagle combines the pleasure of minimum wage employment with the enlightened delights of a union, thus ensuring that employees’ pay packets are even emptier than a typical Wal-​Marter.
With Wal-Mart’s grocery selection being — much to my shock — better, the only reason I shop here anymore is that there are a couple of cute checkers who I think like me.
But with those honorable exceptions, I’d take Wal-​Mart over Giant Eagle anyday. For someone who shopped loyally at Gelson’s in LA and never even stepped in a Walmart before moving here, that’s quite a statement.