Walgreens

I thought Walgreens was supposed to be the anti-​CVS; more customer service-​oriented. So far, it doesn’t look good. First round took three trips to get my regular prescriptions right. At refill time, I called into their automated system and gave them two days to get the refills completed. The system assured me that the refills would be ready at 9:00AM on the appointed day. I drove in another day later, to be told immediately that the insurance company wouldn’t approve them for another four days. It is an hour roundtrip to get to my nearest Walgreens, so these guys have really wasted my time. Nice people. Apologetic. Totally non-​pro-​active. Just like CVS. (This appears to be a local problem, because the Walgreens I use in Danville, CA for prescriptions for my elderly parents is the total opposite.)

I will not be going to Walgreen’s again. I bought some Christmas cards online and went to pick them up. No one was at the cash register so I wandered around the store, as usual, looking for someone to help me. I told the photo guy I paid for the cards online. He sent me to the other counter (?) then I finally found someone to help me and we went to check out. He then set my box aside and took the NEXT PERSON IN LINE WHO HAD A WHOLE CART FULL OF STUFF. I said, «Wait a minute. I was next». I got frustrated and left after all that waiting.
The next day I went back to try again. This time I was one penny short and the cashier made me break a $ 20 bill …Geez.
When there are promotions or sales the cashier never gets the prices right. I always have to correct them and point out the ad in the flyer. Forget that… CVS is right nearby and much better service.

Morons. Let me repeat that. Morons.
I went in to use the photo kiosk to print some photos. Easy enough. Five minutes. They print behind the counter so I ask how long it will take them. Fifteen minutes tops. Cool. I figure I can run a couple quick errands and come back. I do. 30 minutes later. They’re still not done. Moron #1 says he’ll print them NOW. I sit down right next to the counter (two feet away from him) and check emails and texts and time gets away from me. Moron #1 has walked away. I ask moron #2 and she looks for moron #1 who comes back with moron #3 to figure out how to use the machine. Moron #3 shows him and walks away. I look back down at my cell to answer some texts and look up again and NO MORONS are behind the counter. So I go searching for anyone and moron #2 comes back, looks behind the counter, pulls them off of the machine and puts them in an envelope for me to FINALLY get my pictures… ONE HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES after I put my SD card in that kiosk.
Moral to the story: it takes three morons to lose a customer for life.
My advice to you: steer clear of morons and take your easy pic printing needs elsewhere.

Walgreens is quite small compared to the ones in the suburbs. surprised there’s some beers and wines sold here. not a lot, not bargains. seemed in tune with marin county pricing (above average).
surprising pricing is cheaper than most east bay walgreens and rite-​aid locales.
(but not cheaper than target, so 3 stars).

Often when I need my prescription refilled the San Anselmo Walgreens does not have enough of the medication to fill my order. Today I decided to call first. I was told that they could not verify if they had the medication in stock over the phone. I said to the pharmacist «So, I have to come into the pharmacy to find out that you don’t have it?» the pharmacist said «I’m sorry, company policy.
Well I’ll bet anyone reading this knows what’s coming next.
I went to the pharmacy and sure enough, they did not have the medication. I asked the pharmacist is she could call the San Rafael 3^rd st. Walgreens and ask if they had
enough medication to fill the order.
She said that she could not call, the pharmacist said «I’m sorry, company policy.
I took my prescription and walked over to CVS. They had my order filled within ten minutes.
From now on I will take my prescriptions to CVS.
That’s My Policy!

I have had an awful time with Walgreens of late. Arrive only to find the pharmacy «out to lunch». Yesterday, I went to San Anselmo, they were out of the prescriptions drugs. Calls around and part is in Northgate and the other in San Rafael. I get to San Rafael, only to be told he cannot fill. He did not read the doctors instructions on the script. I go to San Rafael. They have to call the doctor but assure me that I can pick up the following morning. i arrive today, and the systems are down with no prediction of when they will be back up. 4 trips to a Walgreens Zero prescriptions filled. I left Rite Aid years ago due to awful awful customer experiences and up until recently, Walgreens was good enough. Time to look again. It should not be this hard.

The pharmacy staff here is so friendly and helpful – there is never a line longer than 3 people – so glad I swiched from CVS!

I don’t know what in the world management does to make this staff so much friendlier and more efficient than two other Walgreen’s in my area; but this place is worth going out of your way for. No matter how late at night or early in the day; packed out and busy or completely empty, the mostly young staff always acts like they are delighted to see us. Even when customers are cranky or difficult to please. Helpful, patient, good-​natured: lovely Juana, the late shift young men, the nice manager, all of them.
Even though several OK drug stores are near my work for lunchtime errands, I’m always happy to wait till I can get to the Red Hill Walgreen’s. However they are training and compensating their employees there, they should package it for the branches.

This review is specifically about the pharmacy. In a word, the pharmacist and pharmacy tech I encountered there are *awesome*. So awesome that I’m writing a Unilocal review, about a Walgreens :)
During the course of three visits to the pharmacy last week, on each occasion the pharmacy tech and the pharmacist were kind, efficient, friendly, and provided excellent customer service. The prescription prices were comparable to or lower than the other nearby pharmacy. They had the needed items in stock, and the prescriptions were filled expeditiously.
If you need a prescription filled, and you live in the area, I would totally recommend this pharmacy. And, I would totally recommend that Walgreens give a substantial raise to the pharmacist and the tech I encountered. They are truly exemplary.

The pharmacist is one of the nicest I’ve ever met. Very compassionate.

The (older gentleman) pharmacist could not have been nicer. He called my insurance company more times than I could count for me… it was very sweet! He also seemed very compassionate about his «patients» (aka, the customers who came to pick up their pills).
This store is also usually very well-​stocked and not too busy. The parking lot is convenient too thought it’s a little hard to turn around to head towards San Rafael after stopping by… you can sneak through Safeway’s lot though!

I live in SF, and this walgreen’s is what all walgreen’s should be — in and out in 2 minutes, and service with a smile that kind of leaves you warm inside. hmm that kinda sounds like a skanky toothless girl…
the parking lot is far more convenient than going to Long’s in Redhill, plus there’s NEVER anyone inside. with easy parking and quick cashiers, it’s like you can barely know you even stopped, yet you have already dropped off your photos, picked up a bag of chips and a drink, and voila, back on sir francis drake off to never-​never land.