Albertsons

I am a longtime Santa Fe resident, and I have shopped everywhere in Santa Fe and Los Alamos for years. Read on for the details, but here’s the short version:
CONS: Long waits, few lines open, filthy floors, disgruntled and stressed employees, no EMV microchip card readers, dirty parking lot with shopping carts strewn about, and the near certainty that you will be approached by an addict with the ever-​familiar «out of gas and need to get somewhere» story (don’t believe them: as a longtime resident, I recognize them panhandling all over town).
PROS: The little old lady (read below), and the fact that they sell lard. (healthier than artificial shortening because it has healthy linoleic acid, and its chemical composition is akin to butter — a healthy cholesterol)
Details:
I can’t believe it hasn’t been closed. This place always has a chaotic vibe. I dread going here. They recently did a superficial facelift remodel which made things look better initially, but it deteriorated into its former messy state.
Since 2008, there are never more than five of twelve checkout lanes open at a time, even during hectic holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, where it is an absolute mob scene. Baggers are scarce, even if there are a couple of idle store employees gabbing to each other the next lane over. The only employee willing to bag your groceries is a friendly little old lady who is spry and fast despite her advanced years, and if you don’t happen to arrive on her shift and in her lane, then expect to bag your own groceries because the cashiers won’t even bother anymore. Everyone who works here looks so tired and stressed out that I feel sorry for them and try to cheer them up.
This store is the only major grocer in town that not only has failed to comply with the new government regulations for EMV microchip card reader technology, but they actually DON’T EVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. Banks have been issuing smart debit and credit cards with the little gold embedded microchips since 2011. They have the correct card reader terminals but don’t bother to turn on the chip readers. None of the employees I’ve encountered knows what this means, so after one of them referred me to the store director, Jeff Emarine, I went over to talk to him. He acted like a hostile combatant and said, «It’s not my fault. We don’t have the software, and Corporate won’t give it to us, so go pass it on to someone else.» When I asked him who I should pass it on to besides himself, and told him that the store was past the government deadline for migration to the new system, he became flustered, repeated himself, and finally said, «You know what? I’m done with this conversation. Have a great day, lady.»
Why does it matter? Magnetic stripe readers are decades old and easy to hack. Chip cards are light years ahead of magnetic stripe cards in terms of security. The main thing to know is that the chip in the card is communicating with the network behind the terminal to enhance security instead of just forwarding your card number and related data to the network, as with the magnetic stripe approach.
My take? Shop at Smith and Whole Foods whenever possible.

It is 5 pm. There are 11 lanes and only 4 open. I’m standing behind EIGHT people in the check out line. C’mon, management! This is ridiculous and VERY BAD BUSINESS even for lazy Santa Fe!
I live close by, but I could drive to Smiths on St Michaels or Cerrillos, shop, check out, and be on my way home before I can shop and check out here. And that is exactly what I’ll do from now on… AND call corporate! Not that they’ll respond with any action, but one can hope!

All the complaints about not enough checkers are correct. They have something like 20 cash registers, but why? They only staff 2 – 3. The lines get long and in other grocery stores they would call for more checkers — and it always looks like they have lots of staff — but they don’t open more lines, so you glacially work your way through the line and then check out.
This evening I stood in line (I was number 8 in line) to check out with 3 items. Did they have an Express lane open? Nope. Did they open more lines as more and more people queued up behind me? Nope? Does the management seem to care about this at all? Nope.
This is the closest grocery to my house, but after 2 months living here, I’m looking for a new grocery store.
And, I forgot, no self-​checkout line, so you have no way to bypass the slow checker lines.

This is the worst grocery store ever, they never have enough checkers, they expanded their check out counters and don’t put checkers in them, never stock the cigarettes. If you have more than twenty minutes to check out, come here and stand in line.

Absolute worst customer service ever! I have been there repeatedly between 6 PM and 7:00pm waiting an average of 30 minutes to check out and customer service does not send over any additional cashiers because they don’t have them. Tonight, not only did I wait 20 minutes but then they closed my cashier right in front of me with five people behind me and gave us no other alternative but to get into another line behind 8 other people! Get your act together!!!

For me, it’s all about the attitude. Maybe it’s because this is the Land of Enchantment, but I always get really zen when I go to SF. Maybe it’s because everyone I encountered at this place was friendly and helpful.
Sought this place out on our first night in SF when the Giant suddenly got a raging headcold or something else nasty, and needed OTC meds. I needed some essentials too, so off we went. Now, in some places, they store the heavy duty cold meds behind the counter and this was no exception, however, when I asked the pharmacy tech, he kindly escorted me to an all-​accessible section with pseudo-​pseudo ephedrine. You know, the fake Sudafed stuff? Offered to let me talk to the pharmacist to further aid in my decision making, but it wasn’t needed: found exactly the right stuff to soothe a Giant’s stuffiness.
Prices are fine, selection is fine but everyone smiled and greeted us like we weren’t tourists after all, but family.
Definitely deserves 5 stars.

Checkout was fine, but when I wanted to get meat from the meat counter, there were 2 employees and both were helping customers. When the lady was done with hers, she walked away. Then when the guy was done with his, he walked away too. So I walked away. I guess no tilapia for me. :(

Do not shop here. Anytime after 3:30 the lines are 10 – 15 people long. Only two checkers open (plus one for express). I have tried three times to buy some items and all three had to leave as I could not wait over 40 minutes to check out. You would think that in the busy times they could add extra checkers.

Can’t believe I’m writing a review but I have too. Never in my life have I been treated with such blatant disrespect. Their customer service fails on all levels. It sickened me that two female employees would laugh and snicker at an elderly woman needing help but they did. As I asked them to show some decent regard for others they looked at me as if being nice was something new. Terrible terrible. Daryl Worley has some explaining to do as the store director. If anyone in corporate had gone to the store at the time I did they more than likely would’ve cleaned house and found new staff that actually appreciated there customers. It’s terrible that the employees here have so little respect for their jobs and themselves. I now know why Albertsons is going out of business nationwide for this exact reason.

Bought a donut here, it was tough and stale. I also got short changed by their stupid change machine. The assembly line checkout, she was moving so fast, and didn’t seem to notice me trying to get my last 36 cents. Oh well.

You might find what you want in this store that could house a 747, but in the time you spend doing that, or discovering that you can’t, you’d probably be at a store where you’s definitely find what you want. Use this place with caution.
On the positive side, the prices and hours are good, and it is a gigantamous store that’s a worthy first stop for any supermarket-​y purchase, like detergent or food storage items. The staff is friendly and diligent, from the looks of things.
TIP: Gigantamous alcohol department with what appears to be low prices.

This store is an amazing turn around story. Today the place was… well, almost…
Yikes, beautiful! I mean, it’s still just a grocery, but the floors are new and festive, all the products are organized, the pet section is almost like a PetCo, the presentation is very clean and simply stellar throughout!
I just had to ask my cashier about the changes. She said the new manager was great and that was the a crucial part of the puzzle.. She stated «everyone is working hard now».
I let her know the place was quite nice and I appreciated all the effort, since it’s the closest grocery to my new place in Santa Fe.

Let me start off by saying, I like Albertson’s. I first encountered the grocery chain in San Diego, and I found the shopping experience to be much better than either Von’s or Ralph’s. However, it would seem the staff between SD and SF have different opinions on customer service. I find myself constantly walking around this location and say, «Damn you Albertson’s, this is why you only have two stars!» I see the man whom I believe to be the store manager quite often, and though he always all smiles and working hard, his employees are more of the «I hate this job but I’m too much of a dirtbag to either quit and find better employment or try to better myself and make this place suck less.» One time I had to actually walk into the back of the meat department to find help, as my repeated attempts with the bell went unanswered.
Long story short, I shop here because I live across the street, and their produce is surprising good and affordable. But every time, before I walk in, I have to sigh and steel myself for the awful experience I know it is going to be.

I wish they had Safeway Stores in Santa Fe.
This is without a doubt one of the WORST grocery stores ever. First the layout is terrible and it is difficult to find things. Second, the average IQ of the employees is that of a common garden hose.
The employees are rude, they cannot find items themselves in the store. The checkout lanes are slower than rush hour traffic in LA. They talk to themselves constantly and move so slow. I have a video I took waiting in line (only one line was open) and there were about 25 people behind me and we all kept asking to open another line and after 15 minutes they did.
The packers do not pack bags correctly. I’ve had discussions on two occasions with the managers (who will apologize but complain about their own employees) about putting eggs and bread at the bottom of the bags.
I tried it for six months and now back at Smiths. Better prices, staff are friendly and you don’t have to deal with these idiots who work here. It’s a shame because the stores in California are amazing: clean, friendly staff and eager to help. The polar opposite of the store.

This grocery store is just missing something. Really, it’s missing a lot of things. I bought a can of jalapenos that had already been opened (guess I should have checked that before I purchased them), and some of the sale items did not ring up as such. Staff seemed totally out of it and not very helpful when it came to resolving either of the matters that I previously mentioned. Not the worst grocery store ever, but you can do A LOT better in Santa Fe.

Albertsons Food&Drug is in an incredibly emo place-it’s perfect for TWILIGHT/​HOT TOPIC fans. It’s across the street from Rosario Cemetery. It’s a market that’s perfect for conducting EVPs.
It’s a grim&grimy place to shop, and surprisingly expensive. The «deals» are buying stuff you don’t need in bulk, whilst the necessities are pricey. It’s a poorly arranged store, and tends to be short on checkers. It is a hangout for drifters, so it’s depressing (and there’s the cemetery across the street)
The only convenience about this place was that it wasn’t far from where I lived. It was a nice, short walk. Albeit hella goth because of the graveyard you pass on the way.

Most of the time there aren’t enough checkers. Sometimes you have to fish your own cart from the parking lot. The self checkout machines often have all sorts of problems. And they stack the hand baskets next to the exit door instead of the enter door. This store is definitely NOT about customer service. Very poorly managed business.

I really hate this place… but it’s the only place to go if you just want a «normal» bag of chips and aren’t into all the organic craziness and prices of Whole Foods.
First of all, you’ll notice all the drifters in the parking lot with their dogs begging for change. Next, if you can even find a grocery cart, they usually don’t drive straight and are messed up in some type of way.
Don’t even consider using the restroom. Disgusting.
Next, I hope you never have a question for a sales associate while shopping, because they are no where to be found… and when you do finally find one to ask… they don’t know what you’re looking for anyway. Make sure to hold your nose as you walk by the seafood counter. Why anyone would want to buy something from a counter that stinks like rotten fish is beyond me.
Also be sure to watch your step while traveling down the coffee aisle. since there is always coffee beans littered on the floor.
Once you think you’ve had just enough of this place, be ready to wait in line for 20+mins while the delicious gallon of ice cream you purchased melts everywhere.

This particular Albertson’s supermarket is all right, once you get past the phalanx of drifters and their dogs. I had to warn people about the dog-​piles that dotted the apron just in front of the automatic doors one day, or else the whole store would have been poisoned by trails of canine waste. If Albertson’s cares more for the people who beg outside their doors than for their customers, that’s a sad state of affairs. I have been going to Smith’s on Pacheco steadily ever since this unpleasant event a couple of months ago– the prices there are much lower, and their butcher shop is inexpensive but excellent, so it is worth the drive up St. Mike’s.
Note: the liquor store at this Albertson’s is surprisingly reasonable!

Hello my name is Mike, and I buy liquor at grocery stores. If you are an out of towner like me that also has an affinity for the «drinky-​drinky» this is for you.
«Oh my god! It’s 9 o’clock, and I’m dangerously sober. Where o’ where can I find the essentials to get reasonably buzzed for a fair price?» Has this happened to you? Don’t fret. Call the front desk for a cab and head to Albertson’s where I saved $ 8 dollars on a bottle of Woodford. $ 28? You kidding me? Makes me want to start bootlegging. Beer’s $ 18 for an 18 pack, which is fair. There’s a large selection of everything: beer, wine, and liquor. Not to mention food, dog crates, and baby goats. Nah, I’m bullshittin — they’re full-​size goats.
Santa Fe is both an expensive and early town. If your w/​a group that like to party, this place will be important.