Has anyone been to a Grocery Outlet store?

[mrsbornkuntry]

Inspired by the Aldi's thread, I was wondering if anyone has been to a Grocery Outlet? I've only seen them on the west coast and I haven't been in one. Are they like Aldi's? And are their prices less than shopping at Safeway? I normally shop at a military commissary, but have shopped at Safeway so that would give me a basis for comparison. Also, how's their food?

 

[Tinkerbelle32]

I've never seen one of these outlets. I too, am a commissary shopper, and really aprreciate the low cost of food that we are able to purchase! Tink

 

[dworbust]

My friends used to own a franchise so we would go every few weeks to see what they had. It is very hit or miss. You can't really make up a list and go because their inventory changes constantly. Some weeks have better deals than others. So I would use it as a supplemental store not a staples store. Kind of how I think of $$ Tree or places like that. ~Susan

 

[Brutie]

I had not been to or heard of Grocery Outlet stores until I moved here to CA. I went one time and I liked it. I describe it as being like the Big Lots of grocery stores. They have a bit of everything just like a regular grocery store but their products are overruns, package changes, stuff from stores that have closed, etc, etc. You have to watch the dates a lot of the items are very close dated or expired. Some are nicer than others. We have one close to us that is just "trashy" and I dont like to go to that one by myself.
I did recently get the huge bottles of Gatorade for .99cents which is a bargain. The big bottles are very $$$ usually. They were close dated but as fast as we drink it, it didnt really matter. For me its just like big lots, sometimes you find stuff and sometimes you dont, but when you do see something, you had better grab it, cause it probably wont be there when you get back. They also have a website where you can play a word scramble game and they'll send you a $2.00 coupon. I do that about once every couple months or so, they've had the same words up there for the 2 years that I've been playing it...

 

[Chickysmom]

I had not been to or heard of Grocery Outlet stores until I moved here to CA. I went one time and I liked it. I describe it as being like the Big Lots of grocery stores. They have a bit of everything just like a regular grocery store but their products are overruns, package changes, stuff from stores that have closed, etc, etc. You have to watch the dates a lot of the items are very close dated or expired. Some are nicer than others. We have one close to us that is just "trashy" and I dont like to go to that one by myself.
I did recently get the huge bottles of Gatorade for .99cents which is a bargain. The big bottles are very $$$ usually. They were close dated but as fast as we drink it, it didnt really matter. For me its just like big lots, sometimes you find stuff and sometimes you dont, but when you do see something, you had better grab it, cause it probably wont be there when you get back. They also have a website where you can play a word scramble game and they'll send you a $2.00 coupon. I do that about once every couple months or so, they've had the same words up there for the 2 years that I've been playing it...

We have one in our town too and I go there every once in a while when I need to stock up the pantry and freezer.....could you post the web address for me? I'd love to get a 2.00 coupon to use for them on our next visit!

 

[Chickysmom]

their web site for more info is www.groceryoutlets.com for those interested.

 

[got2travel]

My grocery shopping always starts at Grocery Outlet. I agree with the other poster who compared it to Big Lotts. There are some items I know I can always get there, then other things I need to grab or it may be gone the next time.

I buy most of my milk, eggs, cheese, lunch meat and cereal here. They have produce but it's not always the best looking.

My best deal has been Lilo & Stitch cereal for $0.99 and these are the boxes with the free Disney 50th celebration trading pin coupons. My son has been so happy because he's getting to eat high sugar chocolate cereal not realizing that he will get extra trading pins out of it.

 

[disneychrista]

I used to go more often when I was pourer, same as with Big Lots. I just don't like "saving" money on things we don't end up eating.

I buy all my stuff on sale at the regular grocery store.

 

[Barkley's DH]

posting under dh's name today!

californian here and we have lots of them. i've never cared for them because their cleanliness seems to leave alot to be desired (and thats based on at least 3 locations in different towns)-but what's realy prevented me from going more recently was both (nbc) dateline and some northern california news station's health and safety review of different major food chains. both found that grocery outlet (and similar chains) have MAJOR heath and safety code violations. they were sited for carrying food way beyond both the sell and use by dates, not maintaining proper temps for cold/frozen (as well as not transporting at appropriate temps (allowing frozen to defrost in transit-then refreezing on arrival), but the MAJOR BIGGIE-was selling infant formula way beyond safe usage (think it was dateline that showed the health inspector having one location pull shelves and shelves of the stuff for disposal only to return and find it had been put back after he left).

same reports realy surpised me by ranking safeway as the worst offender health/safety wise for the entire nation!

 

[sweet maxine]

Thanks for the link to the stores and the $2 coupon puzzle! It took me a few minutes on a couple of the words as I was making it too hard.

My mom has one of these stores where she lives, and she's always telling me about great deals she finds there.