Where do you buy Groceries?

[bruce_oneal]

Kroger only because it is 2 blocks away, I can walk to it if necessary, and it is open 24/7. I am not that fond of it otherwise.

Every now and again when I goto mom's and need to pick up something for Sunday dinner I will stop at Randalls in Midtown.

[Standeck]

Katy area:

HEB for the once every two weeks stock up on everything run

Kroger for those "Dang, we're out of eggs!" moments

Costco for the bulk buys of paper goods and everyday wine and beer

Specs for booze and specialty wines/beers

Super Target for their house brand sauces, packables for lunch and because their shopping bags fit my kitchen trashcan so well!

[Subdude]

Tesco. And until you've been there, you don't know the meaning of depressing shopping.

[crunchtastic]

Tesco. And until you've been there, you don't know the meaning of depressing shopping.

Are they here, or are you in England? Many years ago the first time in an English grocery store, I had one of those cultural difference moments to see the checkers got to sit while they worked. It was incumbent on the shopper to unload stuff onto the converyor and bag the groceries. Those checkers were the some of the surliest, most depressed people I've ever seen.

[Subdude]

Are they here, or are you in England? Many years ago the first time in an English grocery store, I had one of those cultural difference moments to see the checkers got to sit while they worked. It was incumbent on the shopper to unload stuff onto the converyor and bag the groceries. Those checkers were the some of the surliest, most depressed people I've ever seen.

They're not in the US yet, but they're a comin' soon. They will be operating under a different name though. Tesco is the biggest chain in the UK, and their reputation is similar to Walmart in the US. To be fair, the checkers have all always been perfectly nice, but I wouldn't blame them if they were surly after spending hours in one of those places.

[satriela]

If I get up early on a Saturday morning (rarely) HEB on Fountainview is a must for produce.

If I have all the time in the world, Walmart on Dunvale has the cheapest prices (on some stuff).

If I'm in a complete bind, Randalls on Westheimer and Sheperd...(closest to me)

If I just need to go grocery shopping, Kroger on West Gray is the place

If I am in dire need of some chips and entertainment, Disco Kroger all the way..

[JLWM8609]

If we need a few things (bread, juice, chips, etc...) we'll hit Super Target at S. Main and OST. For the big things such as produce, meats, and other general grocery items, we'll use the Kroger on OST, or the Wal-Mart Grocery Store near Hillcroft and Braeswood. Sometimes when we need some fresh seafood or an "ethnic" product, we'll go to Fiesta on OST and Kirby. Spec's, Randall's, and Rice Epicurian are reserved for special purchases such as cakes (Randall's has pretty good bakeries) and holiday wine.

[jmancuso]

randall's. only becuase it's right around the corner. prefer HEB though.

[crunchtastic]

I just got back from Whole Foods on Alabama. It was already a madhouse w/ Thanksgiving shoppers.

Why, oh why, did I agree to do it at my place this year.... Note to self: never, ever get on the phone with mom after drinking most of a bottle of wine!

[houstonmacbro]

Today I actually bought groceries at the Champions Randalls. It was a nice shopping experience and when I was done checking out, the cashier asked if I needed help with my groceries to the car.

How often do you hear that these days?

[houstonmacbro]

If we need a few things (bread, juice, chips, etc...) we'll hit Super Target at S. Main and OST. For the big things such as produce, meats, and other general grocery items, we'll use the Kroger on OST, or the Wal-Mart Grocery Store near Hillcroft and Braeswood. Sometimes when we need some fresh seafood or an "ethnic" product, we'll go to Fiesta on OST and Kirby. Spec's, Randall's, and Rice Epicurian are reserved for special purchases such as cakes (Randall's has pretty good bakeries) and holiday wine.

Yeah, I know a lot of people think Randall's is kinda high-priced, but I tend to like the one in Midtown. In fact, in comparison, I like it better than the one close to me (Champions).

[sevfiv]

Does anyone here shop at McCain's on Heights Blvd?

The Heights may be on my next moving tour of Houston, and I was curious...

[crunchtastic]

Does anyone here shop at McCain's on Heights Blvd?

The Heights may be on my next moving tour of Houston, and I was curious...

Not much to shop for, really. Mainly a coffee bar and a meat counter. Small but quality (pricey) selection of organic meat and some seafood. They have buffalo. And Buddy's chicken. Some good sausages; I forget their source. I could see it being a place to establish a relationship with their meat guy, if you're picky, live close by and don't want to deal with Whole Foods or Central Market.

Other foofie stuff, like pesto-ish stuff in jars with attractive raffia and handmade labels, bleh.

[fromsc2tx]

One thing I've noticed about Houston is the relative dearth of chain supermarkets. Randall's has contracted greatly, and doesn't have nearly the locations they seem to once have. Basically, Krogers, HEB & Wal-mart Supercenter seem to dominate the grocery business here.

I'd love to see this chain expand out this way. It could happen, but I won't hold my breath.

Publix

[satriela]

Publix

I LOVE PUBLIX!!!! It's the grocery store from my hometown. Best Subs and Cookies!

[fromsc2tx]

Yep, their bakery absolutely rocks. It would shake up Houstonians perceptions as to what a grocery store bakery should be.

[satriela]

Yep, their bakery absolutely rocks. It would shake up Houstonians perceptions as to what a grocery store bakery should be.

Absolutely! When I first moved here, I knew nothing about any of the grocery stores. The only one we share in common is Albertsons. Someone told me that Randall's was the "best grocery store" so I went there expecting to see something similar to Publix. What a joke. A Publix sub is made with fresh bread baked at store and meat from the deli and produce from the produce section with LOADS of choices--black olives, banana peppers, ANYTHING you could want. *Ok, I'll stop now 'cause I'm salivating* A Publix entering this market would totally DOMINATE. Great shopping experience and great prices and AWESOME food. Unfortunately I think that is totally unlikely because Publix won't even expand to Pensacola. They are very conservative with expansion.

[fromsc2tx]

Albertsons left Houston (didn't they?) and they were nothing more than a Krogers, just as Randall's is nothing more than a dressed up Safeway (which, in fact, it is).

Publix is beginning to fill out in Alabama, now that Bruno's has merged with Bi-Lo, and is reducing the number of their stores. Honestly, I doubt we'll see them in Texas, but here's another alternative:

Trader Joe's

[Cook911411]

Never a Big fan of Kroger, but I do not have anything else reasonably close to my home. I prefer HEB!

Kroger needs to revise their hiring process... I have a complaint almost every time I go just because of the people working there! ...but that is why they can sell groceries cheaper!

[memebag]

Never a Big fan of Kroger, but I do not have anything else reasonably close to my home. I prefer HEB!

Kroger needs to revise their hiring process... I have a complaint almost every time I go just because of the people working there! ...but that is why they can sell groceries cheaper!

I love the Kroger by me (S. Post Oak), but I never deal with people at grocery stores. They've got self checkout, so it's a perfectly impersonal experience. I love that.

[houstonmacbro]

I don't mind self-checkout when I have a few items (under $20) but let me have a cart-load full of groceries and self-checkout really, REALLY pisses me off.

[Dan the Man]

I went to the Randalls last week. I don't normally shop there, so I was taken aback by the fact that they did not have self check-out. Is this true for all Randall's locations, or just the one I visited?

[sevfiv]

Does anyone remember Food Giant? What about Weingartens?

I don't remember going to Weingarten's, but right now I am looking at a picture of me as a little kid on a picnic with a Weingarten's shopping bag on the table.

I don't remember Food Giant, but I remember Food Lion (not shopping there, but hearing not so great things about it).

[CDeb]

I don't mind self-checkout when I have a few items (under $20) but let me have a cart-load full of groceries and self-checkout really, REALLY pisses me off.

Agreed. Those self-checkout machines get really bitchy when you don't do everything EXACTLY the right way.

[cottonmather0]

HEB and Foodarama @ Ella and 18th are closest to us, but unless we just need 1-2 things we usually shop at the Kroger @ 11th and Shepherd a couple times a week. If there was a nice big HEB near us I would drop Kroger in a heartbeat, but alas, that's not the case. The Randall's on 34th is kind of nearby, but it's out of the way. Not a bad store, though.

Otherwise I love Central Market and make an effort to shop there 2-3 times a month for coffee, baked goods ("old fashoned" bran muffins and raisin bread come to mind), frozen baby food, organic greens and spinach, certain produce (strawberries in the summertime), and other specialty items that aren't as readily available in a normal grocery store.

I also buy a lot of meat at CM, too, but that doesn't make sense because B&W butcher shop on N. Shepherd has everything CM has (and at the same quality) for about 3/4 the price.

Central Market does have the fresh specialty sausages, though, and I have seen nothing like it anywhere else.

I never think to shop at Whole Foods, but I always like it when I go in there.

[houstonmacbro]

I went to the Randalls last week. I don't normally shop there, so I was taken aback by the fact that they did not have self check-out. Is this true for all Randall's locations, or just the one I visited?

In the 2-3 Randall's I have visited I have never seen self-checkout.

I don't remember Food Giant, but I remember Food Lion (not shopping there, but hearing not so great things about it).

Yeah, I lived in DC for awhile and they had Giant Food ... not sure if it was a related company.Food Giant was the equivalent then (70s...?) of say a Food Town...?