Why…… so coronavirus hits and we all need to adapt. VONS spends probably a considerable amount of money with a queuing system, which ends up solving the traditional issue with cashier lines blocking the isle. It works and it’s efficient which seems to lower the need to have 15 open registers. Today we go it, there are 5 registers open (including the 15 item express) the queuing system is gone and patrons are forced to spew across the main isle and down the numerous stock shelves.
Every single person was annoyed, employees we asked and had no good answer and managers were no where to be found. So you throw out money to go back to a broken system no one liked to begin with…… do better.
Update:
Removing another star, the carts here are in bad shape, it’s about a 60% chance at this point you will have a cart that bangs and shakes the entire time, and that’s even if there are any carts available in the corrals in front of the store. I am typically relegated to search the stalls in the parking lot….. Lee trying this store is going down hill month after month…
More updates: today no carts available at the store, had to walk back to parking lot and find one. Then had to pick from 3 carts which all had bad wheels, settled on one. Walked into store and found a cart abandoned …. Last weekend as we were walking out, the moment we walked through the threshold of the store the front wheel locked up. A nice young man huffed and explained “this happens all the time” it also explains the flat spots as people continue to push all the way out to their cars or beyond the extent of the “virtual fence”.
Update again:
We went in on 6/25/22, there cart corals next to the store doors were both empty (both sides) so I walk back top the parking lot, first coral empty, second coral empty ... me and another patron stop and go "what in the hell". I finally walk to the fourth coral to find 3 carts ... where are all your carts, its been 95-100 degrees and we have to meander through the entire parking lot playing Marco Polo... Seriously I don't understand why carts are so hard for only this store....
Counterpoint to my complaints:
I also want to express the fact the employees here are always nice, they are happy and helpful, so there is nothing wrong with the staff (can't really speak to management but I assume they are clearly not being offered tools to succeed but are as pleasant as the rest).
Update: 10-21-22
Added picture - NEW Carts and they ditched the stupid security locks. I don’t know who is to thank but I’m retuning 2 stars in the meantime!
Update: 1-12-24
Star removed - carts have returned to states which make you feel the experience getting one is Russian Roulette… you never know if you’ll be the sad soul “clunking” your way through the store….
In fact it’s the stupid anti-theft system, which clearly is a second gamble to just leave the store. I’ve seen on many occasions patriots dragging the cart through the parking lot because it thinks it’s been stolen.
Worst Von's I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot of them). Service is consistently terrible and its mainly because this is the only 'normal' non-discount grocery store in the area.
Hot food and appetizers section always friendly with the very decent ticket numbers service (to avoid forming unnecessary line )which I haven’t seen in other stores even VONS stores. Here is the list of verity salads that I have never seen before:
1. Smoked mozzarella penne salad
2. Signature cafe side mashed potato cold
3. Antipasto salad
4. Lemon capellini w arugula salad
5. Autum roasted potato salad
6. Roasted red pepper pesto tortellini FS
7. Eggs and potato salad
8. Signature cafe chicken salad
9. Caramel apple crunch salad
10. Waldorf salad
11. Rainbow cauliflower and yam salad FS
12. Chicken Caesar salad
13. Tuna salad
14. Cranberry apple slaw
15. Ready meal curry chicken salad
16. Shaved brussel with cranberries feta
17. Seafood salad
18. Eggs salad
19. Tricolor Italian pasta salad
20. Ambrosia salad
This store is always clean and has a great selection however the staff REALLY make this store. I had to call after loosing my work receipt Marisa (in book keeping) she was able to locate my receipt and was very kind. Great experience. And HUGE thanks to Marissa.
Sue at the check out line (she was in lane 7 at 10:30am today)
NEEDS TO GET FIRED.
She’s incredibly rude, hastily moved my groceries off the lane to bag when I was bagging myself, for the lady after me.
I complained plenty of times and this lady seriously needs to find a job other than customer service.
Long lines, rude people, great meat though. But service is rude, it’s like you are asking them a favor. Maybe they need a little TLC from their bosses.
On The 27th of January 2023 at approximately 6:30 p.m. at the delicatessen inside Vons Santee, I was reminded again why Santee's nickname is "Klantee".
I was being served by an employee preparing my food. Approximately two minutes into my encounter, a male employee who was working at the deli meandered over with no customer to assist. Unexpectedly, he makes a High-Pitched noise with his voice, mimicking Bruce Lee. Instantly, his behavior drew my attention which caused my head to focus on his person who stood ten feet away from where I stood. He was staring directly at me. Not a stranger to the receiving side of Racism, I turned my head away from him, paid for my food and consumed my deli purchase from inside my vehicle immediately.
Not one to let another Racial insult in Santee escape the awareness of others, I walked back into Vons and spoke to Mathew (Store Manager) who was on duty. I told him about the incident and he said he would act using the store protocol for such an occurrence.
What really astonished me initially was the fact this employee who made the vocal gesture at me was not young. No, he appeared to be at least 38-40 years of age. You would think that a person's behavior would change once they reach a certain age, but I guess Racism knows no age boundary.
Other than this occurrence, my experience there has usually been good. When is the Racism against anyone who isn't White in Santee going to stop ?
Clean store with friendly associates. We stopped here for snacks before a road trip. Great selection of pre cut fruit to take on the road. Bonus is a clean bathroom!
