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We must live in different places in the Bay Area, or else you're not factoring in quality. I have two stores within biking distance (15-20 min or less) and per
by sidlls 10y ago
We must live in different places in the Bay Area, or else you're not factoring in quality.
I have two stores within biking distance (15-20 min or less) and perhaps four in driving distance (same time in city traffic). I'm not counting convenience stores or other similar dives.
With one exception (meat) on a quality basis Whole Foods averages out to be the same price as any other store I have shopped at. Meat is the exception because it averages to be about $1/lb more than other grocers.
- e40 10y agoNotice I was replying to comments about fruits and vegetables. For meat, Costco is cheaper and higher quality, compared to WF and all of them.
- zaroth 10y agoMy own experience is that WF meat is not better than Safeway and easily 50% more expensive. My local Safeway sold USDA Prime filet for $18.99/lb, the Choice at WF was always at least $26 and sometimes $32/lb. My wife has come home with salmon from WF marked at $32/lb and I nearly had a heart attack. $12/lb for the same at Safeway, sometimes $8.99. It seems to me WF sets prices assuming you just aren't looking and don't know better. It's a hell of a markup for shopping ambiance.
- WillPostForFood 10y agoAre you comparing like for like? I'm a very frugal shopper who will go to both stores in a trip to save $1, and I've observed that the high-end organic products are very similar in price. Organic milk at Safeway is about the same price as organic milk at WF, but there are many cheaper non-organic options at Safeway. Grass fed hamburger or steak is about the same price, but there are also cheaper non-organic, non-grass fed options at Safeway.