FOOD4LESS

[Crunchie]

I went to a Food4Less yesterday, since it was the only place that I could find unsweetened KoolAid. Really, I don't know what all the negative comments are about. The place was fine. They had a pretty good selection of most anything you could want and their pricing sure beat the crap out of Jewel or Dominicks. I'd say Aldi still has them beat on price, but F4L has a much larger selection. Their produce selection was pretty good too. Now, all of you who have never been there can tell us why it is so horrible.

[Diona]

I never got it either Crunchie.  We've gone to a Food4Less as well & like you said, had a nice selection, good prices etc..

The 1 we went to wasn't in the best of neighborhoods, but we were going for good prices, not anything else.  These days with EVERYONE price gouging finding a store with a good selection, PLUS good prices is a plus in my book!!

Past threads I've read here seem to be down on the "element" that goes to this store.  The "element" is here in Berwyn already, so what's the difference.  PLUS Berwyn needs a good BIG food store to give Jewel & Tony's a run for their money.  Not to mention helping to keep our money IN Berwyn!

[Bonster]

one word: deli.

OK, two words: barf.



Ultra has them beat on price (and quality (and cleanliness)), too.

[Bonster]

Past threads I've read here seem to be down on the "element" that goes to this store.  The "element" is here in Berwyn already, so what's the difference. 

That's right, I'm not moving.

[Crunchie]

I will concede that their deli is a weak point, but beyond that, they are fine. The place is clean and there are no more lowlifes hanging around than anywhere else. They do offer better deals on a lot of shit that you can't get anyplace else.

[Diona]

When we went to the Food4Less, we didn't get the deli so I wouldn't know about that 1.

I've been to Ultra as well & like them.

[seebee]

I'm not a bif fan of FFL, but I don't have anything really bad to say, either. I read their ad every week, and generally only go for two things when they are on sale:

1. Ocean Spray Cran Juice Cocktail 1.00 ( they had these again two weeks ago, scored 16 btls)
2. Their house brand frozen hash browns - 2 lb bags for 1.00.

Other than when they do their 1.00 promotions, I can do better at Tony's for my needs.

[dukesdad]

We lived in the South for about 8 years, got used to shopping at Kroger. My wife likes some of the Kroger house brands that FFL carries.

[pkd50]

I had lunch at a friend's house in Berwyn today, so I stopped by Tony's to get some Italian butter cookies.   I haven't been in there for a couple or three years.  I forgot how very nice it is.  You can get booze and bakery and everything in between.  It's clean and bright.  Whatever goes in CP will have to be pretty good to top Tony's.  Their cookies are $4.99 lb.  I pay $6.99 for the same thing at Amici.  I should say I used to pay that at Amici..not anymore.  However, Amici does make a fresh sub for 4 bucks.  Does Tony's have sandwiches in their deli?

[berwynguy]

I had lunch at a friend's house in Berwyn today, so I stopped by Tony's to get some Italian butter cookies.  I haven't been in there for a couple or three years.  I forgot how very nice it is.  You can get booze and bakery and everything in between.  It's clean and bright.  Whatever goes in CP will have to be pretty good to top Tony's.  Their cookies are $4.99 lb.  I pay $6.99 for the same thing at Amici.  I should say I used to pay that at Amici..not anymore.  However, Amici does make a fresh sub for 4 bucks.  Does Tony's have sandwiches in their deli?

Pkd, the correct Chicago way to say that is "a couple two, tree."   

And no Tony's doesn't have sandwiches in their deli. (at least that I have noticed)

[I Gare-rawntee]

the problem is the low prices. lower prices equal lower sales tax revenue.

[Diona]

I believe Tony's makes HUGE subs, but I don't remember seeing sandwiches or ads for fresh sandwiches.

I do like Tony's, but I've been seeing an upward trend of them slowly hiking UP their prices on everything.  I don't know if it's because now they are established so they can really give us their "rock bottom" prices. 

OR

Just like everything else, the prices are going up while WE (the consumers) aren't getting pay raises or losing our jobs.

[bigolo]

Diona, I'm happy I wasn't the only one to notice the price hikes at Tony's. It seems initially they lured you in by their astonishing low prices and cleanliness. Then after they established themselves in the neighborhood, they raise their prices and layoff the mop boy!

I think what Berwyn needs is a Moo and Oink! That will bring in the tax revenue! Oh, wait, can a city collect taxes off of link? Well there goes that idea....

[berwynguy]

The thing that bothers me the most about Tony's is the ridiculously long deli line.  I went there a couple of weeks ago, in the middle of a weekday afternoon mind you, and when I grabbed the ticket I was 32 numbers behind.  I went and shopped abound the store for at least 20 minutes and when I came back they had only gone through 11 numbers.  I just tossed the ticket and forgot about the deli.  Like most other businesses these days they couldn't give a shit about customer service.  The way they look at it is fuck you.  Wait like everybody else and if you don't like it, beat it.  There ain't no where else to go for this shit so just wait while we understaff and over work our employees so the bottom line looks better for Mr. Tony, whoever he is. 

[berwynguy]

Oh by the way, the other thing that REALLY pisses me off about Tony's is that whenever I ask any of their employees where something is they have no effin clue.  "Hey do you know where the colon cleanse is?"  "Uh, yeah dog, I don't know where it is yo."  That's the usual response. 

[pkd50]

Thanks for the heads up.  I guess I won't be driving back to Tony's anytime soon.

[pkd50]

Any new news about what's going into CP yet?

[Diona]

bigolo my husband & I have been noticing it for awhile now, but we are kind of "stuck" because there is nothing in Berwyn & not having a car it's hard to get more deals on shopping.  It's Tony's or Jewel & let's face it between those 2, Tony's still has better prices (even with their prices hikes).

berwynguy, I agree 200% about the deli.  We have only gone on Saturday mornings, but even by 8:30am it's packed.  It looks like they have/had alot of people behind the deli, but the customers wanting deli stuff seem to want alot.  Which isn't a bad thing, but it makes it hard for other customers to have to wait for awhile.  We haven't bought anything in the deli in a while now because of the long waits.

The big thing that we don't like about the customer help is when we are checking out we have a big order (we go shopping for 2 weeks plus).  The cashier has to be both cashier & bagger while other people with much smaller orders have a bagger.  My husband has actually walked around & found a manager or 2 & told them to help the cashiers out before.


LOL...this thread now got to be about Tony's, sorry Crunchie!

[berwynguy]

Diona, this is the world we now live in.  Customer service is a thing of the past.  The thing that bothers me about this whole economy colapse is that there are some businesses that have not really been affected by the economy but use it as an excuse to cut, cut, and cut their help staff to almost below minimun operating standards.  Do you think Tony's is hurting when they have a deli line that is 20-30 people deep almost all of the time?  They should have another three people behind the counter AT LEAST. Because there are only a few options for grocery shopping in the Berwyn area we usually visit the ghetto Jewel as we call it at North Riverside.  Ya think they could hire some guy for $8.25 per hour just to run a wet mop and broom over that joint?  The place is so filthy it is sick.  But you know what?  They don't care.  Another place that is running on fumes in the proper staffing area.  I bet they just think, let this place look like shit.  The people shopping here aren't much better, they will just keep coming.  

I seriously hope there is a Meijer coming to CP.  At least there will be one more option.  

[Crunchie]

I've also noticed the upward creep in the prices at Tony's. Their liquor seems quite high to me. And the canned goods don't seem like they are much cheaper than Jewel.