Food King — Attraction in Santa Fe

30Jan2021: Made a quick-trip into this 'Food King' store on St. Michael's Dr. in Santa Fe (NM).

I enjoy frequenting this 'community' grocery store because of the varieties of southwestern-based food items sold there. You'd be hard-pressed to find many of these grocery items at the so-called 'big box' stores.

A store Security person is always present at the store's entrance and greets customers warmly! Automatic doors provide easy access for elderly and handicapped shoppers. Parking is plentiful for its customers. Shopping aisles are not very wide, but that (to me) adds to the appeal & charm of this business. Shopping CARTS need upgrading or at least greased & oiled.

Floor Staff and Register Staff are super helpful and attentive. It's very obvious that Staffers AND Management take great pride in doing what they do!

I stood at a Self Service Checkout behind an elderly woman that was being assisted by a Food King staffer. He was actually scanning HER groceries FOR HER at the Self Service register! I thought THAT was SO kind and thoughtful and respectful!

I'm an able-bodied male, 200 lbs and 6'1". I just KNEW once he finished helping HER, he would look at ME next and figure, "He can scan his OWN groceries", but he didn't! He quickly scanned my 4 items and, also, THANKED ME for shopping at Food King and wished me a 'good day'!

Much thanks & RESPECT to him, Mr 'Cesar', at Food King Store #89! He's a Super CARING Food King Team Member👊😎

Food King is a Co-Operative business. They add an additional 10% surcharge to your grocery 'pre-tax' total but you'll STILL save money because their prices are already LOW!🙂

Love that Ol' Skool Vibe at Food King! Not a lot of fancy bells & whistles. Just down-to-earth, common sense grocery shopping!

Local Santa Fe (NM) residents, also, depend on this Food King store for their daily grocery...

I shop here specifically for fruits, vegetables, large bags of chips, and rarely meets. I loved to selection of the various peppers and chili that is available. I would have given 5 stars, but of late I am running into old and rotting Veggies and peppers. Rotting jalapeños that have almost liquified and the mushy rotting parts spread to the others jalapeños. Shriveled and softened bell peppers. You can out right see the wrinkle (like they were left out in the sun) and soft. A few times now I have found rotting bell peppers rotting and growing fuzz. Habaneros is hit or miss, but I have found many very soft, and a lot with black rotting areas. Serrano peppers that have way over ripened, soft and wrinkled, and some just rotting openly onto the rest. Red jalapeños that are just rotting and not being maintained. Green chili is always in ample supply, but can readily be identified as being left in hot areas too long, soft, and wrinkled. Tomatillo tomato that are just old and bad. Onions that are soft, heavily bruised, and stored in a warm area. Cucumbers bruised and rotting. Celery that is all rubbery and old. Consistently being out of family sized bags of yellow and white tortilla chips.

These and other issues need addressed...

It's a fully-stocked local grocery store CHOCK-FULL of Latino products you may see time to time at your regular grocer-- but THIS ONE has them ALL! 🤩

Need New Mexican, Central American or South American products?? They have them! On a budget?? NO PROBLEM. They have amazing produce & packaged food sales you can't miss as soon as you walk in-- like STACKS of food staples at the front of the store, just overflowing before their aisles.

Need a quick check out?? They have SELF CHECKOUT SCANNERS too if you're just coming in for a couple items & don't wanna stand in line.

I give these guys 4.5 STARS. Reasons: The staff is a bit quieter, not as outgoing / or affluent in English (be patient though!). Not to be confused for unfriendly- just a bit shy, I think. Staff is not as visible: since they don't seem to have a uniform, per se. (Some at self checkout do.) PARKING lot NEEDS better SECURITY LIGHTING! Plenty of spaces- but everyone parks in the light of the store windows at night to put their groceries away. That needs to be addressed by Store Management, pronto. Other solution: Store could consider closing earlier during the week to help families feel safer in that area...