Marcheleo's Market — Local services in Toronto

I complained to the manager at the Atrium on Bay location, that the cashier, a young girl at the register, a few days before, stood there, at the time, and did nothing to help me. I had to unload the basket for her, and after she had rung everything up, she watched as I was made to load everything into my bags, and return the basket to the other side of the store. The manager agreed that this was, indeed, wrong, and went to speak to her and another cashier. When I went to the cashier, I was told to go to the other cashier on the other side. As I unloaded the basket, and placed everything on top of the counter, the girl had a downward turned mouth, and stared at me as though she had been offended by my complaint, and eyed me without any emotion, and spoke in monotone. She just repeated: "Do you need a bag?" with same cold, dead, stare, and grim downward mouth, over and over, in response to me as I told her that her attitude was bad, and what was so disconcerting to me was I felt treated like I was her enemy and a stranger. I was born in 1962 in Canada, and this just isn't the way I was taught to behave, or the "Canadian Way"---certainly not a day before Christmas. My wife is dying from cancer, with less than three months to live. I did not expect such a cold reception and such an hostile attitude. The manager came after I had hollered to him, and when he came, he kept repeating that it was all in my head, and that I was imagining things. I suggested that the girl should have been be kinder, and at least, smiled, as I have always been treated everywhere else. This was an anomaly. He told me it is her personality. I said that it was about service. In the end, he told me to leave the store. To add insult to injury. I told him I will never come back and complain online in a review. As I left, I was so hurt and angered I kicked some baskets on my way out, and he threatened to call the police. Then security came and escorted me out of the store, with the manager now shouting at me to get out and never come back. This is Canada, today. This is life in Toronto, now. I have never been so badly treated. It used to be that the customer was always right. But now it is all about the cashier. And yet., I am the one paying for her service, not her paying me. I don't get it? What happened to this once great country? My only answer is immigration and multi-culturalism. People who have brought their bad attitudes and lack of values from where they came from, and the subsequent erosion of what it once meant to be a Canadian. Everyone who I spoke with after this incident all agreed with me, that it was wrong what happened to me, and even apologized for it, and others, too, grieved that this county has changed for the worse. As I was escorted away I yelled to everyone within earshot to not vote Liberal or NDP. I could go on about what happened. But it is Christmas. May peace be to men of good will. I am not a bad man. But I am being treated like an enemy and stranger in my own country. Especially when I was born here, and was here first, long before these new...

This is a solid grocery store. Here's a quick list of the pros and cons. I live directly in the neighborhood and visit this store nearly every day:

Pros: -Hot/Cold deli available daily -Kareem's is located right inside (fresh Indian food as well as fresh Pizzas. Great quality.) -Beer/Cider/Wine available daily -Illy's Espresso Bar located right inside -Good location within walking distance for anyone who lives nearby -Friendly cashiers + employees -Fresh Meat Counter with amazing quality (this is actually where I prefer to buy my meat now)

Cons: -Prices are a bit higher than other chain grocery stores. Therefore, not the best place to do any large, bulk grocery shops. -Kareem's is closed on Sunday's :( -Employees at the espresso bar clearly haven't been properly trained by anyone. They don't listen when you ask them to make something a certain way, and they have no idea what an iced coffee is. I didn't even know there were so many ways you could mess up an iced coffee...but, they are nice and the coffee tastes better than tim's (if they do it right, that is..) -Hot food section is a set price per 100g for everything that is there. Which often feels over-priced (eg. Buying a bunch of sub par steamed vegetables for the same price as some amazing, cooked fish curry). Obviously I will never choose the steamed veggies over the fish. It's the bang for your buck. I can make steamed veggies at home for nothing.

Overall, this is the exact type of store that the immediate area needed. I have very few complaints about it.

P.S....to the guy complaining about being overcharged with the hot deli food... The cashier is right, that it is all one price. The manager was also probably right when he said that he has no idea about the Scanning Code of Practice, which is what your wife was referring to when she suggested you guys should get it for free. The SCOP is a program that grocery stores voluntarily sign up for. Usually only the big chain grocery stores choose to participate in it. It is not an automatic law or program that applies to every store you walk into. It's a shame that your wife knows about SCOP without also knowing this detail. I'm assuming the managers gave it to you for free (as well as your fruit plate, which they also didn't have to do considering there was no price discrepancy) so that you would shut up, leave and not leave a bad review (which happens ALOT in retail). Ya'll walk outta the store thinking you're all high and mighty and that you set someone in their place, when in reality they just gave you what you wanted so that you wouldn't cause a fuss and would hopefully return and spend more money. Get your facts right before you become 'that...

The jury is out on service!

I've purchased lunch from this new market 5 times so far in the last weeks. On two of those occasions the same cashier charged me incorrectly for my lunch. The first time I believe she made an honest mistake and tried to correct the pricing issue even though she short changed me on the refund. Went back today and she again charged me for the Warm Lunch Combo ($1.79 per 100 grams) from the lunch counter vs a $1.49 for the vegetarian option. However this time when I flagged the error she insisted the price had been changed to $179 across the board regardless of the make-up of the meal. And maybe they did change it but the signage still denoted $1.49 per 100 grams for the Veggie option.

Unfortunately for the cashier and the manager, this time my wife was with me and she happens to know that if a supermarket charges you the wrong amount, if the price is under $10 that item is now free. And while we originally just wanted to pay the correct price, because of the attitude we received we looked up the law online and presented it to the manager (male - not sure of his name). Anyway, the manager didn't have a clue about the law and he didn't care. He said to either pay the corrected price or leave it. THANKFULLY, the assistance manager showed up, who knew the law, and she offered us the lunch for free – along with the fruit plate that my wife was going to buy. Which helped the star rating.

To be fair, I do enjoy the food at the lunch counter. It's nice to have another option for lunch. JUST BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR RECIPT.

ANOTHER NOTE: My experience with the woman behind the counter at the lunch area was fantastic. Very helpful. Excellent attitude. And she understands customer service. If it wasn't for her and the assistant manager the ranking would have...