H-E-B — Local services in Austin

I feel like I'm being generous with the 3/5 stars. The only reason it's so high is because at least they are usually well stocked with the items I need. I rarely have an issue with this. However, I do have so many other issues with this store.

I can count on one hand the employees that have actually been nice, personable, or at least have acknowledged my presence at the cash register and I've been to this store many, many times. I work in retail so I understand we all have our days where we aren't feeling up to dealing with work. But I have checked out so many times where I'm the first one to greet the cashier (and they barely have a word to say after that) or have just been fully ignored the entire transaction. The other annoying thing is when they'll completely ignore me and chat with the bagger. I wouldn't care about them chatting with their coworkers if they at least acknowledged my presence. It's rude and unprofessional and I don't see how management doesn't do something about this. At my job, we are nice to every single customer and interact professionally and if we didn't, we would hear about it.

So not only do they completely ignore you or are rude, but they also have, on several occasions, literally thrown my items, smashed my items, or packed them really, really badly. I'm talking about putting two half gallons of milk in a bag with bread in between or putting two bunches of bananas on top of a bag of chips. Like really?? I usually try to bag my own groceries for this reason but they sometimes grab the bags out of my hands before I can.

Lastly, I'm tired of specifically purchasing products because of a decent coupon, and having the cashier totally disregard the coupon. I usually have a lot of items and am trying to hurry and bag them and pay because there are always a lot of people waiting behind me and so I don't ask if they got the coupon. Then I get home and realize they didn't use it. This has happened so many times and it seems futile to go back for like $2 but I've probably been screwed out of close to $30 by now because I go there a lot and it happens a lot. It just happened again this past weekend and it wasn't even busy (for once.)

I am not one to complain about a lot of things and I usually only do positive reviews because I know what it's like in the customer service industry but my employers would be appalled at the customer service that happens at this store. I've been to several other HEBs and the employees were much friendlier, respectful, and helpful. This is really something that should be addressed. I realize this is an area where there are a lot of snooty customers but I don't live in circle c, I only work there and I'm only ever super friendly to the employees and 98% of them just look at you like you have two heads. If this wasn't a super convenient HEB I definitely would not be shopping at this one voluntarily.

I will say the employees in the deli and the pharmacy are always super nice and professional. But maybe 4 cashiers at the front total in the hundreds of times...

I have always loved this HEB, particularly this pharmacy as they have always been kind throughout my cancer treatment. Today though I was severely disappointed and greatly upset! The pharmacy closes at 6pm Not 5:58 but 6pm I am aware that people want to go home as soon as their shift has ended, I get that really I do. BUT it was not 6pm when I pulled into the drive thru and the woman I spoke to was beyond rude, beyond. She said “We a closed” (not sorry we are closed), I said “it’s not 6pm yet” she said “I already counted my till, I can’t help you.” So that means she had already counted her till and closed before it had even turned 6pm. I was upset and came inside to plea for her to help me get my medication as it did not even need a till to be given. This is at 6:02 now (since I had to park before coming in.) She was then even more rude, absolutely unacceptably RUDE! Now I’m in tears because of the way she treated and spoke to me, as well as not being able to get the very much needed medication…. I went to find a manager so that someone would know how horribly I was treated by this young woman. She walked by as I was talking to manager and even said another smart remark and horrible look as she passed by. Totally unacceptable. No one like her should be anywhere near a pharmacy or in customer service of any kind!!! People that are sick do not need employees being mean and rude to them as well. If the pharmacy closed at 6pm. Then the window should be open until 6pm - Not 5:58. The tills should not have been counted until 6pm. This is one of the only reviews I’ve ever left in my life and I hope it to be my last, but your employee was awful and I will not return to this pharmacy ever again. Sometimes medicine is life or death and she laughed in my face and rolled her eyes and called me names under her breath. Disgusting...

October 2023:

I have been shopping at this H-E-B location ever since it opened but over time it has slightly degraded from a luxury grocery store to box box style. There used to be cooking stations all over showing you how to make different types of meals, and now down to one with a few try-this stations. Luckily the wine tasting has remained. They're also used to have a small bookstore with writers showing up for book signings. Recently this store underwent another renovation where shelves moved closer together and higher. H-E-B constantly ties to push their own brands on you and even removes popular ones where have to go elsewhere to find them. Their seafood department is the best I have seen and only H Mart would surpass them with live creatures.

The checkout process is not a pleasant experience with stressed out and sulky employees. You have to bring your own bags else they will charge you up to $.25 per bag. They suppose to place your refrigerated items in plastic bags like meat but they don't. There are a wide range of checkouts to choose from like two different types of self checkouts to regular ones depending how many items you have. Sometimes the lines get long and baskets start to bump together. They also have curbside where have to navigate the store employees pushing racks around (remember the isles got skinnier?). I never used H-E-B Curbside but mostly H-E-B Delivery where I would rank with Amazon Fresh and Costco Delivery. H-E-B Delivery gives you paper bags and place cold items in plastic ones.

Overall you still can find what you need and being a small footprint don't get tired a your cart around versus the much larger H-E-B stores. And I do like the way they decorate for...