Giant Food — Local services in Baltimore

This is a mixed review, half good and half bad.

I have lived in the neighborhood of this Giants supermarket for over 12 years. My normal routine is to shop save-a-lot, safeway and then Giants.

Recently the supermarket in Waverly has undergone a major renovation. I really like the way the store is set up now and especially love the Spanish section it's very abundant and has all the products I love in use. In general the staff is friendly and helpful however that it's not always the case.

I noticed recently within the last month when I shop at the Giants it seems like the staff is covering over me when I come up to the checkout counter whether it's self checkout or through a cashier.

I am a disabled person with two illnesses which are terminal. I have severe osteoarthritis in right hip and pelvic. Am also living daily with severe lung disease including COPD chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Most importantly in regards to this review is that have stage C congestive heart failure and take a medication which makes me use bathroom frequently. The medication is emptying my heart of fluid. Even though I always use the restroom before leaving the house often find when I arrive at Giants I have to urgently go to the bathroom.

Normally I will retrieve a cart and go directly to the bathroom. I never come into the stores with any bags only a small purse. After exiting the bathroom I do my shopping but again it just feels like the staff has been watching me making me feel like if I am being suspected of shoplifting!

One thing for certain and two things for sure I do not steal. I have never committed any type of illegal act in any of the grocery stores that I shop in in my area or any of the stores for that matter. I'm unsure what I've done besides going to the bathroom frequently upon entering the store that has caused the staff to Hoover over me like a hawk every time I come up to a checkout line.

I decided around 2 weeks ago that I was going to bring up my concern with the security and manager of the store. When I arrived the security guard happened to be right there so I approached him and explained to him the situation above. I feel like I regret that now because I don't think he really understood when I told him that I have Stage C heart failure and this is the reason why I'm constantly using the bathroom when entering the store.

He was helpful in the fact by stating that I should bring up the concern with the person or people that are making me feel that way. And he was also helpful in the fact by stating that if I'm not doing anything wrong I don't have anything to worry about with which I totally agree.

However because of his overall reaction I decided I was just going to let it go. I didn't want to bring it up with anybody else in the store. I just want to be able to come to Giants which happens to be my favorite grocery store in the area and be able to use the restroom and Shop like a person normally without feeling like I'm under some cloud of Suspicion.

For now I will continue shopping at Giants because I do love the selection the prices and everything that comes along with the new renovation. However hopefully I won't reach my breaking point one day and have to take this to the upper management because when I go shopping I don't want to be treated like a thief. I wish they would pull up their security cameras for every time I visited the store to verify I have never stolen anything switch prices or done anything illegal or against the store.

The situation is so obvious and bad I'm actually already pre-traumatized in regards to the winter time when I have to go in there wearing a coat. It's really sad to have to feel like this but again I'm going to practice a Buddha teaching and just let it go. They're wasting their time watching me like a hawk while the real thieves and shoplifters are walking out the door with their store...

I’ve lived in this neighborhood for six years. This store has never been great — it’s had issues with cleanliness and product availability, and if you don’t go early in the morning you’ll get to enjoy the traffic jam at the single entrance/exit, since they block off the other one (despite that being a safety hazard). Despite this, I don’t have a car and this is the closest store to me so I shopped here regularly, generally spending at least $400/month for my family. But I won’t be shopping here anymore, and the bag policy is why.

I came here a few months ago and was physically stopped from going further than five feet in the store by an armed security guard who yelled at me about trying to bring my grocery cart in. It had a canvas liner that can zip shut. He told me very patronizingly that theft there is so bad, they aren’t allowing bags (tote bags, backpacks, etc.) or anything that could conceal items. He specifically said the fact that my cart zipped shut was the issue. I asked if they would allow a cart that did not zip shut, and he said yes. Okay, fine.

So the last few months I’ve been walking farther to other stores and taking the bus if I need more than a couple of items. (And whenever I stopped by this store lately, I folded up my reusable bag and stashed it in my jacket pocket — otherwise they make you surrender it.)

I finally bought a collapsible wagon. It does not zip closed, it’s completely wide open. I tried to go shopping this week and a different armed guard stopped me to tell me I had to leave my cart over by customer service, where (like other reviewers) I did not see anyone. When I said that the other guard said carts are fine as long as they don’t zip shut, he asked me who (like I would have asked that guy’s name so many weeks ago and remembered it??) and didn’t believe me when I gave him a description. So I left.

It is disrespectful to treat your customers like criminals. But also you allege that theft is so bad you can’t let a guest bring, say, their handbag into the store, so you encourage them to leave it in full view of the very people you tell us are stealing? Makes no sense. “Leave it in your car” well I walked here, as do many people since this is a densely populated residential area.

In all the years I’ve been shopping at this store I have never seen a security guard do anything but harass customers who are entering the store (and try to chat up the cashiers). No one has ever checked my receipt on exit. Theft happens often at self-checkout, but when I’m checking out and the machine has an issue, I wait there for 2-3 minutes for someone to notice the giant flashing light and come over. It seems like if theft is such an issue, then adequate staffing and more attentive employees would be the answer to revenue loss.

Are you actually making more money now that you’ve banned tote bags and teenagers from the store? Is business doing better? I’d genuinely like to know if these policies are actually paying off for you.

Just a thought: my brother works in retail (at one of the many places that has been locking everything up lately) and he says companies know that the vast majority of retail theft is occurring before products are ever on the shelf (i.e. before delivery or during stocking) but they don’t want to admit that’s why...

Always have a GREAT selection of food!! Some things can be a little pricey (what grocery store out there DOESN'T have pricey items?!?), but they make up for it by having lots of "get 2 for $5" or "Buy 1, get 1 Free" sales ALL OVER the store! And also to counteract the pricier items, they have many options for all items, including a much lower priced (but same ingredients) Giant Brand, along with other brands that are a bit less than the name brand name items. I will always choose Giant or Walmart for all my grocery shopping needs, because they both have great prices and a great selection. I also love the self checkouts. It seems like it just moves much faster & there are at least 2-6 employees there watching everyone & to see if they need help (& the help VERY quickly) or if the checkout computer froze. Just a warning: In case ppl are thinking "I can slip stuff by & not pay for items self checkouts!!", personally I wouldnt try. The workers ARE there to help BUT they are also there to watch & observe the shoppers, and they reserve the right to look through your bag & compare it to ur receipt!! So if u actually plan to pay FOR all your groceries & items, this is by far the best way to go!!

The self-check-out computers accept everything a regular checkout boy/girl do: Credit/Debit cards, EBT/SNAP cards, your Giant Loyalty Cards (to give you special sales, free items, etc), and obviously accepts cash!

I prefer Giant over every grocery store... however there is a specific brand of cream that carries my ALL TIME FAVORITE flavor (other ice cream brands make this specific flavor, but no brand makes it even ¼ as good as my favorite)... so I may go to that OTHER grocery store JUST to get my specific, favorite ice cream. But I easily do 95% of my shopping at the Giant in Baltimore on 33rd St & Frisby St. On top of the great selection, good prices, generic items that have same ingredients as the brand-name items so they r cheaper for the exact same item that only misses a brand name, customer service, self checkout (monitored in case u need help... or in case u try something illegal & cause problems 😬). I will always go to Giant (or Walmart) but I have a Giant closer to me so it's my #1 spot!!! (If u read this to the end: THANK YOU!!!!! I wish I could give u some types from a weekly shopper of the Giant Grocery Store on 33rd street (if heading from Loch Raven Blvd, Giant is before Old York Rd -- u hit Old York Rd, turn around and the shopping center is like the 2nd turn on the right) -- if u are on 33rd St, crossing over University and then the crossing over Greenmount, Giant will be after the gas station (maybe the 2nd right after gas station), turning right into a Shopping Center.

Hope my advice helps!!!! 😁 Fresh Fruits: 🍊🍌🍒🍓🍅🍇🍑🍉🍐 Fresh Veggies: 🌽🥔🥕🥦🌽🥒🍄🍠 Fresh Meat & Chicken: 🥩🥓🍗🍖🌭 Fresh Salad Bar & Wraps: 🥗 🍲🥘🌯🥙🌮 Hot Food Bar: 🥣🍔🍱🥘🍲🍔🍚 Desert Bar:...