Kroger — Local services in Denton

If you're a gambler looking for that special thrill that comes from playing a game of craps with the freshness of your meat, let this University Kroger be the casino of your choice!

Four times so far this year, I've purchased meat with expiration dates clearly marked so far ahead that DR. Emmett Brown could have used them in his quantum calculations, only to open them and reel back in complete disgust.

The last one, a pork roast that cost about $16.00, was so foul I actually took it outside and read it its last rites.

Now I can understand one bacteria-ridden rebel slipping through the cracks occasionally...

But FOUR TIMES in a six month period?

That strikes me as something endemic to this particular Kroger, as I've never encountered this problem at any other store.

Before typing this, I sat here at my desk for about twenty minutes wondering what kind of circumstances made it possible for so many occurrences of spoiled meat to make it to my kitchen counter.

Were these circumstances the result of an embedded form of managerial incompetence to stop "shrink," whereby a customer suffering a deli-counter version of "buyer's remorse" carelessly plunks a package of raw meat on a warm shelf of baked beans and some hapless shelf stocker is then instructed to just shove it back in the cooler because the bacteria hasn't yet reached a sufficiently lethal dose for the store to incur legal liabilities?

Is it because some delivery/truck driver was languishing in the hot sun at the service door with a cart piled chest high with assorted butchery gathering flies and moss because some clerk couldn't deign to grant him access to the back until the next black plague had sufficiently mutated among the death lurking in the shrink-wrap?

I was so livid that I actually called the store and an apologetic night manager said that he would look into it, but I simply just don't believe him.

This sort of thing has become "common" enough to raise all sorts of red flags which now draw my concern.

For example: I'm reminded of an incident a couple of months ago, where I grabbed a shopping cart from within the doorway area where they stack them together and it had so many bird droppings on it that it reminded me of the White Cliffs of Dover.

There is really something wrong with this particular Kroger, and perhaps by virtue of the repeatability of these things which keep happening to me an indication of a deeper malaise drifting down from the main office in Ohio or wherever the Eye of Sargon now hangs his coat.

A customer should never have to puncture plastic wrap and sniff the meat if there is an expiration date upon it indicating enough time to drive to Disney World and the whole of the east coast afterwards.

Let the buyer beware here.

And please... it isn't a matter of the store being unwilling to exchange it for another, hopefully fresher package.

They are.

But I simply value my time and don't want to lug about a spoiled roast in my car, then wait in line at the service counter and drive back afterwards.

There are two other stores closer to me (An Albertson's and a WinCo), and I...

It's infested with flies(improved), stinks, is always out of pretty basic stuff(not improved ) and some of the managers are terrible to the workers (appeared to have improved in a way, but has now gotten even worse).

Update 1/20/17 ....

Bank people: the bank people just walk around all day annoying people....

7/18/2017

So there are a few things switched around now, and a couple of things painted over, but the old problems still persist, and now, in fact, things are apparently far worse....

Of course, management is usually the reason things go down, if they do. We know several people who were recently fired -many for reasons that should have only been mere warnings...and many more who quit.This has added up to more tense atmosphere, and unhappy employees doing worse jobs...

For example, it's very strange to hear the current "main manager," (I've heard that his name is Shaw?)talking about how he does not like America or Americans. It's hard to trust someone once they say things like this. Please, if he has a real, serious problem with anyone, or with where he is, replace him.

Making fun of a disabled customer does not help this any, adding to the list of complaints against Mr. Hatami. Unacceptable for any employee, but off-the-chart for a manager. I feel uneasy around anyone who shakes your hand with a forced smile, then walks away with a strange look in their eyes...

Old news...

Then there is another (small, blonde) female manager they call "Christy," who is apparently known in employee circles as insecure and ungracefully aging, and...insulting (to workers and customers). What they say about her seems a bit harsh, but given our experiences, she would definitely seem out of place in more sophisticated surroundings....

Parking lot (right in front of the store) is bad..good thing I don't mind walking a little bit, and presto, that problem is solved! But inside, you have those motorized carts...... in a store that's greatly undersized for the traffic.. Too many people play in those things --people who do not really need them.

Yes, myself and several of my friends do not shop here any longer, too much dignity isn't hurting us.

Upgrade your self-respect and treat yourself.

FYI: There happens to be a store having a real grand-opening very soon, just a little further down University, closer than Walmart, and so far, with none of the headaches...

Edited from 1 star to 3 but I would give 5 stars to Rose the cashier and August (or is it Augustus?) She was fast and friendly. August was everywhere doing everything and just the nicest guy. He was grabbing carts, putting things away, bagging groceries, answering questions from other customers and always polite and helpful. Rose & August should give customer service training to the other employees.

One star because of rude people checking & bagging my items and the horrible parking. I have been going there for years and in the past the employees were professional and friendly. At the very least they should learn to say “hello” and “thank you”. The people who stock are always helpful and friendly. Last time I was checking out, I thought that I might be invisible. The employee checking my things did not acknowledge me, just started checking my things. Another employee walked up and started bagging my items. She asked if a large item had been checked already. I thought she was actually speaking to me. I answered, “yes”. She looked right past me and asked the person checking if the item had already been checked. Then they began complaining about work and some person and on and on. Never acknowledged that I was there. Not once. It was the worst service I have ever had there. You could say that they need to train people better but how do you train people to be polite? They normally have the things I need and good prices. They have a lot of organic products. Starbucks is good. I used to go to the pharmacy there until my insurance changed. It is very busy. They do a good job especially for being as busy as they are. I would say I won’t go back but it’s convenient for me and I’m not a chatty person so I don’t mind pretending I’m invisible when I go there. Edit: Went in a few days ago and the had only ONE human at a register and 6 kiosks for self-checkout at each end. Every line was backed-up. I would rather have rude or disinterested checkers than none at all. I will avoid this place...