Grocery Outlet — Local services in Escondido

Need to give an update as the owners have changed recently! Unfortunately this remains a 1 star review. This place is now run by teenagers! And they look 15 at that. Owners are nowhere to be found unlike the last owners who were present most of the time. The entire staff changed and some things have gotten noticeably worse. Still no hard liquor at this location which every other Grocery Outlet has. Some shelves were empty and bare and the selection has gotten so much worse. Now staff uses loud walkie talkies as well and don't know how to handle a crowd. This location now seems to get products the other grocery outlets have much later than them and they also remove products that other stores still have. Now even a place like Vons is better than this Grocery Outlet which is saying a lot.

Original review: This Grocery Outlet location is the hardest to get to among the Grocery Outlet locations I've shopped at which is now more than 5. It's in a busy area of Escondido near a couple schools and must be entered via a suicide lane or a sketchy back entrance. Have to deduct a star for that. The building next door continues to blast piano concertos (now live recordings even) to deter the homeless away. This may not sound like grocery outlet's problem but they are doing nothing to combat the noise (just play some music outside only for example). Now that those things are out of the way, the actual store is pretty good, but flawed. There is only 1 cashier by default unless a large line forms which is problematic and I've noticed that the cashier will be micromanaged with other tasks, causing them to leave their register which is both confusing to customers and unsafe from a security standpoint. This store is lacking a self-checkout or even a dedicated cashier. Whenever a new item is put on the shelf it never seems to have a price, someone is not doing their job. The prices are very hit or miss. Some items are a great deal while others are even more than other stores that have them not on sale. Sometimes the list price advertised is simply wrong. Some items are close to expiration date, hence the low price and I've even seen this location sell items past expiration date for a very low price which is illegal. At least give them to employees the day before they expire or the night of, like any senseable grocery store would do. Other items have an incorrect number of listed items/servings per container, which is why they are selling it for cheap but it is not specified anywhere that you will receive a different amount then it says on the bag. For example a product will say it has 3 chicken patties when it actually has 4 (some still have only 3!). Just put a little sign up explaining this as it will influence my decision to buy it. This location also has a lot of carts that can't go outside the store due to these large poles attached so people don't steal them. I've never seen this, even in places like Inglewood. I've bought several items here now that were leaking or not fresh. This location does not sell hard liquor like every other grocery outlet location from here to Mammoth! I have to wonder why this is. They have beer, wine and hard kombucha here. Overall it's worth checking out this location but don't visit it too often or you'll realize just how flawed some things are and what is missing from other grocery...

I have been a loyal customer here since it opened and I’m honestly disappointed in the interaction I just had at the store. Walking in I asked to talk to a manager because a wooden spatula I bought from their store I noticed was chipped on the serving end when I was putting it away when I got home. I spend hundreds of dollars every week in this store for groceries and I brought back one spatula with an Apple Pay receipt and the owner refused to switch it out or return it because I didn’t have an actual receipt. I wasn’t asking much especially because I bought each of the individual ones they were selling and just wanted it switched out. After I resolved the spatula I was going to do my shopping but the owners attitude stating a paper receipt was required sent me on my way to...

Unbelievable I walked in and before I could grab a basket the owner told me no backpacks in his store. I explained I need my bag for medical reasons and the owner stated he can refuse service to anyone. I stated I'm diabetic and need my bag. He didn't hesitate to say once again I can refuse service to anyone. I said I'm diabetic. I explained what I was doing and even showed my work bage. I recommend not coming here as they judge people and don't even reason with you. I understand people shoplift but not everyone. Hey owner u would have more business if u were fair and reasonable. You are very...