Food Lion — Local services in Kernersville

I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding an incident that occurred at Food Lion on North Main St. in Kernersville on September 28, 2025.

While checking out at self-checkout, I was stopped by an employee (an older white woman positioned in that area) who demanded to review my receipt, citing that the water I purchased had not been paid for. I informed her immediately that the water was the first item I scanned, as this is a habit I maintain precisely because I am aware of frequent assumptions made about customers stealing even inexpensive items like water.

Despite this, she looked over my receipt and incorrectly stated that she did not see the water listed. I reiterated that it was the first item scanned. Before advising her to check the cameras, I reviewed the receipt myself and located the water. Effectively, I had to assist her in doing her job. No apology or acknowledgment of her error was given. Instead, she simply repeated back what I had told her initially... that I had scanned the water first.

There were no excessive customer lines that could justify her inattention. If she had properly reviewed the receipt, she would have seen the item clearly. The lack of professionalism, coupled with the profiling nature of the stop, was unacceptable.

I live two minutes from this location and shop here every two days. On Sunday alone, I spent $147, and on average I spend between $70 and $140 every couple of days. For a loyal customer who spends consistently and values convenience, being treated in such a manner is both insulting and discouraging. It raises serious concerns about profiling practices and the lack of accountability among staff.

I expect this matter to be addressed appropriately. I will make my best attempt to update this complaint with the employee’s name once confirmed.

update (10.9.25) Today she has a purple tag...

Absolutely love the store. Everything is so neat, the aisles are so big and much longer. The sushi is amazing and my 4 year old son loved it too. Associates are always so friendly and helpful. The only thing that made me sad and my complaint is that they no longer carry my Mountain King Butter Reds Potatoes anymore. The old location had them and those are the only potatoes I would buy anymore and they were the only ones who had them. Wish and hope they'll get them back.

Otherwise I'm absolutely thrilled that people like Krista, Felicia, Ashley, Paul (I think that's his name, has a ponytail), Destiny, and Shay all went to the new store as well. Would be sad if they weren't there. They always make my day seeing one of them, talking to me or my son Stephen. They need recognition on how great they are, how helpful and just how much joy they bring me to actually shop at Food Lion. I used to always go to Walmart and now it's usually always Food Lion just because the store was so close and because of them but I'll still make the drive for the new store and them! Keep up...

This is twice recently that the same Food Lion store made mistakes at the checkout on sale items. This time today it was Hellman mayo and frozen pizza. Both were specifically in the Food Lion ads in the flyer inside this store as being on sale --May 24. Today is May 24. The checkout said both were not on sale as shown on the scanner. Showed the checkout person their own Food Lion flyer that said both items were on sale. We are getting weary of the mistakes this store keeps making on how they advertise and process their in-store sale items. Either this store has poorly managed sales transactions, or we are the only patrons in the Kernersville area this happens to, or we might be among the few patrons who catch these mistakes at checkout, or there is malfeasance going on. I'd like to believe it's just mismanagement. Told the clerk to keep the items and take them off the checkout process. Come on, Food Lion: Get your in-store sales process worked out before you lose a lot...