Hannaford — Local services in New London

Thank you, Hannaford, for your consistency. Each day is a new opportunity for you to run out of another food item. You always push me to be creative when you are out of common dinner foods like ground beef, potatoes, or rotisserie chicken (all of which you did not have available today). Other days, it has been pie crust, rotini, broccoli, or boxed macaroni. I can always count on you to not have what I need. Your produce section gives me a sense of adventure as I navigate through moldy berries, weeks old grapes, and bruised apples. Just when I think I've gotten to the other side unscathed, your baggers pack cans and boxes on top of my tomatoes. Cold items that were all together on the belt go in the insulated, reusable bag? No, much better to separate them all and use the insulated bag for a single loaf of bread and some chips. Highly recommend for those seeking overpriced, only sometimes available groceries. 10/10...

Always a very clean store. The employees are friendly and honestly interested in helping you. Their aisles are clearly marked and always organized. The bakery has fresh bread twice a day and the deli will always make sure you sample before you make a decision. The produce section is fresh and one of the few stores where the salad hasn't gotten so cold that the lettuce has that disgusting see through freezer burnt taste. The carts are always orderly and never in parking spots. I've witnessed baggers especially offer to help you when you have a full cart to your car. The sidewalks are adequately salted and cared for during the winter season. One of the cleanest and friendliest grocery stores I have encountered. I have even forgotten my debit card at closing and have had the manager allow me to go back into the store to retrieve my merchandise that they had kindly stored in the cooler while I drove home to get it....

I've been going to this store since way back when it was Cricenti's. When Hannaford took over I thought they did a decent job of it. But the store has gone downhill year after year. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The meat department does a pretty good job and I've rarely had any issues with the quality of their product. That said, the produce department is truly awful. For years the produce has been getting worse and worse. Poorly stocked items, wildly different levels of freshness even between the same type of produce. Recently I've even spotted several items that were on sale on the shelves, covered in mold.

Today I went to the store to find the refrigerator units are down once again, meaning I'm not able to buy half the things I need. I've wasted tons of money and time going to this store recently and it's been very frustrating. I think I'll start planning trips to other grocery stores...