Fry's — Local services in Phoenix

Our experience was a total nightmare! First, I'll admit that I'm obviously just used to dipping into ANY OTHER local neighborhood Fry's (even at 20 minutes till closing, if need be on occasion) and encountering the same or similar features/components. My typical last-minute dash into Fry's goes something like this: I grab a cart or basket at the front of the store, and briskly walk to the area(s) where my much needed groceries lie in wait. I grab the good(s) and promptly move towards the self-check out lane, scan my stuff, pay, and duck out with nary an issue marring my exit and subsequent drive home.

NOT AT THIS LOCATION!

While at first my husband, our friend, and I were wowed by the contemporary location and bougie appearance of this grocery store smuggly nestled amidst the hip restaurants and whatnot in downtown Phoenix. It looked fancy and like a scene from an chic urban movie locale or something! Like kids at an amusement park we grabbed our baskets, rode the neat glass elevator (!) to the market floor and proceeded to hastily take in the ambience of this hip shop with its attractive displays and brightly lit aisles.

Unfamiliar with the layout, it took us a bit longer to collect our coveted items, but we managed to get to the front of the store before closing. At this point, I really had to pee but hadn't seen any restroom signs since our arrival. As my hubby proceeded to self-check out, I asked the nearest employee where they were located. "You have to be here by 10[pm] if you want to use the restrooms," he sneers. Uh...ooookay. As I'm standing there with the mounting pressure of a bladder who's had enough of everyone's $#&+, I'm trying to help my husband pick up the pace when another employee walks up to see how we're doing. "I have to pee!" I exclaim. He replies with a sardonic chuckle and saunters elsewhere.

After issues with having to be carded for a bottle of riesling--both of us!!(he 58, me 40-sumn)--and then weird register issues with receiving cash back, I see a sign admonishing us, "don't forget to have your parking validated!" My stomach sinking, I ask my better half if he brought the parking garage ticket. He looked at me as though I was asking him to go streaking through the aisles. Of course he didn't bring the parking garage ticket why would he do that? sigh Now it was after hours. The store was officially closed. When I asked an employee about validation in our situation of not having the parking garage ticket on our person, this was his response (and this is neither an exaggeration nor a misinterpretation): "so what you're going to want to do is retrace your steps very carefully. Just look closely because not everybody picks them up." Say what!? there's clearly an issue with communication here, so I clarify that I was asking about the parking validation, and again he said the exact same phrase about backtracking my foot steps very carefully and how not everybody picked them up and how we should be fine. What in the heck!?

Feeling like a complete imbecile I thanked him and walked away, shaking my head as if in a daze. I explained to my husband what this young man had told me only to have my perplexed feelings be met with an equally perplexed look as he tried to make sense of everything that guy had just told me. None of us could understand what the hell he meant by all that. He may as well have been speaking Cantonese for all we speak it, honestly!

Fast-forward to the pitiful ending. As the only vehicle left in the parking garage, it only took 40 minutes, and two intercom calls made for "assistance" before the great and powerful oz lifted up the mechanical arm and forgave the $35 parking fee we'd somehow accrued (!!!!!) whilst sitting there, waiting for their security guard to let us out as per their direction. I don't even think he's real, to be honest.

It may be pretty and flashy, but it's a nightmare. Screw this place, we ain't...

Maria in self checkout/manager worste customer service at frys ever experienced. I came in to buy dog food and grabbed a bottle of wine to enjoy on a rainy day. At self checkout it needed to verify age and looked around and saw a women employee walking away. I said excuse me twice, hello may I please get some help and she kelp walking away and began talking to a young gentlemen employee. I set my dog food down and went over to her. About 5 ft away after asking again she finally turned and looked at me. Then looked back at the young guy fave him a look and walked back to the register. She grabbed the wine did not ask for dob just entered numbers and walked away to take safety cap off. I said thank you and still no response from Maria.

She came back and put the wine in my bag I said thank you so much and she turned and walked away no response or eye contact. At this point I began to think maybe she was mute (no offense intended) and went to finish checking out.

The machine said unscanned item and would not let me move forward, so I turned to look for help and Maria was on the other side again talking to the young employee laughing and giggling like she was in HS again.

I waved and tried to get notice but had to walk back over to get her attention. She followed me back again and cleared the error and I said thank you again with no response and walked away.

When I finished checking out there were two other customers needing help with Maria nowhere to be found and on my way out found her talking happily to the young employee in a trance and said thank you Maria for your help, I think other customers may need help. She glared and went back to conversation with him and no response.

I first thought she might be having a bad day or the years of management have turned her bitter but I also work in person customer service and know the apprecian of a hello, thank you, or goodbye, or any verbal response even if you know that person is overworked or having a ruff day.

Next time I will use the line checkout and suggest to others it may be faster and may receive better...

I visit this store quite often but had a negative experience on 11/24/2023. I had visited the store to do some grocery shopping after work. I was standing in line at the self-checkout kiosks when two individuals walked up past everyone in line to ask an employee some questions. I saw that a kiosk became available and went to move around them to get to the kiosk as I was next in line. The employee directed them to the kiosk I was headed towards and the customers jumped in front of me to get there. I do not appreciate people just walking up and cutting the line. This experience makes me not want to come back to this location no matter how convenient it is. Overall, this store used to be a good choice for me because it is down the street from my workplace. The only thing I had an issue with prior to this was perishables being randomly placed by customers in non-refrigerated areas.

Update 12/26/2023: I have been back to the store twice since my last review. It is a good place to go out of convenience. Some of the food quality is questionsble. I got a potato salad from here and it had a plastic string in it. I ended up throwing it away. I really just hope for more quality control when it comes to the ready-to- go foods. There are also a lot of misplaced food items such as perishables out of the refrigerated aisles. Despite this, the store does try to do their best to run their operations smoothly. They have constant security near the entrance, which is definitely needed in a high traffic area such as downtown Phoenix. I will continue to shop here.

03/2025: I was in the store within the last week or so. It is one of my go-to stores as it is near my workplace. The staff are nice. The store operations have really improved. I will continue shopping here as long as I am...