Thursday, June 4, 2009
Foods Deal of a Meal (and a Steal) at Whole Foods
Posted by Carrington Fox on Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 6:55 AM
While copping out on cooking by purchasing a $14.99 prepared meal at Whole Foods, I was met with this refreshing gesture of customer service: "Did you know this came with a free salad?" the cashier asked as she scanned my large tray of General Tsao's chicken, brown rice and braised red cabbage.
Well, no, I did not know that. Frankly, I was too busy thinking about how, if this ready-to-eat was even partially edible, I would feed it to my family every day until they leave for college. What could be easier than a four-serving prepared meal for under $15?
Apparently, the answer to that is a prepared meal WITH A FREE SALAD.
"I'll go grab it for you," said the amiable cashier's assistant, and he dashed off like a cartoon figure with a set of lines drawn behind him to denote speed.
He returned with a big clear-plastic clamshell loaded with mixed greens, cucumber slices, tomatoes and carrots shreds--priced for individual sale at $7.99--all of which rendered absolutely redundant the $1.99 bag o' salad I was purchasing. "You don't need this anymore, do you?" the cashier asked, intuitively removing the smashed bag from the conveyor belt.
The whole experience was so bewilderingly efficient that I completely forgot to tell the cashier that I had already eaten two (yes, two) of the six cookies I was purchasing, so she only charged me for four cookies. Not only did I get a free salad, I got two free Jumbles.
Now THAT's a deal. Of course, it's also shoplifting, for which I apologize and will make restitution next time I'm in the Green Hills store. Depending on how the value meal turns out for dinner tonight, I could be back at Whole Foods as early as tomorrow afternoon.
Comments (23)
Showing 1-23 of 23
Am I the only one who finds the consumption of something you've not yet paid for somewhat... improper? This is not acceptable behavior where I grew up (upper midwest) - but I've seen it from time to time here in Nashville.
Bad manners? Or a north-south difference?
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Totally bad manners, but I own it. It all started a few decades ago when someone -- Kroger, maybe -- offered free cookies for kids while they shop. I was a kid then, and I still see it as my right to eat cookies when I shop. It is appalling. You got me.
I grew up in Nashville snacking on lots of different unpaid-for groceries during Kroger trips. My mom would pop open a box of SnackWell's crackers or Fruit Loops or Cheez Itz or what have you if we were really hungry. It seemed pretty normal to me. We just dropped that open (sometimes empty) box or bag on the conveyor with everything else.
1) This healthy, affordable meal is called a Value Meal - there are 3 choices and they change about once a month.
2) Our cookies are so good, sometimes you can't make it out of the store before you have to eat them. Carrington immediately contacted us to let us know what happened - its cool. (Did you know the first Tuesday of every month is dime cookie day?)
3) Tobin, do you ever have anything nice to say? Why are you such a hater?
Thanks, Carrington!!
This grinds my gears, can people not wait 20 minutes to leave the store before ripping into a box of Little Debbie's?
Hey Dave -
Sometimes it was healthy food, not always Cheez Itz, and NEVER Little Debbie's. ;)
I think the issue with us was hungry, fussy kids in the Kroger. My mom was probably trying to pacify us and save the other shoppers from our whining.
In a momentary fit of self-righteousness, I once tattled on a lady who was eating grapes before paying for them. Because they're sold by the pound, she really was stealing.
Plus, I just didn't like the looks of her.
Dime Cookie Day?! See you then. And thanks for absolving my theft. I feel shriven. (But the verdict is not in on the value meal, so hold the love for now. The review of General Tsao's chicken might not be so lovable.) As for the cookie update. I have now eaten the entire half-dozen, on my own. I love those damn Jumble cookies. Meanwhile, I sort of hate myself.
For once, TtG and I are in agreement. I never snack from my basket. Just doesn't seem right. I remember when I was a kid I was on a grocery shopping trip with a babysitter who started eating from a bag of Oreos. I was horrified! Mostly because I figured she'd eat what she wanted and then leave the open container somewhere in the store. I still remember the relief I felt when she paid for the cookies and the cashier didn't even blink at the open package. But I do wonder about those people walking around the Kroger drinking that Pepsi--will they or won't they?
Also, it's experiences like this that keep Whole Foods in business when you could easily spend less at another grocery. Better food, better experience.
Oh, and if you're reading, Whole Foods in Green Hills--fried tofu on the hot bar every day, please! I haven't seen it on there in ages and every time I go and it's not there, I die a little inside.
Lesley -- I take your point. Then again, you have enough self control not eat meat. If I can't keep from eating aged pig ass, how the hell am I supposed to refrain from eating a warm fresh-baked Jumble cookie just because I don't technically own it yet?
Honesty, self-control ... or mindless rule following? If you're going to pay for it, why wait to eat it? Isn't that like not removing the tag that says "Tag not to be removed"? And I ask that as a mindless rule follower myself.
I dunno. I don't see the harm in nibbling on something while you shop as long you as you have the full intention of purchasing it before you leave the store. That said, mistakes do happen, and it sounds like Carrington did everything in her power to make sure those cookies were accounted for. Well sone. I'm obviously a hypocrite though because, as lesley so humorously put it, I also kinda freak out when I see someone else eating their stuff while they walk around. Only because I really want them to pay for it. :) Oh well, I suppose it's just human nature. If I'm gonna pay for it, you sure as hell better pay for it, right? I seriously need to try those cookies now!
I think eating food in the store is a little odd, but I have absolutely no qualms about opening a 20 oz soda and chugging while in the check out line. Hypocrite?
3) Tobin, do you ever have anything nice to say? Why are you such a hater?
Being evil is more fun.
Lesley,
We have the chicken fried tofu EVERY day - we have since March - its just in "hot case" (the area in between the rotisserie chicken and the pizza). We can't keep it on the hot bar as if we kept it at the temp required by the health dept (for the hot bar), the tofu would be like chewing gum.
I've enjoyed all the Value Meals that I've tried (flank steak, rotisserie chicken, Asian pork loin). Our policy at Whole Foods is that if you don't love it, bring it back!
Carrington, this applies to you as well!
Thanks! I just might, but you might want to make sure there's a security guard on hand when I pass through the bakery.
why do some people worry so much about what other people are doing IN THE GROCERY STORE?
tattling on a grape eater?
judging the mom shopping with unruly kids?
geeshk...
that being said, i regularly eat while i shop and pay for all of it. call the few grapes a sample. a check to see if they're worthy.
so hey, if you see me doing it, feel free to tattle. that would give me great pleasure.
Claudia -- You wanna meet for some grocery shopping and a few Jumbles? I love shopping for food with friends. I always learn a new trick.
>Claudia -- You wanna meat> Freudian Slip?
Anyways, back when I was a perverted greek god yadda-yadda-yadda late one Wednesday night I took 3 stoner friends grocery shopping. List and calculator in hand, I was carefully making my way across the deserted Kroger, every once in a while running into one of the 3 Iggy Pops munching from a sack of doritos and asking "are you done yet?".
40 minutes or so later, when we were ready to check out, the guys just dropped onto the conveyor belts a week's worth of empty bags of 'salty stuff. The look on the cashier was Mastercard priceless
ElZ -- I just corrected my typo, so your joke doesn't make sense any more. I hate to interrupt the thread, but I couldn't stand to see that misspelling.
Even David Blaine couldn't make it through the store without eating something. He was in town a few months ago, and had a few half eaten boxes. As long as you pay for stuff before you leave (and it's not by the pound), we're ok.
Oh, now that you mention it, WF, Chris Chamberlain noted that the tofu was over there. Why can't I remember that?
All of you fried chicken lovers--try the fried tofu. You won't miss the stringy bird bits at all.
And yes, I do have a lot of self-control. But no discipline.
