Haven't decided which one is better. Any views on the subject?

Are there any Albertson's left?
Fulton Street and.... I think Sloat?

they closed the one closest to me... so I never go anymore.

Trader Joe's whenever humanly possible!

They're both evil mega grocery corps, but I've always liked Safeway better.  Prices are about on par with one another (slight edge to Safeway) but I've found customer service/competence to be at a MUCH higher rate at Safeway, by far.  I'm fairly certain Albertson's hires the people Kinko's rejects.

(That said, Rite Aid most certainly hires the people that Albertson's rejects.)

Real Food Co.

Wasn't so impressed with the Safeway in the Castro. My asparagus went to mush within 3 days.

i prefer Albertson

Ah, you were asking about high quality produce..... Whole Paycheck (Whole Foods), Real Foods, the Farmers market at the Ferry Buildling.... but it'll costya!

For organic choices.. Rainbow Grocery on Duboce

Just moved to the city, where is Real Foods?

i don't like either company but if i had to chose one or the other safeway.. i prefer raley's bel air...

Ahh, for produce I definitely prefer the organic stores.  Albertson's on Fulton does have a decent organic section, but I'd rather pull my own teeth than deal with the cashiers there.  It all seems like a ploy to get you to use their self-checkout stands.

yelp.com/biz/E5Q4UGqkSai…
Polk Street Location

yelp.com/biz/lGOBPwXrOps…
Fillmore Street Location

Mollie Stone's is also a popular spot for those in the neighborhood-
WOAH this place has bad ratings.... (?)
yelp.com/biz/lFuTnqxZkFp…

Yeah honestly, Omid..... what is the deal with those 'self checkout' things @ Albertsons? It's like.. well. then... things should be PRETTY Cheap there if they're not hiring employees! and yet, their prices seem higher.

(Wait... there's a Raley's in SF?)

I've never learned how to use the self check out machines right..

I agree with Omid, Safeway for sure! I've never liked Albertson's, I've always had a thing against foreign grocery stores. And by foreign, I mean stores I'm not familiar with.

Also, it's true that the customer service at Safeway is almost over the top sometimes, which isn't a bad thing at all. Always offering with "help out" and there always seems to be someone roaming the aisles asking if you need help finding anything.

A lot of the stores are getting a new face lift which looks a lot like Whole Foods (or at least tries to). Whereas I find Albertson's to look 'old as dirt'.

hate self checkout! some people actually have cold hard cash instead of plastic.

When I shop I prefer Albertson's b/c it has self serve check-out.  Because I hate to shop, I buy from Safeway b/c they deliver.

Safeway...customer service is way better and they have fantastic deals on garden/patio furniture.  Not to mention they remodeled a lot of them and now they're super cute.

FWIW, all the Albertson's stores are changing hands, so you opinion of it might change, too:

mercurynews.com/mld/merc…

Has anyone heard the thunder sound effects coming from the PA at the Castro Safeway?  I hear it everytime i shop there, but can't figure out why they play it. It's pretty bizarre!

It is to let folks know when the produce sprinklers are going to go off. Not sure why it would be going through the whole store PA, though...

Since Albertson's will be some other company now ... I think it's still Safeway.  That is what I grew up with.  The Safeway at Howard Ave and El Camino in Burlingame.

Safeway vs. Albertson's?
Hell vs Purgatory?

I agree with Mia & Tess - Trader Joe's & Real Foods for clean, authentic, and organic.

prefer Trader Joe's... but def. have to say Safeway (boo Albertsons!)

I love Farmer Joes (both locations) in Oakland. But if I had to choose between Safeway and Albertsons, I'd probably go with Safeway.

Safeway is going upscale here, with Save Mart buying Albertsons it's going downscale, which is sad because years ago the Fulton Street location used to be pretty nice.  With Cala Foods exiting a nice store could appear at haight and Stanyan.  A third Whole Foods to open soon on Potrero Hill.  Don't know if anyone is taking over the old Bell Market near Polk Gulch.  Nobody mentioned Andronico's, it's pretty nice  Real Foods is sweet but expensive.  Too bad there's only one Rainbow and only one Berkeley Bowl.  Don't forget all the Asian and Latin markets, you can get the same things and same quality for half the price.  We need a Draeger's, bad, also a 99 cent or Marina Market, and a big Japanese grocery like they have in San Mateo or San Jose.  There's room for one more TJs in town.  I won't even talk about Bristol Farms, and as nice as Oakville Market is it's not a grocery store.

Did I leave anyone out?

In general, I prefer Safeway unless I am looking for something frozen. Albertsons tends to be cheaper in general and have a better selection of frozen food. They also seem to have improved the produce - at least it is no longer rotten.

Trader Joes is good - but I always tend to leave with cookies and chocolate as well as what I came for.

I credit the meat from the Raley's in Newark for the fact that I was the only person on my trip to Egypt who did not get food poisoning. Only place I had ever seen meat spoil the day I bought it (two days before the expiration date and put into a working fridge right away). Sounds like the store has improved, though.

I wish I lived near the Berkeley Bowl :( .

They both sell the same commercial crap and disgusting meat.

Wish I had the money to shop elsewhere for non-commerical stuff and meat - would still have to buy it even if I were veg since my husband is an obligate carnivore.

Honestly, it probably is a good thing I don't live near Berkeley Bowl.

If you are looking for great produce at amazing prices, try the Alemany Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.

Considering Albertson's keeps going out of business, I'll go with Safeway, after the Farmers' Market and TJ's of course.

They're both about the same, but I prefer Safeway, you can also accumulate airline  miles in addition to buying groceries...

shop.safeway.com/superst…

I'm forced by proximity to shop for staples at Albertson's, and I'm not thrilled that Save Mart is taking it over. A more upscale market would be better at the Fulton St. location.

I do occasionally go to the Safeway by the beach. The secret Safeway in the Inner Richmond is shabby. THAT should be a Save Mart.

The trick to the self-service checkout is to judge the line. If you're third in line, go with the self-service. Anymore than that, and the odds are that there's someone in front of you who has no clue and will take forever, so go to a regular checker. If anyone ahead of you has produce, go to a regular checker. They'll try to scan a tomato, then shake their heads in disbelief.

Just going by aesthetics...Safeway is much prettier to shop in. However, the one near my house has the worst produce ever. We're talkin' bottom of the barrel!

Vanessa- that thunder noise is the noise they play when they spray down their produce. I am pretty sure they have a lightning effect too.

But anyways- whole foods has some awesome poultry/seafood. I could never stomach the seafood @ a safeway- what, it all looking so delectable in that styrofoam tray....

Albertson's near me is GHETTO. It isn't really but the produce and the meat is for shit, plus the whole store is so 1975.

Safeway on the other hand, dialed in, new, clean, well staffed, and the thing I'm really happy to see Safeway pursuing aggressively is their own line of reasonably priced organic products, I actually spoke to the manager one day and told him how psyched I was to see it, at the time (months ago) he said they had over 400 items and were adding more all the time.

Obviously the organics are better for you so it's great to see them become more widely available, but with that there is also the benefit to organic farmers; it allows them to pursue long term contracts knowing they will be able to sell what they produce, which in turns means banks are more willing to loan them money to buy more tractors, to plant more crops, etc. etc.

Lack of reliable markets has been a big hindrance for organic farmers in years past and they face huge start up costs ie: I think they have to let the land lie fallow for 3 years, and once they get going they have lower yields, etc.

So to have a big corporation like Safeway step up and put it's marketing clout, and financial muscle muscle behind organics is a big deal, and since organic food is better for you, and it's about 1,000 times better for the land and the environment I give big up's to Safeway for getting out in front of the organic thing and supporting it.

Plus Safeway is Nor Cal based, big up's for Nor Cal people ! And no I don't work for Safeway, nor does anyone I know.

My friend and I used to joke  that you're either a Safeway or Albertson's person, and the two can never get along. I've always felt that Albertson's is dingy, poorly lit (probably in hopes that  you don't notice exactly how dingy it is) and run down. I always see senior citizens in there so I associate Albertson's with slow moving people who have all the time in the world to spend in a grocery store.
Safeway's my option if I can't make it to TJ's.

Safeway has recognized the WF threat and has stepped up big still my preferred store is Wegmans but that is a CNY thing

I love Safeway!!! Albertsons is pretty good with the 10 for 10's BUT thats about all they have their prices arent the best although anyone who does comparison shopping knows that there will always be items here and there this week or that cheaper than the other.

But for me Safeway is the way to go because majority of their stuff is reasonably priced and you'll find more buy one get one free's too :-) GOTTA LOVE THAT!!

I like Safeway better simply for the difference it seems in that they employ mentally disabled/challenged adults  and Safeway trains and pays them well and  gives full benefits. I don't remember ever seeing mentally disabled employees at an Albertson's, I could just have gone at the wrong times. But I see in numerous Safeways, so even though it's a chain, they have great sales and I like their hiring policies. Actually, I like Safeway employees. I have little to complain about when I go there.

I like Albertson because of the self-check out machines.

Slaveway loves to have you wait in lines.

Albertson's is going down! They're all slowly disappearing. They will soon be extinct!

Support your local Safeway- their HQ is in Pleasanton. Although, I think Whole Food is GREAT, but very expensive.

Oh, and I forgot my Safeway has a really cool transgender gal working there as a cashier ! She has the deft keystrokes of a lady on the register but can muscle 100 lbs of ice into your trunk like nothing !

How sweet is that !

I'm kidding, I load my own ice, but there really is a transgender cashier at my Safeway and she's totally cool, we always roll our eyes at each other when someone in line does or says something stupid.

If these were my only two choices, thankfully they are not,  I would go to Safeway.  I hate all the televisions Albertson's installed.  I had to pop into an Albertson's for a last minute item a few weeks ago and wished I had a universal remote so I could turn each and every tv off.

Neither.  SHop Farmer's Markets, local organic grovery stores and the like.  You live in SF? Then try Rainbow.

I prefer Wholefoods, but there is not one by my house.

Albertsons typically has much higher prices on produce and the sale prices that you get for being a member aren't that great. They also don't carry things like low-fat buttermilk which annoys me.

Safeway better prices and product selection. Their member discounts are decent and consistent.