New Jewel-Osco opens in Bensenville

[pseudo3d]

I don't see how the chips are unique to Albertsons/Safeway when various Kroger divisions, every hispanic operator, and even Save Mart does it...

It is unique to Albertsons/Safeway in most of their markets. Sure, Fry's probably makes their own, as well as certain operators in California but my view of Kroger is heavily influenced by the Southwest division, which does not do that sort of thing in any store I've been to recently. Photographic proof from my cousin reveals that at least one store in the Houston area does having a tortilleria (even a hanging sign for it!) though but that's about it.

[storewanderer]

Interesting. Many Kroger locations I visited in Dallas had in-store tortilla shops (making flour tortillas as I recall, not corn, which I found somewhat curious).

I don't think in-store made chips are unique to Albertsons/Safeway in any of their markets. In every market where they do those, so does at least one competitor. And in most cases the competitor started making the chips before they did.

[pseudo3d]

Interesting. Many Kroger locations I visited in Dallas had in-store tortilla shops (making flour tortillas as I recall, not corn, which I found somewhat curious).

I don't think in-store made chips are unique to Albertsons/Safeway in any of their markets. In every market where they do those, so does at least one competitor. And in most cases the competitor started making the chips before they did.

Flour tortillas as in-store made are kind of standard in at least Texas markets. OK, so in-store made chips...Albertsons in Louisiana have 'em, their closest competitors are Rouses and Winn-Dixie. I don't think the former has them, the latter definitely doesn't. Randalls in Houston, some H-E-Bs might have them, the chain is so inconsistent on their offerings I'm not sure. Kroger possibly. For the rest, not sure. Does Mariano's have in-store made tortilla chips? Wegmans? Ahold?

[storewanderer]

Do the eastern Safeways have the in-store tortilla chips (Shaws, Acme, Safeway East)? I don't know since I am on the west coast.

Kroger's "Butter" tortillas made in store are excellent by the way.

They tried that tortilla program in a few Fred Meyers and it did not do too well.

[pseudo3d]

Do the eastern Safeways have the in-store tortilla chips (Shaws, Acme, Safeway East)? I don't know since I am on the west coast.

I asked on the Acme Style forums, they did say yes, hence my response regarding them in different markets. Bet you ShopRite doesn't have anything like that.

[storewanderer]

Shop Rite are franchises right? I would assume it varies by location. The one or two locations I went to seemed like good places for center store, not so good for perimeter. Also, been reading a lot of negative reviews on the former A&P/bannered stores that have converted to Acme. Top complaints are pricing and removal of self checkout. I'm not surprised.

[BillyGr]

Shop Rite are franchises right? I would assume it varies by location. The one or two locations I went to seemed like good places for center store, not so good for perimeter. Also, been reading a lot of negative reviews on the former A&P/bannered stores that have converted to Acme. Top complaints are pricing and removal of self checkout. I'm not surprised.

Most of the ShopRite stores are owned by various owners and use ShopRite (Wakefern, to be more precise) as a cooperative for supplies and such.
Wakefern does have a subsidiary (SRS - ShopRite Stores) that owns a bunch of the stores, primarily in New York (outside of NYC and Westchester), most of which they acquired from an owner (Big V) when that ownership went into bankruptcy years ago and was threatening to leave the cooperative for another supplier (much like Pathmark had done earlier - they were originally Supermarkets General, a ShopRite cooperative member) along with a few scattered stores elsewhere.

As to the tortilla chips, I have not seen those (but then again I may have overlooked them) but the stores here (which are all SRS locations) have something they make that look like giant rice cakes and kind of "pop" when being made.

It's hard to understand how anyone could complain about prices in a store that took over a former A&P (at least from what people generally said about theirs) - the self check is more understandable.

[pseudo3d]

As to the tortilla chips, I have not seen those (but then again I may have overlooked them) but the stores here (which are all SRS locations) have something they make that look like giant rice cakes and kind of "pop" when being made.

The "Magic Pop"? I think those are leased.

It's hard to understand how anyone could complain about prices in a store that took over a former A&P (at least from what people generally said about theirs) - the self check is more understandable.

I've also heard that many of the self check-out stands at A&P stores were antiquated systems that routinely broke down.

[arizonaguy]

As to the tortilla chips, I have not seen those (but then again I may have overlooked them) but the stores here (which are all SRS locations) have something they make that look like giant rice cakes and kind of "pop" when being made.

The "Magic Pop"? I think those are leased.

It's hard to understand how anyone could complain about prices in a store that took over a former A&P (at least from what people generally said about theirs) - the self check is more understandable.

I've also heard that many of the self check-out stands at A&P stores were antiquated systems that routinely broke down.

Customers like the self check-out stands. I almost exclusively use one when I am at a Walmart / WinCo / or Kroger store. I used them at Albertsons stores as well (prior to Albertsons Inc. selling my local stores to Albertsons LLC and Albertsons LLC removing them).

[storewanderer]

A&P's self checkouts were mostly older UScan Models. But so what. You just replace them with whatever self checkouts you use. When Save Mart took the NorCal Albertsons over that was part of their conversion, they replaced the old Albertsons self checkouts (the ones that were used Kmart models that is) with new self checkouts. Same provider and software just new models. Supervalu soon followed suit with the same replacement. Most of this equipment is leased anyway.

I too wonder how pricing can possibly be any worse than A&P?