Safeway, Castro Valley CA

Dear Safeway Management,

I am writing to express my disappointment regarding a recent experience I had at your store on Thanksgiving, which was, until then, a day of positive visits for me.

Typically, my interactions at Safeway are smooth and efficient. One of the aspects I appreciate is the variety of products available. However, today’s incident marked an unfortunate departure from my usual positive encounters.

Today, I purchased a lottery ticket from the machine for the first time, unaware that it dispenses change. Seeking assistance, I politely approached an employee. Regrettably, the interaction turned unpleasant as the employee responded in a unexpectedly rude and disrespectful manner. Despite my simple inquiry about the machine providing change, he replied with unnecessary hostility, implying
as if I owed him money.

Following this encounter, I expressed my disappointment, only to be met with further rudeness, including profanity. Such behavior is unacceptable, especially considering my initial respectful approach.

I hope that Safeway invests in comprehensive training for its employees, including managers and supervisors. Customer service is crucial, and incidents like these cast a shadow on an otherwise positive perception of your store. If customers are treated in this manner, one can only wonder about the work environment for your staff.

I trust that you will address this matter promptly to ensure a more positive experience for all customers in the future.

I called Safeway on Sunday, early afternoon to order a cake for my 4 yr old. I expressed to the young man that took my order how my son loves
Sonic the Hedgehog and if they didn’t have any Sonic decorations, just colors related to the characters are more than enough! To see the joy on my son’s face when he saw his cake was unbelievable! The drawing of Sonic’s face was not requested but the added gesture made a 4th birthday the best one yet for him. The rings on the side added the perfect touch! Of course I wasn’t allowed to cut Sonic’s face but then again, who wants to ruin artwork

Oh yeah can’t forget the cake was tasty as well. If
I could give 10 stars I would, anywhere that goes above and beyond for their customers as such deserves that much!

This is my home safeway store and I usually have no issue but the other day I saw a manager verbally berating an employee. This manager was a white woman with very short dark hair. A customer had JUST left a cart in the main entrance/ walkway to the store and she started YELLING, asking who was on cart duty and why this cart was there. The employee collecting carts was doing his job collecting carts from the parking lot, walking back to the store to be greeted by this angry, verbally abusive manager. She asked multiple times (still with her voice raised loud enough that I could still clearly hear her from the parking lot) whether the young man was awake or not. Yelling that he needed to remove the cart that was in front of the store (that had JUST been left), and that he needed to clean up chicken bones that had been on the ground. The whole time yelling at this poor employee, she does nothing to help, just standing there, watching him do the things she’s yelling at him to do. I have worked retail and other service jobs for a few years now and I have NEVER had a manager yell at me like this, nor have I seen a manager do such things to other employees for something so trivial. I really hope that management sees this and reprimands this manager for said actions and gives her harassment and management training. I don’t think this is appropriate behavior at the workplace and neither should safeway. An apology is to be made to that employee because personally, I would have quit on the spot once she started yelling at me. Managers need to treat their employees with respect, they started from the same position, they know what it’s like working retail. I know it can be stressful, but no one should be verbally abused at work, not by customers and especially not by fellow employees or management. I hope to see the store do better.

Im giving this store 2 stars for the WORST DELI DEPT in all safeways! This store has staff running around in the back deli but no one is willing to help! They usually have one person helping 10 people in line! They have number system but half the time they dont use it! So do you pull a number or not? Poor management!

Great store awesome staff. I always go early in the day so things are being stock, but they aren't bothered by me shopping while look e they work.

It's really a fine, safe way with a pretty good selection of typical Safeway items. I was disappointed on this visit because one of the things that I have in the past really liked is that the flowers selection is above and beyond a typical supermarket flower selection both in terms of variety and freshness and today was a very meager showing of mostly older flowers. Not sure what's going on.

It's disappointing to see what's happening in the Safeway stores. They used to be one of the best, but since the acquisition, they've gone to seed. Half-empty shelves, out of stock on staple items on a Saturday morning, labor shortages that have 1/3 the checkstands needed open, the meat case at 1/2 of product stocked, and nobody gives a Damn because management won't schedule according to the needs of the store.

It's really sad.

Done with Safeway stores. There are better companies to buy from.

Was informed today by staff that this location no longer has ANY baskets. Insidious. EDIT: 3 Months Later: WHERE are the baskets?

Stopped carrying liver and low sodium bacon. Or at least haven't been able to find it in a month. Check out seems to take a long time. Produce section is very lacking if you go in the evening. Lots of items out of stock.

Usually this is a good store but I had a major big problem and concern today about this store. I seen a dirty wet towel on a package of hamburger meat. I told the manager and he took a pic of it and immediately got the towel and the hamburger meat package and the surrounding hamburger meat packages out of there which I appreciated but it was beyond disgusting and left a very bad taste in my mouth about this store now. I also seen an employee take a dog in a room by the customer service area. When did they start allowing pets in the store and especially letting their employees bring them. I didn't take a pic of the employee with the dog because I didn't want to seem so obvious. I don't want to shop at no place that will allow pets in a store you buy groceries from. This is all beyond disgusting and very concerning to me. They will actually get people sick and dying in this store. This needs to be addressed and dealt with. So today they get a rating of 1. This also happened in early morning time.

Multiple really bad calls with the pharmacy here, might be just one person but always have questions and always get left with dead air and the least supportive rudest responses, even been told I'm wasting their time as I'm struggling to sort out prescription issues they won't explain to me.

This is by far the best Safeway in the area. They have the best selection for premade sandwiches, cut fruit, bakery, and prepared hot food. The shelves are always properly stocked. They also have a good flower department. I live in Hayward, but come to Castro Valley for the Safeway.

Always have what I need. Clean. Convenient. Rearranging things regularly to keep shopping as an adventure. Nice selection of vegan brands.

Beware! Four of 6 gift cards purchased from here were tampered with (numbers missing and it has been an ABSOLUTE hassle to get them reissued). Talked with a neighbor, they had the same thing happen to two giftcards over Christmas! The gift cards should be put up and not accessible for people to take, tamper with, and replace!

2nd visit: Today 6/7/23 the customer service clerk was informative and courteous. She is the only reason I'm leaving 5 stars because I called the store to ask if the online prices were the same as instore.was given an ambiguous answer. Then the clerk at self-check wasn't exactly curteous.
Ist visit: Safeway was busy and well stocked. I will certainly come again.

Parking can be difficult, but there is a large selection of foods here and I especially like the deli and sushi bar.