Foodtown in Bed-Stuy Delivers

rayos_x

Does anyone have any experience with on-line shopping/delivery with the Foodtown on Fulton Ave in Bed-Stuy?

There has been a longing for Fresh Direct to acknowledge our neck of the woods; however, it seems that Foodtown has stepped up. Imagine my pleasant surprise when I was in the store this evening and saw signs for Foodtown's on-line service. I quickly glanced at their website, www.foodtown.com, when I got home. I plan on giving it a test drive next time we need groceries. In the meantime, I would be interested in hearing other's experiences.

the changeling

UUUUGGGGGHHH!!!!! This Bed-Stuy grocery store doesn't deliver in my neighborhood, because I live on the other side of the planet, IN BED-STUY! Yet another reason this big, fat neighborhood should be sliced into manageable microhoods.

crownheightsproud

I use Foodtown's delivery service a lot. It works quite well. The website is very complete, and if there is something you know is in the store, and isn't on the site, like the fresh bagels, for instance, there is a column where you can list it. Someone from the store calls the morning of your delivery, and goes over your order, and offers you substitutions for what they may not have. The drivers are very polite, and I find the service quite worth the $10 fee. My only complaint is that they use too many shopping bags, and put too few goods in a bag, and my eco senses are in horror. I keep meaning to mention this to them, but don't remember until I get my delivery, so maybe writing this will help me remember.

I usually get my produce and butcher shop products in person, but only because I like to pick my own, not because they have ever messed it up. It's great not to have to haul the kitty litter!

arzan

whats the website ??

arzan

oops sorry. found it. should read more carefully

kevin_on_putnam

iick - Foodtown? that's like having the garbage delivered - that place is awful, did you ever smell the fish section?

leffertsgirl

Kevin_on_Putnam wrote: iick - Foodtown? that's like having the garbage delivered - that place is awful, did you ever smell the fish section?

that basically answers my questions. i've never shopped there and was wondering about the quality of fresh food.

ev965

I like Foodtown (although I don't buy meat or fish there or anywhere). They have a wide variety of common items, produce is pretty good, they're expanding their organic offerings ... I like it! A few times I couldn't find the exotic cheese I was looking for, but overall Foodtown is a good store! --E.
Edit to add: Never tried their delivery.

crownheightsproud

LeffertsGirl, you're going to judge Foodtown (or anything else) on the opinion of one poster? At least give them the benefit of checking it out yourself. I'm not a flack for Foodtown, nor do I care one way or another, but that seems a bit unfair.

If people think Foodtown sucks, you should have seen what we've had in this neighborhood for literally generations. Grocers have given us crap in the form of rotten produce, inedible meats and filthy, smelly stores for years. Those who could, shopped elsewhere. Those who couldn't put up with it. I suppose the sense of powerlessness prevented them from complaining, as it was only one complaint about a neighborhood that has been underserved and ignored for years. Well, that is no longer the case, and people are not going to put up with that anymore.

Foodtown is a good store. It is clean, large, with a good selection of basics, and a deli section, as well as decent produce. Better produce than the local vegetable stands. They carry soy and organic products, and the management is very amenable to suggestions and criticisms. While my biggest complaint is that the aisles are too narrow, I really can't find much else to complain about. I suggest that people look to local alternatives, which really give you something to complain about, and then say the place is horrible. It is not.

homeowner

I agree with CHP. If you had been in the Pathmark (which was the predecessor to Foodtown) you'd know exactly how bad a grocery store could be. Foodtown is great for staples, and I've found their produce to be fresh. I don't buy much in the way of seafood there, but that is because there are several fish markets near me where I can get fish that is brought in daily, so there's no need for me to purchase fish there.

Kevin, where do you recommend shopping in the area if not Foodtown?

anonymous

I was once shopping in Foodtown and the produce guy came up to me to ask if I had any suggestions for vegetables I'd like to see them carry. I never had that in any other supermarket! I'm a vegetarian, so I don't know about their flesh products, but everything else is great. CHP, you're complaining about narrow aisles....have you ever been in the Park Slope Food Coop before their renovation? Now, THAT was a nightmare!

leffertsgirl

CrownHeightsProud wrote: LeffertsGirl, you're going to judge Foodtown (or anything else) on the opinion of one poster?

yep. i eat a lot of fish...but not the smelly kind. freshdirect delivers to me and i'm pleased with their service and fresh/non-fresh foods, so i'll stick with them for now.

kevin_on_putnam

homeowner wrote: I agree with CHP. If you had been in the Pathmark (which was the predecessor to Foodtown) you'd know exactly how bad a grocery store could be. Foodtown is great for staples, and I've found their produce to be fresh. I don't buy much in the way of seafood there, but that is because there are several fish markets near me where I can get fish that is brought in daily, so there's no need for me to purchase fish there.

Kevin, where do you recommend shopping in the area if not Foodtown?

I use Fresh direct, the quality of the food is very good, IMO much better than Foodtown. We eat a lot of vegetables and I don't like the stuff at foodtown, it's been laying around much too long. (I know, I'm ranting) And the prices are pretty high. To top it off, the checkout people have serious attitude, it's downright hostile at times

homeowner

Ahhh, that explains it. Fresh Direct doesn't deliver here, thus the need to actually go to the grocery store.

I always have good luck with veggies at Foodtown, but then again, I only buy a couple of days veggies on any trip and then supplement with stuff from the Korean grocers for the end of the week.

You are right about the checkout folks, I've had some doozies there. But some of them are okay, or at least not sullen.

crownheightsproud

I agree, some of the check out people have been amazingly rude and sullen. But after a while, they are gone. I have very little patience with that, and have no problem complaining to management, and I also tell then when someone is really nice or helpful above and beyond the call. I know low end service jobs like checkout jobs are tedious, low paying and boring. I also know some of the customers are obnoxious jerks, too. But that is no excuse for rudeness, no eye contact, and sucking your teeth.

I realize I have become my mother!

Foodtown is still not bad, none the less. Homeowner is right, you should have seen Pathmark.