Sam s Sti

Customer service is getting worse

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Long time shopper at the West asheville location. Quality of meat and fish getting worse every time I shop.

The employees at the met and fish department need more customer service training.

Horrible interaction with one on July 23. Probably not coming back after over10 years of shopping at that location.

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1 comment
Guest

I have noticed the same. I bought some "fresh" cod about 6 weeks ago at Westgate location and put it in spare fridge in basement.

The fridge smelled like spilled spoiled milk when I opened the door, but it was the fish. I threw it in the trash, came back with my receipt and a piece of the cover paper for a full refund, which they gave me no problem. I returned at the S. Asheville location.

Then about 2 weeks ago I bought 11 lbs ground chuck. (I live in another county; so I stock up when I come to town) I made patties and froze. When I ate the burgers they had a funky taste, but I did not get sick, I decided to give it to my dog with her kibble, She ate it okay, but 2 times she puked.

I have half a patty (that had been frozen) to my chickens I am not going to eat this. I may return the remainder and tell them I would like a partial refund since my dog barfed 2 out of 3 times.

Anonymous

Disgusting

I worked here from 2010-****. While there are many many issues with this company, one of the absolute worst were the unsanitary conditions.

Flies, worms, moths, maggots in the bulk food area where customers scoop and bag their own items. Food prep area not being clean at all, hot bar food reused over and over through the week. But the worst is that where there juice and smoothie bar is (right next to the bakery) the sewer lines would regularly overflow onto the kitchen floor and sales floor. Customers literally walking around in raw sewage.

The poor guys in the deli would be out there with a wet vac trying to get it all up. It was disgusting and happened at least once a month. This was all due to their plumbing set up and was very easily rectified with a new system. But the extremely cheap, greedy CEO refused us any money to replace this.

Instead it was "repaired" over and over and over again. But never really repaired.

I quit eating anything from there long before I finally left, as did most of the other employees. The corporate office does not care about anything or anybody other than their bonuses and that includes customers.

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Reason of review:
Work Experience or Job Application
Anonymous

SPOILED FRUIT!

i bought 3 coconuts from earth fare because i had a healthy coconut craving! and guess what... all 3 of them were spoiled when i cut into them. the coconut milk was very pink and slimy... i was gagging.

i told them about it and they wanted me to bring in the coconuts... so i did... and all they offered me was to exchange them for more spoiled coconuts.

These people have zero quality control... they charge an arm and a leg for imported coconuts.. BUT THEY'RE NOT EVEN EDIBLE!

My advice to anyone thinking of buying fruit or vegetables from this place. Is DO NOT DO IT. sure some of theyre products are organic... but this is disgusting and unacceptable. i will never shop there again.

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Reason of review:
Bad quality
Anonymous

Meats

I just spent a lot of money on steaks at the Ocala Florida store, the steaks had so much water injected in them they wouldn't even brown and taste like a roast, this is not the first time, might be the last. We travel Forty miles to a store that is to be selling quality goods, customers should be told what is injected into their meat.

I understand that water should be injected into hamburger but not other types of meats. We would like to continue to go to Earth Fare but not with the same rules the other stores have of deceiving their customers.

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Reason of review:
Bad quality
1 comment
Guest

I have been buying my meat at Earth Fare for about a year- never had better meat so not sure about steak being watery. Have never been disappointed!

Anonymous
map-marker Gainesville, Florida

So Glad That Earth Fare Is Out Of My Life

I was hired as a cashier at the Gainesville, FL location on Halloween of this year. My then-friend, who shortly afterwards, ended up being my roommate due to the fact that she was being evicted told me that they were hiring, because they were always hiring, and I got the job.

Earth Fare was a nightmare from the start. $8.10/hr. No benefits. No health coverage.

I had put myself down with open availability. Willing to work nights, weekends, holidays, wanting full-time hours. They wouldn't give me full-time hours. A bi-weekly paycheck at Earth Fare?

$300. They also gave me about 5 hours of training, and within 3 days, I was opening the store. I was then reprimanded when I didn't do something correctly, or didn't know that I was suppose to do it at all. In fact, Earth Fare is so cheap, they don't even provide their employees with uniforms (notice that next time you're in the store).

Just a dress code. Co-workers were catty and cut-throat. Managers would intentionally try to turn co-workers against each other so they could kick back and watch the fun. Between hateful co-workers, (my roommate secretly being one of them), poor managers, computers that would freeze, and my limited training...I did my job to the best of my ability.

But I wasn't one of their little favorites, so I got fired regardless. And when I did...I told the General Manager, and the Front End Manager straight where they could go too. (What's it to me? I can't put it on a resume.

I didn't work there long enough.) And it was worth every bit of $300. ;) It was a blessing. When I got home. I kicked that non-rent paying, freeloading, slob of a roommate OUT to the curb.

And my life has never been so stress free :) Now for the inside scoop... "Baked fresh every day" Yeah, right. More like once a week. I guarantee if you buy a loaf of their bread, it'll mold in two days max.

I LOVE olives. But, you couldn't pay me to eat at their olive bar. I never saw them change it. They just cover it up with plastic at the end of the night, and then uncover it in the morning.

Check your fruit and veggies before purchase. Their avocados are almost always rotten, and the lettuce heads got to the point where I would inspect them before I would total customers out just because of my own personal conscious. Also if you do buy fruits / veggies from the Gainesville store. WASH THEM.

Vultures and ducks run rampant outside, and they crap all over those carts. Those carts are never sanitized with anything. But yeah, you want to know why the cashiers never know what they are doing? Because they are always new!

Cashiers either quit...or management is firing them because they never paid them enough to care about the job to start with.

Earth Fare sells organic, tofu, health food to a bunch of liberal Bernie Sanders voters...while practicing modern-day, corporate slave labor. The hypocrisy is astounding.

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2 comments
Genora Tph

This doesn't sound like a review, but a rant. Barely any information was given that wasn't emotionally charged.

It was helpful to know that the pay was low and there weren't any benefits. However, it just sounded like you don't really know how to handle yourself in a workplace where management and co-workers are less than ideal. I know it's hard to keep your head down, your mouth shut, work the hardest and to stay out of the drama, but it is possible. You got fired and this whole thing comes off as petty and bitter.

There are tons of entry level jobs that do not provide you with uniforms. I don't know any grocery stores that wash their grocery carts regularly either.

It is up to the consumer to thoroughly wash their produce, and my Earth Fare always has visibly clean carts.To make matters worse you categorize the customers and throw in politics. This "review" is a waste of time.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Genora Tph

I worked at Roanoke 770. The place was consistently a mess and disorganized.

My training was an hour, then I was thrown in. I luckily I have a life time of customer service experience, otherwise I would have walked away sooner.

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Anonymous

No more organic coffee this is awful !

I was getting organic coffee there and they said we don’t have to have it anymore because we’re not fully organic juice bar anymore ..I’m like wow rude lol!..so yr saying we don’t care about our coffee drinkers being healthy ... Earth fare on Everhard Rd., Canton, OH
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Reason of review:
Bad quality
Anonymous

Unsafe environment

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So I guess I need a flashlight to shop certain isles in the Fairlawn Earth Fare. I told the tall dairy girl about the lights and she said it’s not really anyone’s business.

Then I turn the corner and run into a fist fight between two hood rat employees. This store went down hill at the end of summer 2016. I have been a loyal shopper since grand opening. The previous management team from 2016 were fantastic and always treated me like family.

Since they disappeared this store has gone into the tank. I will now be taking my hard earned money back to Mustard Seed where it’s well lit and safe to shop.

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Reason of review:
Bad quality
6 comments
Guest

I guess now that the lights are fixed inside, the Earth in Earth Fare on the outside doesn’t light up. Very classy!!

That may be ok in Barberton but not in Fairlawn.

Guest

The lights have been an issue for awhile. Corporate is trying to resolve it cost effectively.

Since Fairlawn is an old building the transformer needed to resolve the issue is hard to locate and transport to us. Also, both of the employees involved in that fight were IMMEDIATELY terminated.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1396288

The lighting issue has been happening for a few years. They must be really be doing some serious research on how to fix the problem since it’s taking so long.

Lol! This store is a joke.

Guest

Fairlawn Akron ?

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1395045

Yes, Akron.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1397632

I love how the store manager in Fairlawn chain smokes on the front side walk. He is a manger of a health food store??? Lol

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Anonymous
map-marker Gainesville, Florida

Bad customer service and pricing

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The cashier kept telling me the discounts would occur at the end of checkout after I submitted my Earth fare card. When that didn’t happen, the cashier acts like it is my problem, has me fish through the bag to find the products, FINALLY has another cashier go check the price and when he FINALLY shows back up, tells me the sign was meant for the product that was sitting next to that product and thus, I was wrong!

At which point I told them I didn’t want the damn product! I spend a lot of money at Earth Fare but not anymore!

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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
1 comment
Guest

You should have read the sign, plain and simple. This happens at every retail store.

You should have been given the product for free to make you happy but the bottom line is that you didn’t read the sign. The cashier can’t risk losing their job just for you.

Anonymous

Hamilton Town Center Store does not honor coupons

Have had numerous instances of overcharging at checkout and poor service and had resolved not to purchase from this store again. However went out of my way to use one of their specials advertised on line.

Despite clearly listed prices on line advertisement and clearly noted dates on the advertisement, the store refused to honor the advertised price. When I finally found someone with whom to speak, she advised me that despite the published date, the offer expired on the day before. In addition I asked to talk to manager and was told there was no manager available.

Wrote the store and received no response. Hamilton Town Center store should loose its franchise or its manager and certain personnel should be replaced .

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Reason of review:
as described

Preferred solution: Let the company propose a solution

Anonymous

I was told to call corporate myself

I asked the local Earth Fare about carrying a certain item that Whole Foods does carry. Earth Fare is much closer to me I was told that they only carry what meets corporate's standards and that corporate sends them. I was told to call the corporate office myself. I was not given the number. Really?
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Anonymous

Never in stock and not our problem

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Advertised items are never in stock and the manager just blames corporate and offers no substitutions. They just don't care. I thin it is vait and switch.
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Anonymous

Earth Fare - Customer Care Review

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I have shopped at Earth Fare in Fairlawn for four years this month. I have had enough with the store, the poor management ( especially the female store assistant) I have heard her on many occasions swearing on the sales floor area and horsing around with the employees.

I haven't seen the other manager for what seems like two months now. He was a younger guy who was always helpful and such a joy to talk to. I'm not sure what his name is but he is one of the reasons I shopped at the store. He made us feel like family!

Continuing on...the meat dept is dirty and the employees are very rude. The food service area serves what seems to be county jail food and the manager of that dept is always short and very rude. I then go to the registers and find a tattooed red head female manager with a Harley Davidson jacket on. She is probably the worst of all.

She is trashy and obnoxious! I am done shopping at this store and I'm spreading the word to everyone I know in Fairlawn not to shop here. I am part of the PTA for the local school district so word will spread quick!

I can't wait for Whole Foods! Bye Earth Fare!

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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
13 comments
Guest

Could the really tall dairy girl at the Fairlawn location be any more rude. I will never shop there again because of the way she treated me.

I have been a loyal customer until this happened to me!

I'm done! Back to Mustard Seed!

Guest

Last time shopping at your Akron location. The employees are rude and the quality of the hot bar is terrible.

This store has no leader...

it's obvious! Good bye

Guest

Earth Fare officially has lost my business. Today was the last straw, i spend at least 300.00 a week there.

In addition to completely ruining my holiday by the amateur shrimp platter with lemon thrown on top that i returned. Today was it.

I bought chicken salad today that had chicken skin and other "items" i spit out while eating that were DISGUSTING!!!!

I dry heaved for what felt like forever to the point of abdominal pain. Unbelievable this is how you folks conduct business.

Avoid this place!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1265010

I have eaten their chicken salad and on more than one occasion felt sick. The first time I put it down to possible stomach virus at work going around. The second time was too coincidental.

Guest

I was in the Akron location today around noon because Mustard Seed was busy. I brought my granddaughter for lunch and I'm extremely disappointed.

The food was below human consumption levels. As we paid for our lunch the red head manager upfront was talking vulgar about a boyfriend she had over the previous night. I'm so glad my 7yr old granddaughter didn't hear her. Between that happening and poor quality food I will never go back.

This is not the first time I have had issues here and I'll never go back.

This store is in desperate need of a managerial change!!! Bye Earth Fare!!!!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1264553

Yes you are right. There are more weird things in that Akron store you don't know about.

You made the right choice not to go back. I hope You can find another health food store that provides better service for you.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1273613

Thank you. I drive to Cleveland Whole Foods twice a week.

I don't care about the cost of gas or the price of the groceries. I do however care about quality of food and professionalism from the staff.

I get neither at Akron Earth Fare. I will continue my twice a week drive until Whole Foods opens close by.

Guest

This store gave me hope when it first opened i stopped shopping the local yokes because of personal reasons.

Earth Fare was my saving grace.

Since then it has gone down the tubes.

Wellness will always be my favorite.

Groceries and the produce area have been reliable.

Trouble starts with the deli and ready made foods.

Who is in charge of this? I always feel like im putting someone out by asking for something. The lunch bar used to have a lot of variety. Its changed so much, it looks like dialed down ponderosa now.

Also there is never anyone to slice lunch meat or make smooth juicers in the morning..its a ghost town. By the time i get to a checkout lane im ready to scream..

I will be taking my business to whole foods down the street as soon as they open. Sad.

Guest

I went there (Fairlawn) for lunch last Wednesday. The food is complete garbage and I will never go there again.

This store has gotten so bad over the last few months. On top of that I'm tired of dealing with the red head at the register.

She is goofy as *** and has tattoos showing half the time. It's just gross

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1258454

I'm tired of stopping in after work and the dairy section is empty or picked over. I'm going to have to switch back to Mustard Seed. So sad!

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Anonymous

"Grass-fed" maybe, "fresh" absolutely not

Earth Fare - Grass-fed maybe, fresh absolutely not

Fresh beef is red, not brown, as the mistake that I've purchased is clearly product they needed to move. Albeit, at a sale price that most will accept but at marginally cheaper than product which is guaranteed fresh each and every time, it's simply not worth the time and effort needed to go out of the way here just to need a return trip ASAP to return said awful product. A good intention from a decent market that makes the customer seem like nothing but am afterthought.

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Reason of review:
Bad quality
1 comment
Guest

While I would never shop in one of these low end organic stores I will say you must be an ***. When oxygen hits fresh beef that hasn't been treated with fillers and antibiotics it turns color. Read up on things before you make yourself look like a total ***

Anonymous

Dirty store/rude employees/empty or expired food and shelves

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Meal worms or maggots on red licorice containers - on bottom of plastic containers. Nothing stocked - fruit and lettuce empty Expired food on shelves Salad bar dirty/no large containers to even get a salad bar.

No hot bar food at dinner time! Not one person asked me if I needed help. The young cashier made several mistakes ringing up my salad bar as a olive bar - several dollars difference. Rang up my 6 bottles of reed's Kombucha for the price of a six-pack - $9.99 - I told her I owe you more money - she never even looked at what she was ringing up.

You would have lost over $8.00 if I wasn't honest. She didn't ask me for rewards card - I told her and she said 'oh' - she didn't even offer to do over. I am sure I lost several dollars on reward items. Manager, Andy didn't offer anything but excuses for issue.

Said they were low on stock because of the holiday - said they were getting new management - no addressing dirty food and cashier issue. I spend several hundred dollars weekly in this 'convenience, healthy store' - this is neither.

The service has gone downhill - the products are not up to par - terrible experience! I am so upset.

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Reason of review:
Bad quality
5 comments
Guest

You think this a bad? You should deal with the tall dairy girl at the Akron Earth Fare. Expired products, extremely rude, empty shelves, and always a nightmare!

Guest

blecchhh

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1334341

Blecchhh is right. I also had a run in with her recently. Let’s just say it’s the last time shopping in that store.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1399477

I also had a problem with that tall dairy/grocery girl at the Fairlawn store. She is rude and very unprofessional.

This is why I’ve taken my business to Fresh Thyme in Canton Ohio. It’s a much better store to shop in and has professional employees.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1412746

I am an outside vendor and I absolutely hate visiting that location!!! Rude team members who never know what’s going on when I ask a question, dirty department, and horrible customer service!

Was just there last week and a cashier mumbled about customers going to her line!

Team member was rude and wouldn’t even bother looking for the manager when I had a question about his department. Whole Foods will eat them alive for sure!

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Anonymous

Highly Disappointed

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We live about an 1 1/2 hr drive away from the Earth Fare in Ft Wayne Ind and made our tip there yesterday to stock up on Earth Fare brand of bottled water only to find out that they not only changed the packaging but also who the producer is. Used to be out of N Carolina but has been changed to Florida.

This is the only water that my husband can drink and in his words "feel good". We used to buy their brand of spaghetti sauce but they no longer sell the one we like, now the water.

Seems like when we find something we like it gets discontinued! We won't be back to Earth Fare, we are both so DIS-APPOINTED with your store

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Loss:
$24
Reason of review:
chging supplier of bottled water

Preferred solution: bring back the other supplier of bottled water earth fare brand

3 comments
Guest

Honestly, water from

North Carolina scares me anyways, there are so many poultry farms there I don't think any amount of filtering would help or be healthy.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1363567

I live in North Carolina and I don’t even know where a poultry farm is anywhere in the state. And really do not know what that would that has to do with bottling water. Do they Bottle water and raise chickens in the same place lol

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1393080

That’s like saying you can’t drive through Florida without getting hit in the head with an orange

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