Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Aldi
WF: Whole Foods fucked up when they joined up with Jeff Bezos and Amazon. I did use it. I did love it. Who wouldn’t!? Awesome prices plus to-the-door delivery and immediate refunds for spoiled fruit, or whatever. I miss it. But I canceled it because first of all, *moderate intensity, fuck Jeff and hope he and his wife overdose together somewhere, really hate Amazon, and because while the prices were great for a professional, they are out of reach for a nursing aide paraprofessional type (to which I have descended by choice and fate), so, no more Whole Foods. I learned about WF in NY and BK, when I lived there and Michelle was my girl. Her friend, Gerlinde. Unlike any other person alive, so happy! Gerlinde radiates joy, health, love, goodwill. She eats a raw food diet, vegetarian. She works at Whole Foods. I go to the one in Manhattan for the first of a few times. Two floors in Chelsea. I get my cookie ingredients and walk back up to West 34th. I limped the whole way, though, because of the Ledderhose activation. I was JUST starting to seek help for my foot. Got my first cortisone shot. Whole foods was air conditioned and smelled like flowers, a better life, an organically beautiful face and skin, higher class living.
Trader Joes TRADER JOES IS THE BEST STORE THAT EXISTS. They are trained to chat you up in the most healing way during checkout. They have LIKE 7 CHECKOUT PEOPLE. (Whole foods also has checkout people).
Does Giant Eagle have checkout people? NO! Does Kuhns have checkout people? SOMETIMES!
There are enough checkout people, and they TALK TO YOU, WHILE BAGGING YOUR FOOD. You don’t have to tip them for it, it’s FREE. The lady today asked me at least four questions about my day/life. And they know how to group and bag items, cold with cold, etc. And they have a NEWSPAPER. And their prices are SIMPLE AND REASONABLE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO GET A CALCULATOR OUR TO MAKE SURE A SALE IS ACTUALLY WORTH BUYING 5 OF THIS OR THAT FOR 30% OFF. The things always cost the same. All of their “copies” of “name brand” foods are on point. THEY SELL FLOWERS and AT A REASONABLE PRICE. Their choice of organic produce is unparalleled. God Bless Trader Joes. Trader Giotto.
Aldi: We call it “Aldi’s.” Aldi is one of the only company that makes NO POLITICAL DONATIONS. Trader Joes might be the same, but Whole Foods sided with big tech/data by getting in bed with Amazon. Hopefully they’ll “pull out.” God Bless Aldi, with your quarter slots on the shopping carts, with your free cardboard boxes everywhere, with your stunning cost cutting setup. Your produce is GOOD ENOUGH, unless I don’t mind paying a LITTLE MORE for Trader Joes. Your produce is often good, and sometimes bland, and your orange juice selection kind of a deal breaker, but the cauliflower crust uncured pepperoni pizza is— sometimes sold out. The “random shit” isle is fun for a broke ab like me. Finally to see stuff I could buy if I want to. I could “splurge” on a new welcome mat or something. I love Aldi, too.
Aldi is the most moral, practical company around. But they do have some self-checkout lanes now, for which the punishment by the public is (even more) shoplifting.