Study deems one Pittsburgh grocery store the worst in America
Navigating the aisles of a grocery store is a near-universal chore, yet the experience can vary dramatically — from delightfully efficient to dreadfully disappointing.
A fresh analysis by Solitaired has turned the spotlight on grocery stores nationwide, scoring them on several key aspects: customer satisfaction, store cleanliness, pricing accuracy, staff friendliness, and the diversity of products offered. Overall, they analyzed Google reviews from 3,000 individual grocery stores in 100 cities.
The study unearthed some surprising results, including the stark revelation that a grocery store in Pennsylvania has been rated the worst in the country.
Giant Eagle Supermarket on Cedar Avenue
The study by Solitaired highlighted the Giant Eagle Supermarket on Cedar Avenue in Pittsburgh as the lowest-ranked grocery store in the nation. This conclusion was drawn from an aggregate score of just 3.5 stars out of 1,769 reviews, underscoring significant customer dissatisfaction across multiple dimensions of the shopping experience.
The store’s address is 318-320 Cedar Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15212.
Why do customers dislike it?
Over on Yelp, the Giant Eagle Supermarket on Cedar Avenue in Pittsburgh has an average of 2.4 stores, which is even lower than the study indicated. Based on the page’s reviews, the grocery store has garnered criticism for a few different reasons.
Shoppers frequently cite issues with the store’s cleanliness and organization, noting that aisles can be cluttered and products are often out of stock. There are also complaints about customer service, with reviews mentioning that staff can be unhelpful and checkout lines excessively long.
One review written in April of 2024 says it all:
“It’s like they’re trying to live up to their ‘worst grocery story in America’ title. Every time I shop here I find expired food on the shelves and encounter some type of unsettling interaction. I shop here out of convenience, but I will never shop here again after experiencing the manager rudely yell at a line of people — who had been waiting well before the cashier turned off the light — for staying in the line (there were only two lines open and those lines were backed up into the aisles). After she yelled, she loudly said to the cashier ‘I don’t know why they’re standing there, and I don’t care if people have been waiting in line they’ll have to go wait in another line.’ It’s like they don’t want people to shop here. A last straw — stay away.”
Yikes!
The study’s other findings might surprise you
The study by Solitaired revealed several interesting trends beyond the ranking of Pittsburgh’s Giant Eagle Supermarket.
Notably, Walmart was frequently mentioned, with 19 of its locations in cities like Aurora, Cincinnati, and Wichita flagged for lower customer satisfaction. This trend was also seen in cities like Portland, Aurora, San Francisco, and Norfolk, suggesting these areas may have broader issues with grocery store satisfaction. King Soopers, Save A Lot, and Kroger were also identified as America’s least favorite major grocery chains.
On a more positive note, the Trader Joe’s store on E. Williams Field Rd. in Gilbert, AZ, was celebrated as the best overall grocery store. When it comes to favorite chains nationwide, Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Wegmans topped the list for customer satisfaction.
This article may have been created with the assistance of AI.
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