Our Fred Meyers "Freddies", is part of the Kroger company. They opened one in Chico Ca, several years back, but it didn't catch on there so they closed. It is MY primary shopping place, and I'm not sure what one classifies it as, because it is "one stop shopping"....groceries, household, pharmacy, good lines of clothing; oh, bakery, deli and coffee shop. I can't think of anything they don't carry, plus handicapped parking and elec scooters as well as (mostly) uncluttered aisles to get around in. Oops....can't forget garden shop, florist, and a good return policy. Walmart opened a new store nearby....kinda the same, but I love our Freddies and the people who shop there.

PS I have always had a good experience shopping there. Sometimes I think I could "do better' elsewhere, but paying just a bit more, keeps places like MY Freddies in the business of taking care of my needs so well. I hope you are so lucky.

I almost forgot. They have furniture (probably not high-end) along the main aisle we come into the store and DH can always find a comfy seat to sit in while I shop. Since I don't drive anymore, can you imagine how grateful I am for that! Often there will be another old guy to share the time of day with as well.

I seem to remember shopping at Kroger's, I think in Chicago's northwest suburbs. Here in California, Kroger's owns Ralph's.

In Arizona, it is called Fry"s and I shop there quite often, often buying milk, bread, eggs, etc. Our store is clean and well stocked.

All I know about Kroger is they own Fred Meyer and QFC (I see it on the Freddies cards I buy my mother). We have neither store here, but I've shopped in Freddies for my mother, it was her favorite store close to her house and there is one within walking distance of her senior apartment now. I've shopped QFC when out of town but not recently, did like the stores.

The produce, dairy and meat in both seem perfectly acceptable with a good variety of choices. There is a Freddies next to our closest Costco (an hour away) and in gardening season I've found the best price on organic lawn food there. Most of my gardening is organic and I rigidly insist on it for the lawn. Both Home Depot and my favorite nursery have gone out of my comfort zone with what they charge per bag and it takes 3 bags, 3x per year so 9 total between April and October.

I bought a little bistro set there for one corner of the yard two years ago. It's cute and has held up well, round table and two folding chairs, bright red....already low price was discounted that week.

Kroger is my favorite store for groceries and prescriptions, and has been for many years. Some of the employees started working there when they were in high school and stayed on to be local and upper area managers. The pharmacist has been there "forever" and knows "everybody." The store is clean and well stocked. We have two Kroger stores in our area. I often mention that I live in a retirement community and Tuesdays are our bus/shopping day. We have a choice of Kroger, Target, Aldies, and WalMart. I will go to WalMart some days if I need certain items, but NEVER do I buy FOOD there. Anything I eat will come from Kroger. And only until now, did I know the Fred Meyer connection.

Our Dillons stores are now affiliated with Kroger. I read recently how Kroger are giving Whole Foods a run for the market share. I also shop Kroger when we visit our daughter in Tennessee.

The stores here are always clean, well-stocked, and really friendly employees. I shop the smallest/oldest store because I don't need the temptation of all the "stuff" at the other two newer stores. In our small town there aren't many other choices, and Dillons do a lot to keep loyal customers.

We do all of our food shopping at our Krogers and get our meds at their pharmacy too. It's a nice clean store.

I've shopped at Kroger in nice areas while travelling. It's a standard chain grocery. I was in shock at the price of California wines (not without a sommelier!) but it might have been all taxes and distribution costs, and not Kroger's fault. :)

California chains have mostly been gobbled up. As has been said, Ralphs belongs to Kroger, and stocks Kroger branded products. All of the big chains took enormous hits a number of years ago when there was a debilitating grocery workers strike in Southern California. They lost many of their higher end customers to Whole Foods, small, higher end chains, and farmers' markets. Ralphs seems to have made the best recovery. There are a few nightmarishly big ones that have been put in or redone recently, that have vast territory. The interesting thing to me is, however, that of the foods I'm looking for, they only have a very small amount of shelf space. Their selection of paper plates is laughable even though they have a large section for terrycloth bath towels. There's one, near a college, which I've been to, which has everything you'd need to furnish an apartment, several fast food stations outside of the grocery area but under the same ceiling, and a bar. That's a fenced off area where you can set and drink booze between the produce department and the housewares.

I wouldn't say there's anything upscale about Kroger's Ralphs, but Ralphs never was an upscale market. More solidly middle class. There's way too much shelf space given over to those companies that pay for placement, but the stores are well stocked, clean, well lit, etc. I buy toilet paper and ketchup at Ralphs. :)

I have three grocery stores near us....Kroger, Publix, and a small, privately store in between the two. Kroger has the best produce and the largest selection of organic products of all kinds. They even carry most of the grains and seeds mentioned by our grainlady! It's where I do most of my shopping. The management clearly believes in excellent customer service from every single employee.

The little market has a real butcher and the best meat in town. Publix has a decent selection of cheeses.

The chain stores are large, clean, modern, and well stocked. The market is old fashioned, a bit cramped, but I love the people and am so happy to have such a shop nearby. The butcher is very accomodating, always seems so glad of a special request.

My city has all of the popular chain groceries, but those three are within a 10-15 minute drive and consequently see most of my business.

We have three Kroger stores near by. One was just recently renovated into the current Kroger model, which means we finally have a selection of decent produce. Their meats are fine and our new store has a great selection of cheese. These comments would not have come from me three months ago.

I too recall Kroger in Chicagoland when I was young. Different store now then back in the day. From what I understand of the Mariano's purchase is that it will continue to operate as Mariano's with little or no changes.

I shop most often at Kroger it's just down the street, then HEB, then Sprouts and occasionally Walmart grocery. We really like Kroger I especially like the digital coupons I can add from my tablet, phone, etc and when they scan my Kroger card all my coupons are automatically used. No clipping coupons, carrying coupons just have to remember to get the latest digital coupons. And great discounts on gas! Best gas deal around.

I do all my grocery shopping at Kroger. We don't have a "super" Kroger... Just groceries.

They have a great organic line of foods. I also use the shopper card which earns up to $1 off per gallon of gas at Kroger gas stations! I filled my tank the other day for $0.74 (I think) per gallon.

We are part of the Kroger family. Because we get a discount on Kroger products, we buy a lot of them. We are fairly particular home cooks, and we find that their products, particularly Private Selection are comparable or better than the national brands. If you're disappointed, Kroger wil refund your money. Roundy's was purchased to get Mariano's. Mariano's will not change appreciably,. Kroger is a class act.

Ah - Kroger - Good old Barney Kroger started out in the 1880's and invested his entire life's savings to open his first store in Cincinnati and now it's the largest retail grocer in the US.

How nice to read such positive reviews. I have a special place in my heart for Kroger. My Dad worked there his entire life and my Mother said he either bled blue and white for Kroger or black and gold for the Steelers. He started as a clerk when he returned from WW2 and when he retired he had worked his way to District Manager. They were a good company to work for, they valued their employees and encouraged promotions from within the ranks.

I worked there from age 16 through college and graduate school. So did both of my siblings and all 3 of us met our spouses there - we were all college students working part time to pay college tuition. My brother just retired after 35 years and he encouraged his son to apply as a manager trainee. My Dad was proud of the company and often wore his Kroger hat (except during football season when he wore his Steeler cap) when he went into our local stores. He was always happy when someone recognized the name.

As others have mentioned they have acquired other chains and many of them still operate under their original corporate name. In addition to Fred Meyers Jewelers they also own Littman Jewelers. Unfortunately their supermarkets aren't in my area (near Philly) so I can't offer any opinion about shopping there now but I was curious which stores now operate under their banner:

this is from their web site -

The Kroger Co. operates grocery retail stores under the following banners:

• Supermarkets - Kroger, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC, City Market, Owen's, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker's, Gerbes, Scott's Food & Pharmacy, Harris Teeter, Pick N' Save, Copps, Metro Market, Mariano's
• Multi-department stores - Fred Meyer
• Dillons Marketplace, Fry's Marketplace, King Soopers Marketplace, Kroger Marketplace, Smith's Marketplace
• Price-impact warehouse stores - Food 4 Less, Foods CO

I shopped at Kroger when I lived in Georgia but I don't have one anywhere close to me. It was a nice store, always clean with friendly staff.

They bought out our Fred Meyer's in the Pacific Northwest a few years ago and nothing really changed. They're a standard grocery store here with some department store selections, mainly overpriced clothes. I go for the Boar's Head deli meats and cheese. The west coast has mediocre delis compared to the east coast where I grew up, so I was thrilled when they started carrying Boar's Head.

They also have large garden centers which sell a large selection of annuals and some perennials at good prices. But I live in a commercial nursery area, so that may not be true of all Kroger's.

One of only 3 choices in my little town, Kroger, Wal-mart or Save a Lot. Ours is just groceries and some household cleaning stuff. They built a super Kroger in Versailles with expensive clothes. I've been there only twice.

I shop mostly at Kroger....although I buy some things at Walmart....a few canned things and nuts and yogurt. Kroger is located on the edge of town, nearest to me....I live 15 miles from town. I like HEB too, but the HEB here is very small and I don't go in there very often. Almost never enough checkers. I can check my own groceries at Kroger and I like that. I like the fuel points and they give 10% off on their brands to seniors.

I like our Kroger store. It's clean and the workers are polite and helpful. My one regret is poor choice of seafood. 99% is imported from China, Vietnam or Chile.

Oh yeah as Marilyn said if you get the senior discount on your card you get 10 % off all Kroger brands, we buy a lot of Kroger brand and mostly they are equal to the brand name.

Kroger has free Friday coupons and sometimes it's stuff you want!!

I've been shopping the King Soopers here since I used to accompany my mom. :0) My DH says the baby carrots are really babies not shaved large carrots. He's impressed. :0) I download the "free" item every Friday. This week it's a free loaf of bread. I like them!

Love Krogers! They are clean and well stocked. Ours has a gas station and we get all of our gas there. They must be good to work for, I know several ladies that have worked there full time for years and will retire from there one day.

Is there even a question in there? Sounds more like you are more concerned with Krogers buying your "upscale" grocery store and now you may have to shop with "middle" class individuals.

I have a Krogers just two minutes from my house, so I do most of my shopping there. I grew up as part of the Thriftway "family". Just about everybody in my family worked there at one time or another. I moved away for 25 years, but have been back for 17 years and have shopped at Krogers that whole time. We have a lot of choices in grocery stores, but Krogers works for me. My store is just groceries, no clothes or furniture, although they have opened a Marketplace store not too far from me. My only real complaint with Krogers is that they are slowly bumping out everything nationally branded and replacing it with Kroger brand. I am impressed with how the organic section of the store has expanded and is very popular. All in all it is a good place to shop. I'm there quite often since it is so close. The people know me and are very friendly. It is nice to hear so many positive things about them.

The new "employee-owned" Winco here publishes price comparisons and Fred Meyer is the most expensive of the several different stores they show. Maybe that is how FM has the money to pay the better wages mentioned above.

Except that Winco says they are a good place to work also. When the new one here opened there were employees all over the place.

When I was kid, Kroger was a nice grocery store in small town south Illinois, and then IGA gave them a run for their money. (IGA: Independent Grocers
Association; It was an association of many small grocers who were supplied from a common warehouse. Typically, one warehouse and depot covered up to 100 mile radius.) Kroger disappeared by 1955 in my neighborhood and I had not seen one for over 50 years. I thought they were gone, but recently, they have popped up in the business pages, making a comeback and buying a number of small businesses. Who knew???

Kroger's has said publicly a couple of times now that they are leaving Mariano's alone. Plus, Bob Mariano is sticking around, too.

The Kroger senior discount here is 5% on Wednesday only on very few items. Check with your local branch for detailed list.

Kroger in Ohio does not have the senior discount. They do in Kentucky, but not here.

I very seldom shop at Kroger, none close, no other grocery really close except Marsh. Mostly shop at Meijer which is not close either, sometimes do go to Marsh for a few things, way too expensive unless it is on special.

Sue

When I was living in Maryland, I used to shop at Kroger's. It was very convenient. I missed it when I moved to California. I was pretty happy when Kroger's took over Ralph's.

Afraid of the same thing, miss the Dominick's that was close to my house.

Indeed, Kroger owns Ralphs, one of the largest and (generally) better liked grocery chains in Southern California. Whether Kroger HQ is actively involved in management or leaves it alone to run autonomously, I don't know. Ralphs has been in existence for >100 years but has changed hands a few times over the past few decades.

Well I have to tell you what happened today at Kroger. I have changed my opinion. We went in to just pick up 3 or 4 items. My husband went to the check out, I was looking at something. So he swiped the debit card in the machine it instructed him to use the bottom slot because it has a chip. So he did, put in his pin waited finished. Then the guy checking him out told him to do it again and he did including his pin. He got cash back with the purchase. I came up as he was finished. I took the bag and receipt. I saw the receipt was for much more than the purchase but he said he got cash back so OK. We go to the truck and head home. But I see there are 2 completed transactions. I said how many times did you put the card in and your pin, he said he made me do it twice. Humm...

OK suddenly ding my cell phone goes off. I look and see 2 emails alerts from the bank. I have alerts set to email me anytime my debit card is used. But there were 2 completely independent alerts each for the exact amount. I said I knew it. Our debit card was charged twice! Sure enough double charged.

So we load back up and go back to Kroger. Wait in line at customer service. I show the guy the receipt, my email alerts from the bank and explain that the cashier made him do the card twice and put his pin in twice. I showed him we had been double charged on the debit card.

He proceeds to tell me there's nothing they can do about it. I have to wait until I get a bank statement then bring it back and show the manager. I said no that's BS! You are telling me that you took double the amount from my bank account and expect me to do nothing and just wait. This was an amount well over a hundred dollars, it wasn't like 5 bucks.

I said get a manager.

She comes, I go through it all again and show her emails. She said the same thing she can't do anything about it even though I have the receipt as proof, my bank emails, and it just happened. No one has even questioned why that kid made him do it twice! I asked her, so let's say you go over to the store next door pay with debit card, see they double charged your account for over a hundred dollars, what exactly would you be doing? And just explain why no one has even questioned why this happened when you see stories on the Internet daily about cashier's double charging and pocketing the money. Suddenly she said to the other manager why didn't that drawer snap, that drawer should have snapped. I have no idea what that means but apparently something should have prevented it. It ended with me leaving with nothing resolved but I did tell her I had just written a glowing report about how much we liked Kroger on a very popular forum and can she guess what I was going to be doing when I got home? So here it is.

I immediately called my bank after their BS excuses and my bank said not a problem we do see that transaction, we do see that you got the alerts, we have cancelled the duplicate transaction. And please let us know if you have any further problems with it. And thank you for calling us.

Can you believe that! Apparently it's Krogers policy. It's not mine.

I'm sorry that happened to you Raven. With all of the scams occurring at grocery stores by those with intent to defraud, I do understand the store policy. They likely expected you to handle it through your bank, as you did. What a pain to have to go through all of that though!

I've always loved Kroger. I worked there during the summers when I was in school. It was clean and the people working there were always friendly. We got a Ticket with our paycheck that gave us 5% off groceries and we had health insurance. I would often scout the sales and use my discount to grocery shop for my parents to save them some money.

I've got their loyalty card. I get online and load their coupons to my card. It saves a little money and they give away free items on Friday. They also sometimes mail coupons to the house for items I use.

Great company to work for! Great prices on everything. I love to load the coupons on the card. Best dairy products. I choose their milk over any other. If I run out, I'll do without until I can get Kroger, rather than settle for another source.

WOW! What ringing endorsements for Kroger! I see that almost all of you understood my question -- and why I might think the upscale Mariano's + nice, mid-range Kroger might equal something between the two.

Bob Mariano made Dominick's a success in Chicagoland. Then Dominick's was bought by Safeway. Bob went to Roundy's in Wisconsin. It must have been *sweet* when Safeway gave up in Chicago -- and Bob took over their empty stores to create upscale Mariano's.

Unfortunately, he didn't take the two Dominick's near my present home. Those went to Heinen's -- TOO upscale (and up-price) for me!

I will only see the outcome of the Kroger-owned Mariano's after we get home.

I should add that the main difference I see between small, local, upscale stores and the big chains is shelf placement. Most chains sell shelf space to major vendors. You'll see someone stocking crackers and ask a question, only to find out that he's from the vendor, not the store. That will be the prime, eye level stuff. The margins in grocery are tiny, and I can't blame them for making a buck where they can. The difference with the upscale stores, however, is that even if they do sell some shelf space, they have a much bigger product mix, and you don't see products pushed out by an inferior version from a major vendor.

There are also usually more of the less popular items at upscale stores (i.e., slower sell through) at upscale stores, where the inventory is meant to serve the customer, rather than maximize the sales per square foot. (I.e., longterm profitability is seen in pleasing and retaining the customer with a greater variety and more slow selling choices, not just on immediate sell through stats.) The most annoying thing is going into a previously high end store and finding yards and yards of grape and strawberry jam (i.e., PBJ) but no peach, no gooseberry, no guava jelly, no pear chutney. Sigh.

I've noticed that the bigger stores often have less variety, just more quantity.

As I said, in many ways Ralphs has improved since Kroger, but there's no telling if they'll maintain Mariano's on a separate buying system and keep it upscale in that way, or if they'll segue it to a standard Kroger type store. Which, as you've heard here, isn't bad.