DiningBuzz! - Whole Foods Market opening day? (slightly OT, but still dining)

A new WholeFoods nearby is opening on Thursday. Do people here know what kinds of special offers/discounts/tasters/samples etc they do on opening day? Is there a best time to go? I would happily get there in the morning for when they open (yes, I'm that excited!) but I don't know whether there will be better special offers at lunch or dinner time.

Many thanks for anything anyone here knows. (I figured FT was a good place to ask, though I wasn't sure whether to post in this forum or in SPAM, since my question is also about discounts.)

It would depend on where you are, if it's a fairly unique thing it will probably be totally packed with people and may be for a very long time. The one in Chelsea for example in New York is always very busy.

I would not expect too much in the way of sales or samples, they are not known for either.

I've never fully understood the excitement of the place, in this area they offer virtually nothing you can not get at a fraction of the cost at other stores.

It would depend on where you are, if it's a fairly unique thing it will probably be totally packed with people and may be for a very long time. The one in Chelsea for example in New York is always very busy.

I would not expect too much in the way of sales or samples, they are not known for either.

I've never fully understood the excitement of the place, in this area they offer virtually nothing you can not get at a fraction of the cost at other stores.

Produce quality and selection is generally much better than at other grocery stores. The meat selection tends to be superior as well.

In college in Las Vegas my roommate and I would go to "Tasting Tuesdays" for free dinner, on Tuesday evenings each section would have generous samples. I also love the Whole Food cafe.

"Whole Paycheck"
wholly overrated IMHO.

I've never fully understood the excitement of the place, in this area they offer virtually nothing you can not get at a fraction of the cost at other stores.
In-line with my brother's reaction. He believes they are way overpriced.

The seafood and meat selection is far superior to conventional grocery stores. (look for their homemade sausages.) But like anything, you've got to pay for quality.

The Wholefood by my office in the Denver Tech Center has so many free samples, I can go their for a free lunch!

In college in Las Vegas my roommate and I would go to "Tasting Tuesdays" for free dinner, on Tuesday evenings each section would have generous samples. I also love the Whole Food cafe.

And if they don't have official tastings you can graze at the bulk food bins as I saw a young couple do. And they didn't even use the scoops. Just a handful of this and a handful of that and before you know it you're full enough to put down your shopping basket and leave the store. I haven't bought the bulk stuff since.

It would depend on where you are, if it's a fairly unique thing it will probably be totally packed with people and may be for a very long time. The one in Chelsea for example in New York is always very busy.

I would not expect too much in the way of sales or samples, they are not known for either.

I've never fully understood the excitement of the place, in this area they offer virtually nothing you can not get at a fraction of the cost at other stores.

Produce quality and selection is generally much better than at other grocery stores. The meat selection tends to be superior as well.

Two interesting comments. I have to say that at this point in time, in the NYC area there are numerous places that are really superior in my opinion. Within the last week my wife and I went to Graces and Fairway and the latter especially had a much larger selection and much nicer things we thought. They did have more or less everything WFM had as well as a lot of other stuff. They were especially better in meat and fish, as was Graces, although Graces makes WFM look life Walmart price wise. The Fairway meat counter was maybe two or three times as big as WFM. They had a separate prime meat area, then the butcher area then packaged meats. In the packaged area they had multiple shelves of organic grass fed Australian beef for instance. Just a vast selection. Even our local markets are about as good in produce and fish. That isnt even counting the other specialty markets or butcher shops like Lobels.

I really think the NY area Whole Foods are shortchanged somehow. At least the ones I've been to (Chelsea and Westport, CT).

Either that or I'm just not as easily impressed as other people are with food, because I too believe I can get much better stuff for a fraction of the price at many other stores.

Wild Oats I use to be a regular shopper at but after whole foods took them over, removed all the bulk bins, and tripled the prices of stuff, well no real reason to keep going.

I really think the NY area Whole Foods are shortchanged somehow. At least the ones I've been to (Chelsea and Westport, CT).

Either that or I'm just not as easily impressed as other people are with food, because I too believe I can get much better stuff for a fraction of the price at many other stores.

Wild Oats I use to be a regular shopper at but after whole foods took them over, removed all the bulk bins, and tripled the prices of stuff, well no real reason to keep going.

I think it is actually the reverse of that. The WF here are the same as anywhere, there are just a lot of other options.

I happen to be a fan of their carryout Sushi, but I'd rather save money/earn UA miles by going to Safeway.

Back to the original question, I do use the one in Durham, NC when visiting family to buy steaks. That one usually has cheese/bread samples. I don't see samples at my one in Tempe, AZ though.

I happen to be a fan of their carryout Sushi, but I'd rather save money/earn UA miles by going to Safeway.

Back to the original question, I do use the one in Durham, NC when visiting family to buy steaks. That one usually has cheese/bread samples. I don't see samples at my one in Tempe, AZ though.

I think the sushi at the Palo Alto Whole Foods is about the best grocery store sushi I have ever had.

Also, your comment re Safeway raises another issue, at least here in the Bay Area. I often stop at Whole Foods on my way home from work even though Safeway would be more convenient. I do this simply because I know the line for the register at Safeway is likely to be four to six times longer than the line for the register at Whole Foods. Here in SF I find Safeway to be intolerable in terms of the people who work there and the number of homeless people roaming the aisles. Not so at Whole Foods.