Three wally worlds within ten miles or less of each other and lucky for me the nearest one has the best meat department as far as selection of pork goes compared to the other two. (You would think that they would be the same set up, but it doesn't look like they are) There is almost always atleast one or two of the item that you are looking for, now if it is the right price or the right quality, that will vary. I usually buy Tyson pre packed on some of the bigger stuff, water added be damned, it is usually cheaper if I am buying it.
Their boneless country style ribs on the styro tray are usually the biggest cuts of anyplace that I have seen. Now I think that this wally worlds beef selection is kind of on the weak side and hunting for turkey leggs there is like trying to find ice in hell.
Publix has a store near me that I call "Publix light", no bank, minimal seafood, small produce section and even smaller meat department as far as what is put out on the styro trays. However the butcher there is the freindliest and most eager to please guy there is in the meat cutting industry. Unfortunatly the prices are usually pretty high. There are a couple of other Publix stores a little further away that have the wider selection, but still prouder prices, but if you wanted a leg of lamb they will have it along with misc buffalo, goose or duck.
There are a few other chains round these parts but I don't shop any of them enough to be accurate in an evaluation. Kroger used to be my favorite as far as other groceries went but I think that their meat dept was just average (Been a long time) Winn Dixie was only if it was closer than anywhere else (I seem to think that they used to have the best and cheapest ground beef, but again, it has been a long time) There is a Food Depot a little ways away that had some of the biggest cuts of meat that I have ever seen on a styro tray, they had spare ribs that looked like they came off a brontosaurus! Never did try them though
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A funny story
A year or so back one of the moms from our sons baseball team, while we were on the subject of grocery stores, said to the effect that. "We are so rural that our Piggly Wiggly is the last place that you can shop barefoot and smoke a cigarette!"
I laughed my head off!
Ah..... the days of walking barefoot on the coooool grocery store floor on a hot summers day.....Right up until you step on that still smoldering cigarette butt!
I do believe that it is true that you get accustomed to brands and form brand loyaties, and the prices are almost always subject to being at the right place at the right time. I can not afford to price shop if it means driving to half a dozed places to save a penny. And even then price shopping can be tough because you are often comparing apples to oranges. One place it is boneless the other not, different cuts or trimmed different or packaged in different size packs. Save on the meat, pay a little more for the bread. Shop where the workers are freindly and helpfull or where they are not.
For me it is wally world or Publix Light neither is really the perfect solution but they are the closest places and by default they get my business. The Sams by me is always picked over because it is one of the few in the area and I just haven't quite figured the place out yet.
