Tom Thumb - Alma Rd - Ripoff - Repeated Pricing problems and Quality of Merchandise / Produce issues as well as extremely poor managment for nearly 8 years. Plano Texas

We have been customers of Tom Thumb (previously Tom Thumb Page / Randals / Safeway) since 1986 when we moved to Texas. About 8 years ago, a new store was built about 4 blocks from our home in Plano Texas on Alma Dr. My family of 4 spends between $100 and $150 / week in grocery and similar items.

Since the day this store opened, it has been plagued with severe mismanagement and quality of product issues. The first two to three weeks the store was opened, we could not get a cart of groceries priced correctly. (Eventually, the manager would give up and just Give us the basket for an arbitrary amount like $50 or $100 depending on the mood and how many customers were getting tired of waiting while they tried to rescan on different registers.)

We continued returning because it was not a bad deal for us, often getting mis-priced items for free. (This still gets very old and quite a hassle over time.) Every time, we consistently spoke to the store manager of shift manager asking when the pricing issues would be resolved. 7 or 8 years later, the problem still exists!!! At least one in three visits to this store results in us finding a mis-priced or improperly discounted item. (Often labels are on items with Reward or loyalty prices that do not ring up at the register properly.)

In all the years that we have been shopping this store, the error has only been in our favor once that I can recall, and we were honest and told them at checkout. (It then cost us 5 minutes to correct the error What a pain!) It is unfortunate that often, the store is being run without a manager available during evening and night shifts.

Generally, the quality of produce has been getting much worse as is evidenced by gnats and other flying insects around the overripe and rotting fruits and vegetables. The only response that I have gotten from the produce manager is that all stores have this problem. Sorry! Wal-Mart and Sams does not!

Meats are looking very unappealing and the prices continue to rise Today (8-25-2003) we saw Store Pre-Pack sliced meats that had "sell by" dates of 8-22-2003 clearly marked. Two hours after the check out clerk was notified, (manager was not available) the items are still on the shelf!!!

The staff has been generally pleasant enough but sometimes they confide that they feel helpless dealing with these problems, as they are never resolved. (Remember that we have gotten to know these cashiers for MANY years.)

Now, the store hours are being reduced again and the staff appears to have also been reduced. How can things possibly get better? I could, and often do go to other stores that are not as close or convenient but that does not make this situation right. If we were not as vigilant as we are, the pricing errors would go unnoticed and ultimately, many customers ARE being ripped off here on a daily basis!

They have recently converted one of our nearby stores into a Super-WalMart. This appears to be hurting business at this Tom Thumb and STILL things get worse. It would be a shame if years of mismanagement and neglect resulted in the closure of this store, as many people would be out of work for all the wrong reasons!!!

Sam
Plano, Texas
U.S.A.