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I heard someone describe this place as "the Ross of Grocery Stores". That's right. It has some really funky stuff. I've seen boxes of stuff that are all in spanish with a "ONLY FOR INTERNATIONAL SALE" sign on them, goatsmilk ice cream sandwiches.
I was kind of underwhelemed and grossed out the first time I went here. You have to get past that and look CLOSELY. They have a lot of generic products that look incredibly suspicious and have trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, etc up the wazoo. But they also somehow find brand products and even natural ones. Soy pudding!!
Also the produce is fine as far as I can tell and quite cheap. I figure you can't go wrong with produce (it's natural, right?) unless you worry too much about getting it organic, which I generally don't. Something like 1 dollar for a thing of blackberries and 2 dollars for 4 avocados...Can't remember it all but the prices are pretty crazy inexpensive.
This isn't quite as big as the one on Aurora, but it's more accessible especially for pedestrians. And Cortona is up the street!!
The grocery outlet is an interesting place. You can't really come here looking for a specific item, because you never know what they're going to have. While it feels kind of odd to walk around looking at all the random boxes of goods, I echo other people's comments that you can find a lot of name brand food here. I've seen some of my favorite Amy's soups, and Bear Naked granola, Stash teas.
honestly, I don't really go here to grocery shop, but I do think it's nice to do when I'm bored. It's interesting to see what food 'treasures' and surprises you'll find here. I think the 'Ross of Grocery Stores' label that Stacia used is quite apt for this place. I've even picked up some random garden 'art' and tools here that I later saw at big box hardware stores for twice the price.
Anyway, if you're here for the farmer's markets in the summer anyway, why not take a look through the outlet?
DOOOOOD!
They have wine on sale for $1.99 - if you're dying to get laid, and know a cheap drunk *raising hand* get your vino on!
This place is still my dirty little secret/
Um, are you effing kidding me? If you don't give this place 5 stars then I think you should be… Read more »
We used to have a Grocery Outlet just down the hill, and I'd stop in occasionally looking for cheap and/or weird snacks. It wasn't a destination, because I couldn't rely on finding things I needed. It closed, and I was sort of "eh".
I finally visited the Grocery Outlet on MLK and--WOW! It's HUGE! The selection goes on forever, and there's a really nice frozen and refrigerated section. They even have wine & beer--including some snobby micros at super cheap prices.
I like to save money, but I also like to eat well (healthy and/or tasty). Grocery Outlet lets me do all three at once! Cinnamon Life cereal for $2! Kashi Friends fiber cereal for $2.50 (usually at least $4-5).
I spent $55 and "saved" $50 according to the receipt. I was loading up on emergency supplies (canned & packaged stuff) and would have easily spent at least $75 at any other store.
I agree with all the other reviews about outstanding staff. Really friendly and welcoming.
I don't go here often, but this place is great. An ever-rotating and large selection of natural foods and beauty products that you wouldn't expect. It's so fun going through here.
Very friendly staff at the registers too, without being forced and fake (it seems, and I hope, at least).
I'd driven by grocery outlet and mostly ignored it. I assumed outlet would mean generic supermarket brands. Since I eat organic/vegetarian food, I figured they wouldn't have anything I'd want to buy. Then I read the yelp reviews which mentioned that they do have organic items, so I headed over to check it out.
Here's what I found:
- Soy milk for $1.29/box
- Lots of organic/natural beauty products (shampoo, conditioner, lotion) from name brands at half off
- Amy's organic pizzas for $5
- Organic frozen berries for $1.99
- Newman's and Tropical Source organic/fair trade/vegan chocolate bars for 50 cents that normally sell for $2-4 each
- Organic cereal for $1.99
- Organic cheese (though they were out of cheddar yesterday)
They of course have a wider variety of non-organic/natural products, but there's definitely quite a few of them buried in the shelves. The selection is very random and I doubt you'll necessarily find the same thing from month to month. A lot of the products seem to be overstocks. Most of the brands are ones that you'd recognize, but a lot of the products are things like unusual flavors and scents that didn't sell well (the lotion I got was orange and chocolate mint, which I think smells delicious).
I couldn't do all my shopping here because they don't stock *that* many organic products, but they stock enough to make it worth the trip.
I am proud to say I am a semi-regular shopper at Grocery Outlet.
Ditto to what everyone says about the random assortment of foods...but really, where else can you get brand-name snack foods & cereals at such low prices?
Also, they do have produce. Maybe it is not all organic & the most pristine looking in the world, but if you are cooking it up that night or soon, it is worth it!
And while it could be viewed as "depressing" to have this type of store, I find it refreshing. For many people, shopping here provides a low-cost alternative to crappy fast-food or other nutrient-lacking pre-made foods(yes, they have some of those too).
I find myself singing along to the music as I shop here & also their toy selection isn't bad either. I usually find a thing or two for my little one, or something as a gift...
I have had great conversations with the check-out staff. Even when I don't, I at least feel like I am helping support a locally-owned store that provides reasonable food options for everyone. (yes it is a chain, but I believe it is a locally owned franchise).
And in the summer, there is a great Farmer's Market in the parking lot. Right now there is an xmas tree vendor. Gotta love it!
Let's face it, not all of us can afford to shop at Whole Foods or even QFC sometimes. It took me a long while to visit this place because buying food from an "outlet" just seemed kinda ghetto. I was wrong. My favorite things to buy here:
- cheese, some really good sharp cheddars for $1.99
- Avalon Organics, Jason, Kiss my Face, and other organic shampoos and other toiletries for $3.99 or less
- Smarfood cheese popcorn, monstrous bag for $2.99
- nuts, like whole salted cashews in a giant container for $4.99
- eggs and milk, again cheap
- fruits and veggies that are actually really quite fresh, fresher than I've seen in the international district for sure.
- canned foods and cereals/cereal bars including some organic stuff and definitely brand name items e.g. Campbell's chunky soup for $1.99
- bread is $1.99 a loaf but expires in about a week is plenty for me if it's going to be a sandwich packing type of week
The place is far cleaner and more organized than I would have thought and I often come across unexpected little items for cheap e.g. a collapseable rolling plastic cart for $9 ($20 at Office Depot). Great place to stock up on chips and crackers and hummus and stuff like that when you're entertaining.
Oh and the staff are super nice. I don't know what that other reviewer is talking about.
Update: My local-local Grocery Outlet closed down, to my and many others' great disappointment. Next nearest GO is the Madrona location at 1126 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WAY. And Burien. Sigh.
Original review:
Trying to maintain its dignity behind a towering Light Rail station is my beloved Grocery Outlet. I always leave with bags and bags of loot and spend like, $40. Favorite finds:
Amy's frozen organic meals, pizzas and burritos.
Health-food store brand cosmetics like Jason, Rachel Perry and Kiss My Face.
More South Beach snack bars than you know what to do with.
AWESOME variety of energy and novelty drinks.
Cheese. Lots of it.
Some pretty decent brands of candies and chocolates at a great price.
Wine for under $5. that ain't 2 Buck Chuck.
Garden tools. Yes, garden tools.
This place is rad.
Not a weekly chomping ground, but reliable amazing prices. I was impressed with a wide variety of organic and natural snack food that comes at non-organic prices. In turn, don't expect fancy. The money you save is probably at least partially due to the lack of fixin' up. But, if you're lookin to buy healthy in bulk, this place is for you.
I love you.
And I can afford to get real cereal for less than the generic stuff at Safeway.
And I can walk here.
And fancy cheese.
And ice cream! And pop-tarts!
Reason #37 why big kids should not be allowed to live on their own.
Also, you can survive on just ice cream, pop-tarts, and satsumas.
Grocery Outlet - The great grocery adventure!
You certainly cannot do all your grocery shopping here. You can't even count on them having something one day to the next. What you can count on is a bunch of deals. And, if you aren't the type of person who can appreciate a good bargain then you should be home watching Everyone Loves Raymond because you clearly don't know what is good in this world.
Thomas Kemper root beer is good. Organic cereal is good. King sized candy bars are good. Mango juice is good. TLC crackers are good. All manners of frozen foods are good. White cheddar popcorn is good. Even "test market" cookies are good.
Plus, if it's not good, you probably only paid like .33 cents for it, so cut your losses and go on to the next thing.
Go grocery adventuring, have fun, and save yourself a few dollars.
Random food items? Check. Cheap prices? Check. This is what Grocery Outlet is all about. If you don't mind very, and I mean very, generic labels,
inexpensive food, and soon to be expired food Grocery Outlet is for you!
I am particularly fond of this Grocery Outlet because its almost always stocked with Amy's frozen food at crazy low prices. Find Amy's at a "higher" end grocery store and you'll pay an arm and a leg. I get crazy excited going to Grocery Outlet knowing I'll be leaving home with a bag full of Amy's. They also have my favorite All-Bran cereal (gotta keep it regular folks) and cheap cheese. I love being able to get goat or feta cheese for $2.99 a tub. There is a great wine selection and there is your typical cheap beer.
I dare you to try to find another grocery that has such cheap prices and a great selection.
And I have to give a shout-out to the man in the back front corner of the store selling old school R&B cds for $5 a pop to raise money for veterans. Keep on keepin' on.
So what if you have to double-check all the expiration dates? Stuff's cheap! Crazy cheap.
Like you can buy Nerds, 3 for a dollar!
Wine is an awesome deal, often about 50% off the price that QFC would sell it when it's *on sale*.
Do you ever find yourself in a mood where grocery store aisles are actually captivating? I confess that certain phases of the moon or conjunction of Mars puts me in a place where I can wander a store like Grocery Outlet for endless periods of time as a form of entertainment.
The variety and stock is quite unusual. There might be rows of crackers in boxes designed to resemble name brands, that take a second look to truly identify. Garish canned soft drinks, odd collections of breakfast cereals, plus a mercantile selection that defies categorization. One might find camping accessories, tool sets and stuffed animals.
The attraction is that amongst this bizarre array of frozen cactus blends and trail mix are some terrific buys. I have a thing for 100% juice drinks, for example. I can admit it here, amongst my close friends, unashamedly. Most stores have taken to charging $3-4+ per half gallon for the pure stuff, which offends me deeply. One can find the real thing here.. No Corn Syrup, for $2. This alone is worth the drive over from Wallingford.
It might take a while to shop. You just have to check each row carefully. One time there may be a gallon jug of kosher dill pickles that simply can't be passed up. You never know what sort of treasure may be lurking in the frozen case.
I'm always amused with the receipt that details "your savings". You might spend $11, but you will have saved $17 in the process.
Check the website for the location of a store near you. There are quite a few around greater Seattle: http://www.groceryoutl...
They're open till 10PM, so the entertainment aspect truly offers a reasonable alternative to an early movie.
Don't be scared! This place is a hidden gem!
I scored the following two varieties of Spam on my last visit!
Cheese Spam!
Spam with Honey!
I don't find this place sad or reeking of desperation at all. It's like going on a treasure hunt!
Can a grocery store be weird? Sure, why not?!
Grocery Outlet is a strange store, a remaindered groceries store, selling an eclectic mix of whatever comes in the door, and off brand staples. Formally Roger's (very bad store), then a Red Apple (moderately bad store), now Grocery Outlet had come in, cleaned and remodeled the place, and are selling cheap groceries for the thrifty shopper (which is me).
They also have a whole section of home goods, outdoor furniture, large RC Batmobiles and plastic plants, alongside mountains of Spam, last months cereal, and stacks of Shasta soda. Take some time and wander the aisles, you never know what you may find there from day to day. But also check the sell by date. They're good at getting rid of bad mayo, but you don't want to get stale Captain Crunch. Unless you do. Then I'm not coming to your house for my Crunchberries.
The Island of Misfit Foods.
My favorite store. You never find everything on your list, and always find things you need that aren't on it. A carnival of strange and intriguing products.
I've been coming to Grocery Outlets (formerly Canned Food Grocery Outlets) for 20 years now. Some memories:
As poor high school students in Coos Bay, Oregon: Charlie, Brad, Joe and I would stop off before our surfing trips to Lighthouse Beach. Ever cook a $.49 frozen pizza over a driftwood fire? A singular experience.
Eugene, Oregon: Phat Boy Malt Liquor 40s, 2-for-$1. Discontinued due to pressure from the ACLU that it was unfairly targeted to "urban" folks with energy herbs and Spike Lee-ish font. It's cool, send 'em to the Grocery Outlet! Literally buying them 100 at a time. That's how many you can fit in a '91 Mazda MX6. Trust me.
The one off I-5 in southern Washington by the Wal-Mart: Diet Sparks, 4-for-$1? That bargain fueled a west coast tour once upon a time.
I still regret passing up the Golden Tee Golf standup game they had last year.
I just find this place seriously soul crushing. The place is just sad and reeks of desperation. Yes, you can get some good deals on things; They had fire logs at a great price lately, and I scored some diet coke for a 2 bucks a case a while back. But the fresh food is scary, the frozen food always seems thawed and re-frozen and the fruit looks like something fruit flies would turn down.
But worst of all is the sad, downtrodden staff. I don't know what they pay but these people just seem miserable. I
Grocery Outlet is an absolute requirement for those who are shopping on a budget. The selection is always changing, always interesting and everything is essentially ALWAYS on sale! The personnel is always super friendly when I shop there, and consistently, my SAVINGS are usually more than what I spent on groceries! Just be sure to check the labels on some of the things you buy; I've purchased some expired or nearly expired items before. Oh, and as is the case with any of these stores, sometimes the labels look like the 'national brand,' but they're a generic brand. Overall, this place is one of my faves because their discounts are deep, products are great, and I like the selection!
Don't look down on the Grocery Outlet! You'd be hard pressed to find such good deals on food. The inventory is ever changing and rotating and thus unreliable. While I don't get my fresh vegetables here, I find nearly everything else that I need (and often times things I don't need).
They've got a great, inexpensive spice variety. Canned goods are very well priced and affordable. Baking mixes are all great and cheap! Some name brands, mostly generic ones.
Okay, so I haven't always been kind to you in my thoughts, Grocery Outlet. And, while I've accompanied Central District Man many times on his visits to you, I've scoffed at you. And even though you occasionally surprised me with a small treasure or a bargain, I discounted your discount-ness. But, darling Grocery Outlet, I've repented. I've learned my lesson. And every time I use my new George Forman grill, The Next Grilleration ($29.99 at the end of the first aisle across from the ATM and under the lighter fluid), it will be an act of contrition.
The last time I swung through "Ghetto Outlet" the only beer they were selling was cases of Bush Light. The canned food is organized in boxes along the aisles. There is an entire section of the store that is much like a flea market as there are random goods laid out on tables and shelves. I think there may be some good stuff buried in that curious pile of stuff? The frozen food is a little off putting at first because some of the food is of an odd selection; however, I've found some great sausages and other items have been great to pull out of the freezer. I'm not convinced that the fresh produce is priced at a discount at all. I would never go out of my way to go to this store. If you're in the area though and need some frozen tater tots, have time to kill, money to waste, and a strange need to buy random, off brand goods then this place can be fun to explore.
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So my dad comes to visit me and expects that I…
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