Deli sandwiches are another standard feature in Lifestyle-era Safeways, and I think all of their stores (with service delis) have Boar's Head now, but this store has a lot more branding for this department than almost any other Safeway I've seen -- even more than most of the new builds/Albertsons conversions I keep talking about. In all the times I've visited Safeways, I can't remember ever noticing anyone ordering a sandwich from the deli -- a far cry from the Pub Sub lines I've heard about from those of you in Publix-land!
This is certainly something one won't see in a Randall's store as Randall's, at least the Houston ones, do not sell Boar's Head. One has to go to Kroger, HEB, or Sprouts for Boar's Head. Randall's customers better like Dietz & Watson or Safeway's own Primo Taglio because I think that is all they have! I'm not really sure why Randall's does not have Boar's Head since you'd think they would since they are a higher-end grocer around here.
ReplyDeleteHaving a look at the current Randall's ad, they are advertising deli sandwiches branded as being The Cheesecake Factory sandwiches. Well, at least we have that!
Ok, after doing some research, it seems that most places are either a Boar's Head retailer or a Dietz & Watson retailer. These brands may enforce exclusivity. It seems that Randall's is a Dietz & Watson dealer and Kroger and HEB are the Boar's Head dealers.
DeleteSo, that brings us to the NW. As is often the case, the NW market brings us great confusion. After using the store locator tools on the Boar's Head and Dietz & Watson websites, it seems some Seattle Safeways are Boar's Head stores and some are Dietz & Watson stores! I can't explain that one, but maybe you can by looking at the stores on each list. Maybe some are ex-Albertsons? I don't know.
Also, Dietz & Watson refers to some Safeways as 'Safeway Super Stores'. I thought Safeway hasn't used that naming since the 1980s!
Huh, that is weird! I feel like I've seen some Safeways that have both Boar's Head and Dietz & Watson, but maybe not. (There is at least one listed on both websites, but that may well be a mistake -- after all, I have no clue what's up with the "Safeway Super Store" thing.) I believe Dietz & Watson only showed up after the Albertsons merger; I don't remember seeing Boar's Head either, but since it's only in a small number of stores, it's possible I just never visited any stores with it. And I've never heard of Cheesecake Factory-branded sandwiches at Safeway!
DeleteInterestingly, during one of my few visits to the old Altamonte Springs Safeway, I actually bought a sandwich there. They were running a $5 sandwich deal, however the only toppings you were allowed to get on the $5 sandwich besides the meat and cheese were lettuce and tomato - anything else you had to pay extra for (unlike Publix, where you get all the toppings you want for the set price of the sandwich). The Safeway sandwich wasn't bad (a bit plain though), but there's a reason why you have to fight a crowd at the Publix deli for a sandwich, and at Safeway's I was able to order right away!
ReplyDeleteInteresting! I'm not surprised Safeway's deli sandwiches aren't up to the same level as Publix's, but that nickel-and-diming is a bit strange.
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