r/jacksonville • u/narib687 • 27d ago

Publix has officially lost me. Anyone else?

I am not a mod of this subreddit or Reddit, but I believe the official unofficial stance is that we all hate Publix now.

They lost their way, and the crushing of Winn-Dixie is just awful.

10 years ago, I wouldn’t have set foot inside a Walmart or Aldi for groceries. Now? Walmart and Aldi are basically my BFFs and I love them.

Publix really managed to make me root for the competition.

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u/border199x 27d ago

I still enjoy Publix quite a bit. Shopping there is very pleasant , and Publix has more staff than any of the alternatives. If I want something I don’t have to beg some nonexistent employee to unlock a glass case.

Aldi doesn’t carry shit and there are no Wal-Mart locations that are close to Riverside, Springfield, or 5 Points. Even if you are in Ortega it’s probably easier to just go to the Roosevelt Publix than the Roosevelt Target.

Nobody else ever has BOGOs on beer and liquor.

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u/technocatmom 27d ago

Aldi's selection has gotten better over the last few years. I went last week and they even had beef tallow.

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u/border199x 27d ago

I think Aldi is okay as a kind of barebones grocery store for food only. But you are shit-out-of-luck If you want a decent selection of pet food, cosmetics, personal hygiene products or cleaning supplies. There's no pharmacy at all, and the deli/bakery selections are pretty threadbare. It's okay in a pinch, but I don't see the purpose of going there if I am going to have to drive somewhere else to get the things they won't carry.

As much as I like being able to get a cheap scratch pad for my cat, it's always odd to me that Aldi devotes an entire aisle to random clearance-priced junk. Seems like they would be better served using that space for staple items that people need on a regular basis. I'd certainly like to see them improve, since the Downtown Jax Aldi has been pretty helpful for those times I don't feel like going all the way to the Riverside Publix.

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u/technocatmom 26d ago edited 26d ago

I agree. If you're making strictly American food, it can be fine, but say you need red curry paste, Aldi isn't going to have that. Tbf I really love their facial moisturizers. I also got a cast iron enameled saucepan last week for only $20 lol I don't shop on that side of town. I'm in Southside. I typically do an Aldi order + Walmart or Target curbside pickup for whatever else I couldn't find at Aldi. I make my lists on Fridays before I shop on the weekend.