Everyone rides for their favorite supermarket, but Wegmans leaves the rest in the dust. The chain's rich history and extensive offerings, paired with unmatched customer service and an enticing layout, make it a great place to get lost and find some great goodies.
People who are lucky enough to live near a Wegmans market are pretty serious about their dedication. In Upstate New York, Wegmans is practically a way of life. The regional delight is beloved, and pride only grows as the chain spreads.
These are some of the reasons that shopping at Wegmans is a truly unforgettable experience.
1. It's modeled after an open-air market.
Wegmans was the first supermarket to bring together so many different departments. The specially designed set-up was created with a community-focused, market-style look.
As the brand explains, "In the late 1990s, our store design team debuted the 'village concept' at our newly remodeled store in Pittsford. The idea behind the village concept was to model our stores after an outdoor market in a village square, where customers could visit different vendors all in one area."
While it's more unified today, there are many mainstays of the village square that are alive and well in Wegmans stores, including the iconic clock towers.
2. Their cheese and olive game is unmatched.
Wegmans claims each of its stores "usually has 300 specialty cheeses on hand." While that might sound crazy, when you walk in, you'll see they weren't kidding.
Similarly, the Mediterranean bar has an extensive olive selection. In pre-pandemic stores, there were tons of samples to try. Since then, select locations have re-introduced sampling.
3. And if you've got a sweet tooth, the candy selection is everything.
Some Wegmans locations offer bulk candy, which is amazing in and of itself. Even the ones that don't have a seriously intensive selection of candy, from staples to seasonal delights.
4. They've got cool shopping carts.
Select Wegmans locations have "smart carts" where customers scan their items as they go, making checkout a smoother and easier process.
And for the tiniest shoppers, they also have fun kids carts.
5. Their floral departments' skills are on par with pros charging thrice the price.
Working with Wegmans' floral departments on arrangements can be a great way to save money for an event, if you're flexible with the flowers you use.
Seasonal blooms can create unique arrangements that give you more for less.
6. The same is true of their bakeries.
Wegmans bakeries are so thorough that there are subdivisions within the bakery department to make sure everything runs smoothly.
From breakfast pastries and fresh bread to different sweets and commercial items, Wegmans truly has it all.
7. No two Wegmans stores are the same.
Every Wegmans store is designed to include elements that reflect the era from when it was built, as well as the area it's located in.
As a result, each store is unique, both inside and out.
8. There's an animatronic rooster at select locations.
There are 27 Wegmans locations that have an animatronic rooster. All the roosters are named "Casanova," in honor of a real rooster that once called Wegmans Organic Farm his home.
At the start of each hour, the rooster pops out of his barn and announces the time. It's really worth watching the whole clip.
9. Some stores also have a train that mazes through.
Around 80 different stores feature model trains with Wegmans-branded cars.
10. There are a number of original stores still in operation.
Rochester, New York, is full of early Wegmans locations that are still operating today.
There are a few other older stores sprinkled throughout the Northeast, but those are the true OGs.
11. They make good use of their unpurchased items.
Because Wegmans has so much to offer, it only makes sense that there's a good amount of perishable goods left at the end of the day. To make sure it isn't wasted, Wegmans markets partner with local charities to donate goods to food pantries, soup kitchens, and other organizations that can put it to good use.
Reddit user u/ShawnBrogan confirmed this in a comment about whether or not Wegmans actually donated food:
Comment
byu/ShawnBrogan from discussion
inRochester
12. They work with local farmers and have a farm of their own.
Wegmans says that they work with over 400 farms and suppliers across the East Coast to stock their stores with locally-grown, organic goodness.
13. They offer many niche ingredients you need for international cuisine.
Your days of having to find particular international supermarkets for the ingredients you need are behind you with Wegmans. They have a variety of ingredients to make your favorite dishes from around the globe.
14. Wegmans has a reputation for great customer service.
You know when you find yourself somewhere where the employees seem genuinely happy to work there? That's the feeling you generally get at Wegmans. Store associates are friendly and helpful, as per this customer's testimony:
15. They've got tons of celebrity fans.
Raven-Symoné, Jennifer Garner, Alec Baldwin, and Cher are just some of the many celebrities who have admitted a fondness for the brand. Especially now that they've expanded into NYC:
More Wegmans stories:
- Wegmans Shopper Stunned by Store's New Smart Carts
- Wegmans Worker: Food in Back of Shelf Isn't Always The Freshest
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
