[l2ridehd]

Yes, Publix is a good grocery store and are ranked number two in the country. But could they learn a lot from number one.

On a recent trip to Publix I had a dozen things on my shopping list and could not find 5 of them. These were not strange things. I asked for help. They could not find them. They went and got the manager and he was able to find 3 of the 5 and swore they had the other two but couldn't find them.

He apologized and noted they were the number two rated store. I asked if he had ever been to number one? The answer was no. Publix should have every manager visit number one.

The number one store is Wegmans and has been for many years running. And they are slowly moving South just as Publix is moving North. Wegmans unfortunately is moving South slowly.

There is such a gap between number one and two that it is hardly believable. When I was back in Virginia I was in Wegmans and I asked an employee for those same 5 items. They took me to all five. Every employee in the store must know where every item is located. They go through extensive training. Not really necessary if you use their web site and smart phone app as the app will tell you where an item is located. You build your shopping list on the web site and when you print it, it will print a store map showing where every item is located. If you select one of their recipes, just click add items to shopping list and they get added automatically. The stores are clean, have EVERYTHING, and are priced competitively.

So if Publix wants to stay number two they need to send every store manager to a Wegmans for a couple days. Because when the two meet somewhere in the Carolina's, Publix will lose. I have seen several stores close their doors when a Wegmans is built near them. There is a Harris Teeter very close to the Wegmans I frequent in Virginia and they are slowly going out of business.