Roosevelt Island Grocery Shopping Comparison - How Do Gristedes, Duane Reade & Fresh Direct Stack Up Against Each Other
Last Sunday, I did some Roosevelt Island grocery shopping for a few items and compared prices at our local Gristedes and Duane Reade. I did not check out the prices at the Food Emporium by the Tram on Ist Avenue. Later that day, I checked out prices for the same items on Fresh Direct.
Here's what I found. Nescafe Taster's Choice Decaf Coffee was $11.99 at Duane Reade
Fresh Direct did not have the Tasters Choice Decaf Coffee item.
Progresso Soups such as Hearty Chicken & Rotini were $2.99 at Duane Reade
and $3.69 at Gristedes.
The same soup at Fresh Direct was $2.99
Bush''s Baked Beans were $1.99 at Duane Reade
and $2.39 at Gristedes.
The same item cost at Fresh Direct was $1.79
This is not a scientific survey comparing Roosevelt Island Grocery prices but just the result one day for these particular items that I happened to buy.
UPDATE 3/10 - Received a reminder from a reader that a Whole Foods is scheduled to open in 2012 two blocks from the Roosevelt Island Tram on 57th Street and Second Avenue. More from this previous post.
41 comments :
Hmmmm... what kind of meal do you make from a can of soup, a can of baked beans, and some coffee?
I have a family of 5 to feed and we usually get our groceries from Costco, Trader Joe's, and Fresh Direct. Very rarely, and only in emergencies, do I go to Gristedes. I never bought any groceries at DR (except for chips and soda).
good question. I already had the Turkey and Monterey Jack Cheese to make a Hero.
The Soup and beans were to go along with the Hero. I also add cayenne pepper to the beans to spice it up.
The coffee was for the next morning.
Everything is more expensive at Gristede's and everybody knows it. Not to mention it isn't clean, prices aren't correct, and the service is pathetic.
Isn't $7.49 for a box of cereal normal?
@ 3:59 pm only if you buy it at costco and it comes with two big bags inside that box
Someone needs to show this small comparison to the new Manager at Gristedes. He seems to think that prices have been lowered since his arrival. Guess it's the same 'ol story. Then they wonder why folks go elsewhere. You would think they would want to keep everyone's business. SMH...
A thorough comparison was made by Andrew Gordon in June 19, 2010 Main Street WIRE ( http://nyc10044.com/wire/3019/wire3019.pdf ) where he compared over 39 identical items in Gristedes, Trade Fair, Associated and Food Emporium, and Gristedes was even expensier than Food Emporium (which is considered an upscale store). Now, if you look into RIOC's latest budget on page 13, you will see that Gristedes is paying $7/sq' and has contracted the space until 2032! (Budget: http://www.rioc.com/pdf/11-12ApprovedBudget.pdf ) ... so, yes, no matter what you do, or complain to, or ... they are here to charge us big, and they are here to stay!
G R I S H I T I E S S U C K S! always has ... Thats my opinion - and that of many others- and im sticking to it!
dont forget the re-dating at Gristedes
I remember reading that Gristedes dosnt pay for any electric it gets it for free through the east river tidal experiment. Gristedes is bilking the entire island.
Coming from the beautiful suburban supermarkets of Minnesota, when I first moved to RI I just about didn't eat for a week after stepping into Gristedes for the first time.
Well I got over it, smartened up, and found that New York has some of the best grocery stores in the U.S. if you know where to find them (A lot of produce for the entire country stops in NY before it goes anywhere else so we get first pick).
Gristedes is great for a quick missing ingredient and almost all your heavy stuff. Milk, eggs, soda are all relatively cheap at G's and the extra price is worth me not having to carry them very far.
Queens (30th ave and 33st, or just right across the bridge) has many many great options for grocery shopping and cheaper than anywhere in NYC.
Of course there is Cosco, but you need a membership, and 5 mouths to feed otherwise it will take you all month to eat a family pack of anything.
I have been hearing a lot of complain about Gristedes. I don't shop there and If we want to make it better the only thing to do is to boycott. Complain is not the solution but rather to show some actions and then the manger will do something. It's a disgrace along with the other front stores, like the Chinese, the deli, Trellis, the boutique the tax office and the cigarette place. The deli must GO and there no other word to describe it.
Lets get this organized and ***BOYCOTT GRISTEDES***
Will this blog site help us get the word out? Please!
Any and everybody that is interested in boycotting post to this site - NOW!
Here is the petition to kick Gristedes out of RI
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-replace-Gristedes-on-Roosevelt-Island/178354358845033
I have to disagree with some of here. While Gristedes is still way too expensive for many things many other items are rather reasonably priced - especially the weekly sales items. Compared to how this store was almost 10 years ago it improved a lot.
Gristede's is even more expensive than Whole Foods for some comparable items. I would have thought that just about impossible to pull off.
I think if Gristede's was somehow forced out, the store would end up sitting empty for quite a long time. Given RIOC's track record, what's the evidence a new store would take the lease? Be careful what you wish for, losing Gristede's would probably be worse for the Island than the sub-par, overpriced store we have now.
With the tram back, the Bridgemarket Food Emporium is a great alternative, as is FreshDirect and Duane Reade (oddly enough). For those with a car, Trade Fair has some good deals. It's too bad Gristedes has such a long lease and feels it does not need to earn our business.
I had been hoping for a better supermarket to open in Southtown, but no such luck. The powers that be are convinced that only the lowest end retail is appropriate on Roosevelt Island. I wish someone from RIOC would go the subway station and count all the shopping bags from Whole Foods, Garden of Eden, Dean & DeLuca, Citarella, Trader Joe, etc., etc. RIOC is simply not serving the people who live here. Now that Soap.com exists, Gristede's need be visited only in the direst of emergencies. Because of their sweetheart deal, they don't care if there is no business.
I do my grocery shopping in Queens (Trade's Fair, Associated, Pathmark or Stop&Shop) because prices are much lower than at any place on Roosevelt Island or Manhattan.
When I have to pick some basic stuff in Manhattan, I usually go to Pioneer or Morton Williams which prices are lower than Gristedes, Food Emporium or D'Agostino.
If I need stuff like shampoo, toothpaste, vitamins or otc medicine, I usually get it at Bed, Bath & Beyond on 1 avenue. I found that BBB chargers lower prices than Duane Reade. Walgreens and Rite Aid usually also have lower prices than Duane Reade.
Please remember, that if you are picking up grocery items at Duane Reade, you are paying for the convenience of it all -- they are not a supermarket, no matter how many stores they redo, include the one here on the Island.
Regarding Gristedes, as a 28-year resident of the Island, I can remember when it was worse -- far worse than any of you can remember. It is cleaner than it was 5 years ago, and, in an emergency, they usually have what ever you need.
While prices are still moderate to high, they are cheaper on many things than Food Emporium. Several of us forward the circulars from places like Trade Fair (no bargain there lately) Met Foods, Key Foods etc for specials and big sales. Does management above our store manager do anything -- very occasionally and not for long.
Our rotation of managers usually assures us that once one of them starts doing a good job, John Catsimtedes, the owner of Gristedes/Red Apple or senior mgt sends the good ones to the stores that seem to need it more.
Unless Mr. C hears directly from concerned citizens by e-mail or phone, nothing else will change. He wants to be Mayor, he is a big political contributor and a big charitable one too -- but we could use a little more charity from him here on RI. And remember, having Gristedes here is better than having them gone and RIOC taking 10 years to replace it.
Long time resident with no car who does not use Fresh Direct.
for those stating that grishities is "better" than what is was 5 years ago is not saying much at all.
i can appreciate those that dont have other means of transportation to pick up groceries will be seriously inconvenienced w/o grishities.
but it is more than just the prices; its the service, the aura, the stench, the filth, the lack of being a part of the RI close knit neighborhood.
the deli up the road, though not much cleaner, (but they apparently dont have a lease) always gives a smile and seem to know and respect their patrons.
the residents here need to speak-up to RIOC and Grishities and if our voices are not heard then maybe our wallets will - BOYCOTT GRISHITIES
i dont understand how Gristedes can be called a supermarket when a majority of what they carry is already cooked, ready to microwave or pop in the oven. They rarely have a selection of mean or more than 3-4 packages of over priced red dye oozing meat. The variety of produce they offer never rotated or seems to improve much. Their looking more and more like a discount store with all of their "clearance" shopping carts offering deep discounts on dusty smelly packages
Gristedes exploits the people on the island that cannot go into manhattan or queens to do their shopping, often due to disabilities, age, etc. I feel bad when I see an elderly or disabled person paying ridiculous prices for food that you couldn't pay me to eat. Its sad that the corruption in the RIOC will not allow us to have a decent grocery store, or at the very least, some competition. I spend about $5 a week at Gristedes for emergency items or things i forgot to pick up, but easily pay over $150 a week at other grocery stores. it seems strange to me that Gristedes does not want my money, when all they would have to do is carry some decent food, hire a couple competent staff, and maybe, just maybe, clean the floor once in a while.
It is most likely wishful thinking, but I expect that RIOC will find the long-term preferences granted to GRISTEDE to be a millstone around their neck when it comes to the master agreement. Such lesson will hopefully get RIOC to reconsider the situation with Gristede with some good lawyers.
Corruption in the RIOC? Did you actually read up on the history of getting a grocery store to Roosevelt Island in the first place? The only reason why the RIOC had to give Gristedes such a generous lease is because nobody back then wanted to open store on Roosevelt Island. Nobody. Times changed, of course, but there's nothing you can do about this.
Btw, the argument that disabled and senior citizens are being exploited is nonsense. Fresh DIrect, the Food Emporium under the bridge, and that grocery store down the street in LIC all deliver to Roosevelt Island. Anybody who wants to avoid Gristedes has options.
YES YES YES - REMEMBER: Fresh Direct, the Food Emporium under the bridge, and that grocery store down the street in LIC all deliver to Roosevelt Island and **** BOYCOTT GRISTEDES *****
REMEMBER: BOYCOTT GRISTIEDES...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-replace-Gristedes-on-Roosevelt-Island/178354358845033
PETITION SET UP TO BOYCOTT GRISTEDES:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-replace-Gristedes-on-Roosevelt-Island/178354358845033
It will be hard to force Gristede out IF RIOC gave them a waterproof
sweetheart deal; but it would be nice if the lease terms would be made available to,say, RIRA so we (the customers)can determine if there is any cause for breach of contract due to Gristede's lack of competitiveness and general service.
We do not own a car and were on a very tight budget last year - My husband WALKED to the Trade Fair in Queens all through the year and we wound up spending about $40/week on food total. It is, by far, the best option for cheaper food - you still need to check the expiration dates closely though.
Also, we saw several people walking back to RI with grocery carts from there - so to those that balk at the idea of walking - it can be done!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-replace-Gristedes-on-Roosevelt-Island/178354358845033
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-replace-Gristedes-on-Roosevelt-Island/178354358845033
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-replace-Gristedes-on-Roosevelt-Island/178354358845033
When the special price for corned beef was $4.49 a lb. at Gristedes and $3.99 at the most at other local markets, I e-mailed John Catsimatidis and reported this to him.
When I got to the store, Artie the manager told me they had just received a memo to lower the price to 3.99 a lb.
Commenting on a special item or
need is more effective than just berating the store and staff.
E-mail the company, he will get it.
Now, let's bring back Stells d'Oro cookies.
jb
We do all our Costco shopping without car. We tried the Fairway a couple times but we were always disappointed that in the end it really is not that much cheaper than other grocery stores (at least for the things that we get).
Enough with the links to boycott Gristedes Facebook page please. We all get the point so no need to add more such links.
I deleted the last three posts because they were only repetitive links to previous ones that remain.
HELLO I THINK THAT GRISTEDES DOES HAVE ALOT OF HIGH PRICES BUT RECENTLY THEY HAVE BEEN IMPROVING WITH LOWERING THE PRICES! GO TO THE STORES AND SEE IT YOUR SELF, IF YOU DISAGREE SO MUCH ABOUT IT SPEAK TO THE MANAGER HE WILL HELP YOU INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING
As Long as There Are places Like South town and octagon with high rents.he will get these high prices
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