In Safeway in order to get ahead, it comes down to "who you know", not "what you know". - Anonymous employee Safeway Employee Review

3.0
8 Aug 2011
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

It is a big company with a lot of clout with their vendors. Your annual doctor visits for routine preventative care is 100% paid for. You can get a new pair of glasses every year. Challenging work.

Cons

There seems to be a pattern of annual downsizing every January for the past five years. Safeway doesn't have a policy to try to hire from within. As a result when outsiders enter the company they tend to bring with them the people they know and use to work with. There is also a wage freeze every couple of years. There is no 401K matching, in order to get reduced health care premiums you must subject yourself to testing and pass: weight/BMI, nicotine, blood glucos, cholesteral, blood pressure. All good tests, but I don't like my employer having this information.

Explore other reviews about Safeway

5.0
3 Aug 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Flexible scheduling, Friendly work environment, Customer interaction, Opportunities for advancement

Cons

Staff shortages, Weekend and holiday work

3.0
22 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Friendly environment and great co-workers. Being a floral clerk was hands down my favorite customer service job I've worked. Made some nice friends working there, and the stress of work was easily handled because of the friendly people.

Cons

Seniority was definitely a thing. I was expected to take shifts that the other people didn't want until someone newer came along, and then I had seniority over them. Upper management for the store was also the worst. They would take credit for our department's hard work and shift blame onto us for oversights or actions on their part. Once I got promoted to admin, I saw how little they cared about their employees. They would make passing comments and openly admit to giving certain employees who were "problem people" bad shifts or deny their requests for days off. I was in charge of making the schedule and would be told not to give certain people the days they wanted that week, even if they were within their availability, just to make things difficult for them. They also don't promote from within. I was asked to be the interim manager when our manager went on maternity leave. I stepped up and took on manager duties despite not getting a pay raise. When my manager decided she wanted to move stores, she was hoping I would be given the role permanently. Instead, they decided to bring in someone from another store, and I had to train her to be a floral manager at ours. They did eventually promote me to store admin, but my passion was working in floral. I agreed on the promotion as long as I could still work in the floral department, but they eventually phased me out of that role. Literally tricked me into taking a promotion and then falling back on the terms we agreed on.

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