As a long-time customer of Whole Foods in the Kentlands, Maryland, both my wife and I were flabbergasted by our recent experience that started with an order with the meat department on November 12th, and ended with the store manager (Melissa Niane) accusing us of placing an order for the incorrect item; a claim by the store manager that their personnel (Seeku) didn’t write the order down incorrectly; and their personnel not being responsible for a missing order that was placed almost two weeks prior to Thanksgiving. While the incident itself was poorly handled, the accusatory and snarky attitude of the store manager against a customer, her refusal to resolve the issue, and her staunch stance that “our employees at Whole Foods are always right and the customer is always wrong” has really turned us off to shopping at Whole Foods in the future. For those interested in the details of this incident. The original order was placed on November 12th at 3:00 p.m. when I called Whole Foods and spoke to Seeku in the meat department to place an order for an 8 lb. leg of lamb with an extended bone. We had placed this order in years past with no issues, so thought nothing of placing this order again for Thanksgiving. (This order was NOT placed with the Holiday Desk). On Sunday, November 21st my wife happened to be shopping at Whole Foods and while there she went to confirm that they indeed had a record of the order and that it would be ready for pickup on November 23rd. She went to the meat department and asked them to confirm the order would be ready, and the meat department sent her to the Holiday Order Desk. After waiting for one of the two women to be available, my wife gave the women the information only to find that the Holiday order desk had no record of the order. As my wife knew I had placed the order, the women that was helping her went back to the meat counter and then brought a notebook back to show my wife that the order was in fact written correctly as an 8 lb. Leg of Lamb for pickup on November 23rd. My wife left the store reassured that the order would be ready for pick up on November 23rd. On Tuesday, November 23rd my wife went back to Whole Foods to pick up the order. When she arrived she went to the meat counter to pick up the order. The employee behind the counter informed my wife that not only did they not have our order, they did not have any lamb. My wife inquired what could be done. He asked if my wife wanted to speak with the store manager who happened to be close to the meat counter. My wife explained to the manager, later identified as Melissa Niane, the story which had been shared above. Melissa went to the back of the store to search for herself and came back and said he was right. My wife then explained she had ten people coming for thanksgiving and what were they going to do. My wife suggested they call other stores as Melissa did not offer to do anything to remedy this situation. After my wife’s suggestion Melissa in a dismissive fashion told my wife to take a seat in their cafe. My wife went to the Customer Service counter and asked for the store manager not realizing Melissa was in fact the store manager as she never identified herself. My wife could clearly hear through the customer representatives telephone, “is that that lady with the lamb”. After sometime Melissa showed up with a wrapped meat package and a piece of paper and represented the package as a boneless leg of lamb. Melissa insisted that was what I ordered and repeatedly pointed out my name on the piece paper that accompanied her and said isn’t his name Mark. Isn’t it. The accusatory tone and obsessive need for Melissa to assign blame to the customer versus working with the customer to solve the problem was perpetuated when my wife suggested that maybe the order was taken incorrectly Melissa insisted over and over that was not even remotely possible and was insistent we the customer were at fault. I should point out 3 things, first, the name on the paper was spelled incorrectly so could it be she pulled someone else’s order in error thinki
rgnix
Nice stuff, and especially good food for a grocery store, but stuff here is EXPENSIVE. Brace your wallet for the impact.
Shelly J.
I love this place so much but my wallet doesn't! Definitely overpriced. However being an Amazon prime member has it perks, you do get a small discount on some sale items. I love their body washes and incense. They carry tons of plant based milks that are hard to find. I love sweetened cashew milk or oat milk. They do have a deli counter that carries this delicious spicy pasta mozerella salad. Sometimes I go to WF just for that. Bakery!! The tasty macarons that does not break bank!! Their pastries are amazing and their cakes!! Let me tell you, I ordered a few for my Friendsgiving Thanksgiving and my friends loved thei Mascarpone Cake This place is kinda expensive but worth it. Employees are nice and helpful, and they follow strict social distancing guidelines. The store is always clean and organized, so I'll definitely return.
Charm P.
I ordered delivery through Amazon at 4 pm today was told that my grocery items would be delivered by 10 pm. However, they have not arrived nor have I received a notification for when they will arrive. I was expecting it for meal prep for the rest of the week. If they weren't going to arrive I should have at least received notification/email something!! If you pride yourself on providing the best customer service, at least deliver that!!!....I reached out to customer service and asked them to give me a call. They called, now I am waiting on hold. What's the purpose of customer service calling you if you have to wait on hold??
Steph C.
2 stars for providing gloves and sanitizer. I am once again reviewing, as I diligently continue to shop at WF hoping it will return to the quality of Fresh Fields.From Amanda's review below this sums up what has happened to WF's quality:"There is another pastry (I don't recall the name) that used to be made with real fruit and now it's made out with jams.."They're using cheaper ingredients and the quality has plummeted. I find Mom's has way, way better produce, but their prices are even more ridiculous than WF and they have limited stock at times. Their pink lady apples are wonderful, (worth the hefty price) while often, Whole Foods organic apples have a toxic smell and flavor. And they are certainly NOT cheap.But today, I am writing mainly to say I am really weary of the bakery bread. It has changed over the last couple of years. (Yeah I know about the half-baked lawsuit and I couldn't give a flute where it's baked as long as it's fresh when I buy it), Fresh Fields bread had a healthy weight and density. Whole Foods whole grain breads, which are the ones I buy (Harvest, Multigrain and Seeduction) are as light as a feather! And not in a good way...in a cheap way, like jam instead of fruit (thank you Amanda). When you toast then, they literally float across the room to be buttered. They are unsubstantial and very expensive. Every time I shop at WF, and I keep trying, they are the ones eating....my money, while I smh at the low quality food.
Sara K.
Bait and switch! "Delivery Available" but when you race to check there are no times. Their algorithm is broken.
Eddie K.
I've done delivery before with Amazon Prime Now in the past, but since Covid-19 and the stay at home order by Governor Hogan, I've been relying on Prime Now for my weekly groceries. I have to say I am quite impressed with the quality of the food, how fast the Whole Food shopper picks up my items and how they package them so well. I even get insulated bags for my frozen and refrigerated perishable food items. The Whole Food shopper let's you know if an item isn't available. You have to indicate before you check-out if you want a substitute product in case they are out of stock. Now, if they can serve their pizza from the prepared food section, that would be so nice as their pizza's are pretty good. For the delivery times, sometimes it does say all delivery time slots are full, but if you check once in a while and leave your items in your cart you will get some available time slots. I never had to wait more than a day to place the order. They always deliver within the two hour window as well. This location delivers to my house in Rockville. I wonder why the Rockville location doesn't partake in Prime Now.
Angela N.
Upgrading my review to reflect the great effort Whole Foods is making to protect customers and staff during the COVID-19 outbreak. Appreciate any grocery store that is providing wipes to clean down the carts and hand sanitizers as well as gloves to keep it clean and safe as you shop. Staff are wiping down all the check-outs between each customer and they are managing to keep the store well stocked for the most part.
Leni T.
I am SO happy to have grabbed the 25% off SALE of 365 Shampoo and Condition. Thank you for helping me save $$$!
Sandy G.
I'll try to be as fair as possible with this review... I really think Corporate needs to reevaluate whoever is managing this location. The Staff are friendly and professional (main reason for 3 stars instead of 2) but seem to be in need of training which usually is a sign of poor management. Most of them seem unhappy. Here goes the bad: When buying chicken it's a hit or miss. I can't tell you how many times I wasted money on rotten chicken. Same goes for the olive bar $9 for a container of spoiled artichokes and mushrooms. They don't keep stock of poouker items. Coarse corn meal full of weavils. When I asked to speak to a Manager about 6 packs of corn meal with weavils he had the employee come back to tell me that that's how it's sold. Now for the good: Location is convenient and has better parking than other locations. Store is kept clean and their produce is well maintained. Staff are freindly and helpful. I hope they really improves. It's such a bummer to have a grocery store that can be so great really slacking like this.
I am a pushover for healthy foods. Especially, when I have had an unhealthy eating weekend and I need to reboot my eating habits. Thanks a lot Fogo de Chao! So, I head right on over to the Whole Foods salad bar and I don't feel like I am skimping in taste or nutrition. There are so many choices I am like a kid in a candy store. First, there was the paleo guacamole and then, the roasted cauliflower, and who can resist the fresh roasted beet salad? Okay, so I load up on the healthy choices and some that just taste good. My salads are not cheap, no matter how hard I try, it usually comes out to about $15 dollars. But, I rationalize that it could be for two meals. So, it is really only $7.50 a lunch. I don't have to add a lot of dressing, because everything is so fresh. I never leave without some fresh fruits and vegetables in my basket. I love the parking at the Whole Foods in the Kentlands, even though I find the store itself a little confusing. The people who work there are as nice as can be. So, if you are looking for some healthy alternatives, then Whole Foods can be a smart choice.
Ronald L.
Anyone who wants to bash the cakes they make at this bakery have my full support. I have bought 3 cakes from this place now, one vegan and two regular and all three were garbage. Not sure what they are doing wrong but the cakes are super dry, the icing hard, and everything tastes stale. The only impressive thing about this place is how consistently bad their cakes are. Shame on this Wholefoods, if your gonna charge premium prices you better have good product!
Vishal S.
This is a good Whole Foods store similar to other stores. The size is not as big as the newer stores but they still have most of the items available. Parking is also easy in front of the store. It is conveniently located in the Kentlands Shopping center. Aisles are well stocked with stuff and the bakery section is good too! Have purchased cakes and cupcakes from this location and the quality is similar to other Whole Foods Market locations.
Amanda A.
I used to go to Whole Foods almost every single weekend a couple of years ago to purchase their bakery products, fruits, sushi or pizza. I do not know what happened, it seems like their chefs have changed, because the quality of the food went down. Starting with their cakes, they are not as fresh as they used to be, and they taste old. There is another pastry (I don't recall the name) that used to be made with real fruit and now it's made out with jams, which don't have a really good taste. The last frustration is the pizzas. I have tried to purchase pizza from them this past year several times, and they were ALWAYS burnt!!! It's extremely disappointing. I bought pizza last Saturday and I threw half of the pizza away because it was extremely burnt. I couldn't go back to return it and I know I should have looked at it first, but I was trusting Whole Foods. Very disappointing and I'm not purchasing their pizzas anymore. I would rather go to Harris Teeter!!!
LolaGo1
On the LEFT side of the store are several islands of freshly cooked dishes and freshly cut fruits and vegetables. Cost per pound is $8.99 and items can be combined. There are tables inside the store where these items can be eaten or they can be taken home. I took my delicious foods home in their provided paper container. There is also a BAKERY located nearby where various types of bread, pastries, cookies and cakes can be purchased. Freshly prepared SANDWICHES are sold at another section while various types of CHEESES are for sale next to this section. On the RIGHT side of the store are ORGANIC fruits and vegetables, different kinds of NUTS and the SEAFOODS Section. Total of my purchases is $35.00. I'll surely shop here again due to their WIDE selections of foods and other items plus their very FRIENDLY and HELPFUL STAFF.
As a long-time customer of Whole Foods in the Kentlands, Maryland, both my wife and I were flabbergasted by our recent experience that started with an order with the meat department on November 12th, and ended with the store manager (Melissa Niane) accusing us of placing an order for the incorrect item; a claim by the store manager that their personnel (Seeku) didn’t write the order down incorrectly; and their personnel not being responsible for a missing order that was placed almost two weeks prior to Thanksgiving. While the incident itself was poorly handled, the accusatory and snarky attitude of the store manager against a customer, her refusal to resolve the issue, and her staunch stance that “our employees at Whole Foods are always right and the customer is always wrong” has really turned us off to shopping at Whole Foods in the future. For those interested in the details of this incident. The original order was placed on November 12th at 3:00 p.m. when I called Whole Foods and spoke to Seeku in the meat department to place an order for an 8 lb. leg of lamb with an extended bone. We had placed this order in years past with no issues, so thought nothing of placing this order again for Thanksgiving. (This order was NOT placed with the Holiday Desk). On Sunday, November 21st my wife happened to be shopping at Whole Foods and while there she went to confirm that they indeed had a record of the order and that it would be ready for pickup on November 23rd. She went to the meat department and asked them to confirm the order would be ready, and the meat department sent her to the Holiday Order Desk. After waiting for one of the two women to be available, my wife gave the women the information only to find that the Holiday order desk had no record of the order. As my wife knew I had placed the order, the women that was helping her went back to the meat counter and then brought a notebook back to show my wife that the order was in fact written correctly as an 8 lb. Leg of Lamb for pickup on November 23rd. My wife left the store reassured that the order would be ready for pick up on November 23rd. On Tuesday, November 23rd my wife went back to Whole Foods to pick up the order. When she arrived she went to the meat counter to pick up the order. The employee behind the counter informed my wife that not only did they not have our order, they did not have any lamb. My wife inquired what could be done. He asked if my wife wanted to speak with the store manager who happened to be close to the meat counter. My wife explained to the manager, later identified as Melissa Niane, the story which had been shared above. Melissa went to the back of the store to search for herself and came back and said he was right. My wife then explained she had ten people coming for thanksgiving and what were they going to do. My wife suggested they call other stores as Melissa did not offer to do anything to remedy this situation. After my wife’s suggestion Melissa in a dismissive fashion told my wife to take a seat in their cafe. My wife went to the Customer Service counter and asked for the store manager not realizing Melissa was in fact the store manager as she never identified herself. My wife could clearly hear through the customer representatives telephone, “is that that lady with the lamb”. After sometime Melissa showed up with a wrapped meat package and a piece of paper and represented the package as a boneless leg of lamb. Melissa insisted that was what I ordered and repeatedly pointed out my name on the piece paper that accompanied her and said isn’t his name Mark. Isn’t it. The accusatory tone and obsessive need for Melissa to assign blame to the customer versus working with the customer to solve the problem was perpetuated when my wife suggested that maybe the order was taken incorrectly Melissa insisted over and over that was not even remotely possible and was insistent we the customer were at fault. I should point out 3 things, first, the name on the paper was spelled incorrectly so could it be she pulled someone else’s order in error thinki
Nice stuff, and especially good food for a grocery store, but stuff here is EXPENSIVE. Brace your wallet for the impact.
I love this place so much but my wallet doesn't! Definitely overpriced. However being an Amazon prime member has it perks, you do get a small discount on some sale items. I love their body washes and incense. They carry tons of plant based milks that are hard to find. I love sweetened cashew milk or oat milk. They do have a deli counter that carries this delicious spicy pasta mozerella salad. Sometimes I go to WF just for that. Bakery!! The tasty macarons that does not break bank!! Their pastries are amazing and their cakes!! Let me tell you, I ordered a few for my Friendsgiving Thanksgiving and my friends loved thei Mascarpone Cake This place is kinda expensive but worth it. Employees are nice and helpful, and they follow strict social distancing guidelines. The store is always clean and organized, so I'll definitely return.
I ordered delivery through Amazon at 4 pm today was told that my grocery items would be delivered by 10 pm. However, they have not arrived nor have I received a notification for when they will arrive. I was expecting it for meal prep for the rest of the week. If they weren't going to arrive I should have at least received notification/email something!! If you pride yourself on providing the best customer service, at least deliver that!!!....I reached out to customer service and asked them to give me a call. They called, now I am waiting on hold. What's the purpose of customer service calling you if you have to wait on hold??
2 stars for providing gloves and sanitizer. I am once again reviewing, as I diligently continue to shop at WF hoping it will return to the quality of Fresh Fields.From Amanda's review below this sums up what has happened to WF's quality:"There is another pastry (I don't recall the name) that used to be made with real fruit and now it's made out with jams.."They're using cheaper ingredients and the quality has plummeted. I find Mom's has way, way better produce, but their prices are even more ridiculous than WF and they have limited stock at times. Their pink lady apples are wonderful, (worth the hefty price) while often, Whole Foods organic apples have a toxic smell and flavor. And they are certainly NOT cheap.But today, I am writing mainly to say I am really weary of the bakery bread. It has changed over the last couple of years. (Yeah I know about the half-baked lawsuit and I couldn't give a flute where it's baked as long as it's fresh when I buy it), Fresh Fields bread had a healthy weight and density. Whole Foods whole grain breads, which are the ones I buy (Harvest, Multigrain and Seeduction) are as light as a feather! And not in a good way...in a cheap way, like jam instead of fruit (thank you Amanda). When you toast then, they literally float across the room to be buttered. They are unsubstantial and very expensive. Every time I shop at WF, and I keep trying, they are the ones eating....my money, while I smh at the low quality food.
Bait and switch! "Delivery Available" but when you race to check there are no times. Their algorithm is broken.
I've done delivery before with Amazon Prime Now in the past, but since Covid-19 and the stay at home order by Governor Hogan, I've been relying on Prime Now for my weekly groceries. I have to say I am quite impressed with the quality of the food, how fast the Whole Food shopper picks up my items and how they package them so well. I even get insulated bags for my frozen and refrigerated perishable food items. The Whole Food shopper let's you know if an item isn't available. You have to indicate before you check-out if you want a substitute product in case they are out of stock. Now, if they can serve their pizza from the prepared food section, that would be so nice as their pizza's are pretty good. For the delivery times, sometimes it does say all delivery time slots are full, but if you check once in a while and leave your items in your cart you will get some available time slots. I never had to wait more than a day to place the order. They always deliver within the two hour window as well. This location delivers to my house in Rockville. I wonder why the Rockville location doesn't partake in Prime Now.
Upgrading my review to reflect the great effort Whole Foods is making to protect customers and staff during the COVID-19 outbreak. Appreciate any grocery store that is providing wipes to clean down the carts and hand sanitizers as well as gloves to keep it clean and safe as you shop. Staff are wiping down all the check-outs between each customer and they are managing to keep the store well stocked for the most part.
I am SO happy to have grabbed the 25% off SALE of 365 Shampoo and Condition. Thank you for helping me save $$$!
I'll try to be as fair as possible with this review... I really think Corporate needs to reevaluate whoever is managing this location. The Staff are friendly and professional (main reason for 3 stars instead of 2) but seem to be in need of training which usually is a sign of poor management. Most of them seem unhappy. Here goes the bad: When buying chicken it's a hit or miss. I can't tell you how many times I wasted money on rotten chicken. Same goes for the olive bar $9 for a container of spoiled artichokes and mushrooms. They don't keep stock of poouker items. Coarse corn meal full of weavils. When I asked to speak to a Manager about 6 packs of corn meal with weavils he had the employee come back to tell me that that's how it's sold. Now for the good: Location is convenient and has better parking than other locations. Store is kept clean and their produce is well maintained. Staff are freindly and helpful. I hope they really improves. It's such a bummer to have a grocery store that can be so great really slacking like this.
Restaurantji Recommends
I am a pushover for healthy foods. Especially, when I have had an unhealthy eating weekend and I need to reboot my eating habits. Thanks a lot Fogo de Chao! So, I head right on over to the Whole Foods salad bar and I don't feel like I am skimping in taste or nutrition. There are so many choices I am like a kid in a candy store. First, there was the paleo guacamole and then, the roasted cauliflower, and who can resist the fresh roasted beet salad? Okay, so I load up on the healthy choices and some that just taste good. My salads are not cheap, no matter how hard I try, it usually comes out to about $15 dollars. But, I rationalize that it could be for two meals. So, it is really only $7.50 a lunch. I don't have to add a lot of dressing, because everything is so fresh. I never leave without some fresh fruits and vegetables in my basket. I love the parking at the Whole Foods in the Kentlands, even though I find the store itself a little confusing. The people who work there are as nice as can be. So, if you are looking for some healthy alternatives, then Whole Foods can be a smart choice.
Anyone who wants to bash the cakes they make at this bakery have my full support. I have bought 3 cakes from this place now, one vegan and two regular and all three were garbage. Not sure what they are doing wrong but the cakes are super dry, the icing hard, and everything tastes stale. The only impressive thing about this place is how consistently bad their cakes are. Shame on this Wholefoods, if your gonna charge premium prices you better have good product!
This is a good Whole Foods store similar to other stores. The size is not as big as the newer stores but they still have most of the items available. Parking is also easy in front of the store. It is conveniently located in the Kentlands Shopping center. Aisles are well stocked with stuff and the bakery section is good too! Have purchased cakes and cupcakes from this location and the quality is similar to other Whole Foods Market locations.
I used to go to Whole Foods almost every single weekend a couple of years ago to purchase their bakery products, fruits, sushi or pizza. I do not know what happened, it seems like their chefs have changed, because the quality of the food went down. Starting with their cakes, they are not as fresh as they used to be, and they taste old. There is another pastry (I don't recall the name) that used to be made with real fruit and now it's made out with jams, which don't have a really good taste. The last frustration is the pizzas. I have tried to purchase pizza from them this past year several times, and they were ALWAYS burnt!!! It's extremely disappointing. I bought pizza last Saturday and I threw half of the pizza away because it was extremely burnt. I couldn't go back to return it and I know I should have looked at it first, but I was trusting Whole Foods. Very disappointing and I'm not purchasing their pizzas anymore. I would rather go to Harris Teeter!!!
On the LEFT side of the store are several islands of freshly cooked dishes and freshly cut fruits and vegetables. Cost per pound is $8.99 and items can be combined. There are tables inside the store where these items can be eaten or they can be taken home. I took my delicious foods home in their provided paper container. There is also a BAKERY located nearby where various types of bread, pastries, cookies and cakes can be purchased. Freshly prepared SANDWICHES are sold at another section while various types of CHEESES are for sale next to this section. On the RIGHT side of the store are ORGANIC fruits and vegetables, different kinds of NUTS and the SEAFOODS Section. Total of my purchases is $35.00. I'll surely shop here again due to their WIDE selections of foods and other items plus their very FRIENDLY and HELPFUL STAFF.