- Wegmans store employees know all about the popular regional grocery chain.
- The company operates stores in six states, and employs 48,000 people.
- Here are some insider facts, tips, and hacks that Wegmans employees have shared online and with Business Insider.
Wegmans stores have acquired a bit of a cult-like following.
It’s easy to see why. The company, which is headquartered in Rochester, New York, has been labeled the “best grocery chain” in the US. America’s favorite grocery chain is also frequently lauded as a top employer.
But you can’t find a Wegmans just anywhere. The chain’s 97 stores are spread out between New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. According to the company’s website, the brand employs 48,000 people.
Business Insider spoke with a few current and former Wegmans employees to get a sense of how the company operates. We also found a number of insights from employees on the web.
Here are a few things all Wegmans employees know, but customers may not:
Check out the chain's digital coupons...
Don't leave money on the table when you shop.
"Take an extra two minutes out of your day to sign up for or check the digital coupons the store offers," an employee from New Jersey told Business Insider. "They're always on commonly-used products."
... and look out for items with yellow tags
"Yes, your Wegmans card does help you get discounts, though, at times, it seems like it's hit or miss," a person who said they were a Wegmans employee wrote in a 2014 AMA. "Just look for the items with the yellow tags. They're the ones on sale."
Wegmans employees appreciate it when you weigh your produce...
Want to make a good impression at Wegmans?
One Wegmans cashier had some tips for impressing employees in a 2014 Reddit AMA. They said that employees always appreciate it when customers take the time to weigh their produce.
"It's a huge help and a time saver," the cashier wrote.
... and they love people who are organized at checkout
The Wegmans cashier added that employees find it helpful when shoppers "put like goods together" when it comes time to check out. Doing so will simplify the bagging process.
Managers will do a lot to avoid upset customers
"At least at the store I worked at, management didn't want anybody leaving the customer service desk or store upset," a former Wegmans employee of five years told Business Insider. "So nine times out of 10, we gave people whatever they wanted."
But the ex-employee added that there was one major exception to that rule. They said that people with "a track record of scamming or policy abuse" were usually out of luck.
The donuts aren't made in the stores
Wegmans offers shoppers a selection of in-store baked donuts.
But, as a number of Rochester, New York-based employees discussed in a 2015 Reddit AMA, the sweet treats aren't necessarily baked in the store.
"The donuts aren't made in-house," one employee wrote.
Another employee who said they worked in a Wegmans warehouse said that the donuts were baked in a warehouse on Brooks Avenue in Rochester.
That being said, another employee added that the donuts are "finished" in the stores, meaning that they get decorated, glazed, iced, and heated up in your local Wegmans.
There's a cheaper way to buy corn
One New Jersey-based employee told Business Insider that they often notice shoppers paying too much for a certain vegetable.
"Please stop buying the peeled corn for $6, when loose corn is just five pieces for $2," the employee told Business Insider.
The chain likes to celebrate with cake
Wegmans has landed on quite a few lists denoting the best employers in the US. Just this year, they came in at 49 on Glassdoor's breakdown of the 100 "best places to work" in America.
The grocery chain had previously made that same list every year since 2014.
And Wegmans has a special way of celebrating those wins. They break out some cake for customers and employees.
"Employees always get cake in the break room to celebrate," one person who said they were an employee wrote on Reddit.
Consider taking some time to get lost in the store
"Definitely take time to just wander," a Wegmans employee from Virginia told Business Insider. "There's always something going on. There's always new products that you didn't think they would sell."
Employees receive a number of fun perks
Wegmans employees receive some quirky perks.
"The benefits include discounted movie tickets, theme park tickets, and select gym memberships," a Wegmans cashier wrote in a 2014 Reddit post.
You can avoid the crowds by shopping late
Want to beat the crowd on your next grocery run?
One former employee from Syracuse told Business Insider that customers should shop after 9 p.m. "to avoid the crowds" at Wegmans.
Are you a current or former Wegmans employee with a story to share? Email [email protected].