Disgusting Arrogant Workers
Mr. George Jenkins built Publix on customer service. Somewhere along the way, that promise was abandoned. I'm done. This isn't about one employee. This isn't about one bad visit. This isn't even about one store. This is about years of walking into Publix delis and repeatedly being made to feel like I'm ruining someone's day simply because I dared to order food during posted business hours. I'm exhausted by it. I actually dread walking up to the deli counter because I've come to expect the sighs, the dirty looks, and the feeling that my business is somehow an inconvenience instead of the very reason those counters exist. Tonight, the Publix at Davis Boulevard Kings Lake was simply the last straw. At approximately 9:15 p.m.—a full 45 minutes before the deli closed at 10:00 p.m.—there were three deli associates and another employee cleaning the floor. They were all standing around talking while I waited to be acknowledged. After standing there for about a minute, someone finally looked at me and said, "What do you need?" Not, "How can I help you?" Not, "What can I get started for you?" Not even, "Welcome." Just, "What do you need?" I politely replied, "I'd like to order a wrap, please." The look I received in return made me feel like I had just committed some terrible offense. I honestly thought I had done something wrong, so I asked, "I'm sorry, did I upset you? Is there a problem with the order?" I wasn't met with reassurance. I wasn't met with professionalism. I was met with another look that made it abundantly clear that my presence was unwelcome. At that point, I decided I wasn't going to beg someone to make my food. As I walked away, one of the employees halfheartedly called out, "Sir..." By then, I had already made up my mind. As I passed customer service, I asked, "You close at 10:00, correct?" Both associates answered yes. I replied, "You may want to let the deli know." I started to walk away, then stopped and turned around because I couldn't keep it to myself any longer. I said, "They were so disgusted by the fact that I wanted a wrap." I also told them that I was tired of being treated so rudely. What makes this especially heartbreaking is that I'm not just another customer complaining about retail. I used to work for Publix. While I was going back to school, I worked in the Publix deli. I sliced meats and cheeses. I made sandwiches. I made wraps. I stood behind that same counter serving customers every day. My wife also worked for Publix. We remember what Publix used to stand for because we were taught those values by the company itself. Even today, years after we've both left the company, if we see shopping carts scattered around the parking lot, we gather them and return them. Not because anyone asks us to. Not because anyone is watching. But because we still have pride in what Publix once meant to us. That's why this hurts so much. When I worked for Publix, customers weren't interruptions. They weren't inconveniences. They weren't treated like they had the audacity to ask someone to do their job. They were the reason we had jobs. I took pride in greeting every customer, helping every customer, and making every customer feel welcome because I understood a simple truth: without customers, there is no deli. Somewhere along the way, that lesson has been forgotten. If the deli stops making wraps at a certain time, it should be posted. If employees are expected to stop taking sandwich orders before closing, communicate that to customers. But don't advertise that you're open until 10:00 p.m. and then make someone feel ashamed for ordering at 9:15. This review isn't about wanting free food, compensation, or an apology. It's about respect. Customers should never feel like they have to apologize for walking into a business during posted business hours. They should never have to ask an employee if they've done something wrong simply because of the look they're being given. Publix became one of the most respected grocery chains in America because Mr. George Jenkins believed that taking care of customers wasn't just good business—it was the foundation of the company. That philosophy built Publix. Sadly, that's not the Publix I experienced tonight. I sincerely hope someone in management reads this—not because I expect anything for myself, but because the culture I experienced at this deli is damaging a reputation that took decades to build. Mr. George would have been disappointed. And as a former Publix deli associate who was once proud to wear that green apron, I can honestly say that I am too.