Far better than the wretched Giant supermarkets in the DC area.
When I go to Toms River NJ with MadDave to visit his dad, I always go to the PathMark up Rt. 9. It is a food palace compared to our dismal Giants and Safeways.

However if PathMark has been taken over by A&P, I can see where the problem comes from. A&P has always, in my experience, had the dirtiest stores, and this goes back to my childhood in the early 60s. My mother would never set foot in an A&P, and I'm the same way.

Giant is owned by the same company as Stop N Shop, which explains why it is so mediocre. They have terrible produce. Unfortunately Magruders, one of the only chains in the DC area with decent and affordably priced produce, went out of business last month. Yesterday I bought some scallions at Giant - 99 cents for a pitifully small, low-quality bunch. At Magruders I could have gotten a larger, better quality bunch for 49 cents.

I haven't shopped in many of the stores mentioned in the article, but I totally agree with the poor ratings for Stop N Shop, Weis, Acme and Food Lion.

I noticed the link under the "Sponsored Links" section on the bottom of an ESPN story. They usually have interesting stories down there. That should be a red flag in itself.

On edit - I went directly to financial times website and found the story and posted the link(which is different). Let me if it is safe if you can.

These two places are a zillion square feet of everything but food and that's over priced garbage always on sale with their card that offers junk male .Both these places had strikes where the workers got screwed and are getting their asses kicked by Trader Joes because they sell food and not gift certificates for dreck.

other supermarkets in the area. I don't see how this big, modern-looking supermarket stays in business as they are almost always empty. I only go there when I don't want to drive farther away. Their practices are also a little dishonest in my opinion. They will mark a price in bold but in fine print (you have to be inches away to see it) they will specify that you have to buy six or more units to get that price. People unfamiliar with that practice might hurriedly grab an item, like a bottle of wine, only to end up paying a few dollars more than they anticipated at check out. Plus they are obsessed with trying to coax shoppers to use the automated check-out but will not lower their high prices for those who don't mind checking out and bagging on their own and doing a check-out clerk's work..

They've kind of taken over here. We have Pathmark, which is more horrible than otherwise. There are a few Waldbaum's left. Not too bad, but selection is pretty poor.King Kullen is a local chain. They just don't have enough selection either. Stop and Shop would be fine with me but some of the prices are really terrible. I miss my local IGA. They were smallish, but managed to have a nice selection of stuff. Produce wasn't so good sometimes, especially off season. In the summer they bought locally and that was good. Service was wonderful and prices overall were very good. Unfortunately, they didn't make it. They were holding on during the recession, but a hurricane closed them down for a week and that was the death knell. I'd love to find one I really like.

A&P ruined Waldbaum's and Pathmark. Lately I have been shopping at the ShopRite-nice clean store and good selection.

I also go to Fairway. Better prices than WholeFoods and the owners aren't assholes.

I've heard good things about the new Shoprite stores. None really convenient to me for weekly shopping, but one could always appear. There are some empty Waldbaums on my route. It would be nice.

Prices are ridiculous, of course, but it's NYC. Whaddya expect. It's always packed full of inconsiderate oblivious people who stick their carts sideways across the aisles while reading a damn box of crackers, or bumble into each other and snarl up the traffic through produce, which is the only way into the store. That's not really Pathmark's fault though, and it's the same at every other supermarket in this cursed town anyway.

Of course, we usually only end up there when we don't feel like making the 10-minute walk to Fairway (best market in the world IMHO); the bus to Pathmark is right outside our front door so it's a much lazier option

We have Fred Meyer, Albertson's, Safeway, Thriftway, (and now Target grocery), and then the more gourmet ones like Whole Foods and local chains like New Seasons.

I don't have a Shaws near me now, but I used to and the store always smelled like rotting fish. It was really disgusting. WalMart definitely belongs on the list. I'm sad to see A&P on the list as it's one of my first memories of a grocery store, but at least the "8 O'Clock Coffee" brand lives on.

There used to be a Weis not far from me and I loved it, but they redesigned the intersection near it and that pretty much killed the entire plaza. There's a Giant (Ahold) within walking distance and I can't stand the place.

I go to a local family-owned chain grocery store (I think they've got about 8 stores). The prices are better than the "loyalty card" prices the other stores advertise, it's clean, the selection is excellent and the produce is the best around. They also buy local produce whenever possible.