Comparing Southern Grocery Stores to Northern Chains

[nyy]

We are so excited to stay in a DVC Villa for the first time (BR) on our next trip! We will be driving from Upstate NY, as always, but are trying to figure out which grocery store to stop at near WL.

We usually shop at Wegmans, but I know they do not have stores in the south. We also have Weis, Price Chopper, and Aldi here. (We have Walmart and Target, too.) I would rather not shop at Walmart. Our Super Target does not have enough of a grocery selection.

So, am I wondering which store chain might be similar? I have researched the boards are see people have mentioned Winn Dixie and Publix. Are there more?

I would like a large, full-service store with a deli, meat department, bakery, etc. We need a store with a decent GF section, as well.

We are not interested in ordering our groceries, we would like to shop for ourselves.

Also, NY does not allow stores to give plastic bags, but some have paper. Others have neither. Do we need to bring our own bags?

 

[trippedup]

Publix will have everything you're looking for, at about the same prices as Wegmans. You can fill in the gaps with whole foods on the high end and walmart on the low end. I did a ton of business travel to Florida and that was my tactic.

 

[Twilghtsprkle]

Publix is probably your best bet. i like the water tower location in Celebration best. I don’t think Florida has bag laws. Last year we kept all those single use plastic bags and brought them back, lol. They are so handy and I do miss getting them back home.

 

[ILoveMyKellen]

To me Publix is the most comparable to Wegmans, at least where I live (we have both). Publix has good selections at the deli & bakery and I can find plenty of GF options, they also have nice produce.

Publix is Pricey but if you’re used to Wegmans then Publix‘s prices won’t bother you.

They supply both paper and plastic bags.

 

[glocon]

For the BOGOs at Publix, I believe that in Florida you actually have to get the second one for the discount.

Just fyi.

(Here in TN if an item is BOGO you can just get one at half price, you don’t have to get two.)

 

[Best Aunt]

I like this store:
Publix at Lake Cay Commons.
9930 Universal Blvd
Orlando 32819

It's where the towncar companies have stopped when I requested a grocery stop between the airport and the hotel. One of my Orlando friends said that she likes this one.

They have had the Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Mountain White Bread that I like.

This store is nicer than Weis and Price Chopper. In general it's nicer than Wegmans, but Wegmans has a huge area where they consolidate their gluten free stuff; Publix doesn't have all of the gluten free stuff consolidated like that. For example, I think the GF spaghetti is in the same aisle as regular spaghetti.

You can search the Publix website for the items you want, once you choose the store location. If they have the item, the website tells you which aisle.
https://www.publix.com/

Also, there's a liquor store in the same shopping plaza, if that is something your group wants.

If this is your first time in a DVC villa, I should caution you to wash the dishes, etc., before you use them -- particularly if you have someone with gluten sensitivities. (Do you remember the episode of Friends where Joey "licked and then put" the spoon, meaning he licked the spoon and then put it back in the drawer? You don't know for sure that the dishes in the villa are clean.) Also, if you plan to cook you should check the kitchen for supplies well before you plan to start. Sometimes something should be there but it isn't. You can call housekeeping for items that are missing.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I don't do my weekly shopping at Publix--too pricey--but they have good BOGOs. Also, they have a great "grab and go" section, as well as prepared or easy-to-prepare meals.

I don't know if they have Food Lion in Florida, but Food Lion and Hannaford have the same parent company (and same store brand stuff). I know we had Hannaford in upstate NY--but, upstate NY covers a large area. We lived near Albany, which is a good 8 hours to Buffalo.

I miss Price Chopper's bagels...

 

[nyy]

I like this store:
Publix at Lake Cay Commons.
9930 Universal Blvd
Orlando 32819

It's where the towncar companies have stopped when I requested a grocery stop between the airport and the hotel. One of my Orlando friends said that she likes this one.

They have had the Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Mountain White Bread that I like.

This store is nicer than Weis and Price Chopper. In general it's nicer than Wegmans, but Wegmans has a huge area where they consolidate their gluten free stuff; Publix doesn't have all of the gluten free stuff consolidated like that. For example, I think the GF spaghetti is in the same aisle as regular spaghetti.

You can search the Publix website for the items you want, once you choose the store location. If they have the item, the website tells you which aisle.
https://www.publix.com/

Also, there's a liquor store in the same shopping plaza, if that is something your group wants.

If this is your first time in a DVC villa, I should caution you to wash the dishes, etc., before you use them -- particularly if you have someone with gluten sensitivities. (Do you remember the episode of Friends where Joey "licked and then put" the spoon, meaning he licked the spoon and then put it back in the drawer? You don't know for sure that the dishes in the villa are clean.) Also, if you plan to cook you should check the kitchen for supplies well before you plan to start. Sometimes something should be there but it isn't. You can call housekeeping for items that are missing.

Thank you for the detailed info!
Yes, Wegmans consolidates their GF items in one "hippie section" as my DH calls it.
I appreciate the tip about GF items being throughout the store - I may have panicked a bit when I got there!

Love the Friends reference! Of course I remember that episode!

 

[nyy]

I don't do my weekly shopping at Publix--too pricey--but they have good BOGOs. Also, they have a great "grab and go" section, as well as prepared or easy-to-prepare meals.

I don't know if they have Food Lion in Florida, but Food Lion and Hannaford have the same parent company (and same store brand stuff). I know we had Hannaford in upstate NY--but, upstate NY covers a large area. We lived near Albany, which is a good 8 hours to Buffalo.

I miss Price Chopper's bagels...

Thank you! We will definitely look at the grab and go section and the prepared meals!

We have a Hannaford about 40 minutes from us; it's in Oneonta. I shopped there once and was not impressed at all.
We live east of Binghamton.

 

[summerlyangel]

Thank you for the detailed info!
Yes, Wegmans consolidates their GF items in one "hippie section" as my DH calls it.
I appreciate the tip about GF items being throughout the store - I may have panicked a bit when I got there! It's easy to find the GF stuff in Publix....they have a little purple box on the shelf label to denote anything GF! But, yes, their stuff is just mixed in with the regular stuff, so it is a bit less convenient that the "hippie sections" of other stores, lol. I do prefer it all together!

 

[fla4fun]

For the BOGOs at Publix, I believe that in Florida you actually have to get the second one for the discount.

Just fyi.

(Here in TN if an item is BOGO you can just get one at half price, you don’t have to get two.)

Yeah, on the BOGO, you have to buy both, but if it’s an advertised special such as two for $4, then you can typically just buy one for $2. So you have to pay attention to how it’s listed.

I shop exclusively at Publix, so I don’t know if it’s a Florida thing or a Publix thing.

 

[herdtoDisney]

Publix fits all your needs in your post!

Also, they have GREAT sandwiches (subs, grinders, whatever you call them!) made in the deli. I lived in Fl for two years before I ever tried one, hearing people talk about PubSubs-I didn't know what I was missing! You can even order the subs online, pay in store, and it will be ready and waiting for you. And the employees are so polite!

 

[snowwite]

For the BOGOs at Publix, I believe that in Florida you actually have to get the second one for the discount.

Just fyi.

(Here in TN if an item is BOGO you can just get one at half price, you don’t have to get two.)

I signed up for a Publix discount membership online. You just type in your phone number at check out and you get the discounts. As others have said, Publix is the closest thing to Wegmans. We have started buying basics at Aldi and fancier stuff at Publix.

 

[snowwite]

Thank you for the detailed info!
Yes, Wegmans consolidates their GF items in one "hippie section" as my DH calls it.
I appreciate the tip about GF items being throughout the store - I may have panicked a bit when I got there!

Love the Friends reference! Of course I remember that episode!

We pack a few dishwasher tablets and my husband always loads it while I am unpacking the groceries.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We are so excited to stay in a DVC Villa for the first time (BR) on our next trip! We will be driving from Upstate NY, as always, but are trying to figure out which grocery store to stop at near WL.

We usually shop at Wegmans, but I know they do not have stores in the south. We also have Weis, Price Chopper, and Aldi here. (We have Walmart and Target, too.) I would rather not shop at Walmart. Our Super Target does not have enough of a grocery selection.

So, am I wondering which store chain might be similar? I have researched the boards are see people have mentioned Winn Dixie and Publix. Are there more?

I would like a large, full-service store with a deli, meat department, bakery, etc. We need a store with a decent GF section, as well.

We are not interested in ordering our groceries, we would like to shop for ourselves.

Also, NY does not allow stores to give plastic bags, but some have paper. Others have neither. Do we need to bring our own bags?

There is a Whole foods near Universal. If you are driving from the airport, you can take north exit out of the airport, and it is only a little longer than going the other way. The Whole Foods near Universal has a wide selection of GF items, and LOTS of great prepared foods, fresh fruit, fresh juice bar, and more. Nicer than Wegman's.

Publix is another mainstream grocery chain that will have plenty of GF foods too. Sometimes we also like to place an online order at Target, and that saves time. (Usually instead of WF or Publix, but we don't tend to cook at WDW.)

Most WDW area stores know they are catering to WDW visitors, so they tend to have prepared foods. Whole Foods in particular comes to mind for prepared foods + wanting to know the ingredients. WF is a little pricey, but when traveling it is convenient. They have a large cold/salad bar, a large hot foods bar, sushi, BBQ, other prepared seafood, and quite a few prepared hot soups. One item we loved is the key lime shrimp! Those are just steamed shrimp with garlic and key lime oil.

 

[scrapquitler]

As a New Englander, I'd suggest PUBLIX

 

[Clarkson U]

Love Wegman's and Price Chopper. Both we miss once we left NY and moved to FL for work. Whenever we go back up north, always try to hit both of those places for their awesome food.

 

[hrhdhd]

I signed up for a Publix discount membership online. You just type in your phone number at check out and you get the discounts.

In Florida (I don't know if you are talking about TN), you don't need to type in your phone number to get the weekly sales and BOGOs. But that will access any digital coupons you've clipped from the Publix website.

 

[nyy]

I signed up for a Publix discount membership online. You just type in your phone number at check out and you get the discounts. As others have said, Publix is the closest thing to Wegmans. We have started buying basics at Aldi and fancier stuff at Publix.

I just signed up online and started browsing - thanks so much for the idea!
I was thrilled that they sell my favorite flavor of Snapple; I was hoping it was available in FL! I thought maybe Southerners would be very picky about their ice tea. Lol.

 

[snowwite]

I just signed up online and started browsing - thanks so much for the idea!
I was thrilled that they sell my favorite flavor of Snapple; I was hoping it was available in FL! I thought maybe Southerners would be very picky about their ice tea. Lol.

I only like unsweetened iced tea and they LOVE their sugar so I do specify or I wind up with a glass of sugar water.