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Yestattooshurt t1_jdvrdzy wrote

As a city to metrowest transplant can someone explain the MB obsession? The stores are tight packed, crowded as hell, they have 35 people pushing palettes and restocking shelves while everyone is shopping, and they don’t have scanners or self checkout so it takes 20-30 minutes just to get out of there. We tried to avoid them for so long but lately they are the only place that has any produce out here.

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TittyMongoose42 OP t1_jdvt0jt wrote

Sure can! In my experience, MB is the cheapest non-bulk-focused non-specialty grocery store around (phrased as such because I know Aldi also has excellent prices but they have a slightly different customer base), and their selection of "ethnic" or "international" foods is unparalleled. I cook a lot of Asian dishes, and MB is the only Big Chain I can reliably find things like kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lemongrass, fresh turmeric, multiple varieties of kimchi/tofu, etc etc. The same holds true for other cuisines -- the Gloucester MB has a huge Portuguese section, whereas the Chelsea MB has a fantastic Dominican section.

It really hinges on which one and what time you try to shop. The Somerville one is by far the worst in the chain, due to its size and the sheer number of folks that jam themselves into there every day. The NH ones are gigantic and also sell alcohol. It's definitely not for everyone, but it's worth it if you know what you're doing and what you're going for.

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Yestattooshurt t1_jdwe8ag wrote

I’ve found both the Hudson and Maynard ones to be jam packed both sundays and mondays, and the way they stock their shelves has taken me ages to get used to

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bostonareaicshopper t1_jdwq4t0 wrote

The Haverhill store near 495( 400 Lowell Av) is the bomb. Pizza oven etc. The recently renovated Danvers store is top notch. Second busiest after Chelsea but the liquor store is very cool with loads of beers that are hard to find.

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squarerootofapplepie t1_jdw5ru0 wrote

Because it’s by far the cheapest and when other stores struggle to get 5 cashiers at once Market Basket is running 15-20 with baggers.

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Yestattooshurt t1_jdwekz5 wrote

Other stores like stoppy just have the scanner you scan and bag as you go though, checkout takes literally 45 seconds, you just scan the scanner and pay.

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gusterfell t1_jdxs8eg wrote

Yeah, but if I'm gonna let the store save on labor, I at least want a discount. At Market Basket you get lower prices and don't have to worry about being a cashier.

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EtonRd t1_jdvykw1 wrote

I don’t get the Market Basket love either. Occasionally like twice a year, I go to the one in Ashland and it’s always a shit show. The parking lot is the seven circle of hell and the store is as you described, crowded and tight.

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Yestattooshurt t1_jdwefml wrote

Exactly! And trying to find what you want is chaos, the store is set up super weird, and they stock shelves so if they are out of something they cover up its label and fill the empty spot with something else, it’s absolute madness

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drizzlefoot321 t1_jdwmphl wrote

People just want the cheapest food they can get. The shopping experience and time to do so don't matter to them (as much).

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itsgreater9000 t1_jdyjz3z wrote

there's only one reason: it's cheap as hell when compared to everything else. you can only sometimes get slightly cheaper by going to costco or something.

my only gripe is S&S and its ilk have a larger selection of goods than MB. obviously this impacts the price, but again, my only gripe.

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NE_Patriots617 t1_je1iqqc wrote

Grew up in an immediate suburb outside the city and never understood the attraction. It’s incredibly overrated

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