Comparison Shopping

There is a cult in Ithaca that LOVES Wegmans. It is not only their grocery store and deli, it is their social center - they have live guitar players, beatnik poetry reading, you name it. Some of our best friends here over the years have been devoted Wegmanites. And I admit that they have more culture than Tops where I've been shopping lo these many years. I admit they have MUCH more variety, including of the organic varieties. They have computer terminals that will tell you where to find anything, it's such a large place. Our friends never would believe me, though, that a person has to pay for that social experience and variety. The prices are higher at Wegmans than at Tops. There's nothing wrong with paying, as long as you are willing to.

Since no one seemed aware that they were paying more, Joy and I did some comparison shopping. The results are in. If Wegmans is actually cheaper for you than Tops, I know you live on peanut butter sandwiches. You see, peanut butter ($1) and multigrain whole wheat bread ($1) are almost the only things where Wegmans had a price advantage. Other example on our shopping list include applesauce (50 cents cheaper, but much runnier), canned pears (10 cents), and (depending on the week) eggs. Cauliflower and canned peaches were the same price.

Every other fruit, vegetable, dairy, soda, and meat that we buy cost more at Wegman's than at Tops - and we're talking store-brand buying or produce here. Celery an extra 80 cents per stalk, zuchini 20 cents per pound, 50 cents more for cucumbers, for milk, for imitation crab, 20 for bacon, 5 cents per soda - the effect of another bottle tax. Frozen broccoli cost $2.87 more for the same quantity! For the amount of yogurt we buy, it was 80 cents more expensive and neither Hyrum nor I could stand it. Yogurt is Hyrum's favorite food and he wouldn't eat the W variety. The meat selection at Wegmans is wide, lovely (we had a magnificent tenderloin), but terribly expensive. Well beyond our budget, particularly when doctor after doctor puts us on high-protein diets.

Now we don't buy many boxed foods, and maybe Wegmans is cheaper for them. I've just never walked out of that store when I went there to get something I couldn't find at Tops thinking I had gotten a good deal.

Please enjoy the cultural venues. The deli looks good. Their desserts look awesome. They carry t-shirts and a wider variety of everything, and they even have a play area for kids (3 and up). Just know you are paying for the privilege. We're more of a Tops/Aldi's family and are likely to stay that way for some time to come. On the other hand, when we go in for the odd item, we now know to stock up on peanut butter and multi-grain bread.

Joy was at Wegmans for 2-3 hours performing this test. Much praise is due her. "I went back to the meat aisle three times thinking there's got to be something cheaper here."