Chain Leader

David Farkas

My supermarket meal
February 7, 2008

Whole Foods, the 256-unit organic grocery store chain headquartered in Austin, Tx., wins gobs of praise for the freshness and beauty of its products. One only has to visit the chain's info-rich Web site to witness freshness in a digitized version. Of  course, this hardly compares to visiting one of its stores. As long as you're there, why not have a bite to eat at the counter bar?  
   My wife and I did so recently, coming away feeling that the food and service are comparable to an upscale casual restaurant. The "chefs," in snappy whites, happily chatted about the dishes (which they don't make; the food comes from a commissary) while a "waitress" brought bread, olive oil and drinks. 
   A family of three sat next to us. The parents ordered and while waiting for their food shopped for their kid's meal. They brought back dried fruit, nuts and candy. Someone brought the little guy a plate. 
   Our own dishes were tasty, stylish and the portions adequate. They cost about $8 each and I didn't have to tip. A small sign on the counter directed me not to. 
   The meal raises some interesting questions for operators: Is Whole Foods a serious competitor for dinner or simply for a niche occasion (grocery shopping) that most restaurants are not going to get anyway? Would people be likely to buy prepared food from WF's vast array having it eaten it in the store?  Do they think they are getting restaurant-quality food?  
   And are the employees who served me happy at WF, or are they simply putting in time while waiting to fulfill their dream of working in a sit-down restaurant? Here's a clue: Fortune recently named WF as one of the country's best companies to work for.
   In any event, here are two dishes. They look competitive, don't they?


Mesclun salad



Pumpkin ravioli

Posted by David Farkas on February 7, 2008 | Comments (3)