Van Til’s

I have a love/​hate relationship with this place…
The manager of this place (Gibbs) is a good dude, works his ass off and keeps the store clean and organized.
I love this place when they have big sales.
The problem is when you get to check-out…most of the cashiers are friendly which is great; but it also slows many of the cashiers and sometimes it takes forever to get though the lines.
Lately it seems as if they might be understaffed; with few lines open… management only calls for «extra help» when the lines get out of control.
There does not seem to be enough carry-​out/​baggers also…
This trend started happening recently… and often I’ve had to help bag my own stuff just to get out of there. that’s when the lines back up
If VT can just fix that problem they would get a much better review.
But I’ve been shopping there for over 20 years. and overall I love the place

The best thing about this Van Til’s is that their donuts are behind the counter, meaning you have to order them like you’re at a regular shop, like Munster Donut. A little less convenient, but you don’t have to worry about some 8 year old little monster sneezing all over everything two minutes before you’re making your selections. Speaking of which, these donuts are in the league of MD. They’re spectacular.

I was in the area and needed to pick up a few items. The store was clean and aisles are wide. Staff in the store and the bakery were nice.
I guess they aren’t that busy of a store since I saw quite a few things marked down to pretty cheap. They had almond or soy milk for like $ 0.99. Also, I heard a lady tell the deli worker that some items had mold on it.

I give this store 4 stars because for me they are a better alternative than the other stores in the area. There are not that many to pick from within a 5 mile radius — basically Van Til’s, Food 4 Less, and Ultra. I hate swarming crowds, so Van Til’s wins.
This is simply your average, everyday grocery store. I like it because I’m a single guy, and this store conveniently happens to be close and have all the things I normally need for my daily meals. They are not the cheapest store, nor are they the most well-​provisioned. They are average, and for me, convenient. They are usually not that crowded, which is a plus for me. I work nights, and they are open until midnight, so that is another advantage since I can go after work and it’s even less crowded.
On the down side, sometimes they are out of the things I want. This is not just with things on the shelf. I love their sour cream and cheddar macaroni deli salad, but sometimes they do not have it when I go on Saturdays. They are not open on Sundays, so I’m at a bit of a loss why I occasionally find them under-​stocked on Saturdays. You’d think they would want to be sure and have enough product on weekends when most people do their shopping. I get there generally about midday, so it seems odd if they have run out by then.
The only other complaint I might have is with some of their checkout /​bagging staff. Most of them who have been there a while are nice, and some of them treat me very well… opening up a checkout lane and pulling me over when they see me waiting. Others who seem to be new hires are not very friendly. They’re not rude, but they give that attitude like they are too good for their job and would rather be doing anything else than mouthing polite words to customers. I would like to see a few self-​check lanes here, which they do not have.
One positive thing I would like to say here is there is a carry out person who is mentally challenged. I have only talked with him once, but I think he has a great attitude. I am impressed that Van Til’s gave him a chance, and I think they made the right choice. This carries some weight with me in wanting to reward this store with my business.