Fresh & Easy

Less than a week before closing I’m not sure this even counts as a review. It’s the last one in the area and a favorite for locals. Will be sorely missed.
Plenty of parking in a wide open shopping center, isles get smaller and smaller as you go deeper into the store. Freezers are too cold and fridges not cold enough. I like the variety of breads for a F&E. everything is 10%-30% off right now, but today it all goes to 50% until they close on 10÷30÷15. Will feel more like a mad max wasteland in the coming days.
Staff is visibly bummed with little communication from corporate, they all are putting on that brave face. A sad day for F&E fans coming here to get items nowhere else really provides.

I used to love shopping here, but I feel like it changed a lot when they were bought out. It’s become a bit more overpriced and maybe it’s just me, but I feel like everyone is too busy to help me. When I approach people to ask a question, it’s like I’m inconveniencing them. I usually only come here if I’m in need of a quick meal after school or work. It’s definitely not somewhere I would do all of my grocery shopping.

I continue to be impressed with Fresh & Easy after shopping there for several years. Their quality is excellent, from their ready made meals and baked goods to their own brand items and produce. Their fruit is my favorite! I have never had such consistently delicious fruit! They just added peaches and nectarines and they are some of the best I’ve found (and I shop Sprouts too!) I end up buying raspberries at least once a week and rarely have they been anything but wonderful.
I am very surprised they haven’t done better. I was very upset when the El Cajon location closed and I know many who were upset when the Lakeside location closed. I still make an effort to come here at least once a week despite it being a bit out of my way. Their prices are quite reasonable for the quality and their employees are friendly and helpful. Now that Haggen has taken over most Von’s and Albertson’s in the area I expect more people will discover this place. At least I hope they do!

Fresh & Easy, what happened?
I used to love coming to this store to stock up on reasonably priced salads and dinners for the workweek. But I’ve noticed the prices slowly creeping up until now, when I think I’m going to have to start heading elsewhere for my groceries. (As one example, salads that were $ 4.99 not 6 months ago are now $ 6.99.)
I also used to love the «clearance rack” – being able to score a dinner half-​price on the day that it expired. But I noticed today that items on «clearance» had ALREADY EXPIRED. The discounted items on the shelf had expired 1 day ago and were being sold at 70% off, and the same-​day items were still full-​price. Not cool, Fresh & Easy.
Finally, I’m disappointed by their Friends Card. This discount card earns you 1 point for every $ 1 you spend. When you reach 500 points (or have spent $ 500) you get a coupon for $ 5 off. Uh… thanks? That’s nowhere near enough of an incentive to build a points system around. Maybe the online coupons are better (I hope so).
I’m sure I’ll still shop at Fresh & Easy every now and then (they’re convenient and my family likes their food!) but it’s not going to be a regular stop on my errand list anymore. Bring back the Fresh & Easy I know and love, and I’ll be back in a heartbeat.

my first shopping trip to fresh and easy. Fun ominal :)… this store is great. they have items that you can’t find in other stores. they carry an organic candy bar that I usually have to buy online!!! they carry a lot of organic and gluten free and environmentally friendly items. I was beyond excited to find this gem of a store!!! had never been into one of these markets. they have the best stuff. They even sell single items, like one individually wrapped pickles. as odd as that sounds, but it’s perfect to go with the already prepared lunches they carry. Will most definitely be back SOON!!!

I’ve been shopping here since it opened. I like this store, it’s not too big, they have a nice variety of items, some of which other stores don’t carry.
A lot people have complained that since they changed ownership they no longer offer coupons, but this is not true, it’s just done through email now if you’re signed up on the rewards program.
The employees here are very friendly and helpful. I used to arrange the Shop for Schools night for my son’s school here so I’ve talked to quite a few of them over the years. The store manager is also very nice.
My son still laments the loss of the sampling station at the end of the produce aisle. He used to go there and fill up on juice and the girls would give him suckers and crayons.
I like a lot of their store products. I do a lot of shopping at Trader Joes or Sprouts, but I still come here once a week on average. Their recycled paper products are good, as are some of the pre-​cooked meals. I am hooked on the gelato cookie sandwiches though, damn you Fresh & Easy for introducing these to my world because now I cannot live without these!

Everyone has a mundane activity that they enjoy. Mine is grocery shopping. I especially love shopping here. I love it like I love and desire Trader Joe (see review).
The main reason I have a love for Fresh and Easy grocery stores is because of the prepackaged meals. I especially love this location in particular because Yogurt Land is right next door. I am a nutrition Nazi most of the time because I like looking sexy AF (as f*ck) naked and the Fresh & Easy products make macro counting so incredibly easy that an idiot can do it. Cooking instructions are printed right on the front of the package as well.
If you like Trader Joe’s then you’ll like this store too. You’ll also like the fresh baked breads, the wines, the flavored hummus, the creamy cilantro salad dressing, the gelato cookie sandwiches (no, that wasn’t a typo… yes, these are a real thing), the cheeses, and the chocolate selection. You’ll really love those prepackaged meals I was talking about as well because they taste delicious and they make cooking way easier if you live a busy life or if you’re just lazy. Seriously, stop going to Burger King and Taco Bell because it’s «convenient» and pick up a weeks worth of meals from here instead. Your waistline will shrink and your gastrointestinal tract will love you for it!
This store is always clean, the employees have always been helpful and friendly, I can always find parking, and I always checkout faster than I do at an Albertsons, Vons, Ralph’s, etc. Oh, and sometimes when I’m YOLOing, I get some frozen yogurt next door.

I go to this store about once a month. I often get the clearance items because the other items are very pricey. Most clearance items need to be eaten that day or the next day though. Tips — use the card and go for the clearance items and specials. The card will give you credit toward a purchase once you have enough points!

I am a die hard fresh and easy shopper. I live by their clearance section. It is the only place I can walk in and find everything for dinner so fresh and so inexpensive. The only tip I have is to not buy the clearance bread because it is so fresh it molds in about a day and a half unless you freeze it and just toast it as you go. The premade dinner section is heaven to my (working single mom no time half the nights to cook a real dinner) self. I will never shop Albertsons again now that they have late night hours. This is my go to shopping place unless I need something very ethnic and have to hit up vine ripe or the asain market in clairemont.

Makes me sad that once this place got sold all the good deals are gone. No more coupons I’d actually use and even the markdowns aren’t as good as they used to be. Everything is just way overpriced. I come in for a few miscellaneous things here and there but I hardly spend money here anymore.

Oh fresh & easy… Why have you gotten so expensive!!! It seems that ever since the change in ownership, they never have great deals anymore like they used to. For example: they used to offer 2 for $ 10 on their seasoned meats, or 2 for $ 5 on seasoned veggies. NOT ANYMORE!
And I haven’t seen a coupon for this place in months! Even the app doesn’t have coupons anymore, only the bonus point ones.
I still shop here occasionally, because I really like their food. But I’ve limited myself because I find better prices elsewhere.
Hopefully once the company gets back on it’s feet, they will offer better deals again.

The store is always clean, shelfs are stocked and neat but the employees are not very friendly. Great prices, Great product

No more discounts on double salsa or prepared meals soon to expire. Getting expensive with out being able to budget deals to eat healthy.
I was an avid Fresh & Easy Santee shopper. Just started going to F&E on Navajo after closure. Santee would have a lot of dips and chip bags on special if you bought in twos. Same with fruits; get $ 2.99 strawberries on 2 for $ 5 special. Even better, Santee would always have discounts and specials on the fresh prepared meals. Certain things would be 2 for $ 5 or $ 7; great deals! They’d also put discount stickers for things soon to pass the best by date.
Fresh and Easy on Navajo rd, DOES NOT provide any discounts. Other reviews say same thing. No 2 for 1. So it’s super pricey to get fruits and snacks; I save buying bulk. Also, never specials for soon to expire foods. Well that just encourages me to reach in for the ones in the back expiring later if there’s no deals for get on expiring in 2 days over 5. Bet you guys throw away more food then Santee did before.
Don’t now if this is new corporate policy or a poorly managed location. Really disappoint whith my new location now that Santee is closed.

**UPDATE: No more Coupons or good markdowns :(
Previous Review: (4 stars)
Fresh and Easy became the go-​to store for our family over the past few years. especially with the amazing deals you can score in the markdown bin and the ridiculous coupons they used to offer. (removed with change of ownership)
If you like to «juice», I highly recommend learning the markdown schedule (used to be mid morning/​late evening) because you can pick up large volumes of produce (regular and organic) at a great price! If markdowns aren’t your thing, F&E is sometimes comparable to Sprouts on produce yet tends to be a bit more expensive and limited as far as selection.
As far as other items, regular dairy tends to be a bit overpriced but Organic Milk/​Almond milk is usually in line or a bit cheaper than Sprouts/​Whole Foods.
Prepackaged meals, household items, pet food, etc. is definitely more expensive but Fresh & Easy is meant to cater to the one-​stop shop kind of person.

Saddens me to write anything negative about Fresh And Easy.
I see why people refuse to come here. I feel like their stuff is WAY overpriced for the most part. The pre-​made packaged dinners are good (not great), full of fat, carbs, sodium and are 5.00 or more for what seems to be a small portion.
The staff is hit or miss. The black dude with dreads is super chill and polite. Always saying hi and wishing me a great night. The goofy, chubby white kid who has been there since the opening is still a prick. But whatever, he is a «lifer» there and dodged a bullet by this location not being closed. Gerri is hilarious. She will tell you how she was a CIA agent and fought Mexican Drug Lords (Mind you this is an older, heavy set black lady that doesn’t look like she could dodge a Truck let alone a bullet).
Their pasta salad is super yummy but with over 75 grams of fat in a one person portion, i think not. I rather go crush a huge Cali B than eat a pasta salad for that amount of fat. Their green salads (pre-​made) have over 50 grams of fat (most of them do) and offer little to no substance. Again, too much fat for what you are receiving.
Sometimes you can find some steals on the clearance aisle. Keyword, sometimes.
Open til 12 now, so that earns em an extra half star rounding them up to 2.
Maybe someday they will lower the prices. This would improve business as well. You get a much better sandwich at Albertsons for 2.00 less. Just saying…

I don’t think a lengthy review is necessary for Fresh & Easy. Its a great store. Quick, ready-​to-​go meals aplenty, a good selection of natural products, good produce, friendly staff…
Its what a grocery store should be.
I can never get everything I need here, and some things are much more expensive than at other stores, but they things I buy, I love, and I come here at least twice a week.
Try the rice & black bean corn chips. They are seriously my favorite chips ever in life.

Been to this Fresh and Easy every now and again. It feels a little cramped at times but it works for certain things that I need. It always has the Bisto gravy I am looking for at a good price (british item)
Chickens are always a steal here and I like most of their desserts. They also have frozen dinners for $ 1.99 that are pretty decent. Some of them leave me hungry, but the quality is there
Items like soap, detergent etc… are better left to Target. That is where their prices are a little higher
Like the self check – out area. Could do without the noisy automated lady voice telling people my card i declined. It was a gift card FYI… but embarrassing never the less
Other wise I like it for the things I can’ afford at Trader Joes and would rather not get at Alberstons

Ahh another fresh and easy. Even though u DYI cashier and sometimes bagging staff there is very helpful. As soon as I go in I go straight to the clearance section. I usually go to this one but lately I’ve been going to the one in Casa de oro.

So far i’m a big fan of this place.
all things look fresh and mostly non-​generic. Their prices are very competitive and the self checkout lines are awesome. This was my first time here and i plan on going back soon.
My only complaint was that they don’t take outside coupons. humf.

I can’t believe I’ve lived by this thing forever and never stepped inside. Really nice selection of goods, I kind of look at it like a hybrid of Albertsons and Trader Joe’s. Pricing is pretty much on par/​reasonable. Aisles are clean and well organized, self-​checkout is a breeze. Can’t really complain. Only problem is that it shares a parking lot with the LA Fitness gym and parking can become scarce during peak gym hours. Aside from that, I’ll be making some return trips considering the good selection.

The more I shop at Fresh & Easy, the more I become enamored with this company.
I picked up some fresh Atlantic Salmon (
), some awesome rosemary rolls, and a half gallon of orange juice that only cost $ 2.49. The Salmon was $ 5.99 and the rolls were $ 1.99. I made the salmon for dinner and it was excellent. The rosemary rolls were just as good, and man, I hope they never stop carrying them.
The place was clean and the service was exceptional. I witness many of the employees helping customers, stocking, cleaning. This is a great neighborhood location.