Duane Reade

Been coming here for years and now they give me hard time because Dr put 2015 on prescription instead of 2016. If the pharmacist that I always deal with was there I wouldn’t have an issue. I just don’t understand because they are in front of computer and can see prescription history. Um hey assholes it’s January everyone I still trying to get used 2016. Came to CVS and they gave me prescription with no problem. Plus paid 50% less

Service is bad here
Came in for gum and the lines were really long with only one person at the register
Cashier had a lot of attitude

Usually clean and bright– love 24 hours, but its small and lacking some of the stock other DR’s have. They finally installed a photo printer so you can print pictures on the spot, so that’s nice. Still wish they had more selection and they often seem understaffed.

I would be extremely reluctant to fill any prescriptions here again, ever… I would try the local private pharmacies or even Rite Aid before coming to this DR again.
The staff were nice, from drug clerk to tech to pharmacist (which is great, and important). They meant well.
But THEY WERE NOT ~ACCURATE~ … which is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT.
They made several mistakes (starting with telling me the product & dosage my dr prescribed did not even exist, which I quickly disproved via Google). They offered to special order the item if I could wait a few days. Excellent, thank you (see? Nice. Good customer service intentions. Unfortunately someone’s health is at stake, and CS is only the 1^st piece of the puzzle).
Next mistakes? They special ordered (a) the wrong dosage & (b) the name brand instead of the correct dosage of the generic, per my instructions.
The name brand vs generic is a matter of $, and an annoyance at worst. What my gf correctly calls «a 1^st world problem».
The real problem is that this pharmacy tried to give me TRIPLE the correct dosage.
When I balked, they attempted to persuade me their dosage was correct. 5 seconds of simple math proved them wrong. Their explanation: the doctor’s instructions were to cut it into 4’s… I had to point out that the dosage was off by a multiple of 3, not 4. Then show them a website reference confirming my math.
Then, my case having been definitively proved, the Rx blamed my doctor.
Keep in mind not only the significantly increased cost, but the possibility this inappropriate [triple] dosage could’ve increased my chance of side effects.
Also galling was, across 5 conversations and multiple mistakes, they refused to acknowledge any shortcoming on their part — I wasn’t going to sue, for gosh sakes; a simple apology or professional acknowledgement would have been appropriate and appreciated.
(This is where their CS skills faltered: accountability. So… first there was no error. Then? it was someone else’s error. And ironically one of the corporate mantras is: «Own It».)
I then travelled a longer distance to see a pharmacist I trust (to be fair to the chain, this was also a DR); she made no assumptions, asked questions, double-​checked the dosage & gave me exactly the right thing the first time, with no hassle.
If I hadn’t done my own research, persistently asked questions, and actively made it a 3-​way conversation (instead of just 2-​way between dr & rx) I would’ve been avoidably, unnecessarily over charged and over medicated.
All pharmacies are truly not created equally.

Add to the regular price of $ 5.50 /​gallon of their name brand milk the fact that they offer no entrance/​exit on Woodside, and I’ll pass on ever returning.

When it comes to chain drugstores such as these, you generally know what to expect when walking in here. Duane Reades are clones all throughout the city with some that have received physical face lifts over the years. This Duane Reade is no different, and that’s not a bad thing.
The aisles are clean, the shelves are stocked, and these chain pharmacies are essential for neighborhoods when you need toilet paper, toothpaste, or shampoo.
One notable experience I’ve had here was when I was at the register and I was purchasing a bottled drink that the cashier thought was on sale and if so wanted me to take advantage of it. She checked with her fellow cashier and manager and it turned out it wasn’t on sale any longer. But I did appreciate the above and beyond that she tried to find out for us.
Here’s a criticism, not in this particular location but Duane Reades in general regarding their reward cards offering all these values and points that unless you use it to buy aspirin or medicine, or $ 30 of a certain product you can never get any reward points.

If you ever think to drop your medication at this location. think 20x before you do it!.. Pharmaciest are not sooooo reliable. I had drop of medication for my Aunt Friday afternoon and they said it will be ready by Monday @ 12:30noon. My Aunt came to pick up her medication @ 3pm and her medication is not ready yet!.. dha.I had told them she will have her procedure the next day and this medication must be taken and they assured me that it will arrived on time… I had blasted my anger for this poor service they could of call me to advise me that medication is not ready, rather than to have my Aunt pick up the Medication that she is very ill. No consideration at all… Now they will pick up my Aunt medication in Astoria which will take them an hr.

Well, what can one say on such pharmacies?
I through all my human life, have been dependent on such businesses to provide me with the easiest way of having my meds, or househould needs in any time of day when all the other stores are closed.
This one that stands near me at woodside, does fair enough in maintaining its cleanliness and courteous staff when you are inside the store. Although I would still like to see more items added on the aisle’s…
This one has yet remained within the DR’s old status and havent updated as to the ones in the city. So until that day happens. I might as well give it my three stars for the moment.

The pharmacy staff in this particular Duane Reade branch sucks monkey balls!
Encounter # 1: I had my prescription transferred from San Diego to this branch since I moved a few months ago. They graciously refilled it. A month later I’m back and asked for a refill. A few days later, I stopped by to pick up my drug. And, lo and behold, they haven’t filled it yet. The reason: they don’t have my prescription and hat it wasn’t fully transferred from the CVS pharmacy in San Diego. So, I asked what the problem was and why I wasn’t informed about since I gave them my phone number. And they said well ma’am, we couldn’t contact the pharmacy in San Diego and we’ve been calling them around 10 am. Ok, if you do the math, West Coast time is 3 hours behind. At that time, it’s only 7 am in sunny Cali which means the damn pharmacy is NOT open yet. The idiots should try again whenever they figure out what the time difference is.
Encounter # 2: I called them up asking if they have a particular generic drug in stock. Maybe they do not want to shoo away customers but they said, yes they do. So, I went there a few hours later and asked that they refill my prescription. Guess what the guy at the counter tells me? They don’t have that drug on hand. Doh!
Encounter # 3: I dropped off a new prescription on a Tuesday — July 27 and told the pharm tech that I’ll pick it up wednesday. I didn’t get to to that till Sunday, Aug 1. That day, I was sick with the flu but had to drag myself out of bed and stumbled 9 blocks to this doggone store because I badly need those meds. What does pharm tech tell me? It’s not filled up yet because I dropped the prescription too early and my insurance won’t pay for it until July 29. It’s August 1!!! Why wasn’t it filled up over the past several days!!! In my sickness and frustration, my inner bitch came out and told them how inefficient they were at their jobs. Secretly, I hope they get my cold virus. They deserve that much karma.

I am a fan of most Duane Reeds, including this one. This place is a perfect stop to pick up random necessities while on the way to the nearby subway. It’s also part of a median /​park strip, where you’ll find many Duane Reed employees hanging out during their breaks while observing traffic. I just happen to like it because it’s centrally located (literally the middle of the road) within this busy section of Woodside and I’ve always managed to get what I needed here.
Customer service is going to vary, but most of the workers here mirror the community and are Southeast Asian. The place gets crazy busy after 6PM on Sundays due to all of the churchgoers but thankfully the lines are well managed and move fast.
A slight knock is their pharmacy is super slow and sometimes the floors are heavily scuffed to the point where I wonder if they have a janitor. But it’s Duane Reed, there is only so much to judge.