Safeway vs King Sooper grocery stores in Boulder/Estes Park
 

Hope someone who is familiar w/ Bpulder/Este Park area can help out.
We have a condo w/kitchen reserved in Estes Park August for 1 week and only want to shop once... Plan on Boulder to Farmers Market for veges/fruit.

On way back to Boulder see a King Sooper (never shopped w/them) or we can stop at Safeway In Estes Pk. for a few other items, meat, BBQ stuff, salad dx, milk, breakfast and picnic snacks...

Can anyone tell me anything about King Sooper that is good to get there, prices better/worse than Safeway. I.E. both have roasted chicken: we have Safeway here chicken and not so good, however I have a discount card w/Safeway and none for King Sooper...

Is there any bread palces Boulder & good take out in Estes? Txs

I've thought that King Sooper was a level above Safeway..It's part of the Kroger family of grocers. I always shop there when in CO.

Safeway is generally more expensive than King Soopers. That said, the Safeway in Estes is incredibly convenient and well stocked. They also have a Starbucks within the store and an area where you can purchase prepared food and/or have sandwiches made. King Soopers also has a loyalty card, you can probably sign up when you visit the store.

I shop both, but that's because I have both in my vicinity. King Soopers is maybe a tad cheaper than Safeway, but Safeway tends to have a nicer deli and their own take home pizza that I like. Stop at the King Soopers in Boulder to get your stuff. One of you get a loyalty card from them while the other shops. The King Sooper loyalty card is also good for discounts at King Soopers gas stations, City Markets (Kroger food stores up in the mountains), Loaf & Jug gas stations, and Shell gas stations in Colorado.

Use the Safeway in Estes for any incidentals. Don't over look the grocery stores for Colorado souvenirs like hats and t-shirts - sometimes they have the best prices.

I'll chime in too. We have both [City Market and Safeway] here and I find City Market to be a bit less expensive and have just about everything I need. I will add that there are times when I need some "Exotic" item and Safeway will have it in stock.

I find CM deli, produce, bakery meats all to be of a high quality and would suggest that you shop there and do get a card, it helps -especially with gas. 3 cents a gallon less.

Thanks so much everyone... great feedback. Especially appreciate the suggestion to get the KingSooper (Kroger) for gas discounts.

Safeway has gas discounts too, but I don't know if the Safeway in Estes has a gas station.

Get the customer "tags" from both and shop the Wednesday specials. I shop both when in CO. Depending on the level of the store location, the deli/amenities/produce may be better at one than the other. I happen to think the bread at Safeway is better.

I don't know about Wednesday specials, the new sales start on Wednesday but go all week until Tuesday. If it were me on vacation, I wouldn't take up valuable vacation time to go to both stores -pick one and shop there. You won't go wrong at either one.

You can sign up for the King Soopers card right there - you don't ever have to use it again if you don't want to, but it would be foolish to shop there without it. If you are hesitant to give them your personal information, you can always put fictional info!

As mentioned, it is good at all Kroger markets (such as Fry's in Arizona). While I haven't shopped in the cities mentioned, I find King Soopers a little less expensive but more dependent on the particular items I buy rather than a general trend.

I've found that my Safeway card works at King Soopers and City Market. I live in Boulder and generally shop at Safeway. Every time I've been to King Soopers I've had to go somewhere else.

You don't mention that there is a Safeway on the way, on 28th Street (ie US 36 which goes to Estes Park) in Boulder directly on your way.

Hmmm - roast chicken - Safeway's are hit or miss, I spent $9 on one at Wholefoods that was really mediocre.. Generally if I want a roast chicken I get it from Costco (in Superior, also on the 36 - if you're coming from DEN it's right on the way)

On another note, the ham off the bone at the deli counter at Safeway on 28th in Boulder is top notch.

hth.
Heather

not sure how your safeway card works at KS/CM - 2 different companies. In any case, it takes less than 5 minutes to get a card at either/both places.

I'm not sure how that works either Deb. A couple times, by mistake, I've given my KS card while shopping at Safeway (and visa versa) and every time I've been told that I've given them the wrong card.

Maybe it just works that way way in Boulder. A lot of things work screwy in Boulder.

@DebitNM - give it a try. My Safeway card also works at Ralph's in CA.

@furledleader - I always use the self checkout so no one is looking at the card to see if it's the right one.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has been able to use a rival companies loyalty card. I just did it by mistake the first time but have never not been able to use it at a different store. I'll be in Maine this summer, will try it out at Shaws and Hannifords.