The Major Grocery Store With The Worst Deli

Crawling through your local grocery store is probably everyone's least favorite activity. Not just because grocery prices are bonkers and out of control, but because you're probably hungry and tired. A quick stop by the deli might help you solve your hunger problem, which always makes it disappointing when the deli has basically nothing worth getting. If you're like me and you live in a Kroger dominated state, you've probably noticed: Their delis are the worst.

Compared to Whole Foods prepared foods bar, which is often folded into the deli-like section of the store, Kroger's selection is dismal at best. Often only offering Boars Head meats, some scant deli salad offerings and a small island for rotisserie chickens which, to be fair, are at least as good as other chains', check out our ultimate ranking here.

Perhaps the part of Kroger delis that really jams my meat slicer, is that there's only one or two employees at any given time. Even during the 5 PM rush. How is this even allowed? These folks are understaffed and overworked. No wonder the employees at my local Kroger chain, King Soopers, go on strike every few years. Other folks on Reddit have also noticed how Kroger stores have massive turnover.

There are, luckily, ways to mitigate the disappointment, which we've covered before. We actually asked a deli attendant how to shop the best prepared foods at your deli. To be honest, for many Kroger owned chains, you're probably just going to end up avoiding the deli area altogether.

In order to really deal with how much harder it is to shop at certain chains, it's probably best to go prepared. Have your plan in place: If they don't have someone working the counter or its too busy, make sure you know where the pre-packed meats and cheeses are. Next, if you need a quick dinner, you might want to just think about the grab and go meals that should be near the deli. My local King Soopers, a Kroger owned chain, is very limited here, so I often just opt for the grocery store sushi. It makes sense why Kroger is America's top sushi seller.

While it is frankly obnoxious that this is what we have to deal with, when you're shopping just keep in mind the most important thing: The employees are as fed up as you are. Do not take your ire out on them. Remember that strike I mentioned? My local Kroger chain has been on two massive strikes since 2020. The last one in early 2025 was done even through freezing temperatures. Employees can't afford rent or their own groceries. On this front, I think we are all united that something needs to give. And the deli is just one prime example.