How do you rate a grocery store? I've been shopping at this location ever since I moved to Matthews about 5 years ago. The management at Food Lions change about every 2-3 years you'll see a new manager trying to all of a sudden make it a happier place to shop. Usually the old manager has been moved to a different store. I actually worked for food lion for a couple of years, so I have some experience with the frustration that the staff deal with on a daily basis.
The Food Lion at Hoods Crossroads is usually pretty clean. The produce section isn't up to HT standards but decent enough where you can find the simple things you need to get by. They actually do have a decent wine selection along with a specialty foods aisle.
The cashiers range from teenagers that don't care to moms that are picking up work to bring in some extra income for their family. The moms are usually more considerate and take their time making sure your coupons went through on your order. The ladies in the deli are really nice and always promote the specials over the intercom so you know what's on sale in the deli.
Food Lion in no way is a high quality grocery store. It's a grocery store where you can find your staple items and sometimes closeout deals for a relatively inexpensive price.