FE has gone from being a food store to a quasi fast food outlet.
Apparently their core regulars who simply wanted a food store can go pound sand now. The new checkout encourages small orders. Gone are the stations for anything beyond what one can hold in their hands. Large orders are now handled by employees who usually cannot figure out frozen food doesn't belong packed with toilet tissue. One of the reasons we liked FE was we could do our own packing. Well so much for that. Makes no sense whatsoever why the change. Why not offer BOTH? you do for small orders.
FE should be competing with Whole Foods, not Subway. Why bother with a great brand like Wild Oats if you don't promote it? I understand the attraction of the perceived margins but the grocery biz is about volume. You best run a tight ship or you are going to be throwing away a ton of food.
good luck.