The shelves were lined with different products than what you'll now find at your local market, and $10 worth of groceries had a very different look - and bulk - to it. Beyond changes in products and costs, the feel of the store also wouldn't have been the same. Not, at least, until one Florida grocery store completely redefined the shopping experience with a simple addition that made everything a whole lot more pleasant: air conditioning.
When it comes to alcohol sales, the United States is a pretty quirky place, as laws about where beer, wine, and liquor can be sold differ from one state to the next. Some states allow alcohol sales in grocery stores, while others keep beer, wine, and liquor in completely separate state government-operated stores, often referred to as ABC shops (Alcohol Beverage Control) or package stores.
Folks have griped on Reddit that their locations do not offer self-checkout options (though many report that their locations haven't undergone any recent remodels). Others have shared frustration with Publix's existing self-checkout system, which they claim only offers a small bagging area, and when they move their full bags off the scale, it flags the employee - effectively wasting both the customer's and the employee's time.
Most thickly-cut spuds are often overlooked for French fries, but Publix puts the underrated appetizer back on everyone's radar. Hardly anything at the Southern grocery chain's deli is a miss, but it takes something special to turn standard potato wedges into such a hit. The must-have Publix item is perfectly seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder; a short list, but the trio elevates the earthy veggie without taking center stage. What really gives the wedges a kick, though, is torula yeast.
Self-basted and uniformly browned, nothing beats the flavors of delicious rotisserie chicken. Spinning the perfect meat, though? Apparently, that's not so easy. Tasting Table reviewed the most popular grocery store rotisserie chickens and ranked them worst to best, and one major chain's was a big disappointment: Publix. In fact, our taste tester cuttingly summarized that "The most interesting thing about Publix rotisserie chicken is the packaging." Ouch.
Publix can be a whirlwind of activity - especially around lunch hour or right after work - as customers swarm the aisles in search of their next reasonably-timed meal. If you're in a rush, avoid the deli counter - because there will be a wait - and you will not be alone. The deli counter is home to the beloved Pub Sub, as well as chicken prepared two ways - fried and oven-roasted, rotisserie style.