Whole Foods, Whole Unpleasantness

I was just returning home from my dentist's office, located on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago.  Having had a noon appointment, by the time I got out of their office I was famished, and decided to pick up something to eat at the Whole Foods Market on Huron.  I've had spotty experiences there.  There have been some visits where it was reasonably pleasant, but most often than not, I have found the personnel, particularly the cashiers, as very impersonal. 

My deli experience was good.  The gal there was pleasant and friendly.  I wish I could say the same thing for the check-out register.  I had a gift card which did not cover the amount of my purchase, so I asked the cashier if she would take the card, since I did not see a trash receptacle.  She gave me a defiant look and said she would not, that I should just keep it.  I said I didn't see a waste basket, didn't she have one under the counter??  She glared at me and said to just 'leave it on the counter, 'they'll' come clean it up later.  That was the beginning of a rather unpleasant and negative encounter. 

There used to be a time when I loved shopping at Whole Foods.  It was the darling of my consumer shopping experiences.  Now I only shop there out due to dietary requirements.  Instead, whenever possible, I go to Trader Joes or my local Jewel, both of which have FRIENDLY cashiers and employees.  Even when I use the automated check out at Jewel, there is always someone supervising the automated attendants who always makes eye contact and says "hello" or some other greeting.  Unlike at Whole Foods, where the "hellos" feel forced and mechanical, with the sincerity of con man, at Trader Joes and at Jewels the employees there connect to their customers on a more personal level, with open energy and an honest welcome. 

If I hadn't loved Whole Foods so much in the past, I wouldn't be writing about it yet again.  John Mackey has done some great things to lead WFM into the forefront of being a natural foods empire, and I would easily say that he could be credited for helping change the way many people in the mainstream now eat.  However, John Mackey is now in need of doing something to get rid of this robotic, dark energy that permeates his cashiers and much of his stores.  I have to admit that I'm a sensitive, so I do feel things many people do not.  However, in that spirit, I must say that because I feel it now, it is an excellent time to do something about it before everyone else, the non-sensitives, begin to feel it.  When that happens, it will be too late for Whole Foods.  Whole Foods needs a Spiritual Director, someone who can clean up this negativity and again make it into THE destination for those of us who not only value good food and social responsibility, but spiritual responsibility as well.  Right now, it feels like WFM is going into spiritual bankruptcy. 

Comments

[Martin]

Hi Consumer Maven,
Has the latest news of John Mackey's (ceo of WF) message board fiasco made any impact on your views of Whole Foods?

[consumermaven]

I suppose the last line of this blog, "Right now, it feels like WFM is going into spiritual bankruptcy" couldn't be more appropriate. John Mackey is a major stockholder and thus still a major owner in the company. As both an owner and Senior Management, his actions not only reflect his business attitudes and integrity, but this flows, as good or bad energy does, through out the organization and its structure. Most of us in the corporate world have all felt the effects of "one bad apple." It's not good when that apple is one of the founders and key people in an organization.