Treats Paying Customers Like Criminals - Algonquin IL store 699 I am single, visit once a week , but it can vary. I have been shopping here for as many years as this store has been open. WTF with the rent-a-cop following me around every time I visit for the last few months? Yes, I wear a heavy coat in winter. WTH am I thinking wearing a heavy coat when it's 30 degrees outside? Yes, sometimes I look at things on the produce shelf for an extended time; 1- things aren't always in the same place, 2- I like to review the options like any normal shopper, 3- sometimes I read a label and put the item back, 4- check my eggs for cracks... How the hell is that suspicious behavior? I shop at many grocery stores, but this is the only one where I am basically treated like a criminal. Whole Foods doesn't treat me this way, The Fresh Market doesn't treat me this way, Walmart doesn't treat me this way, or any other grocery store for that matter. I am sorry that you have a theft problem, but I am not it. Driving away good customers isn't going to help your bottom line. Get your act together. It's insulting and I deserve an apology. I would use Instacart to avoid your unwelcoming store , but you are too cheap to participate. When shopping here , Expect to be Treated as a Potential Thief. read more

Just had my first experience shopping here! Riley + other staff members were very friendly and helpful! I will definitely be coming back!

Trader Joe's all over the country are great! The options, although not brimming with variety, are amazing quality and taste. It's fun to see what's new and to enjoy the seasonal items TJ's carries. I love this location because it's very clean, well stocked and the employees are happy to be at work, as is the case with most Trader Joe's. One thing I have completely converted to are their greeting cards at TJ's. They are original, clever and $1!!! You can't beat that these days. I'm also a big fan of their stringent following of the COVID safety guidelines of the state. Lastly, in case you are looking for some new items, Trader Joe's is part of my grocery shopping rotation because of my following go tos: Soft pretzel sticks, bagged butter lettuce, Brussels sprouts, all the frozen fruits, breakfast fruit bars, taquitos, plantain chips, flowers and of course, the cards read more

Love any Trader Joe's. This location is great, friendly staff. BUT the cheese and meat selection is so good. The beer selections is amazing too! Highly recommend this chain of stores. read more

Family favorite specialty grocery store. Began shopping here when our now teen was a toddler and needed non-dairy yogurt and non-dairy milk options. This store carries a lot of items one would purchase at Wholefoods. But Trader Joe's is cheaper and closer to home. Always try their own brand of foods as they are great quality and cheaper than famous brands. Love stopping by the sample desk in the back corner of the store. They always have a drink sample (self serve) and a friendly employee cooking up or serving up a delicious food/snack sample complete with recipe cards. Free!! Kids enjoy trying to find Shelley the stuffed turtle that the employees hide throughout the store in various places. If your child finds Shelley then the child is rewarded with a healthy sucker or fruit leather. Our teenage son still enjoys finding Shelley! read more

I LOVE this Trader Joe's locations. Everything is always clean and easy to find. All the employees are super helpful and nice. Lately, this has been my favorite place to grocery shop. read more

The disgusting blanket of cinnamon is gone for the time being, so that's good...I am waiting for the day that Trader Joe's becomes available on instacart so I don't have to schlep in there during the god awful holiday season and be overwhelmed with the malodorous cinnamon displays they keep all over the place. I'm not tryna shop with my epi-pen and asthma inhaler in hand. Those cinnamon displays must be appealing only to those who are so decrepit that they have no more sense of smell left. I will also note that I've bought spoiled produce there more than once. I realize that there are many factor which affect the freshness of the produce being presented at various stores and markets, but I always consistently found decently priced fresh produce at Joseph's (god rest lol). Maybe Caputo's or one of the other fruit markets will become my next go-to place, besides Trader Joe's and Costco. **Holiday Season Review ** As nice as the employees usually are, I just had a nearly deadly attack of asthma, autoimmune and allergic reaction, due to the cinnamon products which are out for the holidays. I don't know what the scent of cinnamon does for other people, but I can tell you what it does for people like me, who have a severe cinnamon allergy. Its deadly. And there's not much relief. Even stepping outside, into the fresh air isn't going to calm the reaction that's already taking place in my body. I went into the store healthy, albeit recovering from surgery, and left with my nose and eyes streaming, coughing, itching, swelling, sweaty and unable to breathe. Those of us with severe allergies and autoimmune disorders (and allergic asthma) could quite actually die from anaphylaxis. Please, PLEASE do us, and yourselves a favor, and GET RID OF THE BLANKET OF CINNAMON! I want to be free to shop at your store without having to worry about death. This makes me feel unseen and unheard, as a patron and shopper. It makes me feel as if the one in four of us with severe allergies and autoimmune illnesses' monies are not as valuable to you as fully abled and healthy folks. Please be friendlier to people with disabilities of all kinds. I'm currently sitting in my car, trying to regain my breath, sucking my asthma inhaler, after having to claw through my purse for allergy pills in-store, like some sort of a street corner meth addict or something. There were literally Moms pulling their children away from the "crazy lady" shaking, sweating, swelling up like a balloon, and scrambling for pills and inhalers in her purse. This is not an experience I want to repeat, and yet, I still need to eat food (imagine that). Please do something. Seriously. This is severely uncool read more

I have started bringing my 7 year old with me when I go to Trader Joe's so she can use the little kids shopping cart, otherwise I use the grown up size cart and fill it up with things that I want but really do not need! I love everything about TJ's; from the little ad mailer that comes to my house to how clean and organized the store is. My kids love it too! read more

Excellent location! The staff here are fabulous and always ready to assist customers in need. All staff are knowledgeable, more than willing to help, and friendly. The store is usually impeccable and well-stocked. Highly recommend! read more

Customer service at the Algonquin store is getting bad. The store used to be full of positive energy. They are starting to hire a lot of underperforming cashiers (unattentive), they seem to be there just for a paycheck. High turnover rate. read more

I prefer this location over their other nearby stores based on layout and friendliness. They have the quality Vs. quantity thing down, and they have a pantry's worth of staples I can't live without. Oh, and the stuff's fairly cheap too. These small stores can get congested during busier hours, so off-peak times are ideal if you want to do any browsing, though any time of day is usually an upbeat experience even if you're just making a pub cheese run. Jalapeno pub cheese is the stuff of the gods, by the way. South African Smoke spice (in a handy re-usable grinder) is another staple of mine that I use in far too many dishes (it contains ready-to-be ground smoked paprika, garlic, etc). It seems these are seasonal now, so stock up in Spring and Summer if you're into that sort of thing. The employees are many times interactive and usually enthusiastic and sincerely seem to love a lot of the products they sell and it's always fun talking about favorite sauces or flavor combos, recipe tips, etc when they see you've got something they enjoy. They definitely have some "off" vibed days though, mainly out on the floor. Other TJ's staples typically on my shopping list: - Green Dragon hot sauce (unique flavor I can't put my finger on) - Tamales (Frozen) - Chicken Samosas (Frozen) - Red Pepper/Eggplant spread - Coconut yogurt - 21 Seasoning Salute (a spice that works on so many things) - English peas (fresh) - etc. (They're always getting new and interesting things to try seasonally) A lot of times there'll be a stray middle aged lady shopping with a cart who will seemingly try to kamikaze me with her cart and push me out of the way even in an otherwise empty aisle (I swear this happened at least two of the last three times here alone, haha). Not a con of the store in any way, just kind of amusing. It almost seemed like the same lady! read more

This has always been my favorite speciality grocery. Today they showed that are the best the second times around and now I just couldn't resist writing about it. I had to quickly pick just more than a couple of groceries like eggs bread and fruit today and since I was not going to shop a cart full I just picked up a basket and went about picking what was required and I was ready to check out and in line at one of register's and there was a gentleman almost done checking out in front of me and then out of the blue this random woman cuts through me and check out I was was so dumb founded . How rude is this. Anyway after her as I put my basket and begin to ring my stuff the gentle lady after exchanging complementaries ask me how was my shopping and that's when I told her what happened and she said she is so sorry about it and had she noticed it she would've send her back in line and I said had she requested me to check out before I would've definitely let I her do out of basic courtesy. The lady at the register gave me a beautiful flower bouquet which made me feel good . This was my second good experience . The first time was so overwhelming too. I was having a very busy and hectic day and was not feeling good and as I finished my day shopping at Trader Joe's and was visibly tired ,while I was ready to check out the kind lady handed me a flower bouquet for having a great evening . Which definitely put a smile on my tired face!! You guys ROCK!! Love the quality stuff and love the kind and caring staff here. Wish there were ten stars to give!! read more

Staff always very helpful. Lately the produce is old have to be very careful what you buy.

Nice little grocery store. Decent produce selection, but it is their hummus I come here for. Probably the best packaged hummus I've tried yet. They also have a four flavor hummus sampler that is great! I also picked up a jar of their almond butter, which I was turned onto recently. Good stuff and I don't normally eat almonds. A good selection of organic foods too. Very friendly staff. read more

"What Maria Did This Summer" Review 3 :) --- Trader Joes, how I wish you were closer than you are to me, BUT I will travel every WEEK to visit you and indulge in your healthy, yummy food choices! Yes, Trader Joes in Algonquin, like all other Trader Joes, is a hipster, organic, food mecca where one can indulge their inner health foodie! :) The grocery is moderately sized and cozy, but not cramped! Everytime I go there each week, I am greeted with a smile by the staff and asked if I need help. When you walk into this Trader Joes, you are greeted with a wall of freshly cut flowers and plants to your left, then you enter the breads, fresh produce, and refrigerated section. The shelves are neatly organized, well-marked with prices and witty banter tags that really catch your eye! I mainly shop here for their Steamed Lentil product, which is quite awesome as well as for their cage-free egg whites. I have recently tried their steaks and chicken, which are a lot less expensive than Whole Foods, but just as good! :9 It seems like the staff is always keeping shelves stocked or cleaning. This Trader Joes is VERY CLEAN! The staff is always helpful and helps you out as much as they can. Always dressed in some sort of tropical-based t-shirt or hawaiian shirt, the vibe at Trader Joes is a "relaxing, yet fun way to shop for groceries". :) I love the interesting music choices that flow forth from the speakers. They also make it fun to grocery shop for the kids as they have little kid-sized carts for your little ones to help you shop. They even have a little game where the kids are asked to find a stuffed turtle around the store. Quite neat! I love their namebrand items which change from item to item like Trader Jose(for their Mexican foods), and Trader Ming(for their asian fare). They have pretty much anything you'd like in there and it's mostly organic and/or healthy for you! :) Unlike their competitor like Whole Foods, this Aldi-owned, grocery chain does not have a deli department, seafood department, or meat department. But, that's not the reason you shop at Trader Joes. Trader Joes just boasts fresh, unique, healthy food choices in a hip-relaxed atmosphere. Grocery Shopping need NOT be boring. Nope! Not at Trader Joes! They keep "mall hours" and are open from 8am to 9pm everyday. T Totally LOVE Trader Joe's...you will TOTALLY LOVE it too! :) read more

I love Trader Joe's. This is my favorite place to grocery shop. I've shopped in Trader Joe's in at least a half dozen states. They're customer service, selection of products, quality and friendliness of staff are uniform. I was in. TJs in Tacoma, WA a couple of years ago and ran into a crew member from where I used to live closer to Chicago. Fun. They have done an amazing job during this coronavirus crisis, and I thank them for their hard work every week when I shop. read more

I love Trader Joe's. Sure it is a little more expensive than some other chain grocery stores, but it is well worth it for some items. I like to find healthier options here. The premade salads are a favorite item for lunch. I also love the variety of pastas and cheeses. I also never leave without a bottle or two of wine. The staff is super friendly and eager to help you find what you need or might like to try! read more

How can you not like TJ's? A few of my favorite items... Ak Mak whole grain crackers the big cheese case anything covered in chocolate marinated fish 2 packs (great for a quick dinner) Saturday mornings this place is packed. Bring your own bag in and be entered into a drawing for some sort of prize. Great hours, 9-9, too. read more

I have nothing but love for TJ's! This is not my primary grocery store, but I shop here to supplement my weekly grocery list. Two items that are a staple to me at Traders Joe's are wine & coffee. For the quality and price you can't go wrong. Aside from that, I often pick up one or two different cheeses as well as olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I don't quite understand why some consider their prices to be higher than other stores. The only cheaper alternative I can think of is Aldi (Trader Joe's parent company). By the way, the Mandarin Orange Chicken in the freezer case is fantastic! read more

Trader Joe's has it going on! Some of the highlights -- wonderful produce selection, wide variety of dry goods, good quality frozen foods and some of the best three buck chuck wine you will find. While I don't buy all of my groceries at Trader Joe's, I do hit them up when I am shopping for produce, organic items, fish and certain frozen items. They also have a couple varieties of *good quality* wet cat food that's not filled with a bunch of B.S. ingredients. All in all, Trader Joe's is never a disappointment although prices can be a touch higher on most things as quality always comes at a price. read more

One of the better grocery stores in the area. Pricewise, TJ's tends to be a bit more expensive. However, most products they sell are either organic or preservative free. Note: If you are allergic to MSG, like I am, this store's products are 100% safe for you because they do not sell anything with MSG in it. The staff is very nice and friendly. I appreciate that if you ask for help selecting a wine and the staff member you ask doesn't know, they will find an employee who does know instead of making something up. The staff will happily go the extra mile for you! read more

I LOVE TRADER JOE'S!!! The food is always fresh, the staff is always friendly, and will actually give you their opinion on particular foods...if you ask nicely. Yes, this is more of a specialty grocery store...however, they have a lot of staple items. The prices are very reasonable! If you were to buy food of an equal nutritional value (i.e. organic, all-natural, preservative free), you would easily spend almost double. Frozen foods without all the preservatives, wide variety of breads, cheeses, nuts, fresh produce, juices galore...and the wine, woo! Great wine selection too with staff that give great recommendations, you can't go wrong. read more

Always been a fan of Trader Joes having first become familiar with the store in Los Angeles, California. I visit the TJ's in Algonquin at least every two weeks and the staff there is amazing. They are extremely friendly and informative and seem to really love their job. If you don't like a product you can return it for a full refund. I buy most of my groceries their. The only drawback is the produce, fruits and veggies don't seem to last very long and go bad quickly. Maybe it is due to not being fresh or not having any sprays or agents on it to prolong spoiling, I dont know but I would not recommend always relying on the fruits. Everything else is great and I love the Aloe Vera Juice, fresh yogurt, dried fruits and nuts, natural cat treats (for my cat of course- He goes nuts for them!), and much more! I buy their laundry detergents, soaps, and various home products there for a more chemical free or natural approach to my health. I also enjoy their wines! Yum. read more

Trader Joe's NEVER fails me!!! Masala Burgers- THE BEST! Spa shampoo and conditioner- THE BEST! Wine selection and prices.......enough said! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT TRADER JOES! read more

Terrific wine selection, comprises about 20/25% of the store's floor space. Staff are great at asking if you have found what you are looking for (must be the puzzled expression on the face) and are personable behind the register. Fresh flowers are VERY reasonable. My favorite specialty grocery store - and I'm very picky. I don't find it expensive compared to, say, the local Jewel, which is a huge, overpriced cement box. Oh, and great fresh breads. read more

This location doesn't seem to be as crazy-busy as others that I go to, and the staff here is extra friendly. Next time I go back, I will be bringing pictures of my dogs to put up on their dog wall. I love places that do things like that! read more

I purchased a box of Trader Joe's store in Algonquin. Molasses Cookies on 08-18-20. I tried a cookie when I got home, only to find that they were very stale! The expiration date on the cookie box is 08-19-20, so for full price, I bought a box of stale cookies that expired the very next day. The cookies should have been pulled from the shelf and given to the nearby food pantries or hugely discounted. Very disappointed in the Trader Joe's name. read more

Like some of the other posts... I am happy to call trader joes our go to grocery store. Great food selection, pretty good beer selection...orange chicken is fantastic. The BBQ teriyaki chicken is a great meal as well. The staff is about as good as it gets! read more

Love it. I will only drink TJ house blend coffee, so i go in there every other week to get it and end up getting a cart full! Currently obsessing over their Orange Chicken and Cioppino seafood stew. Bonus: Pick up 4 or 5 bottles of wine when you're there read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE Trader Joes. I wish it was closer to me but hey, its at the commons so I can sneak over to a few other stores as well. But seriously, great prices, great food, and excellent customer service. Its a fun atmosphere to shop in. There is always good music on when I'm there. Every time you shop here you know you are going to eat well on ALL levels. read more

Three days prior I called store to confirm 8-9 AM senior hour for Wed.,Dec. 2. The individual that answered replied yes, that would be senior hour. I arrived Wed. At 8:05AM. The store was packed with shoppers. The container of sanitary cart wipes at the entry door was empty. For every senior in the store, there were two young to middle-aged shoppers as well. There was no spacial distancing. The spacial distancing X marks on the floor in the checkout area were no longer there. The checker asked if I had reusable bags. I said yes, but you have not been using them since Covid. She replied we do now, and asked me to get mine out of my car. I declined. They pack the groceries right on the conveyor oftentimes, so my groceries are touching the same area possibly just touched by another shoppers bags from home that could be infected with Covid. This store has fallen far from what it used to be. I have consistently spent hundreds a month in this store, but will now travel further to find a grocer that respects me and my health. read more

I am a huge fan of this store. I love their selection of organic and overall "unique" items. This store is always clean, and there is always a friendly associate to help. I always find items that are not sold at my local grocery store. Overall a huge fan of the mac n' cheese balls, teriyaki bbq chicken, orange chicken, and Sara Bee wine. I just wish that this store was a little closer to me. read more

Wonderful place! Large selection and good prices. All natural foods are important to me but expensive. However here all natural foods are affordable and great quality. read more

I love this store!! I'm in Crystal Lake so it's a bit of a hike for routine shopping, but it's by far my favorite place to grocery shop. The staff is amazing at this store and the experience is always positive. read more

I love shopping here when I am in town. We live in Chicago and there is not one close to us so when we visit my mother in law I always love an excuse to come in here. Everyone is so nice. Very clean and well kept. I get so much yummy & healthy food for such a good price! read more

I seriously adore Trader Joe's. I go there somewhat regularly, and the employees are always extremely helpful and friendly. I went yesterday for a few things, one of which was hamburger buns, and one of the employees highly recommended the Pretzel rolls. I can't wait to try them! A few of my favorite buys at TJ's are: hummus, rice pudding, frozen fish (halibut), Gyoza frozen pot stickers, Pretzel Thins, Newton's Folly Granny Smith cider, and virtually any wine you could ever want. And of course, can't forget about the veggies and fruit - it's all excellent. read more

Stopped shopping here. Bought spoiled meat on two occasions. When I returned it, they didn't seem to care.

I am a huge fan of TJ's because of their products and customer service. For the most part, their prices are pretty competitive. Some products have been a miss for us, but you can return items if you're not satisfied. I've had some issues with fruit towards the end of the season, but that's expected. I love that they monitor the check out lines and call for additional cashiers when they see customers waiting. I will always frequent a retailer who practices good customer service. read more

I'm starting to find that I don't review on things that I don't like. I'll change that shortly. However, not here! LOVE Trader Joe's. Great fresh produce, fun finds. GREAT WINE SELECTION. I bought like 3 bottles of chardonnay for 3 bucks each. I guess they buy wine in bulk and then sell it SUPER cheap. Good for me! I've picked up the curry chicken tenders and those were good, nice and spicy which is how I like it. More nods of approval.. but I'll post some nasty ones soon. read more

I love, love, love our Trade Joe's!! It is like the Cheers of grocery stores. Every time I am there, one of the employees says to me that it is "nice to see you again" Where else do you get that?? It is walking distance from my house and well worth the walk. They have wonderful store brand products from frozen foods to vitamins - all of which I would recommend. Their prices are cheaper than Jewel, Dominick's and the other biggies - their only price competition is Woodman's but there you don't get the "little store atmosphere" which I love. Friendliest staff of any store I've ever been in - and they all recommend new products that I always end up loving. Oh, and if you bring your own shopping bags, they enter you into a contest to win another bag plus a $25 dollar gift card for your next shopping order. If you have never been to one, here is a spoofy youtube video made from a shopper... fun! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdB7GDZY3Pk read more