I stopped by the Santee Trader Joe's about an hour before closing. Normally, I do my grocery shopping on Fridays, but because of the holiday, I decided to wait. I was worried the shelves would be picked over, but I'm so glad I did! It was Monday, and everything was fully stocked with all of my personal favorites and as always the store well organized . One thing I've noticed is that every Trader Joe's has its own unique selection of products. Some locations seem to carry items that others don't, which I'm guessing has a lot to do with the size of the store. But one thing that remains consistent at every Trader Joe's I've visited is the people. I honestly don't think I've ever encountered a rude or disgruntled employee. The staff is always welcoming, genuinely friendly, and more than willing to help. They don't just point you in the right direction--they actually take the time to have real conversations with their customers. That personal touch makes every shopping trip feel enjoyable. I've discovered so many new products simply because a crew member recommended them or shared one of their personal favorites. It's one of the reasons I always leave with something new to try. And somehow, I learn something new every visit. Tonight, I learned about Trader Joe's rotation system. The crew members switch roles throughout the day--one hour they may be working the registers, the next they're collecting shopping carts, stocking shelves, organizing frozen foods, or helping in another area of the store. I think it's a brilliant system. It keeps the workflow balanced, gives employees variety, and, in my opinion, probably helps maintain such positive morale. The crew member who helped me tonight told me he genuinely enjoys coming to work and that his smile isn't forced--he truly enjoys serving people. When an employee sincerely says they enjoy serving customers, it makes you realize Trader Joe's must be doing something right. If you're ever in Santee, I highly recommend stopping by this location. Truthfully, I've had great experiences at just about every Trader Joe's I've visited. My only "complaint" has nothing to do with the store itself--it's those locations that share tiny parking lots with other busy businesses! If you've shopped at one of those, you know exactly what I mean. As always... you can thank me later. read more

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Looking for flowers? Trader Joe's has the best freshest flowers out there. I could always count on getting flowers at TJ. Majority of the store items are by Trader Joe brand. Reminds me of Costco Kirkland brand except TJ is suitable for smaller packages not huge family size. I walked aisle to aisle and picked up a few frozen food. The frozen food averaged under $5. I can now understand how many household lean towards frozen food for the cost and the portions. I was full off of one and still had left overs. read more

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The cashier, D. Robert, was so sweet and made our day. Love Trader Joe's! So glad we finally have one closer to home. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Santee, California

I stopped by the Trader Joe's in Santee to specifically to grab some bags of my absolute favorite olive oil potato chips and those amazing Swiss milk chocolate bars. This location never is great, it's a big, well-organized store with decent parking that's usually pretty easy to find a spot in. The employees are always so friendly and helpful too. Definitely my to go shopping when in Santee area. read more

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My parents were so well treated at this location that I wanted to write a note. My folks are in their 80s and mentioned that a team member noticed their bags looked full and asked if they could lighten then and help them to the car. Dad was with mom and chose to sit on one of the scooters to wait for her and a team member asked if he was ok. It's that attention to their customers that helps differentiate this very friend Trader Joe's from the competition, aside from affordable prices. read more

I love Trader Joe's and I'm glad they have one here in Santee now! The layout of the store is not my favorite but maybe I will get used to it. I like coming in to the baked goods and fresh bread and flowers. Like the Trader Joe's in Mira Mesa/Scripps. Service is good as expected from Trader Joe's. read more

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I'm a huge Trader Joe's fan and love this new location. I love Trader Joe's products especially their seasonal items. I often head out to Santee as there are many stores that are easily accessible. This new Trader Joe's location has plenty of parking and is located in a great shopping center. The store is very clean and well organized. I am always able to find what I want with ease. The employees are always friendly and welcoming. What more could you want from a grocery store. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Santee, California

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This Trader Joe's has what some of the other ones don't: decent parking! The staff are always friendly (and I'm in there 3-4 times a week). They have the same good quality produce, plants, bread and salads. Parking at the Grossmont store is really stressful, the Santee location is great. read more

Top notch trader joe's location! Plentiful parking and spacious interior. Well stocked with an excellent selection. Outstanding quality product at great values. Wonderful friendly service. An unbeatable combination! read more

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Staff is friendly ... store is always very clean and stocked staff always willing to help when I need help finding a product love this Trader Joe's read more

Had no idea this just opened up! I don't live in the area but was here running an errand for hubby's work. And so they happen to have orange marigold planted pots! Lots of them! Plus yellow mums as the cashier stated there were less yellow marigolds stock but sold out fast. You can't go wrong with the quality of the food, but the floral & plants are great! Coming back when in area! read more

Trader Joe's - Marigolds & mums for Dia de Los Muertos - Grocery Near Me - Santee, California

I love this new Trader Joe's location! Most importantly, there's PLENTY of parking! There are several disabled spots with a straight shot to the door. Carts are neatly lined up in front of the store and not scattered around in the lot. In fact, I parked in a disabled spot and, as soon as I emptied my cart, an employee was right there to grab it. Thank you! Even though the space itself is larger, the amount and variety of products generally the same. The exception is the freezer section, which might be twice the size as others, which is fantastic. Customer service is at the same high standard like the store has come to have a reputation of. Regardless of where they're found, they are willing to help you search for an item. With a keen wit, one employee reminded me that my phone was openly exposed in the front of my cart. Thanks for looking out! The icing on the pumpkin spice cake, even though it was prime shopping time, was there was no waiting for a cashier. That was the best! This location will be my regular Trader Joe's shopping stop. read more

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Great Trader Joe's location. The parking is easy and the store is fully stocked. Fast checkout with plenty of cashiers.

The food at Trader Joe's is amazing. It is so so fun to shop here. The prices are great We are so happy to have Trader Joe's here in Santee. What a happy day. read more

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I stopped in opening day. I was definitely a festive and busy day. I picked up some of Trader Joe's natural flavored waters. I just wish they offered them in glass bottles, not plastic. I do love that they offer a good variety of olive oils, especially single origin cold pressed ones. I picked up some lies and lemons and avocados. All the produce was fresh and clean. I could not find the wheat flat bread that I usually buy. Hopefully, next time, it will be more visible. The employees were busy, busy with the crowds. The lines for the cash register were long, but they were doing the best they could with the crowds. The parking lot was packed. read more

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First check in of the year and first review of the year!!! This is a new Trader Joe's located in a strip mall around the corner from the Costco. It is located right next door to the Ulta, there is a large parking lot with plenty of parking. It was really busy in the parking lot but the store itself is so large inside there was lots of room to walk around without bumping into anyone. This store though is unlike any other Trader Joe because the music they were bumping over head was AMAZING!!! The music was a vibe itself, old school dance music with new school dance music, I ran into ppl singing and doing little jigs everywhere lol!! There was a sample table with a green juice and fried rice, I'd pass the juice because it was too bitter but the fried rice was really good!! Of course the store was loaded with it's usually great frozen items like the orange chicken, chicken fried rice, pastas and other favorites, and of course the snacks and baked goods were all there also! The check-out line was very short, and moved fast! Brandon was my cashier and he was super friendly and a pleasure to chat with! read more

I love trader Joes and I especially love this one! I was so thrilled and excited when I found out that they were finally bringing a Trader Joes to santee! Coming to Trader Joes is honestly so much fun. I enjoy seeing what their new products are and trying new items that I haven't had before. The parking lot is big and plenty of it. I have never had to do multiple circles around the lot to find a spot. You will always find one right away. The store is really big, clean and organized! I love how they rarely run out of certain food products and that you are able to get them. I have gone to other trader Joes for a specific item and they are always out. The employees are unbelievably nice! They are always there to help you. They answer all of your questions and they make sure that if you can find a certain item they will take you to it. I like that they put in an effort in to talk to you and ask you how your day is going. I also like how when you get certain items they let you know how good it is, which gets me excited because now I can't wait to go home and try it! read more

We waited for the novelty to wear off before going anywhere near the new Trader Joe's in Santee. I don't know if it happens everywhere, but the people in our community go bonkers when something new opens. Sonic and 'Canes were pure chaos for the first few weeks! (We've never been to either. LOL!) Aaaanyway. We love Trader Joe's and are really pleased to have one so close to home. The La Mesa TJ's is in such a horrible location we just never went. As you walk in, all of the flowers are to the right, then produce and dairy. The flowers are fresh and beautiful and very reasonably priced. I told Becky that any time I get her flowers now, they're going to be from Trader Joe's! We asked a member of the staff about a particular item that we could not locate. She was extremely helpful and knowledgeable about their products. She was so polite and friendly/ We ended up with some really great cheeses, some pre-marinaded chicken shawarma, a few different mustards among other items. The two young ladies at checkout were super nice and friendly also. I envision us being frequent fliers at the Santee Trader Joe's. read more

This is quite possibly the best Trader Joe's you will ever shop at! The management and crew here are so friendly and helpful and of course you have all the wonderful Trader Joe's produce and fresh and frozen meals in this neatly kept store. The parking lot is also quite a bit bigger than most Trader Joe's parking lots which is very convenient! Happy shopping! read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Santee, California

A Trader Joes with great parking. Very stocked and great service The store feels very spacious compared to other locations. read more

Well stocked with friendly young staff as usual. Produce and items are stocked regularly, have never seen empty section on the shelves. Such a great addition to the Santee community! read more

I love Trader Joe's and so happy Santee has a location. Plenty of parking in this area. It can be busy, but that's because Trader Joe's is so popular. The crew is always polite, up beat, and kind. I always enjoy the different samples when they have them. Seasonally, Trader Joe's provides a lot of different options. Ambiance is catered for all kinds of people. I like coming to Traders for snacks, pizza making ingredients, noodles, and sweet treats. read more

This is hands down the best Trader Joe's I've been to in San Diego. The service is consistently excellent--every staff member is attentive, friendly, and helpful. The positive energy and welcoming vibe make shopping here a pleasure. Big kudos to the management and team for creating such a great atmosphere. This location is my absolute favorite! read more

I couldn't be happier with the decided location and size of this store. I was fortunate enough to visit the new location on its opening day and I'm so happy I did!! I naturally walked up and down every aisle just to find things I didn't know I wanted. haha! At check out I was assisted by this awesome duo that was telling me about their opening day winners. They were giving out Trader Joe's goodie bags by spinning a wheel and having it land on a register number. I was ecstatic because I was in the process of buying my groceries when the wheel was being spun. They matched my energy and the lovely cashier said "we're going to manifest a win!" As the wheel was winding down to a stop it landed at 5. Yes, my register, 5!!! I NEVER win anything, but this was my lucky day!!! On my way out I was stopped by Bobby who was sweet enough to ask me how my visit was and how it felt to win! I still couldn't wrap my mind around the win but I was definitely willing to brag to whoever would listen. Can't wait to get to know this incredible team a bit better over time!! read more

I went here for the first time yesterday. The Trader Joe's location was a former Best Buy that had long been rumored to be turned into a Trader Joe's after the Best Buy had closed. Now it's actually here! It's pretty standard. Nothing really stands out about this location. It actually reminded me of the Mission Valley location because the layout of the store was essentially the same. That location also had an Ulta Beauty store next to it, which I think is a weird coincidence. read more

Cami was amazing upon checkout. Love this store. The manager is amazing too. He came from the La Mesa store. I was sad to see him leaving La Mesa because I mostly shopped there, but I do love the antique store. read more

Yeah we got a Trader Joe's in Santee. Thank you so much . I came to the opening on my Birthday the grand opening. Fun Fun Fun. Everyone is happy. August 1st a great thing to do. I got flowers and cookies. An historical opening an event. Loving Trader Joe's. read more

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Another new TJs built this time in the East County. On a hot Santee day this is the place to shop where it's cold as can be blasting AC. All your TJ goodies can be found here. The set up is nearly the same as most of the TJs I've shopped at. I knew where to find all my usual goods here without even guessing. Well done Santee. You've arrived at upper middle class suburbia with this TJs in your hood. read more

The store is nicely laid out with wider isles, more product, people and checkers are very pleasant and parking is easy found everything I needed. They were stocked up well. read more

I love Trader Joe's and Kevin one of the crew member's is extra sweet! His customer service is amazing and he is so thoughtful. I will definitely be back! Thanks Kevin for making my day! read more

This store has the most helpful employees who never give the impression that you are bothering them. They also have great recommendations!

Store is always clean and well stocked. The prices are great. The best flower selection! All the employees have been very helpful and friendly. read more

Kringle information and next deliveries. Only place in town I can find my childhood Racine, Wi kringles. To much to have shipped from Racine. read more

My first visit and not my last. They had only been opened 2 days prior to our visit and that Saturday we showed up at 7:45 pm. 1st parking was great! Stock was definitely picked over a bit but what would I expect. Bigger store than some others that I visit regularly. Long aisles. The staff was friendly and a lot were new, just trained and all I can say is , they train them good! The store has everything I could hope for. I'm so happy to have one closer! Welcome to the area were so happy your here read more

Great store with all the expected Trader Joes goods and service. Store is clean, organized and efficient with plenty of parking.

Super store. Great staff and has so many variety of delicious food. It's nice and big too

This review is mot so much about the store itself as much as the parking lot and the lack of planning Santee has done concerning retail, parking, traffic. None of these parking lots were designed for these massive pickups people in this neck of the woods seem to love. Seriously, why a PU? Do you like hauling air? I never see one with anything in the cargo bay. If you have one or more of these maneuvering in the Trader Joe's parking lot, BEWARE. It makes the store virtually inaccessible. Further, since the overall driving skill of the local residents is poor the likelihood of a fender bender is high. Therefore, while the store itself may have many desirable qualities it is not an option for me because I cannot afford auto body repair. read more

The store is clean & organized, but buyers beware when buying fruits in the containers. I thought these blackberries looked good, but I should have known better & opened to check each one because when I got home to prepare a charcuterie board for when my daughter came to visit later that afternoon most of the berries were already moldy. What a waste of $7.99 read more

Trader Joe's - Waste of money!!! Majority of the blackberries were moldy - Grocery Near Me - Santee, California

I went to the grand opening today in Santee. I have to use a motorized shopping cart and they only had one available and it wasn't charged. On their grand opening day! So I couldn't shop there. I view this as discrimination against people with disabilities. They shoud have had a least 3 motorized carts, and they should be charged when you first get there in the morning. Very poor start for grand opening day! read more

Just an FYI: Trader Joe's is my go to store for everything. It's a great store with excellent selections. However over the past six months or so the Teeny Tiny Avocados have been really bad. They are black and rotten inside, even if they're not quite ripe. This happened at the Grossmont location and i hoped Santee would be better. I bought a bag only to find they were bad. I reported to the manager and tried again a few weeks later hoping they resolved the problem only to have another bag of rotten avocados. read more