Pioneer Supermarket

I go to this store often because it is so close to my apartment and the prices are somewhat reasonable for the Bronx. Path mark is just across the bridge on 125^th St. and they have awesome sales every day, a filthy but better store.
My biggest problem with this store is there is not much English spoken here and they don’t even seem to encourage it on the phone or the store. Frequently the employees have to go get someone else to understand what I am asking and it’s the same when you call the store. The phone is always, always answered in Spanish and they put you on hold with no apologies for it while they go get someone who can speak our language.
The people who work here are friendly though but when you tip the person bagging your groceries they never EVER say thank you so don’t expect it.
The meat department is questionable, there is no butcher and it all smells like its old or rotten. Some of the frozen food has the same smell too, the ones that are not bagged in plastic.
We buy canned foods and ones that are factory sealed and sometimes you can get good deals on them.
The cashiers are quick, somewhat friendly and efficient and the lines usually aren’t that long.

This supermarket is on the way to my job and is my spot when driving home. I really like that the produce is out of the way and every Tom, Dick, and Harry are not touching every single thing when they walk by. It is really a turnoff for me when I see that in a store.
I’ve walked through this place a dozen times and have not once seen anything on the floor or out of place or dirty. The shelves are fully stocked or look full to me. There is someone always in the aisles walking around, fixing or cleaning, etc to endure a quality space which I appreciate.
Another thing I appreciate is that the prices are what they say they are. I can;t stand going into a store and the price is more than you think. It throws off your entire spending.
I recently scored a 5lb bag of organic carrots from here on sale for $ 3.49 which was a steal! Since carrots and other snack veggies disappear in my home fast.
‘I’d rather that than the Oreo’s–

The cashiers’ here are never slow, they always have a line that is constantly moving, it’s never at a stand still. Which is good if you just need to come in and out. They do have a customer who is a serious coupon clipper who if you are stuck behind her, move to another line. It’s not often, but when you’ve have to pee since the bridge, it feels like an eternity.
I actually come here when they were three minutes from closing last week when it was raining hard, and instead of shutting the door in my face, one of the guys asked what I needed, and I just told him five different things that I knew I exactly wanted and I didn’t need deli or anything like that. He looked at me and let me in! I scurried in my heels, because they had just recently mopped and I didn’t want to bust my rump on the floor. I finally got to the register and made it out in 10 minutes! I said thank you 100 times and still come to this day to pick up my ‘quick-​run’ groceries when i’m on my way home from work.

This is my go-​to spot for groceries just because of the convenience. Some stuff is overpriced, but what can you expect when you live in NYC?
Their ground beef smells weird though, so me and my boyfriend try to get our ground beef somewhere else. It has a reeeeaaaaally strange smell to it. Also, sometimes it smells god awful over by the yogurt section. Kind of like cat piss.
But you don’t have to deal with any snooty cashiers which is always a plus.