Tops Markets Corporate Office Headquarters

On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, after work so this was after 4:00pm. I was shopping at one of your TOPS Markets located on Transit Rd. and French Rd in Depew, NY. One of my regular locations to shop. In fact, the store was just remodeled just a few years ago to make it nicer more up to date & spacious with a lot more items to choose from. While in the bakery department, I had gotten a few seeded rolls and wanted to get a few bagels from the clear bin compartment. Then I discovered a very gross sight, something no customer ever wants to see, but thank God I did. It was a huge black carpenter ant sitting on one of the bagels in the bin. Well, needless to say I didn't get any bagels, very disappointing because I love bagels. But what was even more disappointing, and as far as I'm concerned totally unacceptable was the managers reaction. I immediately took a picture of this major grossness at TOPS with my phone. I had a winning lottery ticket I wanted to cash in on, so I went to the customer service desk to redeem my whooping $10.00 winnings. While at the customer service desk I asked the clerk if I could speak to a manager, she politely responded, "of course I'll call him now" When he arrived at the customer service desk in just a few minutes, I walked slightly over to the side, to be nowhere near any other customers and proceeded to show him the picture. I told him that I realized that it is early spring when bugs start to come out, but this is something he should know about so they can address it.
He was very cold and dry, he only said OK, never thanking me. And as I made my way over to the checkout, I walked past him, he was just casually doing something in one of the other aisles, he never walked over to the bakery department to see for himself or remove the ant bagel and he certainly didn't offer me anything! Not a coupon, raincheck, absolutely Nothing! Not even a sincere apology. I know that good help is hard to find, but managers like him is hurting your business more than being an asset. I've seen other issues with this store in the past but said nothing, I just couldn't do that in this case. I feel bad for the person who came along and bought that bagel.

I'm writing this comment for two reasons. First I just want to know if anybody actually reads these comments. Secondly if human eyes in fact do see these words you should probably know that your stores have more problems than just bankruptcy.

Your employees are struggling. Most of them if not all of them are sincerely struggling to survive. They are working for you mostly because they're stuck they're and desperate that is not a good repertoire to have with your employees. I am an actual employee at one of your stores and I need you to understand that even just that one store I see an accumulation of negativity.

It starts with low pay then you add more responsibility with no increase of pay and in this country since minimum wage is changing you use that as a raise instead of actual performance reviews. The negativity moves on to gossip other employees talking about each other behind each other's backs. It becomes clicky and unsavory when you have adults bickering about simple things.

Then we move on to the fact that your policies restrict your employees from being actual human beings. I think it's a little absurd to ask your employees to not have any free access to water. I feel as though as a union company that should be illegal. To make your employees pay for water when they're already only making a very small amount seems absurd. You're basically saying they have to work for their right to have nourishment.

I understand every company has rules and everybody should follow those rules to make a better experience for the customer but when you have constant customer complaints because the staff is not happy or constant employee complaints because they are not happy wouldn't you think that you should change some of those policies?

Now I'm not just spewing nonsense as a disturbed employee. I have been in retail/customer service/hospitality for 15 years. I have been everything from a cashier to a manager to an inventory specialist and even opened a few stores. I have never worked in an environment so toxic before and now I understand why you are losing so much.

If I had to make a suggestion I'd say start taking care of your smaller employees. The ones that bust their butts for you despite all the negativity. Pay your people more and they may stick around.

Also there needs to be a massive overhaul in the communication systems set place. Part of the problem is NO ONE is on the same page.