7 Free Services Your Grocery Store Offers

Grocery prices have jumped by a staggering 25% in the past four years. But despite the high costs, there’s no avoiding going to the supermarket. The good news is that while you’re there, there are ways to maximize your experience and get the most out of your money. Many grocery chains offer customers various complimentary perks they often don’t publicize. Here are seven free services you can take advantage of at your local supermarket.

Meat Preparation

The meat counter is more than just paradise for carnivores—most butchers will prep your meat (e.g., break a whole chicken into pieces), and some will even season it. Just be aware that all this prep takes time, so you should always head right to the butcher counter when you first arrive. Then, do the rest of your grocery shopping before picking up your meat.

Knife Sharpening

While at the meat department, ask your butcher to sharpen your knives. This may require leaving the knives overnight, so keep that in mind when planning. Also, not all grocery stores offer this service, so double-check before schlepping your knives from home.

Fish Cleaning

Many supermarket fishmongers will clean your fish, so you don’t have to worry about doing this somewhat gross process at home. This includes removing scales, taking the skin off, and deboning filets. Publix will also steam and season your seafood. Imagine walking out of the store with a freshly steamed lobster — talk about luxury.

Flower Arranging

While often beautiful, you’re not limited to a grocery store’s pre-made bouquets. Many supermarket florists make custom orders. This is a great way to cut costs when planning an event where you need a bunch of flowers, such as a wedding, as a grocery store will be much cheaper than a traditional florist.

Wine Chilling

Many grocery stores have rapid wine chilling machines to cool down a room-temperature bottle in minutes. This is an excellent tip if you’re heading from the store directly to a picnic or party and need that wine chilled fast. It should only take about 10 to 15 minutes, so stop by the wine department first and shop while the bottle is chilling.

Special Ordering

Just because you can’t find a specific item on the shelves doesn’t mean you must shop elsewhere. Some grocery stores will put in special orders at no additional cost. Stop by the customer service desk to see if they can order it. Assuming that the vendor has it in stock, you should be able to get the product within a few days.

Providing Boxes

Grocery stores receive so many daily shipments that they regularly throw out tons of cardboard boxes. So don’t waste money buying cardboard boxes next time you move or need to store things. Most grocery stores will gladly hold some aside for you.

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