13 Grocery Store Features That No Longer Exist
This list highlights 13 grocery store features that were once common but have now disappeared from modern supermarkets.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
Grocery stores have changed a lot over the years, and some features that were once everywhere are now gone. Some ideas were ahead of their time, while others faded as new trends took over. This list takes a look back at these forgotten parts of grocery shopping.
1. Conveyor-belt checkout systems
Jack Sparrow on Wikimedia Commons
These systems once added a sense of fun and efficiency to grocery shopping. After paying, customers watched their bags ride a moving belt toward the end of the counter or straight to a pickup area. They slowly disappeared as barcodes, scanners, and bagging stations replaced the need for them.
2. Keedoozle automated grocery stores
Alveykm on Wikimedia Commons
Keedoozle was a futuristic store idea created in 1937 that let customers use keys to select items, which would then be sent to them on a conveyor. It was meant to make shopping faster and more exciting. The system was too complicated for its time and eventually failed.
3. Clad-in-luxury A&P emporiums
Jakeh1111 on Wikimedia Commons
Early A&P stores felt more like fancy department stores than places to buy food. They had chandeliers, gold details, and ornate cashier booths. This style vanished once self-service shopping became the standard.
4. Foodmaster’s bow-tie-clad clerks
Frank Johnson on Wikimedia Commons
Foodmaster was known for its employees who wore crisp white shirts, black aprons, and bow ties. It gave the store a formal yet friendly feel that customers remembered. This kind of dress code faded away as grocery work became more casual.
5. Drive-through Dairy Barn markets
D. Benjamin Miller on Wikimedia Commons
Dairy Barn stores let people pull up in their cars and buy groceries without getting out. The buildings looked like red barns, making them stand out in the suburbs. They were a convenient idea, but they became rare as big supermarkets took over.
6. SaveRite warehouse-style discounts
Dean Hochman on Wikimedia Commons
SaveRite was a discount chain that focused on bulk products and low prices. There were no baggers or extras, just simple aisles for fast shopping. It closed in 2011 after shoppers began favoring other discount chains.
7. Bottom Dollar Food’s bare bones
Mike Kalasnik from Fort Mill, USA on Wikimedia Commons
Bottom Dollar Food offered groceries at very low prices by cutting back on frills. The stores were plain, and packaging was often minimal. It eventually closed after being bought by another discount chain.
8. Alpha Beta’s alphabetical aisles
Pokemonprime on Wikimedia Commons
Alpha Beta organized its grocery aisles in alphabetical order, making it easy to find items from A to Z. This unique idea gave the store a playful identity. It disappeared after the chain merged with others.
9. National Supermarkets’ heyday
Harani0403 on Wikimedia Commons
National Supermarkets once had hundreds of stores across the country. They were known for being dependable places to shop for everyday groceries. Financial problems and changes in the market eventually led to their closure.
10. Weingarten’s Gulf-area charm
Infrogmation of New Orleans on Wikimedia Commons
Weingarten’s began in Houston and became popular in the Gulf region. It was one of the first to embrace self-service shopping. The brand eventually sold its stores to larger chains and disappeared.
11. Jitney-Jungle alliterative legacy
March8613 on Wikimedia Commons
Jitney-Jungle had a name that stuck in people’s minds and a strong presence in the South. It offered a friendly shopping experience with a mix of groceries and personal service. The stores were sold to Winn-Dixie in 2000, ending the chain’s run.
12. S&H Green Stamp redemption centers in Kroger
frankieleon from Kentucky, usa on Wikimedia Commons
Kroger once offered shoppers S&H Green Stamps, which could be collected and redeemed at in-store counters for household items. Families often made a game of filling stamp books after each grocery trip. These counters disappeared when stores moved to digital rewards and eliminated stamp programs.
13. Butcher service at Safeway
Luke Woolley on Wikimedia Commons
Safeway stores were once known for their full-service butcher counters where skilled meat cutters worked in plain sight. Customers could request special cuts, extra trimming, or advice on the best cooking methods. Most of these personalized services were replaced by self-serve packaged meat sections.