re: TulaneLSU's statistical analysis of the merits and ratings of Publix, H-E-B, and Rouses

AGGIES, Fiesta is another stellar grocery. Houston has some of the best groceries in America. I was most impressed and Fiesta is part of that winning formula. The best tres leches cake I have ever had was from Fiesta, and some of the best tacos in Houston are found in some of the deli/bakery section of some Fiestas.

Lester Earl, what a great question. I have never considered it. I have always been partial to the Mid-City Rouses, which has improved drastically the last few years. It is spotless, bright, friendly, and in the morning a pure pleasure through which to walk. I have never been to any of the Rouses in Thibodaux where it was founded or the Northshore where many say an excellent one is. Which one do you consider Rouses flagship?

GRTiger, always a pleasure to read you and such an honor that you would speak so kindly.

deaconjones, that was true and I do not understand why you are laughing. I really wish I could have gone to them all. Maybe that will be my next journey.

Paco_taco, please see above regarding Publix subs.

HooDooWitch, Rouses does not carry Boars Head. They carry its competitor, Deitz and Watson, which I consider nearly identical. If you can do a blind taste and find that one is vastly superior to the other, I think it would be worthy of a thread with discussion.

doublecutter, I will see what I can do. Shortly after the Zuppardos renovated, I did this Zuppardo's review. What a fun idea I think I must entertain. A top 10 grocery stores in New Orleans with a systematic breakdown.

NawlensGator, can you please share with us your formula and system that gave you Rouses higher than H-E-B?

dallastiger, I do not do videos. Moving picture for this sort of thing would be lazy, uninteresting, and would encourage passive interaction and consumption. It is essential that we create avenues that expand the written word and photography while diminishing the power moving pictures have in our culture. Never expect from me videos.

LSUminati, I would give my collection of Kolb's steins and Pancho's drink glasses for an H-E-B within ten miles of us.

jamiegla, let us both strive to post more pictures and words here.

jerseyfla, of all the Rouses I visited, there is only one Rouses worse than the one in Daphne: the one on Williams and Vintage in Kenner. Publix is doing their best to win over the hearts of Alabama. Even though its Daphne location is father from distribution centers, thus it has higher costs, the Daphne Publix has prices that are 3-5% cheaper than their Florida locations. The only explanation for this is they are trying to win the Alabama Rouses-Publix war. But if Publix wins, and Rouses leaves Alabama, expect Publix prices to rise there too. Publix seems to sneak in, woo with bright lights and good service, shut down the competition, and finally inflate grocery prices to absurd levels.

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The stores he visited were probably at least 12 years old or were former Albertson's locations. The real good Publixes are the newest ones in Tampa.

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The Publix locations in Daphne, both Gulf Breeze locations, and two Pensacola locations were all built in the last ten years and none was an Albertson's. I do not know if the 9th Avenue Publix was a former Albertson's or not, but it likely is older than ten years. Four of the Publix I included, though, are less than six years ago. I have shopped at several Publix in Orlando and Tampa, and found the experience similar to the one I experienced on the Panhandle.

As for Walmart not being a real grocery store, why not? They have excellent produce and their offerings are immense. 28% of groceries in America last year were purchased in Walmart. Their Great Value line is exceptional and at a discount beyond any other grocery. Many people dislike the brand, but in a blind review of their products and prices, I think you will be hard pressed to compares unfavorably with Publix.

I too can name five subs better than Subway. And I can do even more that are better than Publix.

billjamin, next time I am in Houston, I will let you know and we can do a tour through your H-E-B.

Pettifogger, since when is Publix a Christian organization? I do know that for over a decade, Publix has refused to sign the Fair Food Program. Even Walmart has signed this pledge which ensures that its growers are treated in a fair, justice and loving way. H-E-B and Bucee's are nothing alike.

burgeman, thank you for your kindness.

Jake88, my job is service to the world. Rouses crawfish, BTW, have been excellent in my experience. I have had them from CBD NOLA, MidCity NOLA, Power Metairie, Uptown NOLA, Clearview Metairie, and Orange Beach Rouses locations.

GumboPot, a grocery store that sells alcohol loses points in my personal scale. Alcohol is the world's deadliest drug. It deserves to be banned from public and private life. The days of Prohibition were some of the best in American history. Pray that one day we can bring back Prohibition.

Twenty 49, the comments are not mutually exclusive. I have been working on this formula for years and years. For this rating, I had to fine tune it, a process that took 20 hours.

TexasTiger33, here is my response to everyone.

bayouvette, yes, Rouses serves boiled crawfish in the Spring. People here have said that H-E-B does also. Rouses crawfish, when I have gotten it, has been excellent. And it is also sold at commercial prices. Boiled crawfish for $2/lb in these days is really eye-catching. I do not know how much or how good H-E-B's crawfish are, but I cannot imagine they would compete with Rouses. Rouses probably does deserve a bonus point for the crawfish, but alas.

Cracker, you are correct.

BayouENGR, my system, like the BCS in 2003, calculated a winner; I did not choose. We must be fair and scientific when we are comparing similar things. The Economical has really grabbed the bull by the horns with their renovations. I wonder if they are also planning on expanding. Its deli and bakery now are A+.

TejasHorn, to be compared to Tolstoy is a high compliment indeed, but it is also entirely undeserved.

Bottom9, let us pray that we share many words together in the future.

S, your recommendations are noted and I will do what I can to try all of your suggestions.

Cold Cous Cous, Mr. Lind has always been an Uptown blueblood. I wonder if he has ever shopped for groceries at the Tchoup Walmart. I doubt it. He's Arabella Langestein's and Magazine Whole Foods through and through.

St.Augustine, I have shared in the original posts my system. By objective measures, the two chains, Rouses and Publix, when compared, are ordered just as I have typed them. When we compare the two within a system, Rouses wins. I would suggest you compare the two in an objective fashion and share with us your results.

dewster, I have shopped at Mariano's both before the Kroger's takeover and after it. It was a very good grocery, though a bit expensive. I really enjoyed their kale smoothies and getting oysters at the oyster bar in one of the downtown locations. I may need to make a trip to Chicago to rate and score it so we can see how it would rate against these three giants. Based on my memory, I would expect it to fall between H-E-B and Rouses.

Bayou Warrior 64, thank you.

MrLSU, Mother enjoys grocery shopping, but not quite as much as I do. I could probably shop for grocery 15 hours every day and not grow weary.

I-59 Tiger, thank you for your kindness. What is the best grocery chain and store in Birmingham?