Out of all of the large, big name pharmacy chains that are available to us(by us I mean North Americans), which do you prefer? I generally prefer Walgreens, because where I live, the employees are absolutely the kindest employees of a pharmacy that I know. They are also extremely insightful and knowledgeable.
I have always been a fan of Walgreens, it's the one with the best locations and biggest variety. Not to mention that where I live Walgreens seems to be more organized... I have gone to Rite aid only once in my life, but CVS sometimes tends to be disorganized and not have the products I need in stock.
I grew up around a Rite-Aid that I absolutely loved. I could find anything in there and it didn't really take me very long at all. When I moved, I lived right next to a WalGreen's that was a few block aways from a CVS (which didn't make sense to me) and I would always end up going to the CVS because they always seemed to have things on sale that I actually wanted. I recently moved again, and this time I'm walking distance from a Walgreen's. I actually like the Walgreen's around where I live, it's really big and makes me wonder why I never went into a Walgreen's before.
I read an interesting article recently that compared the two. Walgreens is the largest of the two which would make it a better stock market choice, but some feel this means it has reached its peak. Both companies are focused on the new Obama Health care and do alot to help senior citizens. However, CVS has the largest number of micro clinics. Many stores are now offering onsite assistance from medical professionals who know the brand that CVS offers. My personal favorite has always been CVS because I enjoyed their 'Bucks' program, courteous staff, and clearance section. But in recent years I have used their pharmacy more than ever before and the new ways in which they are able to provide this service has me convinced that it would even be a better bet stock market wise. It is a company that is just going to continue to grow and become better with each passing year.
I guess I prefer CVS at the moment, but that's probably because around where I live there are a lot more of them than Walgreens. I do also like their points/cash back system. Rite-Aid is the one I've never had very good luck with. The ones near me have always been kind of dumpy and I've struggled to find what I need in them. It' good to hear some people have had a more favorable experience!
My choice has always been CVS then Walgreens or Duane Reade an Rite Aid. I prefer the Bucks system as there is always a coupon or a freebie for card holders and the prices are cheaper than Walgreens. I like Walgreens own muffins to be honest, but CVS do their generic brands like bath foam which are a lot cheaper and are readily available. I never really like Rite-Aid but they always have coupons but I never had been near one when they had offers I wanted; but I have loyalty cards with all of them.
I like Walgreen's, but I live close to a RiteAid, so I usually go there. I like CVS ok, but I think that Walgreens is my favorite. CVS has some good deals, but I think that Walgreens has a larger selection and the prices are cheaper. RiteAid has a huge selection of things, but sometimes they are a bit too pricey, but then again, on other things, they are cheap. I guess I prefer Walgreens because I shopped there for years before I moved close to RiteAid. They're all okay I guess.
I find better deals and coupons at CVS but I find myself going to Walgreens more often because it is more convenient to my home. I haven't been to many Rite-Aids as there aren't any that I know of in my area. I will say I've had better luck at CVS with photo prints and also prescriptions than I have had at Walgreens. Even though Walgreens is closer to my house, I still get prescriptions filled at CVS.
Even though I don't have any pharmacies near my home I prefer Walgreens. As mentioned before their staff is the best that I've ever come in contact with. Also love 'On the corner of happy and healthy' motto. That is so unique! Walgreens is very organized and the staff can tell you in a heartbeat where a product is, love it! It's always clean. I even switched my scripts from the hospital pharmacy to Walgreens and browse around if I have to wait for it to be filled. I wish there was one a lot closer to where I live though.
I guess I would have to go with CVS as my choice. I say I have to go because its the only one in walking distance of my house. Truth be told if Walgreens were closer to me I might consider them instead, I tend to think they have better deals over all. That's not to say that CVS isn't a good pharmacy, its decent, but it wouldn't be my first choice if I were to tell the truth.
I like Walgreens best, myself, simply because they've been around forever. Or at least it seems so to me. I have memories of Walgreens soda fountains from when I was a child and wish they still had them. My husband, however, prefers the Rite Aid for filling his prescriptions. I think, mainly, because that's who he has gone to for many years and our local Walgreens has only been here for about two years now. Neither of us likes the CVS much at all. Their prices seem high on what we use and the people in the one here just aren't as personable as the ones in either the Walgreens or the Rite Aid.
If I have to choose, I would normally go with CVS. They tend to have more sales, more coupons, more rebates, and more options to add up reward points to use for later discounts. I think Walgreens and RiteAid likely do the same stuff, but I never seem to walk away from either store with much so I rarely stop at either.
The only one that I will go to is Walgreens. I have heard that CVS is expensive, and I have been in the Rite-aid once or twice and din't like it. I have the Walgreens card, so I get special offers ,and then points when I buy something. I am pretty sure that my Walgreens does NOT have muffins, Thea; but maybe I just never thought to look for any and missed seeing them. I like that Walgreens has a lot of makeup, and they usually have some of it on clearance; so I get some really good prices when I find something that I want. Walgreens is also pretty close to us; although there is a CVS near the Walgreens. Actually, I very seldom even need to go to Walgreens, either; but when i do need to go to a pharmacy, that is the one I would choose.
I usually go to CVS, mostly because it's the closest drugstore, but also because our Wal-Greens is SCARY. It's located in a not so great area, and the few times I went in, the employees were no where to be found! The one Rite-Aid semi near me is ancient, and I sometimes wonder if any one even works there. I've never seen any one in there, customer or employee! Well. Except the tiny 90 something lady who sits on a stool at the registers reading a magazine the entire time. And glares at you if you go to buy anything. (Keep in mind, this Rite-Aid is located in my area's version of "middle of nowhere", so very few people go in. Also there is another, empty and abandoned, Rite Aid directly across the street from the "new" one? I swear, it's like the Twilight Zone back there!)
I like CVS because of their Extra Care bucks program and their clearance section, where I have sometimes found good deals. Plus ,the stores are cute and clean and they sometimes stock weird items like Sonic the Hedgehog plush toys and rubber duckies dressed in Christmas clothing.
I don't think there are any Rite-Aid's near me, but there are Walgreens's & CVS's every few miles-or-so (always right-across from each other too!) I usually base my 'choice between them' on 1) which one I have a coupon-for or 2) which one's on my side of the street (at my last apartments, I lived just down the block from a 'CVS/Walgreens intersection' with Walgreens being on my side of the crossing). Walgreens ALSO has good deals & a card-program like that.
I used to prefer Walgreen's until CVS came along. Walgreen's is the closest to me and still the most convenient, but the CVS reward program is much better. There is a Rite Aid near me as well, but it is small and doesn't have much variety and often what I am looking for isn't available there. I can walk there though, so it's at least an option if I need it. (I can also walk to the Walgreen's though it's a few more blocks in the opposite direction.)
I prefer Rite-Aid. They have friendly employees. They aren't surprised or annoyed if I bring in 1 coupon or 25 coupons. The staff will even help me find the sale items if I am having trouble. The store staff and the pharmacy seem to really appreciate my business and thank me regularly before I leave. I have had some really bad experiences at one of the the other drug stores and will not go there any more.
Although I hate supporting Wal-Mart in general, I would have to stick with Walgreens, simply because CVS and Rite Aid have absurd prices on everything. I refuse to pay several dollars more per item just because they are closer and more conveniently located. I will just grin and bear it and take a trip to the bigger stores further down the road to save the money. For example, an item such as men's shower gel - they want like $6.50 a bottle! I've seen some brands as high as $8 a bottle, which is nuts, because I can go to Target and get the exact same stuff (Nivea Mens Body Wash) for only $3, and that's their regular everyday price. Same thing with those loofa shower sponge things, they're like 99 cents each at Target, but they want like $3.50 - $5 a piece for them at places like CVS and Rite Aid. I won't even get started on shaving gel and razor blades... I would also avoid any of these stores and refuse to support them if I found out any of them were denying people certain medications due to religious objections - that kind of crap boils my blood.
We don't have Rite-Aid in my area. We have plenty of Walgreens and CVS pharmacies though. I prefer CVS because it is easier for me as far as couponing is concerned. CVS is also the closest pharmacy to me and I am friendly with some of the employees. They are very nice and they like to help me with my transactions so that they always work out the way I planned.
