Fry’s Bids Greeters Farewell

Fry’s Food Stores in Arizona terminated the greeter program at its grocery stores Friday morning, store officials said.

Employees were notified in person and were offered severance packages, said JoEllen Lynn, spokeswoman for Fry’s, owned by Cincinnati-based Kroger. “This program is a piece of Fry’s nostalgia and it saddens us to see this program go,” Lynn said, noting the decision impacted “a few hundred associates” who worked four to 16 hours per week. “The decision was solely a business decision. Grocers are required to show a return on every dollar.”

Greeters may reapply for any open positions at Fry’s, Lynn added. Fry’s has 121 stores and more than 10,000 employees in Arizona.

Leon Wohler, an eight-year Fry’s employee, was fired Friday morning from the store near 33rd Street and Thomas Road in Phoenix. Wohler told local media that store managers gathered employees who were part of the greeters program at 10 a.m., told them the program had been terminated and that they were expected to gather their things and leave.