Pros
Safeway is a great store to start out on, they hire when you have absolutely no experience. The management in my store is excellent, and it is a fairly easy job. Safeway has very flexible schedules, and are more than willing to balance out your personal life an work. They are very fair and respectful, and Safeway as a company treats customers better than any other grocery store I know of. Its somewhat easy to move up or around in the store, for example wanting to move from front end to produce.
Cons
The main downside of working at Safeway is compensation. The payment of employees is very very low, and for a company that has so much money available, there is no excuse for such unsatisfying payment. Many of the workers in my store have to hold a second job to cover all expenses. Only upper management and long term employees (10 years or more) make enough money to live on. The benefits are also poor. Safeway gives a 10% discount on Safeway brand items, and once in a while will give a coupon for a free Safeway product out, but in comparison with other companies, the benefits are unsatisfying.