I used to love Ikea

I built my entire kitchen in my condo with IKEA kitchen components except the appliances back in 2009.

Haven't been to one in a very long time, I'd say a good 6-8 years. Stopped by the one near my work on my way home last night and while it looked the same it just didn't feel the same anymore. It kind of felt tired and has-been there. Place was deserted too, I know it was like 6 pm on a Wednesday night but I've ben there in the past at times and days like that and it was busier.

I recall reading an article about their price increases and can confirm that they are way up and IMO have lost their way as far as what they were known for. I need a new office desk chair and the prices they were asking were just ridiculous. Maybe there's a reason the place is deserted.

We are looking for a new dining room set and I wanted to get some ideas but everything they have there is so modern/Euro style it would stick out like a sore thumb in our mid-century home.

At least the hot dogs were still good!

It is always funny to watch videos of the people who tie themselves together with lengths of rope so they don't get lost in IKEA.

I just saw this on a Reddit discussion about my very observations, glad to see it’s not just all in my head:

There’s an IKEA in my city. The parking lot is usually packed. I went in recently with the wife and step daughter and didn’t see much difference in price from the times before, but I’ll add that they always seemed overpriced to me for the cheap quality stuff they sell that you have to assemble at home.

Maybe it’s a PA thing, but out here folks don’t go for the hotdogs. They go for the meatballs, which I have found to be just mediocre. I’ll have to check the dogs out the next time I get dragged into the store.

Last i went to Ikea they were out of a lot of the furniture I wanted. No eta. Also their website left alot to be desired.

I bought some cheap furniture there in 2020, when I had to set up a place to live in San Antonio so my wife could get treated for cancer. I didn’t much like their bewildering store or their products, but I guess they both met my needs at that time.

I didn’t notice the hot dogs. Maybe the food court was closed for covid.

In the mid 90s, we bought some IKEA furniture for our first house; a couple of sofas, end tables, children's furniture, etc. Back then, they actually had some quality stuff at very good prices. But as they expanded into many other markets, we noticed their quality went downhill fast. The last time we were at one was maybe 6 years ago, and it was a complete joke. The selection and quality were gone.

I was at my local one last week. Honestly, it looked fine to me. I've been shopping there off and on for 20 years.

I appreciate that they put the location of manufacture on every item.

Our dishes, glasses, cutlery, etc. is all from there. The quality is great and it's all made in Poland, Romania, or another European country.

Stopped in the Kansas City store in November, not very many shoppers, bought two pillows and some licorice.

I have never been to an Ikea store. Are the hot dogs as good as Costco's hot dogs?

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
I have never been to an Ikea store. Are the hot dogs as good as Costco's hot dogs?

Swedish meatballs is Ikeas equivalent. Better than a Costco dog

The sad thing is young people prefer Ikea-type furniture to “real” furniture. You can hardly give away quality old “brown” beautiful furniture. You know, the kind that is really cherry or oak or maple and not those color “finishes.” I live in a two college town and you would not believe the stuff that gets put on the curb as “trash.”

quote:

Originally posted by MelissaDallas:
The sad thing is young people prefer Ikea-type furniture to “real” furniture. You can hardly give away quality old “brown” beautiful furniture. You know, the kind that is really cherry or oak or maple and not those color “finishes.” I live in a two college town and you would not believe the stuff that gets put on the curb as “trash.”

That is the target demographic for IKEA

The stuff last 4 years and you throw it out when you graduate. I've seen folks who throw out their furniture every time they move between apartments

quote:

Originally posted by snwghst:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
I have never been to an Ikea store. Are the hot dogs as good as Costco's hot dogs?

Swedish meatballs is Ikeas equivalent. Better than a Costco dog

Ever since Costco got rid of their Polish dogs, IKEA Swedish Meatballs has been the best.

As an added bonus, they have a great cup of coffee for $1...might have gone up, haven't been in a while

quote:

Originally posted by KevH:
I was at my local one last week. Honestly, it looked fine to me. I've been shopping there off and on for 20 years.

I appreciate that they put the location of manufacture on every item.

Our dishes, glasses, cutlery, etc. is all from there. The quality is great and it's all made in Poland, Romania, or another European country.

Their lighting, lounge chairs, and bookcases are all great values also

quote:

Originally posted by snwghst:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
I have never been to an Ikea store. Are the hot dogs as good as Costco's hot dogs?

Swedish meatballs is Ikeas equivalent. Better than a Costco dog

V-Tail, I don't think you'd like Ikea. They're large and they've designed them as a multistory maze so the store is essentially a walk-thru of their entire catalog. The few times I've gone, I was grumpy by the time I left.

Also, the meatballs are overrated.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
They're large and they've designed them as a multistory maze so the store is essentially a walk-thru of their entire catalog. The few times I've gone, I was grumpy by the time I left.

There are shortcuts through the store if you look for them. They are posted...I would suspect for fire exits

We try to go for either late breakfast or lunch, have had dinner too. Favorite is the salmon plate with the potato “medallion”, dang those are god. Next best is meatballs. For breakfast, love the blini or pancakes and scrambled eggs. It’s all pretty cheap, but not as cheap as last year.

We rented a house, furnished it mostly with IKEA stuff.
You can buy a kitchen knife set that’s super sharp for $13.

2013 Ikea meatballs were found to have horse meat and were recalled.

I have not had any since

quote:

Originally posted by sig2392:

2013 Ikea meatballs were found to have horse meat and were recalled.

Health Inspector: "Is the meat in that rabbit stew 100% rabbit?"

Restaurant Owner: "There's a little horse meat in it."

Health Inspector: "How much horse meat?"

Restaurant Owner: "Fifty - fifty. One rabbit, one horse."