The Publix Perk We Wish We Could Have Back

Publix is a beloved grocery store established throughout the Southeastern United States, beginning its journey into the hearts of Americans in 1930. Though the brand is arguably famous for many reasons, its delicious sub and fresh deli counter offerings are certainly a noteworthy feature. The company is also known for its revolutionary structure as an employee-owned grocery store, while its various customer rewards programs set it apart. A substantial perk you may not have realized ended on July 31 in 2023, was the company's Aprons Cooking School program. 

If you're unfamiliar, this program was established in 2001 after the first Aprons kiosks were introduced across Publix locations in 2000. The kiosks offered recipe cards, samples, and were staffed by trained employees who answered questions and gave cooking advice to customers. Featured meal demonstrations and accompanying information were provided so guests could confidently make the recipes at home. The company later expanded to host weekday educational classes to help customers gain a stronger understanding of various cooking techniques and recipes in a hands-on setting.

The in-person classes ranged from $25 to $100 per person depending on type of lesson, ingredients, and wine pairings. Each demonstration lasted about an hour, though times varied by class. The structure encouraged guests to learn how to make what they would soon be enjoying, as the night went on. An additional perk of the program offered guests a 20% discount to use in-store on ingredients and wines featured on the evening's menu. 

Over time, Aprons began offering online tutorials, which were spurred by the first-ever virtual, live-hosted classes in 2019. This option was offered as a free alternative to the in-person classes, which may have been difficult to reach for many Publix fans outside of the states of Florida, Georgia, and Virginia, where most of the classes took place. The program thus transitioned from classroom to virtual stovetop to home kitchen. 

The initial three live classes were hosted across January, February, and March of 2019 and were open to anyone who wanted to tune in. For a short while, the program officially moved online in 2023 before ending after 22 years of tutorials. Unfortunately the Publix Aprons school website no longer exists. But cooking classes and recipes can still be found on the Publix YouTube channel, where the company's last upload in the series was in September 2023, as of this writing.

Publix noted the end of this series was the result of refocused energies toward better customer satisfaction. Meanwhile, discussion on Reddit suggested budget decisions and lingering effects of COVID-19 were contributing factors. This program was not merely a chance for those looking to increase entries in their recipe rolodex — it was also an opportunity for people of all experience levels to come together and learn about cooking. One could argue this now-ended program, like many of the store's other offerings, reflected the company's broader commitment to positive customer experience — one of the key reasons Publix has become a Southern grocery staple over the years.