Coop prices Mürren/Grindelwald

Coops take credit cards (e.g. Visa).

Prices. Switzerland is a first world country paying first world salaries. That said, I frankly didn't worry much about the Coop prices. (You are on holiday, be happy). For what it's worth look at "market prices":
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=United+States&country2=Switzerland

Groceries Prices in Switzerland are 82.29% higher than in United
States

Local Purchasing Power in Switzerland is 7.28% higher than in United
States

Yes, Coop's take credit cards. I shopped at Coop's in Interlaken (by the train station), Basel, Bern, Lauterbrunnen, Murren and Grindelwald. The Grindelwald store was much larger, in my recollection. I felt the prices were excellent and they seemed to be the same or similar in each location. Wine, soda(fanta), chocolate, breads all were reasonable prices, all similar to what I pay at home. The Swiss wines we tried were what I'd consider cheap and quite good, same for the store or what seemed to be more locally branded chocolate.

It's been a couple of years but I didn't feel the Coop prices were outrageous for lunch type stuff. The chocolate was definitely less expensive than other places.

DO be aware of closure times. The one in Muerren closes for lunch at 12:00 and reopens at 13:45. Some afternoons it's closed and it's closed on Sundays so you'll want to check on hours before you need it!

https://yellow.local.ch/en/d/Murren/3825/Coop-PI79e-3xzCQ9bGDUY7pc6Q

Thanks for the helpful replies. After I asked, I went to google and found the coop shop at home site. Prices for basics fall in the expected range but will definitely be more affordable than restaurants. In terms of picnicking, is it common to stop and picnic along the mountain trails? It seems preferable to have a lunch packed and ready to eat if the plan is mostly to be out and about during the day.

Also, you can buy cheese directly from a farm in Gimmelwald and I think also near Stechelberg which is kind of fun.

Beyond picnic supplies and chocolates, look for the Bündner (Engadiner) Nusstorte (nut cakes/pastries).

Your question is really: are the prices likely to be significantly higher up in Mürren or Grindelwald, versus at the bottom of the valley in Interlaken, right? Probably not, since they're already high in Switzerland to begin with. I wouldn't bother packing up food to take up there with you. Its not remote, and people live there year-round so its not about fleecing the tourists. There's the cheese maker in Grutschalp (on the way up to Mürren by cogwheel from Lauterbrunnen) a butcher shop with sausages, etc. Anyone know if the bakery in Mürren re-opened?

You can eat at any price point you want, just not always eat well. Ten CHF sounds a bit thin to me.

If you are asking if 10CHF per person is a reasonable expectations for picnic supplies, I think it is more than adequate. If you are staying on the Murren side and you plan a visit to Grindelwald, you might consider a stop at that store since it has more selection than Murren or Lauterbrunnen. We visited Grindelwald our first day and did not realize that the other stores were smaller. Had we known, we would have likely purchased a few more things.

We've not found the prices to vary much from city to mountain towns. We spent 3 weeks in Switzerland in 2018 and shopped at a variety of chain grocery stores in different locations. Look for specials and you’ll often find very reasonable ideas for lunches. We were always able to pay with our cc.

Last fall, I purchased lunch supplies in Murren and Lauterbrunnen, and did not feel that the prices were really high. On a light note, if you want cheese, you can certainly buy it anywhere. When we were walking from Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen, we came accross a cheese dispensing machine! It looks like the machines that you buy snacks out of at home. Although a small town not far from my home dispenses meat from a meat market out of a machine, so I guess that it is not too unusual. This just struck me as unusual as it was not near any store, just out by the walking path.

We just came back from a week in Muerren and went to some town’s Coop at least once per day. Each morning, we would travel to the “base” town from which we would be hiking and stop at the Coop there for premade sandwiches, which were about 5 CHF each. Add some chips and fruit, and we were off to hike. We brought water bottles with us which we would refill from fountains and mountain streams along the way. By the time we got going, we’d hike for at most an hour and then it would be lunch time, so no need to worry about keeping the food cold.

And yes, you will see people everywhere stopping on the side of the trails to picnic. It is just spectacular to sit and admire the view.

DebVT, thank you. That sounds like a great plan for lunches. We arrive there in about two weeks. Did you have any activities that you would say are must do? We are planning on gentle hikes, etc. Did you try any of the add on activities at Grindelwald First?

You asked about Grindelwald First.

We were there about a month ago. We would have hiked to Bachalpsee, but the trail was still closed. I’m sure it’s open now.

We did the Cliff walk. Free and great views.

At the top we did the zip line. I think that was about 30chf. Short but fun. Not scary.

We then took the mountain carts part way down the mountain. I think this was about 15 chf. Also fun.

Finally we took the trotti bikes the rest of the way down the mountain back to the starting point of the base cable cars. These were basically a scooter with hand brakes. It took me a little bit to get used to it, but once I got the hang of it I was fine. Beautiful scenery all the way down. You could stop when you wanted, take pictures of mountains and cows. I believe this was also about 15 chf.

This was one of our favorite days. You can also take the cable car back down the mountain. You can chose to do just some of the activities. If you skip one, then you just hop on the cable car at the station and continue down by cable car. You can also get off of the cable cars on the way down at the various sub stations.

I’m 60+ and my husband is 70+. We both had a blast. If we can do it, anyone can.

My son is mildly disabled; he walks, but tires easily. So all of our hikes were “gentle.” My husband pushed him in a jogger and my son would hoof it (with assistance) up any steep or rocky parts. I myself thought the hikes we did were very easy (I am a fit 50-year-old).

We hiked Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg (stunning), First to Bachalpsee (also stunning), Almendubel to Winteregg (stunning, with lots of cows), the Lauterbrunnen valley path (stunning... you get the point), and the path from Muerren to Gimmelwald. The last 2 aren’t really hikes since they’re paved paths, but they are lovely walks.

We did not do any of the activities at the top of the First lift except the cliff walk. I didn’t do the cliff walk myself (no scary heights for me, thank you), but the rest of my family said the cliff walk at the Birg station was more fun.

I would have liked to have done the toboggan at Pfinstegg (and I’m pretty sure it’s free with the BO pass), but we ran out of days.

So many beautiful hikes, you can’t go wrong no matter what you choose.

On our day trip to Mürren, we stopped at Coop to get sandwiches and bottled water. The prices were very reasonable — same as other Coops we visited to buy sandwiches in other parts of Switzerland.

I have to second Stan. 10 CHF seems a bit low to me. But then that's factoring in one of those ice coffee-Frappuccino style drinks, or a "machine coffee" which are easily ~4CHF.

If you want to see a bunch of "gentle" hikes, click on my name to find a link to our dozen favorite trails in the area, with maps and pics.