I’ve always carried at Kroger (albeit concealed) and a couple of managers have told me they have no problem at all with my doing so.
Why did you even inform the managers that you’re packing when you have a CHL?
There was a Chinese restaurant in Houston that had a sign up that stated that they did not want any armed customers.
I entered the restaurant and told the manager that I was leaving again because of his obnoxious sign. I then stood outside the restaurant and waited for the next group of honkeys to approach and told them in a loud voice that, if they were packing, they would not be welcome, while the manager observed me through the plate glass window.
The sign has disappeared.