Everyone has a grocery store they prefer, whether it’s because of good prices, fresh produce, friendly staff, or shorter checkout lines. A new nationwide report reveals how some of America’s best-known supermarket chains compare, and this year’s winner has moved ahead of the store it shared the top spot with last year.
Trader Joe’s Takes the Top Spot for 2026
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) named Trader Joe’s the top supermarket for customer satisfaction in its 2026 Retail and Consumer Shipping Study, with a score of 86 out of 100. The chain rose from 84 in 2025, moving ahead of Publix, which held steady at 84.
H-E-B climbed from 82 to 83, earning third place, while Sam’s Club scored 82. Aldi, Costco, and Whole Foods followed with scores of 81 each.
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Here’s How America’s Grocery Stores Ranked
ACSI measured 19 named supermarket brands, along with an “All Others” category covering smaller companies. Here are the 2026 scores for the named chains, from highest to lowest.
- Trader Joe’s — 86
- Publix — 84
- H-E-B — 83
- Sam’s Club — 82
- Aldi — 81
- Costco — 81
- Whole Foods — 81
- ShopRite — 79
- Target — 79
- Ahold Delhaize — 78
- Kroger — 78
- Meijer — 78
- Save A Lot — 78
- Wegmans — 78
- BJ’s Wholesale Club — 77
- Hy-Vee — 76
- Walmart — 75
- Albertsons Companies — 74
- Giant Eagle — 73
The supermarket industry score fell from 79 in 2025 to 78 in 2026. The “All Others” category scored 79, but it represents several smaller supermarket companies rather than one chain.
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Trader Joe’s Wasn’t the Only Store to See a Change
Just three supermarket chains improved their scores from last year: Trader Joe’s rose from 84 to 86, H-E-B moved from 82 to 83, and Save A Lot climbed from 75 to 78. Save A Lot recorded the largest increase, with a 4% year-over-year gain.
Some stores lost ground in the rankings, too. Wegmans had the steepest decline, dropping from 83 to 78, while Hy-Vee and Albertsons Companies each fell by 3%.
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Shoppers Care About More Than Grocery Prices
The rankings go beyond which stores offer the cheapest groceries. ACSI looks at factors such as store cleanliness, opening hours, locations, produce and meat quality, product selection, staff helpfulness, sales, and checkout speed.
Online services also play a part in the scores, including mobile app quality, website satisfaction, pickup accuracy, and how quickly orders are ready. Several of these service measures improved in 2026, even as the supermarket industry’s combined score slipped by one point.
Your Region Can Make a Difference
The national scores don’t tell the whole story, since customer satisfaction varied by region across the country. Trader Joe’s led the West with a score of 87, while Sam’s Club took the top spot in the South with 84.
Aldi also performed well, scoring 82 in the Midwest and tying with H-E-B and Publix at 83 in the South. In the Northeast, Aldi, ShopRite, and Walmart shared the lead with scores of 79.
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The Grocery Shopping Experience Still Counts
Price remains a major reason people choose one supermarket over another, but the quality of the shopping trip also matters. Fresh food, friendly employees, clean aisles, convenient locations, and shorter checkout waits can all make a store more appealing.
Trader Joe’s came out on top in this year’s ACSI ranking, but the best choice for any household still depends on its budget, location, and shopping habits. Comparing prices and services at nearby stores can help you decide which one works best for your needs.
