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The Best Grocery Store in America, According to Customer Ratings

Trader Joe’s leads the 2026 ACSI national grocery-store satisfaction rankings at 86 points, with Publix and H-E-B next. Regional leaders differ.
From TheFinanceBase Team2 min to read
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Trader Joe’s is the best grocery store in America by the latest national customer-satisfaction ratings. It scored 86 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) 0–100 scale in 2026, ahead of Publix at 84 and H-E-B at 83. That makes Trader Joe’s the satisfaction leader—not necessarily the cheapest store or the one with the best selection.

How the national grocery-store ratings compare

The ACSI’s 2026 supermarket results rank Trader Joe’s first among the national brands reported. The figures are index points on a 0–100 scale, not the percentage of customers who say they are satisfied. The final column is the year-over-year percentage change reported by ACSI, not a change in index points.

Rank Retailer 2026 ACSI score 2025 score Year-over-year change
1 Trader Joe’s 86 84 +2%
2 Publix 84 84 0%
3 H-E-B 83 82 +1%
4 (tie) Sam’s Club 82 83 −1%
5 (tie) Aldi 81 81 0%
5 (tie) Costco 81 81 0%
5 (tie) Whole Foods 81 82 −1%

Other reported scores were ShopRite and Target at 79; Ahold Delhaize, Kroger, Meijer, Save A Lot, Wegmans, and BJ’s Wholesale Club at 78; Hy-Vee at 76; Walmart at 75; Albertsons Companies at 74; and Giant Eagle at 73. The supermarket industry’s overall ACSI score was 78, down from 79 in 2025. ACSI Retail and Consumer Shipping Study 2026

Which grocery store leads in each region?

A national leader is not automatically the top-rated choice where you live. ACSI’s regional results name different leaders:

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  • Northeast: Aldi, ShopRite, and Walmart tie at 79.
  • Midwest: Aldi leads.
  • South: Sam’s Club leads.
  • West: Trader Joe’s leads.

These regional results can help narrow a local comparison, but the national ranking is the clearest basis for identifying the overall satisfaction leader. ACSI Retail and Consumer Shipping Study 2026

What these ratings can—and cannot—tell you

ACSI measures customer satisfaction. A higher score therefore supports the conclusion that a retailer performed better on that measure; it does not establish that the retailer has lower prices, better product selection, or the best fit for every household. For a personal-finance decision, compare the stores you can actually reach on the costs that affect your budget: typical prices for your regular basket, membership fees if applicable, and delivery charges if you use delivery.

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Other grocery-store rankings answer different questions. YouGov’s 2025 report surveyed more than 22,000 Americans and examines brand consideration and perceptions of value and quality, as well as demographic patterns. Those findings can inform questions such as which store shoppers consider or perceive as good value, but they are not another measurement of ACSI satisfaction. YouGov’s 2025 U.S. grocery-store rankings

dunnhumby’s 2026 Retailer Preference Index combines customer perception with financial results, including data from Flywheel. It surveyed more than 11,000 American grocery shoppers and ranks H-E-B, Market Basket, and Woodman’s in its top three. Because the index includes financial performance, its order is not directly comparable to ACSI’s satisfaction ranking. dunnhumby’s 2026 U.S. grocery rankings

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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