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ACSI rankings

America’s Top 10 Grocery Stores in ACSI’s 2025 Rankings—and What Changed in 2026

Trader Joe’s and Publix tied for the top ACSI score in 2025. The newer 2026 results put Trader Joe’s first, but satisfaction scores are not price rankings.

By TheFinanceBase Team 3 min read
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In the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s 2025 supermarket results, Trader Joe’s and Publix tied for the highest score, at 84 out of 100. The list’s “top 10” comprises five tied score bands, not ten uniquely ranked stores. ACSI’s newer 2026 results, based on customer data collected during 2025, put Trader Joe’s first at 86.

America’s top 10 grocery stores in ACSI’s 2025 results

ACSI’s 2025 study placed the supermarket-industry score at 79 on a 0–100 scale. These ten chains occupied the five highest score bands; stores within each band are tied.

ACSI score Tied supermarket chains
84 Trader Joe’s; Publix
83 Sam’s Club; Wegmans
82 H-E-B; Whole Foods
81 Aldi; Costco
80 ShopRite; Target

The first six scores are also highlighted in ACSI’s January 28, 2025 release; the complete brand-score table appears in its 2025 report.

What changed in ACSI’s latest supermarket results

ACSI published its 2026 study in January 2026. Its results reflect data collected from January through December 2025, so the study’s publication year is later than its data-collection period. The industry score fell to 78, down one point from 79 in the 2025 results. In the latest table, Trader Joe’s leads with 86, followed by Publix at 84 and H-E-B at 83.

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2026 ACSI score Tied supermarket chains
86 Trader Joe’s
84 Publix
83 H-E-B
82 Sam’s Club
81 Aldi; Costco; Whole Foods
79 ShopRite; Target
78 Ahold Delhaize; Kroger; Meijer; Save A Lot; Wegmans
77 BJ’s Wholesale Club
76 Hy-Vee
75 Walmart
74 Albertsons Companies
73 Giant Eagle

“All Others” also appears as an aggregate in ACSI’s table; it is not a named chain. Scores and ties are from ACSI’s current supermarket benchmarks and its 2026 report.

Which grocery store has the highest customer satisfaction?

For the 2025 results named in the title, Trader Joe’s and Publix tied at 84. In ACSI’s newer 2026 results, Trader Joe’s has the highest listed national score, 86. Its West-region score is 87. Those are customer-satisfaction scores, not claims that the chain is cheapest, healthiest, or objectively best for every shopper.

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Regional results can change the answer for local shoppers

National scores do not necessarily identify the most satisfying option in a shopper’s region. ACSI’s latest regional figures show different leaders:

  • Northeast: Aldi, ShopRite, and Walmart tie at 79.
  • Midwest: Aldi leads at 82.
  • South: Sam’s Club leads at 84.
  • West: Trader Joe’s leads at 87.

These regional scores are reported in ACSI’s supermarket benchmarks and 2026 report. Store availability still matters: a high-scoring chain is not a practical choice if it is not accessible to you.

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What the ACSI scores measure—and what to compare for your budget

ACSI’s supermarket scores measure customer satisfaction; they are not price comparisons. ACSI says industry averages are weighted by companies’ market shares. Its 2026 industry-wide experience measures—not individual chain ratings—include convenience of store hours and ease of pickup at 85; mobile-app reliability at 85; convenience of location, app quality, and website satisfaction at 84; freshness of meat and produce and variety and selection at 83; staff courtesy and helpfulness at 81; sales and promotions at 80; and checkout speed at 79.

For a personal-finance decision, treat those measures as prompts for what to check rather than a substitute for your own costs and priorities:

  • Location: Consider travel time and whether the store fits your regular route.
  • Prices and promotions: Compare the items you actually buy; an overall satisfaction score does not establish which basket costs less.
  • Selection and freshness: Check whether the store carries the products you need and meets your expectations for produce and meat.
  • Time and convenience: If you use pickup, an app, or delivery, assess those features at stores available to you.
  • Membership requirements: Check whether a warehouse club’s membership terms and shopping format suit your household.

ACSI’s 2026 release describes consumers as spending differently amid cost pressures. That context helps explain why satisfaction and value should be considered separately: a store may rate well with customers without being the lowest-cost choice for a particular basket.

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