Hy-Vee was voted America’s top grocery store in the 2024 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The result reflects reader votes among 20 expert-nominated stores—not a national finding that Hy-Vee is cheapest, largest, or best for every shopper.
How the 2024 grocery-store award was decided
Hy-Vee’s September 2024 announcement says a USA TODAY expert panel nominated 20 grocery stores based on their offerings, selection, and service. Readers then voted during a 28-day period, and the nominees receiving the most votes were named category winners. Hy-Vee’s announcement describes the process as an annual award.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Albertsons eGift Card - $100 - Standard | $100.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Visa Physical Gift Card $200 (plus $6.95 Purchase Fee) | $206.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Visa Physical Gift Card $100 (plus $5.95 Purchase Fee) | $105.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Albertsons eGift Card - $15 - Standard | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Albertsons Companies Physical Gift Card - $50 | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
This is a readers’ choice result, not a measured comparison of grocery prices, market share, or independently audited customer satisfaction. The available reports do not state vote totals or the margins between stores, so the rankings show placement only.
The top 10 grocery stores in the 2024 ranking
RetailWire’s September 24, 2024 report gives the following order for the USA TODAY 10Best Best Grocery Store category:
#1 Best Overall
- Redemption Steps: Customer must present eGift QR code payment either printed, or on mobile device to Checker as tender.
- Albertsons Companies gift cards can be redeemed at any of our store locations or for online transactions. For online purchases, gift cards must first be loaded to the applicable Albertsons Companies banner wallet (example Safeway, Jewel, Vons, etc).
- Checker Instructions: Total order, Press EFT FULL, Scan QR code (printed or mobile version) with handheld scanner.
- Self-checkout Instructions: Select "Pay with Scan" when prompted for payment type, then scan QR code with handheld scanner."
- Visit ALBERTSONS.THEGIFTCARDSHOP.COM/RETAIL to find a store location near you
- Hy-Vee
- The Fresh Market
- Heinen’s Grocery Store
- Stew Leonard’s
- Gelson’s Markets
- ALDI
- Publix Super Markets
- Trader Joe’s
- Wegmans Food Markets
- Fresh Thyme Market
These placements are useful for identifying the award’s top finishers; they do not establish that one chain offers lower prices, a broader selection, or better service than another. RetailWire’s report also discusses other ways to assess grocery retailers, such as market share, but those measures answer a different question from this reader-voted award.
What else Hy-Vee won
In the same 2024 awards, Hy-Vee also placed first in Best Grocery Store for Produce and second in Best Grocery Store for Prepared Food, according to the company’s announcement. Those are separate category results, not additional evidence about its prices or overall performance.
Rank #2
- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
Hy-Vee’s footprint at the time of the announcement
Hy-Vee reported more than 570 business units across nine Midwestern states and more than 75,000 employees in its September 2024 announcement. These are company-reported figures from that date, not a current store or employee count. The announcement does not provide vote totals or an independently measured score for the award.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Redemption Steps: Customer must present eGift QR code payment either printed, or on mobile device to Checker as tender.
- Albertsons Companies gift cards can be redeemed at any of our store locations or for online transactions. For online purchases, gift cards must first be loaded to the applicable Albertsons Companies banner wallet (example Safeway, Jewel, Vons, etc).
- Checker Instructions: Total order, Press EFT FULL, Scan QR code (printed or mobile version) with handheld scanner.
- Self-checkout Instructions: Select "Pay with Scan" when prompted for payment type, then scan QR code with handheld scanner."
- Visit ALBERTSONS.THEGIFTCARDSHOP.COM/RETAIL to find a store location near you
Rank #4
- Redemption Steps: Customer must present eGift QR code payment either printed, or on mobile device to Checker as tender.
- Albertsons Companies gift cards can be redeemed at any of our store locations or for online transactions. For online purchases, gift cards must first be loaded to the applicable Albertsons Companies banner wallet (example Safeway, Jewel, Vons, etc).
- Checker Instructions: Total order, Press EFT FULL, Scan QR code (printed or mobile version) with handheld scanner.
- Self-checkout Instructions: Select "Pay with Scan" when prompted for payment type, then scan QR code with handheld scanner."
- Visit ALBERTSONS.THEGIFTCARDSHOP.COM/RETAIL to find a store location near you
Rank #3
- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
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.
