Yahoo Lifestyle America's New Favorite Supermarket Has Been Named (And It's Not Costco)
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Whenever we go to the grocery store, most of us return home with bags full of food as well as some thoughts — about the freshness of produce, quality of meat, cleanliness of the store and speed of the checkout process. Well, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) collected these same opinions from over 41,000 customers to create its 2025 list of the most popular supermarket chains in the United States.
Designed to measure and analyze customer satisfaction across retail industries, including convenience stores, online retails and supermarkets, the annual index was compiled through thousands of email surveys conducted between January and December 2024. Participants were chosen at random and asked to evaluate their experiences with large supermarkets, plus an aggregate category of "all other" (think: smaller grocery stores). The surveys assessed convenience of store hours and locations, availability of brand names and high-quality ingredients, courtesy and helpfulness of staff, mobile app experiences and accuracy of pick-up orders. All responses factored into one general satisfaction score used for the rankings. Which supermarkets stood out? Let's dive in.
Trader Joe's and Publix
These two chains tied for the top spot, each with a satisfaction score of 84. While Trader Joe's, known for its unique (and affordable!) private-label food products and cult following, is a favorite in the West, Publix earned high scores in the South.
RELATED: 10 Secrets Trader Joe's Employees Are Forbidden to Tell You
Sam's Club (Walmart)
This big-box store outranked it competitor, Costco, by 2 satisfaction points. Improvements in checkout technology contributed to its higher score, especially its Scan & Go service, which allows customers to use their phone to scan barcodes as they shop and skip checkout lines altogether.
Wegmans
With a satisfaction score of 83, this regional supermarket chain rose to the top of the charts in the Northeast and was one of the few to actually improve its score over the past year.
H-E-B
Despite a 4% drop in its satisfaction score this past year (from 85 to 82), this retailer maintained strong standings and tied with Publix as a favorite in the South.
Whole Foods (Amazon)
People searching for sustainable wild-caught seafood, antibiotic-free meats, organic produce and natural snacks free from color additives (i.e. Red Dye No. 40) and certain preservatives will find them at Whole Foods — which also earned an 82 satisfaction score.
Aldi
This store is beloved for its low prices and private-label brands, and proved popular in the Northeast, Midwest and South regions with a score of 81. Aldi just announced plans to open over 225 new store locations in 2025, so if you don't live near one now, you might soon.
RELATED: The Biggest Mistakes You're Making at ALDI, According to Employees and Insiders
Costco
Selling everything from meat and paper towels to produce and baked goods (those famous croissants!) in bulk — plus clothes, kitchen gadgets and seasonal items — this warehouse club saw its satisfaction score drop 5% in the past year, landing at 81.
RELATED: 8 Things Costco Shoppers Would Change If They Ran the Store
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