3 of the Most Popular Grocery Stores -- and Why Americans Love Them

Given the current price of groceries, it's no surprise that Americans have flocked to grocery chains known for low(ish) prices. After all, every dollar saved is a dollar available to pay another bill or tuck away in a high-yield savings account. We recently looked into which grocery store chains are most popular in the U.S. and what makes them popular. What we found is that low prices aren't the only thing shoppers are drawn to.

1. Walmart

Walmart has the greatest number of stores in the U.S. and its territories (4,622). As expected, the No. 1 reason Walmart shoppers say they visited Walmart -- in person or online -- is because they are attracted to Walmart's low prices.

Shopper's tip: Due to the quantities of merchandise it buys, Walmart can often offer the lowest price on everyday items. However, that's not always the case. Before heading out (or logging onto Walmart.com), download an app like Flipp. Like other price comparison apps, Flipp allows you to type in what you're looking for and quickly identify where the best price can be found in your area. Sometimes, Walmart will offer the lowest price, and sometimes, it will be a nearby retailer.

2. Albertsons

With a little over 1,800 Albertsons stores in the U.S, it's less than half the size of Walmart. Still, it's one of the most popular retailers in the country. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), corporate leadership believes Albertsons' faithful customer base can be traced to customers' relationships with store employees. It's not uncommon for an Albertsons customer to say they've been shopping with the retailer for decades. In that time, it's natural that they've come to know and feel comfortable with store employees.

Shopper's tip: While developing a relationship with store employees may seem like a frivolous perk, it may one day benefit you. Let's say you have a specific medical condition requiring a new, strict diet. It doesn't appear the store has everything you need. A familiarity with store employees means knowing which workers you're most comfortable approaching for help. Further, an employee who knows you is more likely to go out of their way to help you track down what you're looking for.

3. Publix

In 2023, for the sixth year in a row, Publix was ranked No. 1 in Newsweek's "America's Best Customer Service 2023" list, supermarket category. And this year, Publix ranked No. 49 on Fortune's "World's Most Admired Companies." It's a list Publix has been named to every year since 1996.

As we looked for why Publix rates so well, one need look no further than online customer comments. There were compliments regarding store cleanliness, top-notch bakeries, and friendly employees.

Shopper's tip: No one wants to feel as though they need to take out a second mortgage to buy groceries. And shoppers should not have to trade customer service, clean, well-organized stores, or niceties like coffee stations for affordable prices. The goal is to find stores that we actually want to spend time in. The longer we're willing to stay in a store, the more time we have to compare prices and make good purchase decisions.

There are plenty of reasons why the price of groceries remains high years after COVID-19 began. But elevated prices shouldn't mean we have to lower our shopping standards or personal finance goals.