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Every single week, people across the nation flock to their local grocery stores to restock their fridges and cabinets with their preferred produce. And everyone, regardless of their gender, age, or background, tends to have a favorite chain to shop at.
Some believe that Trader Joe's is the best due to its affordable products and overall friendly atmosphere; meanwhile, others love supermarkets like Aldi, Kroger, or Publix.
Well, a new study conducted by YouGov, a global public opinion and data company, has revealed the 20 most popular grocery stores in America, and the top slot may shock you.
Scroll to find out what the most popular grocery store in the U.S. is — including where Trader Joe's falls!
For the research effort, 1,220 people who reside in the United States were interviewed during October, November, and December 2024. To gauge public opinion on grocery stores, the study honed in on two different aspects: brand recognition and positive views of said brand. The former is designated as "fame," and the latter is "popularity."
7-Eleven
Spoiler alert: 7-Eleven actually stole first place as the most popular grocery store in the country. The chain emerged with a 97% fame rating and a 65% popularity rating. Only 8% of study participants reported disliking 7-Eleven, and 24% were "neutral" toward the company.
The fact that 7-Eleven won may have you scratching your head, considering it's generally viewed as a convenience store. Nonetheless, the chain, which has over 9,000 locations, does sell drinks, snacks, and carry-out food options, ranging from nachos to pizza and wines. Plus, there are certain locations known as Evolution stores, which offer additional products like craft beer and wine.
Despite the somewhat surprising victory, other well-known grocery stores weren't far behind. Trader Joe's came in second place with a 94% fame ranking and a 64% popularity rate. Fewer people also reported disliking Trader Joe's (5%) compared to 7-Eleven.
This is a notable achievement, considering Trader Joe's only has 608 locations throughout the United States.
Next, the third place spot for the most popular grocery store was taken by Whole Foods Market. Study participants gave this grocery store a fame ranking of 95% and a popularity rate of 61%.
The rest of the top 10 in order included Aldi, Kroger, Circle K, Publix, Fresh Market, Safeway, and Sprouts Farmers Market.
Interestingly, among specifically Millennials, 7-Eleven still reigned supreme as the most popular grocery store. Generation X and male participants, on the other hand, favored Trader Joe's. Moreover, Baby Boomers and women actually sent Kroger to the winning slot among their respective demographics.
But while there seem to be some generational and gender differences, the overall public opinion is clear. 7-Eleven, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods Market were all close contenders at the tail end of 2024. What chain will emerge victorious in 2025 remains to be seen.
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