Between inflation and food shortages, the grocery wars are moving full steam ahead. To help settle the debate, Solitaired analyzed over 7 million Google reviews, representing 3,000 individual grocery stores across 100 cities, to unmask which retailers are the least favorite among consumers. The report also highlights which grocers lose points in customer service, food quality/pricing, and checkout line efficiency. Find out how your favorite store stacks up below.
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The top 10 worst major grocery store chains in the U.S.
At some point, grocery shopping becomes muscle memory. There are certain items, like bananas, eggs, milk, and bread, that you pick up habitually. You might favor one supermarket over another because of their fresh produce selection, or assortment of ready-to-eat meals. Likewise, you might have qualms about certain grocers because of their inconsistent restock schedule or lack of allergen-free options.
All of these variables influence customer reviews and ratings. These, in turn, are reflected in Solitaired’s list of the worst grocery stores in America. See the full line-up below, alongside their average star rating (ASR).
- King Soopers (3.84 ASR)
- Walmart (3.95 ASR)
- Kroger (3.97 ASR)
- El Super (3.97 ASR)
- Dollar General (3.98 ASR)
- Save A Lot (3.99 ASR)
- Fiesta Mart (4.01 ASR)
- DG Market (4.01 ASR)
- Safeway (4.02 ASR)
- Foodmaxx (4.03 ASR)
Shoppers aren’t shying away from voicing their frustrations with Walmart. Per the analysis, the big-box retailer makes up 22 of the 50 worst-rated grocery stores in America, which is approximately 44 percent of the list. By state, both Walmart and Safeway had three locations in the top 10.
Kroger and King Soopers consistently ranked as grocery stores with the worst customer service, while Eataly and Whole Foods Market were flagged by shoppers for having long lines. However, by state, five of the top 10 markets with the worst lines are located in Texas.
Meanwhile, shoppers in Texas, parts of the Midwest, the mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast complain the most about food quality. Supermarkets in these regions—with New Jersey and New York City getting dinged the hardest—receive the most negative reviews (three stars or below) about food quality, as it pertains to expired items or price gouging.
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The top 10 best major grocery store chains in the U.S.
Listed below are the top 10 best grocery stores in the country, alongside their average star rating (ASR).
- Trader Joe’s (4.65 ASR)
- Publix Super Market (4.50 ASR)
- WinCo Foods (4.47 ASR)
- H-E-B (4.46 ASR)
- Aldi (4.44 ASR)
- Stater Bros. Markets (4.44 ASR)
- H Mart (4.42 ASR)
- The Fresh Market (4.42 ASR)
- Sprouts Farmers Market (4.41 ASR)
- Harris Teeter (4.39 ASR)
After clinching first place in 33 states, Trader Joe’s is the overall front-runner. Data shows that Trader Joe’s is notably the only national chain to be ranked the best grocery store in a single state. Statistically, this means that Trader Joe’s makes up 66 percent of the best 50 grocery stores in America.
However, if you were to break down the data by state, some of the best grocers in America are located in St. Petersburg (Mazzaro’s Italian Market) and Orlando (Freshfields Farms), FL, and Milwaukee (Glorioso’s Italian Market), WI. Interestingly enough, two of the top three markets are Italian grocery stores.
The study also noted: “By location, Corpus Christi, TX, Chula Vista, CA, and St. Petersburg, FL, have the highest average rated grocery stores in the country. Cincinnati, OH, is also notable for being the only city with two stores in the top 10.”
Content shared from bestlifeonline.com.