In a crowded and intensely competitive grocery landscape, where scale and sprawl are often mistaken for strength, Trader Joe’s has once again proven that popularity is earned aisle by aisle.
According to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index, the quirky California-born grocer has overtaken Publix to become America’s favorite supermarket, posting an impressive satisfaction score of 86 points. That marks a two-point increase from last year and places Trader Joe’s at the top of a list shaped by feedback from more than 30,000 consumers nationwide.
The result is notable not just because Trader Joe’s reclaimed the top spot, but because it did so while being dramatically smaller than many of its competitors. With just over 600 locations spread across 43 states, Trader Joe’s operates at less than half the footprint of Publix, which boasts more than 1,400 stores across the Southeast.
Costco, another retail heavyweight, dwarfs both in terms of revenue and warehouse scale. Yet size, once again, did not translate into dominance.
Trader Joe’s enduring appeal lies in its consistency. Shoppers tend to describe the experience the same way year after year: affordable prices, friendly staff, an intentionally curated selection, and a shopping environment that feels personal rather than industrial.
Its private-label model allows it to control costs and quality, while its famously rotating product lineup keeps customers engaged. Even its reusable tote bags have evolved into cultural artifacts, fueling a cult following that most retailers would struggle to manufacture intentionally.
Publix, last year’s top-ranked grocer, held steady at 84 points but slipped just enough to lose its crown. Texas-based H-E-B followed closely behind at 83, continuing its strong reputation for regional loyalty and operational excellence. Costco remained unchanged at 81 points, while Target dipped slightly to 79, reflecting growing pressure in the general-merchandise grocery space.
One of the more telling data points from the survey is how few retailers actually improved. Only three — Save-a-Lot, Trader Joe’s, and H-E-B — managed to raise their satisfaction scores year over year.
That suggests growing consumer expectations in a period marked by inflation fatigue, price sensitivity, and a heightened focus on value. Wegmans, often cited as a gold standard in grocery retail, experienced the steepest decline, dropping five points to 78.
Even Walmart, the nation’s largest grocer by volume, remained stuck at 75 points, unchanged despite leadership changes at the top. Meanwhile, Dunnhumby’s separate rankings still place H-E-B as the most successful grocer over the long term, highlighting that customer satisfaction and overall market leadership do not always align perfectly.
