This Beloved Grocery Chain Was Named America’s Favorite for 2026—Here’s How the Rest Stack Up

Published on February 4, 2026

Since 1994, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has identified the country’s favorite grocery store each year based on its satisfaction benchmarks. Benchmarks include categories such as store hours, store layout, meat and produce quality, and staff helpfulness. 

Last year, Publix and Trader Joe’s tied for No. 1 U.S. supermarket, but one of those stole the crown this year. Here's the top grocer for the year, plus other highly-ranked supermarkets.

The Winner

Trader Joe’s snuck in to steal the crown by just two points for 2026. Overall, the retailer scored an 86 out of 100 in the satisfaction index. Trader Joe’s has increased its satisfaction score by 2 points since 2025. 

Runner-Ups

Just because Publix didn’t tie for first place this year doesn’t mean the retailer isn’t still meeting customers’ expectations. The retailer held steady at 84 points on ACSI’s list, the same score it achieved in 2025. 

The top two U.S. supermarkets are followed by H-E-B in third place, Sam’s Club, and ALDI. 19 retailers were considered for ACSI’s 2026 roundup, with an additional slot for ACSI to evaluate smaller supermarkets.

At the bottom of the list were Walmart, Albertsons, and Giant Eagle. However, these companies still scored 75, 74, and 73 satisfaction points, respectively, which is a solid overall satisfaction rating. 

Favorite Supermarkets by Region

Although Trader Joe’s scored No. 1 overall, it isn’t the top grocery store in every U.S. region. In the Northeast, three stores tied for first place. ALDI, ShopRite, and Walmart all scored 79 points, with BJ’s Wholesale Club following close behind at 78. In the Midwest, ALDI led with 82 satisfaction points. 

The South has Sam’s Club as its top pick, with 84 total points. This region saw ALDI, H-E-B, and Publix all tie for second place at 83 points. 

Only in the West does Trader Joe’s reign supreme. The West had the highest customer satisfaction with Trader Joe’s overall, as it scored a whopping 87 points in this region specifically.

The extra points likely reflect the fact that Trader Joe’s has more stores in the West than elsewhere in the U.S., with approximately 630 locations, about 200 of which are in California alone.