The Most Popular Grocery Chain in Every State

Grocery shopping — we all have to do it. But grocery stores vary widely based on region and culture, and certain chains have beloved followings for a variety of reasons, be it their excellent snacks, fresh produce, or prices that are easy on the wallet. Naturally, we were curious what makes people choose to shop at one grocery store over another and how that differs across the country. So we set out to find the best grocery store in every state. 

To be clear, we pulled and analyzed data from a variety of sources, but we were by no means scientific. We started with Google, referencing the most-searched grocery store in every state. We then turned to Yelp data (which they hand-pulled for us!), which identified the clear regional favorites by weighing consumer interest metrics, such as page views, photos, reviews, and ratings. Finally, we polled our Instagram followers as well as our staff for the stores that needed special consideration. Here’s what we found. 

Of its more than 500 stores, the majority of them are in Alabama (22% to be exact), so it comes as no surprise that Piggly Wiggly took the top spot. While the exact origins of the name remain a mystery, legend has it that the retailer’s founder, Clarence Saunders, said “so people will ask that very question.”

Safeway took first place in Alaska. The store was founded in 1915 by M.B. Skaggs and has expanded to over 900 locations in 35 states. Shoppers are big fans of its “Just for U” program, which offers plenty of deals and savings.

The quirky grocery store known for its store-brand fun finds, frozen dinners, and snacks is a hit among Arizona shoppers, as indicated by our Instagram audience. 

Kroger took the top spot in Arkansas, but the store has over 2,700 locations nationwide. Don’t sleep on its bakery section cakes! 

Trader Joe’s was founded by Joe Coulombe (yes, there’s a real Joe!) in Pasadena in 1967, so it just feels right that it’s the state’s favorite. But it’s worth noting that in Northern California, Berkeley Bowl got high praise from Christine, our senior recipe editor, who raved that it’s “hands down the best grocery store IN THE WORLD!” Down in SoCal, our followers on Instagram are big fans of Bristol Farms. 

King Soopers, a subset of Kroger, has over 100 locations in the Rocky Mountain region, but the majority are in Colorado making it a state fave. Shoppers praise it for its seasonal produce and bulk foods section.

Stew Leonard’s only has eight locations across Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, but East Coasters love it for the farm-fresh produce, house-made products, and extensive wine and spirits section. Lauren, our executive editor, is a big fan. 

Food Lion is a regional chain with over 1,000 locations across 10 states, but it reigned supreme among Delaware shoppers. People rave over its sales and high-quality store-brand items.

Publix was founded in 1930 in Winter Haven, Florida, and has since expanded to eight states in the South. People adore the store for its beloved sub sandwiches, fried chicken, and bakery. Detweiler’s also got love from our audience on Instagram. 

Not just an Alabama favorite, the beloved store also took the top spot in Georgia. In fact, it’s the first self-service grocery store, and to this day, all stores are independently owned. 

Another favorite of Lauren, our executive editor, Foodland has 29 stores across Hawaii and is the state’s largest locally owned and operated grocery store. Its iconic poke bar gets high praise, as well as its selection of locally grown products.

Albertsons started off as Shaw’s (more on that below) but went on to become its own chain and now operates over 2,200 locations across 36 states. It’s Signature Select brand is a hit with shoppers.

We’re big fans of Aldi for its discount prices, store-brand items, and delicious snacks, so it’s no surprise that it came out on top in Illinois (and a few more states). 

Martin’s Super Market only has locations in Indiana (21 to be exact), so it’s obviously the most popular. Its slogan is “count on us!” after all. 

Hy-Vee triumphed in its founding state of Iowa. It started in 1930 and now has over 240 locations all across eight Midwestern states. Shoppers say the customer service is top-notch.

Dillons was the clear winner in Kansas. The store is another subset of Kroger and has 63 locations across 30 Kansas cities. Customers rate it for its high-quality meat and produce.

Save A Lot took the crown in Kentucky for its unbeatable prices. The budget-friendly grocery has over 700 locations, primarily in the Midwest, with roughly 110 locations in Kentucky alone. 

Rouses has over 75 locations, but 60 of them are in Louisiana, so it’s easy to see why it’s a state favorite. Celia, our editorial assistant, said “it has great premade food and the best NOLA canned classics like red beans.” 

As mentioned above, Shaw’s was founded by the same person as Albertsons, George Clinton Shaw, in 1860 in Portland, Maine. Today, there are over 120 stores in the New England area. 

There’s more to the grocery store’s name than meets the eye. At the time of origin, many other grocery stores allowed customers to shop on credit and pay the balance at a later date. Safeway instead focused on a cash upon purchase model, which its founder believed was a safer way to shop since customers didn’t have to go into debt to purchase their food. 

Market Basket was a huge hit among our Massachusetts Instagram followers. It was founded in Lowell, MA, and has 90 locations across New England. Crosby’s also got a lot of love from Andrea, our food editor: “I’m obsessed with them. Family owned, local. Shopping there feels like shopping in the past in the best way possible.”

Meijer is a staple grocer in the Midwest and operates over 500 stores, the majority of which are in Michigan. People love its community-led, Midwestern feel.

It isn’t shocking that Aldi got more love on this list. We’re resident superfans, too. Our Minnesota Instagram followers also gave high marks to Kowalski’s Markets. 

Kroger also took the top spot in Mississippi, and for good reason. Even chefs love many of its store-brand products. 

Hy-Vee also came in first in Missouri. The grocery store even has restaurant-style takeout available 24/7. Micki, our shopping writer, gave top marks to Dierbergs. “I love their precut produce (I always buy the sweet potato — such a time-saver),” she said, “and their bakery section is unreal.” 

Albertsons was the fan-fave in Montana, however WinCo was another top pick among our Instagram followers. 

Aldi took first once again in Nebraska. If you’re looking for no frills, convenience, and unbeatable prices, Aldi has you covered. 

Albertsons was also the clear winner in Nevada. In fact, the store pioneered the one-stop-shop model, putting convenience and customers’ needs first. 

New Hampshire shoppers can’t seem to get enough of Shaw’s. The first Shaw’s store in Portland, Maine, originally was just a tea shop, but expanded to include fresh food and groceries following its success. 

ShopRite has over 300 locations, but more than half are in New Jersey, making it the state’s top pick. Alex, our assistant editor, grew up going there and loves its variety and cultural aisles. New Jersey residents on Instagram also noted Wegmans as their number one.  

Smith’s has over 140 locations across seven states, primarily in the West. Over 20 locations are in New Mexico, making it the most popular store in the state. In 1901, Smith’s became the first grocery store in the country to operate its own bakery, selling loaves for just 2.5 cents!

Wegmans was the clear winner in New York. The grocery store was founded in Rochester, New York, in 1916 and has been beloved ever since for its extensive variety and delicious ready-to-eat food. Adams Fairacre Farms also got some love, including from Kristina, our deputy food editor. “They fry up their own apple cider donuts on-site.” Enough said. 

Food Lion took the top spot in North Carolina. The store has locations in 10 states, but the majority are in NC. Celia also gave a shout-out to Harris Teeter. 

Another win for Aldi! If you’ve never been before, here’s a quick rundown of everything you need to know. 

Following Kentucky’s lead, Save A Lot also came in first in Ohio. However, SweetBerry Fresh Market was also a popular choice among our Instagram followers. 

Homeland taking the top spot in Oklahoma just makes sense. Of its 35 stores, 34 are in Oklahoma. (The remaining one is in Texas.) Many shoppers view it as the ultimate neighborhood store.

Fred Meyer has 126 stores in the Pacific Northwest, 55 of which are in Oregon, and it’s a favorite for good reason. Lindsay, our editor-in-chief, makes an extra trip just for its incredible cheese section (it’s in collaboration with Murray’s, one of NYC’s specialty cheese shops).

Redner’s took the cake in Pennsylvania for its mom-and-pop feel. The store is based in Reading, Pennsylvania, but it also has locations in Maryland and Delaware. Others on Instagram mentioned Wegmans as their favorite. 

Just like its neighbor Massachusetts, Rhode Island also had Market Basket in the top spot. Stop & Shop, however, wasn’t too far behind. 

Both of the Carolinas had Food Lion as their number-one store. The chain was founded in 1957 under the original name Food Town. 

Hy-Vee was another fan favorite in South Dakota. Fun fact: The store even had its own dating show called Love at First Bite! 

Food City has over 130 locations, primarily in the Appalachian region, and is the favorite in Tennessee. The store dates back to 1918 when the first brick-and-mortar shop opened in Greeneville, TN. 

It comes as no surprise that H-E-B was the most popular in Texas. Our Texas audience practically shouted it from the rooftops! The store has a beloved following and even sells fresh tortillas made in-house.

Smith’s, just like in New Mexico, ranked supreme for its good offering of fresh produce. 

Hannaford has over 180 locations, primarily in the Northeast, and originally started out as a produce cart in 1883. Andrea also had to shout out City Market in Burlington, which was her fave when she lived there. 

While Safeway came in first, Wegmans was another popular pick with our audience in the Lovers State. 

PCC was the top pick in this Pacific Northwest state. The co-op and organic grocery store has 16 locations across Washington, primarily in the Seattle area, and is known for its incredible produce, meat, and cheese selection. Town and Country was another popular pick among our followers. 

Kroger got another win in the Appalachian state. If you’re a first-time shopper, here’s everything you need to know about the store. 

All of Pick ’n Save’s 77 locations are in Wisconsin, so it being the favorite is a no-brainer. It was originally founded in 1975. Shoppers appreciate its welcoming and helpful staff.

Finally, Albertsons closes out the final state with another win in Wyoming. 

Was your favorite store listed in your state? Let us know in the comments.

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Mapped: The Most Popular Grocery Chain in Every State (Yes, Aldi Made This List … 4 Times!)