Everybody has “their” grocery store. The one you will defend like it’s a family member.
So I went digging for a state by state answer: which grocery chain is the most popular where you live, based on a combo of positive Yelp reviews and Google Trends search volume. The dataset looked at searches from Jan 21, 2021 to Jan 20, 2022, and (important note) it excluded Costco and Walmart since they sell way more than groceries.
A few quick patterns before we get to the list:
- Kroger shows up a lot (8 states).
- Hy-Vee basically owns the Midwest group chat (6 states).
- Publix is doing Publix things (4 states). People are loyal.
- Safeway and Albertsons both land in 4 states each.
Now, the part everyone actually came for: your state.
Most popular grocery store by state
- Alabama: Publix
- Alaska: Fred Meyer
- Arizona: Safeway or Fry’s (thanks Lou)
- Arkansas: Kroger
- California: Trader Joe’s
- Colorado: King Soopers
- Connecticut: Stop & Shop
- Delaware: Acme Markets
- Florida: Publix
- Georgia: Publix
- Hawaii: Safeway
- Idaho: Albertsons
- Illinois: Jewel-Osco
- Indiana: Kroger
- Iowa: Hy-Vee
- Kansas: Hy-Vee
- Kentucky: Kroger
- Louisiana: Rouses
- Maine: Hannaford
- Maryland: Safeway
- Massachusetts: Stop & Shop
- Michigan: Meijer
- Minnesota: Hy-Vee
- Mississippi: Kroger
- Missouri: Hy-Vee
- Montana: Albertsons
- Nebraska: Hy-Vee
- Nevada: Smith’s
- New Hampshire: Market Basket
- New Jersey: Acme Markets
- New Mexico: Albertsons
- New York: Trader Joe’s
- North Carolina: Food Lion
- North Dakota: Hornbacher’s
- Ohio: Kroger
- Oklahoma: Aldi
- Oregon: Fred Meyer
- Pennsylvania: Aldi
- Rhode Island: Stop & Shop
- South Carolina: Publix
- South Dakota: Hy-Vee
- Tennessee: Kroger
- Texas: Kroger
- Utah: Smith’s
- Vermont: Hannaford
- Virginia: Harris Teeter
- Washington: Safeway
- West Virginia: Kroger
- Wisconsin: Meijer
- Wyoming: Albertsons
One question, because I know you have a take
Did your state get it right?
If not, tell me what store should have won. I love a low-stakes argument, especially one that involves rotisserie chicken and weekly ad drama.
