2026 ACSI: Trader Joe's Tops Grocery Store Customer Satisfaction

• The 2026 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) examines the grocery chains shoppers value most, assigning every retailer a score from zero to 100.
• Having surveyed about 31,000 customers, the ACSI found that Trader Joe's claimed this year's leading position for customer satisfaction.
• The ACSI bases its ratings on measures such as meat and produce quality, convenient opening hours and cleanliness, among other criteria.

Grocery shopping has become an exercise in balancing patience with priorities, and customers are paying close attention to the retailers that meet their expectations. Fresh results from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) show where Americans feel happiest with their grocery trips. For the first time, the cult-favourite grocer Trader Joe's has secured first place, moving ahead after sharing the lead with Southern chain Publix last year.

Since 1994, the ACSI has monitored Americans' views of the businesses they patronise, spanning more than 400 brands in 40 industries. For this year's grocery report, it polled roughly 31,000 randomly selected shoppers during 2025, asking them to score recent visits to major chains on a zero-to-100 scale.

Compared with the previous year, many chains either held steady or saw their scores decline. The retailers that advanced, however, separated themselves by consistently getting the small details right.

How the ACSI measures grocery store satisfaction

As one of the country's longest-established consumer benchmarks, the index has used largely the same method since it began, making year-on-year comparisons genuinely meaningful. American satisfaction with supermarkets fell 1% this year, reaching an average score of 78, while just three of the 19 tracked chains improved their ratings from 2025.

To calculate an individual score for each chain, the ACSI gathers shoppers' views on numerous measures. These include convenient opening hours, the dependability of a store's mobile app, ease of identifying brands, the quality of meat and produce, and checkout speed, among other factors. The supermarkets at the top of the rankings performed well in these essential parts of the customer experience.

Which grocery stores do Americans love the most?

According to the ACSI, Trader Joe's is this year's highest-ranked grocery store. Publix, H-E-B and Sam's Club follow, while Aldi, Costco and Whole Foods share a three-way tie. The scores for Publix and H-E-B suggest regional chains may enjoy an advantage in building customer loyalty, although Trader Joe's shows that a national retailer can still compete by listening closely to what customers want.

The nautical-themed grocer achieved the report's top score of 86, raising its rating by 2% from last year and overtaking Publix for the first time. Publix stayed on 84, matching its 2025 score, and remains among the country's strongest performers. Both the Southern supermarket and Trader Joe's are recognised for accessible prices and much-loved products, including the Pub Sub and TJ's many signature snacks. However, the national chain stands out through its vast selection of own-label goods, regularly changing seasonal range and variety of ready-made meals.

H-E-B increased by 1% to 83, continuing its progress by shaping its stock around the way people in its region genuinely cook and eat. Sam's Club scored 82, appealing to customers who purchase ingredients in bulk to make their budgets go further.

Aldi, Costco and Whole Foods each received 81, although they reached that score through distinct strategies. Aldi sells pared-back products at remarkably low prices; Costco provides warehouse-scale value and a treasure-hunt-style shopping experience; and Whole Foods caters to customers willing to pay a little extra for high-quality ingredients or organic labels.

Which grocery stores fell flat when it comes to customer satisfaction?

Three chains scored below the national satisfaction average: Walmart received 75, Albertsons Companies 74, and Giant Eagle finished last with 73. While the ACSI does not offer detailed reasons for every brand's rating, the wider market backdrop may account for some of the differences.

Albertsons went through a turbulent period last year. Its proposed merger with Kroger officially ended in December 2024, legal disputes continued through 2025, and public disagreements over pricing emerged. For shoppers, this story can easily appear to be focused on corporate manoeuvring rather than customer care.

Walmart's rating is more unexpected, though it could reflect consumer interest in chains with a smaller, more regional character-something Trader Joe's manages to offer despite operating nationally. A look through online customer reviews also makes Giant Eagle's place at the bottom of the ACSI ratings understandable: shoppers frequently say the chain continues to increase prices.

These supermarkets had the biggest changes in customer ratings

Save A Lot recorded the largest rise of any grocery store, climbing 4% to 78. Throughout much of 2025, the chain reopened and refreshed sites, enhanced its app and gave loyalty members more incentives to come back.

Wegmans moved the other way, falling 6 points from 83 to 78-the sharpest drop in the report. The chain opened several new locations during the past year, and the expansion's growing pains showed. Shoppers told the ACSI that Wegmans' in-store experience seemed less polished. As weekly grocery shopping is a regular routine, customers are likely to remember any inconvenience they encounter.