The U.S. has a new favorite grocery store.
According to the latest data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Trader Joe’s now sits alone at the top of the national grocery rankings, edging out longtime favorite Publix.
Trader Joe’s earned a score of 86 out of 100 in the 2026 report, up two points from last year. Publix followed with a score of 84, unchanged from 2025. The two chains were tied at the top a year ago.
The ACSI rankings are based on customer feedback across several categories, including checkout speed, store convenience, product quality, layout, and cleanliness.
A total of nineteen grocery companies were evaluated this year, and Trader Joe’s gains were enough to break the tie.
Regionally, the picture is more uneven. Trader Joe’s ranked first only in the West, where the chain has its densest footprint. California alone accounts for more than 100 locations, while availability drops sharply in other parts of the country.
In the Northeast, Aldi, ShopRite, and Walmart all posted identical scores. Aldi led the Midwest and tied for second place in the South alongside H‑E‑B and Publix, finishing just behind Sam’s Club.
At the bottom of the list is Giant Eagle, which slipped another point to a score of 73. Hy-Vee, Walmart, and Albertsons also landed in the lower tier.
H-E-B finished third overall with a score of 83, up one point from last year. The Texas-based grocer continues to perform strongly across customer metrics.
A separate report from customer data firm Dunnhumby recently placed H-E-B first in its Retailer Preference Index for the fourth consecutive year. Trader Joe’s ranked seventh in that study. Publix did not make the top ten.
Different surveys. Different results.
This one belongs to Trader Joe’s.