These 6 NC grocery stores are among America’s favorites. Here’s why
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- ACSI ranks top stores for customer satisfaction; six of seven are in North Carolina.
- Trader Joe’s leads with 86; several stores show small year‑over‑year shifts.
- Supermarkets have improved in benchmarks such as call center satisfaction.
North Carolina shoppers have access to many grocery stores. Supermarkets specializing in particular cuisines, locally owned co-ops, farmers markets and regional and national chains are all represented.
Not all grocery stores are created equal, though. A new report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index shows which stores shoppers feel best about. And six of the top seven stores are in the North Carolina.
The ACSI surveyed more than 31,000 consumers across the U.S. and asked them to evaluate their experiences with businesses, providing feedback on benchmarks including store hours, order pickups, websites and mobile apps, pharmacy services, merchandise quality and variety, and staff helpfulness.
Grocery stores offering highest customer satisfaction
Grocery stores in the survey were scored out 100. Here are the seven stores that received the highest scores, and how their ratings changed from 2025:
- Trader Joe’s: 86 (score increased 2%)
- Publix: 84 (no change in score)
- H-E-B: 83 (score increased 1%)
- Sam’s Club: 82 (score decreased 1%)
- Aldi: 81 (no change in score)
- Costco: 81 (no change in score)
- Whole Foods Market: 81 (score decreased 1%)
Several other grocery chains with North Carolina locations are ranked in the report. Target’s 2026 score is 79, Wegmans’ score is 78, BJ’s Wholesale Club’s is 77, and Walmart’s is 75.
Kroger, which owns Harris Teeter, and Ahold Delhaize, which owns Food Lion, have scores of 78.
The ACSI report also ranked grocery stores by region. In the South, Sam’s Club takes the lead with a score of 84, and Aldi, H-E-B and Publix are tied at 83.
In 2025, Trader Joe’s and Publix tied for the highest ranking, with scores of 84. Sam’s Club was right below them, at 83, and H-E-B scored 82.
As an industry, supermarkets have improved year-over-year across several benchmarks, seeing the biggest gains in call center satisfaction, reliability of mobile app, speed of order readiness for pickup and availability of merchandise, the ACSI report shows.
Grocery store market share
The ACSI rankings don’t line up with the market share of grocery stores in the Raleigh and Charlotte areas.
In the Triangle and Charlotte, Walmart, Harris Teeter and Food Lion had the highest market share of all grocers in 2024.
While the stores with the highest customer satisfaction scores don’t generate the most sales in select North Carolina markets, they do have dedicated followings.
Trader Joe’s makes wildly popular store-brand versions of many name-brand snacks — not to mention those mini tote bags that sell out so quickly. Loyal Publix shoppers rave about the Florida-based grocer’s deli and bakery offerings. And Aldi, of course, has the infamous “aisle of shame.”
This story was originally published February 26, 2026 at 2:57 PM with the headline "These 6 NC grocery stores are among America’s favorites. Here’s why."
