And the winner is: 7-Eleven?

January 25, 2025 by
 |  10 Comments  |  Leave Comment

The internet-based market research firm YouGov recently held a popularity contest for the most popular grocery store in the US. The company holding the top spot is 7-Eleven, which came as a surprise to me because I don’t think of 7-Eleven as a grocery store per se. However, after I thought about it a little more, I believe this makes sense. The result says a lot about how Americans shop and what is most available to them.

While I love to go grocery shopping and can easily spend over an hour in a store, most people find this task to be a necessary but boring duty. The quicker they can get it over with, the better. Therefore, popping into a conveniently located 7-Eleven to buy a few staples or snacks is preferred to trekking to a grocery store that could be miles away. The footprint of these stores is smaller than a supermarket so you can get in and out more quickly. Milk is located at the back of most grocery stores in the hope you will find other items to throw in your shopping cart, but you can easily do a grab-and-go at a convenience store. Also, shops like 7-Eleven, Kwik Trip, Circle K, and Wawa frequently have loss leaders that entice people to stop there. Our local Kwik Trip often features a five-pound bag of potatoes or a loaf of bread for 99 cents. Who wouldn’t want to snag a good deal like that?

While 7-Eleven tops this ranking, more traditional grocery chains fill out most of the top ten. Trader Joe’s is No. 2, followed by Whole Foods, Aldi, and Kroger. I fancy myself to be a grocery store connoisseur, so I was taken aback to see that Wegmans didn’t even break the top 20, coming in at No. 21. Any time I can shop at a Wegmans I will. We have upscale supermarkets in the Twin Cities (Kowalski’s and Lunds & Byerlys), but I think that Wegmans stands above these. When I want to feel posh I pop into Kowalski’s, but for everyday shopping Aldi remains my go-to supermarket. I also frequent smaller shops in the area to find specialty items. What’s your favorite grocery store?

Category: Antipasto

Post a comment

10 Comments

  • gamulholland  on  January 25, 2025

    My husband and two of our four kids love to shop (not necessarily buy anything, but they enjoy the browsing), so they love a massive place like Costco. I love how Costco treats their employees (or so I’m told), but I’m happy to let them go to big shops like that— I find Trader Joe’s much more manageable. 🙂 And our local TJ’s even has copious parking!

  • LeilaD  on  January 25, 2025

    Not a fan of Trader Joe’s because I’ve heard things- but then “no ethical consumption etc”. Also, you kind of have to hope they might have what you are looking for and there’s no guarantee they’ll have it next week- no thanks. Safeway down the street for me.

  • FuzzyChef  on  January 26, 2025

    Wegmans has a small geographic area

  • Cookbooksgalore  on  January 26, 2025

    Huge chunks of the country are shopping deserts. We spent a short break in West Virginia last Fall and it seemed that for many communities the Dollar General was the only local option.
    We’re two miles from the Wegmans in Charlottesville, and love the choices, but the prices sometimes make our eyes water. Twelve feet of shelving for spices, with multiple brands, but Badia, which is the only economical offering has a pitiful selection.

  • Indio32  on  January 26, 2025

    As I’ve said in the past I absolutely hate supermarkets what with disappearing ingredients and a recent report saying that around 70% of the things they now sell would be classed as UPF which has helped to produce record profits. Had to chuckle when I read that a woman said that going to her local supermarket was like visiting a super max prison what with all gates, security guards, cameras, checks etc.
    Was in Paris recently and doing a food shop. Yup you can buy UPF but there are a huge number of small independent shops selling high quality small batch food and the street markets! It’s not particularly cheap but it not particularly expensive either. Bread doesn’t have to come in plastic bags and be made with 18 ingredients. It really is a food lover’s paradise! Would highly recommend Miyam if your ever in Paris.

  • racheljmorgan  on  January 26, 2025

    For us, nothing beats Aldi for prices and fresher produce, though the atmosphere is drab and chaotic. Frankly, the local Walmart parking lot is too dangerous and Publix has obscene pricing. Nowhere in this area is “nice” or enjoyable to shop so I just get Kroger delivery. Their coupon system is good. I liked the fancy Pittsford Wegmans when I was in upstate NY and a 24-hr Kroger near WVU.

  • annmartina  on  January 26, 2025

    I have never been to a Wegmans and now would love to visit one. I live equidistant to a Cub and a Lunds. I do love Aldi (except for most produce or meat) but there isn’t an Aldi or Kwik Trip in my city. I’ve been to 7-11 in Singapore and read about the ones in Japan. I wish ours were more like that. On a side note, I popped into Lunds last night to pick up a few things and a carton of 18 eggs were up to $10.49. Where will it stop!

  • demomcook  on  January 26, 2025

    No Wegman’s or Aldi’s in our area. The Trader Joes is terrific, and always packed. We alternate with a local chain that has a few different things, and every few months a Costco delivery. Sprouts is our other go-to.

  • kgmom  on  January 26, 2025

    My local Wegmans has declined in the last few years. Produce is often somewhat sparse, I can’t always get the cuts of meat I want, app is not kept updated.

  • dbuhler  on  January 26, 2025

    When my husband and I lived in Northern Virginia (’05-’08) we really liked to shop at Wegmans and missed it terribly when we first moved to Idaho. We have a store here in town called WinCo which has a huge bulk foods section with a great variety of pasta shapes, spices, baking ingredients, beans, etc. They also have a really great produce section that is large and stocked with the best produce in town (aside from the farmers market when it’s open). Last fall I counted 8 varieties of apples during one of my trips. This is where we shop most of the time. We also have two Walmarts in town, a few Albertsons, a Fred Meyer, and a few health food stores…so tracking down a specialty ingredient for a special baking or cooking project isn’t too hard, but there are still a few things that I have to source online. Also really love grocery shopping! In my social circle I feel like a rare species because I don’t favor online grocery shopping, pick up or delivery and most of my friends can’t believe that I choose to spend my time shopping and making food from scratch. I feel like I am with my people here!!

Seen anything interesting? Let us know & we'll share it!

Categories

Archives