Wegmans, Trader Joe's: America's No. 1 Grocery Store Is?

America's favorite grocery store is a tie between Wegmans, which is coming to Harrison, and Florida-based Publix, according to a survey out Tuesday. Trader Joe’s is a very close second and Texas chain H-E-B ranks third. This is the second consecutive year that Wegmans has held the top spot in the annual study, while Publix, which ranked second for the past four years, moved up into a first-place tie with Wegmans, with each scoring 77 percent on Market Force’s Customer Loyalty Index.

Trader Joe’s narrowly missed the lead spot with 76 percent, and H-E-B made the top three for the first time with a 69 percent rating, a 10 percent increase from 2016. ALDI and Harris Teeter rounded out the top five with 68 percent and 66 percent, respectively. In contrast the country's biggest grocer, Walmart, finished last in every category — cleanliness, cashier service, speed of checkout, etc. — except for value.

Harrison will be the first Westchester County Wegmans location. Unfortunately, there's no set date for opening, because all the necessary approvals are not yet in place.

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There are two Trader Joe's in Hudson Valley — Larchmont and Scarsdale. And ALDI, which has the same owner as Trader Joe's, has locations in Wappingers Falls in Dutchess County, Newburgh in Orange County and Stony Point in Rockland County.

For four years, Trader Joe’s led the ranking, before dropping to the No. 3 slot last year and No. 2 this year, according to the findings from a new large-scale consumer study of more than 12,000 shoppers conducted by Market Force Information.

Founded in 1916, Wegmans is known for its fresh produce, reasonable prices and massive stores. The Rochester, NY-based chain focuses on employee training to ensure customers have the best experience; it's been a winning strategy that creates "super fans" eager for a new location to open near their home.

For the rankings, Market Force asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their most recent grocery shopping experience and their likelihood to refer that grocer to others. The results were averaged to rank each brand on a Composite Loyalty Index.

After not earning enough votes to make the list in 2015, Wegmans garnered double the votes in 2016, resulting in a score of 76 percent, enough to secure the top spot.

In the overall rankings, Market Force's list includes 23 different chains from across the country. Walmart came in last place with a Customer Loyalty Index of 31 percent. It was also ranked last in the 2016 survey.

To check out the full survey results, visit Market Force online.

What sets one grocer apart from the others in shoppers’ minds? For one, being able to find the items they want, a category where Publix was a clear leader. The chain was also found to have the cleanest stores and fastest checkout speeds. Wegmans ranked highest for its specialty department service, and a close second for item availability, says the survey. Trader Joe’s was found to have the most courteous cashiers.

ALDI once again led for value, followed by WinCo Foods and Costco. Harris Teeter, Hy-Vee, ALDI and H-E-B all fared well in the rankings.

The top 10 grocery stores in the survey are:

1. Publix: 77%
2. Wegmans: 77%
3. Trader Joe’s: 76%
4. H-E-B: 69%
5. Aldi: 68%
6. Harris Teeter: 66%
7. Hy-Vee: 65%
8. Costco: 65%
9. WinCo Foods: 62%
10. Whole Foods: 61%

Market Force sought to uncover which brands excel in specific operational and service categories that set leading grocers apart. It found that Publix and Wegmans led in most areas, including the ability to find desired items, cleanliness and specialty department service.

ALDI was the price leader, followed by WinCo and Costco.

Trader Joe’s, known for its friendly service, ranked first for cashier courtesy.

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