Is Soda Still Less Than A Dollar At Piggly Wiggly?
If you have never heard of the grocery store chain called Piggly Wiggly, then you may not be from the Midwest or Southern U.S. states. But, if you do live in these areas and still haven't heard of Piggly Wiggly, that may be because they aren't the biggest grocery store chain out there, even though they operate stores across 18 states, according to its website. There are less than 500 independent Piggly Wiggly stores, in total, but they are still one of America's most popular grocery stores.
Piggly Wiggly was founded in 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee by Clarence Saunders and it is known as the world's first self-service supermarket, per their website. But what exactly do people love about it? Is it the focus on locally-sourced goods, or maybe it's the southern brands they sell? It could also be the impressive selection of beer and wine products, or its popularity might be tied to its low prices, like cheap sodas.
Soda prices have skyrocketed
In a world where inflation has made even the Dollar Tree raise its long-standing $1 price tag to $1.25, could it be possible that you can get anything for cheap? Is soda still less than a dollar at Piggly Wiggly? According to Southern Living, it is. You can still get your favorite sodas for 50 – 75 cents in a vending machine at most Piggly Wiggly stores.
This is especially impressive considering that Insider recently reported that the price of vending machine food jumped by a record amount in 2021, rising 2.3% in one month. This was the biggest price hike in a single month on record. The average cost of a 12-ounce can of soda was 35 cents in January 2019, when bought in a case of 12. Now, it's 51 cents, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This comes after food brands like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and more raised their prices across the board, and after the U.S. has seen a price increase of around 10% on all food items, according to the USDA.
Piggly Wiggly keeps its soda prices low
Unfortunately, Piggly Wiggly does not list the exact brands or flavors of sodas it sells in its vending machines, nor the type of container they come in — bottle or can — but it's safe to assume it's a can when you look at current market pricing for sodas. A 20-ounce soda of Coke is $2.08 at Walmart. In vending machines, they range from $2-$2.50, or even more depending on where that machine is located. Fast food sodas and restaurant drinks can get pricey, too — over $2 per glass.
According to Fast Food Menu Prices, Denny's charges $2.39 for a glass of soda, Applebee's charges $1.99, and Chipotle charges $2.10 for a large soda. Insider reports that even McDonald's is phasing out its $1 sodas due to inflation. Pretty soon, the only cheap soda may be at Piggly Wiggly or Dollar Tree, so if you find yourself near one, stop by one of their vending machines, even if only for nostalgia.