This Is America's Favorite Grocery Store

What's your favorite grocery store, and why? That's a very personal — and regional — decision, but according to an online survey conducted in April by Market Force Information, one East Coast chain comes out on top: Wegman's.

Market Force Information polled more than 12,000 shoppers about their likes and dislikes, and New York-based Wegman's, which has just 97 locations, topped the list.

Coming in second was Florida-based Publix, and in third place was Trader Joe's, with Aldi coming in fourth and H-E-B fifth. It's the third straight year that Wegman's has claimed the crown. Once again, it ranked first for specialty department service, and scored high for store cleanliness and item availability.

Second-place Publix topped the survey as far as ease of finding items, and Trader Joe's was found to have the fastest checkouts. Aldi was rated as offering the best value for shoppers' money, with Costco close behind.

The study found that convenient location is the main reason shoppers select a grocery store, followed by good sales and promotions. Even if you don't have a Wegman's, Publix, or H-E-B near you, you can still seek out the best grocery store in your state for happy shopping.