America's Best Supermarkets 2016
All supermarkets are not created equal. If there is one thing that appears on our "to do" list week after week it's grocery shopping, and while going to the store can feel tedious, it's an inevitability if you want to have food in the fridge come dinnertime. Choosing the right store for your needs means a more pleasant experience as you check-off the box on this errand.
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From hypermarkets that offer a one-stop shopping experience to the specialized organic food retailers, there are stores to suit everyone's needs, time-constraints, and dietary concerns. We asked readers to choose their favorite spots from a list of national and regional supermarket chains based on the stores' range, quality, and availability of products; cleanliness; and level of customer service.
When we first asked, where America shops in 2014, we reached out to a group of trusted food bloggers who spend countless hours shopping for the perfect ingredients where they shop and what stores are reliable fixtures in their lives. From their responses, we crafted a principle list of supermarkets.
Last year, we opened the voting up to the public, asking our readers for input in choosing the top 35 grocery stores in America. A lot has changed in a year. National chain A&P, which once operated more than 15,000 stores, filed bankruptcy in November of 2015, closing all locations and affiliated stores like Pathmark.
A growing trend of health-conscious shoppers has pushed chains, such as Sprouts Farmers Market, Wegmans, and Whole Foods Markets focused on fresh, local, and organic produce up in the ranks. Meanwhile, beloved regional stores like Stew Leonard's and Lowes Foods made the cut, proving even smaller chains can have an impact on shoppers' habits.
This year, we asked once again that our readers rank the best supermarkets in America, and many votes later, we have compiled a list of the top 35 stores in the country. Read on to find out if your favorite store made the cut.
Angela Carlos is the Cook Editor. Find her on Twitter and tweet @angelaccarlos.