Grocery chains in the United States:Which are most popular?
In September 2026, Trader Joe's was the most searched grocery chain in the United States, accounting for 28.5% of all searches among the 12 chains we track. When we checked with ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews, Aldi showed up in every answer. Aldi was recommended most often, coming first in one out of three responses.
Trader Joe'sShare of searches 28.5%Mentioned in 2 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
AldiShare of searches 15.7%Mentioned in 3 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
KrogerShare of searches 12.8%Mentioned in 1 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 8th
SafewayShare of searches 8.6%Mentioned in 0 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations –
PublixShare of searches 7%Mentioned in 1 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
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Top grocery chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions, Aldi appeared every time. Aldi was recommended most often, coming first in one out of three answers. Trader Joe's was second, and H-E-B was third. Safeway, which ranked fourth in searches, was not mentioned at all.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Aldi1st
- Trader Joe's2nd
H-E-B3rd- Publix4th
Whole Foods Market5th
WinCo Foods5th
Wegmans7th- Kroger8th
- Safeway–
Meijer–
Food Lion–
Albertsons–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Aldi3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Trader Joe's2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Whole Foods Market2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- H-E-B2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- WinCo Foods2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Kroger1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Publix1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Wegmans1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Safeway0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Meijer0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Food Lion0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Albertsons0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about grocery chains
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which grocery store chain is the best in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best supermarket chains in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which grocery chain in the US has the lowest prices?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“grocery stores”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“supermarkets”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 22, 2026.
Which grocery chains do people search for most?
This chart shows how often people search Google for each grocery chain by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 12 grocery chains we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Trader Joe's, Aldi, Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Meijer, Food Lion, Wegmans, Whole Foods Market, H-E-B, WinCo Foods, Albertsons. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Trader Joe's | Aldi | Kroger | Safeway | Publix | Meijer | Food Lion | Wegmans | Whole Foods Market | H-E-B | WinCo Foods | Albertsons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 26.9% | 18% | 12.1% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 3% | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| Nov 2025 | 24.9% | 16.7% | 13.7% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 6.1% | 5% | 4.1% | 5% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 2.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 23.7% | 15.8% | 13% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 7.1% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 4.8% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.2% |
| Jan 2026 | 23% | 18.8% | 12.6% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 5.7% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 3.8% | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Feb 2026 | 25.5% | 17.2% | 14% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 5.1% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 5.1% | 3.4% | 3% | 2.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 27.1% | 18.1% | 12.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 5.5% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 4.5% | 3% | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 23.8% | 19.4% | 13.1% | 8.7% | 7.1% | 5.9% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 4.8% | 3.2% | 2.8% | 2.6% |
| May 2026 | 26.8% | 18% | 12.1% | 8.1% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 3% | 2.6% | 3% |
| Jun 2026 | 27.2% | 18.2% | 12.3% | 8.2% | 6.7% | 6.7% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 3% | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Jul 2026 | 22.7% | 18.6% | 12.5% | 10.2% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 5.6% | 4.6% | 3.7% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 23.3% | 19% | 12.8% | 8.6% | 7% | 7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 2.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 28.5% | 15.7% | 12.8% | 8.6% | 7% | 5.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 2.7% | 2.6% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 28.5% | 16.6M | +22.1% | +5.1 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 15.7% | 9.1M | -17.7% | -3.4 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 12.8% | 7.5M | 0% | 0 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 8.6% | 5M | 0% | 0 points | |
| 5, moved from 6th to 5th | 7% | 4.1M | 0% | 0 pointsmoved from 6th to 5th | |
| 6, moved from 5th to 6th | 5.7% | 3.4M | -18.1% | -1.3 pointsmoved from 5th to 6th | |
| 7, held 7th | 4.7% | 2.7M | 0% | 0 points | |
| 8, held 8th | 4.7% | 2.7M | 0% | 0 points | |
| 9, held 9th | 3.8% | 2.2M | 0% | 0 points | |
| 10, moved from 11th to 10th | 3.1% | 1.8M | 0% | 0 pointsmoved from 11th to 10th | |
| 11, moved from 10th to 11th | 2.7% | 1.6M | -15% | -0.5 pointsmoved from 10th to 11th | |
| 12, held 12th | 2.6% | 1.5M | 0% | 0 points |
28.5%
Held 1st. 16.6M estimated branded searches, +22.1% vs prior month. Share +5.1 points.
2.
Aldi15.7%
Held 2nd. 9.1M estimated branded searches, -17.7% vs prior month. Share -3.4 points.
3.
Kroger12.8%
Held 3rd. 7.5M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
4.
Safeway8.6%
Held 4th. 5M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
5.
Publix7%
Moved from 6th to 5th. 4.1M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
6.
Meijer5.7%
Moved from 5th to 6th. 3.4M estimated branded searches, -18.1% vs prior month. Share -1.3 points.
4.7%
Held 7th. 2.7M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
8.
Wegmans4.7%
Held 8th. 2.7M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
3.8%
Held 9th. 2.2M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
10.
H-E-B3.1%
Moved from 11th to 10th. 1.8M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
11.
WinCo Foods2.7%
Moved from 10th to 11th. 1.6M estimated branded searches, -15% vs prior month. Share -0.5 points.
12.
Albertsons2.6%
Held 12th. 1.5M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
Which brand is most popular in search among grocery chains in the United States?
12 brands
In September 2026, Trader Joe's was the most searched among grocery chains in the United States, with an estimated 16.6M branded searches, 28.5% of all searches for the 12 we track. Aldi is in 2nd place, 12.8 percentage points behind at 15.7%.
| Brand | Share of searches | Peak | Low | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trader Joe's | 26.9% → 28.5% | 28.5%Sep 2026 | 22.7%Jul 2026 | 1st |
| Aldi | 18% → 15.7% | 19.4%Apr 2026 | 15.7%Sep 2026 | 2nd |
| Kroger | 12.1% → 12.8% | 14%Feb 2026 | 12.1%May 2026 | 3rd |
| Safeway | 8.1% → 8.6% | 10.2%Jul 2026 | 7.5%Nov 2025 | 5th → 4th |
| Publix | 8.1% → 7% | 8.7%Dec 2025 | 6.6%May 2026 | 4th → 5th |
| Meijer | 5.4% → 5.7% | 7.1%Dec 2025 | 5.1%Feb 2026 | 6th |
| Food Lion | 4.4% → 4.7% | 5.6%Jul 2026 | 4.2%Feb 2026 | 7th |
| Wegmans | 4.4% → 4.7% | 4.7%Aug 2026 | 3.7%Mar 2026 | 8th |
| Whole Foods Market | 4.4% → 3.8% | 5.1%Feb 2026 | 3.7%Jun 2026 | 9th |
| H-E-B | 3% → 3.1% | 3.8%Jan 2026 | 3%May 2026 | 10th |
| WinCo Foods | 2.7% | 3.3%Nov 2025 | 2.6%May 2026 | 11th |
| Albertsons | 2.4% → 2.6% | 3.2%Dec 2025 | 2.4%Oct 2025 | 12th |
Each finding as a sentence
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Trader Joe's’ share of searches among grocery chains in the United States increased from 26.9% to 28.5%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Aldi’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States decreased from 18% to 15.7%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kroger’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States increased from 12.1% to 12.8%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Publix’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States decreased from 8.1% to 7%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Whole Foods Market’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States decreased from 4.4% to 3.8%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Trader Joe's’ share of searches among grocery chains in the United States peaked at 28.5% in September 2026 and was lowest at 22.7% in July 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Aldi’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States peaked at 19.4% in April 2026 and was lowest at 15.7% in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kroger’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States peaked at 14% in February 2026 and was lowest at 12.1% in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Safeway’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States peaked at 10.2% in July 2026 and was lowest at 7.5% in November 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Publix’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States peaked at 8.7% in December 2025 and was lowest at 6.6% in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Meijer’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States peaked at 7.1% in December 2025 and was lowest at 5.1% in February 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Food Lion’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States peaked at 5.6% in July 2026 and was lowest at 4.2% in February 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wegmans’ share of searches among grocery chains in the United States peaked at 4.7% in August 2026 and was lowest at 3.7% in March 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Whole Foods Market’s share of searches among grocery chains in the United States peaked at 5.1% in February 2026 and was lowest at 3.7% in June 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Safeway rose from 5th to 4th among grocery chains in the United States.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Publix fell from 4th to 5th among grocery chains in the United States.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Meijer, Food Lion, Wegmans, H-E-B, WinCo Foods and Albertsons held steady: their share of searches among grocery chains in the United States each moved less than 0.5 percentage points.
How did search popularity change for United States grocery chains in September 2026?
7 changes
In September 2026, Trader Joe's gained share of searches among grocery chains in the United States, from 23.3% to 28.5%.
In September 2026, Aldi lost share of searches among grocery chains in the United States, from 19% to 15.7%.
In September 2026, Meijer lost share of searches among grocery chains in the United States, from 7% to 5.7%.
In September 2026, H-E-B rose from 11th to 10th among grocery chains in the United States.
In September 2026, Publix rose from 6th to 5th among grocery chains in the United States.
In September 2026, WinCo Foods fell from 10th to 11th among grocery chains in the United States.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Whole Foods Market in the United States fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 2.7M to 2.2M in September 2026.
Compare popularity between leading brands
- Trader Joe's vs Aldi: compare popularity
- Trader Joe's vs Kroger: compare popularity
- Trader Joe's vs Safeway: compare popularity
- Trader Joe's vs Publix: compare popularity
- Aldi vs Kroger: compare popularity
- Aldi vs Safeway: compare popularity
- Aldi vs Publix: compare popularity
- Kroger vs Safeway: compare popularity
- Kroger vs Publix: compare popularity
- Safeway vs Publix: compare popularity
- Compare any of these brands
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