What’s the best grocery store in North Carolina? Vote for your favorite now.
If there’s one thing North Carolinians are passionate about, it’s grocery stores.
Sure, there are basketball and barbecue rivalries. But ask someone which grocery store is their favorite, and you should buckle up for a impassioned argument about which store offers the best prices, shopping experience or branding.
The debates aren’t without good reason — after all, some of the country’s most well-known national grocery store brands got their start right here in North Carolina. Others that have remained regional or in-state only have cemented their place in North Carolina culture and nostalgia, too.
But which grocery store reigns supreme? We’re about to find out.
The News & Observer is launching a (non-scientific) readers’ choice bracket to determine which grocery store is the best in North Carolina.
Here’s how it works: We’re starting out with a field of 22 grocery stores, including regional favorites, national brands and big-box stores. All stores have locations in North Carolina, though they may be concentrated in one area of the state — in some cases, outside of the Triangle (Ingles, for example). We have not included grocery stores that used to operate in the state but no longer do so. That includes Kroger and Winn-Dixie, for example. The full list of grocery stores included in the poll is listed below.
In Round 1, you’ll be able to vote for 12 grocery stores. This round will end on Thursday, April 13, at noon. We’ll then narrow the field and open voting for Round 2 with the grocery stores that received the most votes.
Ready to share your opinions about North Carolina grocery stores? Vote in the poll below.
What’s the best grocery store in NC? Here are the 22 choices
▪ Aldi — There are 92 Aldi stores in North Carolina, including more than a dozen in the Triangle. The no-frills German grocery chain offers mostly low-cost, house-brand products, and is known for its system that requires a refundable 25-cent deposit to use the store’s grocery carts. Info: aldi.us
▪ BJ’s Wholesale Club — BJ’s, which operates nine locations in North Carolina, is a big-box, warehouse-style store that offers bulk-sized grocery items and other housewares, among other offerings. The chain is concentrated primarily on the east coast and was founded in 1984. Info: bjs.com
▪ Carlie C’s / IGA — Part of the larger Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) brand, Carlie C’s first opened in Johnston County in 1961. The hometown-style chain has expanded since then, now operating more than 30 locations across North Carolina. The Carlie C’s headquarters are in Dunn. Info: carliecs.com
▪ Costco — Perhaps the most recognizable warehouse-style store, Costco operates 10 locations in North Carolina, including four in the Triangle area. The chain sells bulk-sized groceries and other items in its large-footprint stores, and is known for its affordable options at the food court, including its famous $1.50 hot dog and soda combo. Info: costco.com
▪ Dollar General — Though not necessarily a full-service grocery store, Dollar General offers non-perishable food options, plus some refrigerated and frozen items. Some stores offer fresh produce. The stores operate mostly in small to mid-sized communities, and North Carolina is home to the fourth-most Dollar General locations in the country. Info: dollargeneral.com
▪ Earth Fare — Founded in Asheville in 1975, Earth Fare is a regional health food store selling mostly natural and organic products. The brand expanded into a full-service supermarket in 1994 and now operates 20 locations across eight states, including four in North Carolina. Info: earthfare.com
▪ Food Lion — One of North Carolina’s most prolific grocery stores, Food Lion opened in Salisbury in 1957. The store chain prides itself on its “everyday low prices.” The store was originally operated as “Food Town,” before a name change in the 1980s. Today there are more than 1,000 Food Lion stores operating in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Info: foodlion.com
▪ Fresh Market — Another homegrown North Carolina grocery store chain, The Fresh Market opened its first store in Greensboro in 1982. The store now has more than 150 locations in more than 20 states and is known for its fresh produce and fine, premium food offerings. Info: thefreshmarket.com
▪ Harris Teeter — In the running for the North Carolina grocery store with the most catchy name, Harris Teeter is another North Carolina-based grocery chain. The store was founded in Charlotte in 1960 and now operates more than 250 stores in the Southeast and Washington, D.C. Kroger acquired the brand in 2014, but the Harris Teeter brand remained and the company is headquartered in Matthews, near Charlotte. The chain recently underwent a rebranding of sorts, which caught varied reactions on social media. Info: harristeeter.com
▪ Ingles — Grocer Robert Ingle opened the first Ingles store in Asheville in 1963, and the company today operates almost 200 locations across five states in the Southeast and Appalachian regions. In its home of North Carolina, Ingles operates its stores mostly in the western part of the state, where it is a favorite of many shoppers. Info: ingles-markets.com
▪ Lidl — Like Aldi, Lidl is a German grocery chain, but there are notable differences between the two brands. At Lidl, for instance, there’s an in-house bakery and you don’t have to pay to use a grocery cart. About 80% of the store’s offerings are the company’s private, house brand, but they also offer name brands. The chain, which has more than 20 locations in North Carolina, prides itself on its “unbelievably low prices.” Info: lidl.com
▪ Lowes Foods — The first Lowes Foods store opened in Wilkesboro in 1954, then the chain moved its headquarters to Winston-Salem in the late 1980s. The homegrown chain now operates almost 80 stores throughout four Southern states. In addition to fresh, local produce and other local products, the chain also offers in-house beer and wine bars at some locations, allowing shoppers to sip a beverage of their choice. Info: lowesfoods.com
▪ Piggly Wiggly — If any store is going to beat out Harris Teeter for best-named grocery store in North Carolina, it’s probably Piggly Wiggly — because, well, it will never not be fun to say those two words together. The country’s first self-service grocery store, Piggly Wiggly was founded in Memphis, Tennesee, in 1916. Today there are more than 500 Piggly Wiggly locations across 18 states, including more than 50 locations in North Carolina, mostly in the southern and eastern parts of the state. Info: pigglywiggly.com
▪ Publix — A relative newcomer to the North Carolina grocery store scene, Florida-based Publix operates more than 50 locations in the state, including 10 in the Triangle. In total, the chain operates more than 1,300 stores across the South and Southeast United States. In addition to groceries, the chain is known for its bakery cakes and deli sub sandwiches. Info: publix.com
▪ Sam’s Club — Owned and operated by the same company behind Walmart, warehouse-style Sam’s Club operates its membership-based clubs in more than 40 states, including North Carolina. Like competitors BJ’s and Costco, the store chain sells products and groceries in bulk. Info: samsclub.com
▪ Sprouts — Sprouts Farmers Market was founded in Arizona in 2002 and has since expanded to operate more than 380 locations across 23 states. The chain operates five stores in North Carolina. Sprouts is known for its natural, organic food selections. Info: sprouts.com
▪ Target — Not all Target stores offer full-service grocery departments, but some do — while others offer plenty of non-perishable items. Whether you’re going for groceries, clothes, home goods or just about anything else, you’re sure to find everything you need — and plenty that you don’t need, but maybe want — on your run to Target. Info: target.com
▪ Trader Joe’s — Trader Joe’s got its start in California in 1967 and has expanded across the country since then, now operating more than 550 stores in 43 states. There are nine Trader Joe’s locations in North Carolina. The store, which has a dedicated following, offers products under its unique, private label. Info: traderjoes.com
▪ Walmart — Walmart opened in Arkansas in 1962 and has since expanded to become the world’s largest company by revenue. The company now operates more than 5,000 in the U.S., with thousands more around the globe. Walmart accounts for the largest market share of grocery stores in the Triangle, The N&O previously reported. Info: walmart.com
▪ Weaver Street Market — Locally owned Weaver Street Market operates four locations in the Triangle. The store is known for its fresh, local products, sourced from local farmers and producers, as well as its community co-op model, in which the market is owned by shoppers and employees. The first store opened in Carrboro in 1988. Info: weaverstreetmarket.coop
▪ Wegmans — Rochester, New York-based Wegmans opened its first North Carolina store in Raleigh 2019, much to the delight of dedicated Wegmans fanatics and New York transplants in the area. There are now four locations in the state, all in the Triangle. The N&O reported last summer that Wegmans generally had the lowest prices of any grocery stores in the Triangle. Info: wegmans.com
▪ Whole Foods — Perhaps the best known natural and health food store around, Whole Foods first opened in Texas in 1980. The company acquired North Carolina-based Wellspring in the 1990s. There are more than 500 Whole Foods locations throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Info: wholefoodsmarket.com
