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11 Grocery Stores That Are No Longer Worth the Wait or the Money

Some grocery chains once known for great deals have lost their luster.

By Calista Headrick , Edited by Amanda Machado

Updated Aug. 24, 2026

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It seems like we are hearing about skyrocketing prices on a near-daily basis in the U.S., and the grocery store is where many Americans feel they are being hit the hardest. Yet the secret to stretching your grocery budget might be simpler than you think. It might simply involve picking the right grocery store.

A study published in February 2026 by Consumer Reports ranked grocery chains from most to least expensive, using prices at Walmart, the largest grocery retailer in the U.S., as a baseline.

These 11 grocery stores all landed on the pricey side and may no longer be worth the trip for financially conscious shoppers.

Whole Foods

In the study, Whole Foods ranked as the most expensive grocery store by a significant margin. This isn't exactly surprising as the store prides itself on offering high-quality natural and organic foods. Groceries at Whole Foods were about 39% more expensive than the study's baseline Walmart.

While it is known for selling pricier products, and the recent study backs that up, venturing out to Whole Foods might still be worth it for Prime customers, as the Amazon-operated company offers additional discounts to members.

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Shaw's

Shaw's, which traces its roots back to Maine, has stores conveniently located all across New England, but high prices make a trip to the store seem far less convenient.

The store, now under the Albertsons Companies umbrella, had the most expensive groceries behind Whole Foods in the Consumer Reports study, with prices nearly 32% higher than the baseline Walmart.

El Rancho

With locations across Texas and one in Kansas, El Rancho is a grocery chain that specializes in Latin American foods and products and was recently acquired by Heritage Grocers Group.

It may have more specialty products, but they come at a cost. El Rancho took the No. 3 spot on Consumer Reports' most expensive list, with groceries about 30% more expensive than the baseline.

Jewel-Osco

Jewel-Osco has a long history in Chicago and has expanded to operate stores across Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa. It's also the most expensive Chicago-area grocery store, according to the Consumer Reports study.

Among customers, the general consensus seems to be that a trip to Jewel could still be worth it, but only if you've clipped coupons in their app beforehand.

Mariano's

Mariano's is another Chicago-area supermarket, albeit with a far shorter history than Jewel-Osco. It is one of many grocery chains under the massive Kroger umbrella and took the number five spot for least affordable groceries on the Consumer Reports list.

Groceries were about 27% more expensive than the Walmart baseline.

Trader Joe's

It's hard to deny that Trader Joe's has something of a cult following, with recent stories of massive lines and customer craze over their latest branded tote bags. And while the store certainly still offers bargains, rising prices seem to be driving away some who were originally drawn to their affordable, store-brand model.

The recent study puts Trader Joe's prices at about 25% higher than baseline Walmart.

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Piggly Wiggly

Piggly Wiggly, which got its start in Tennessee, now has locations across much of the South and Midwest. Notably, Piggly Wiggly was not in the top 10 when it comes to most expensive groceries, but prices were still about 22% higher than the study's baseline.

Customers online seem to be more concerned with low or lacking inventory at some stores, rather than high prices.

Stop & Shop

Stop & Shop got its start more than 100 years ago and has grown into a massive supermarket chain with more than 300 stores in the Northeast and New England. Though the store was originally touted as the place to go for low prices on everyday items, it wasn't anywhere near the recent study's baseline for affordability.

Grocery prices at the chain were about 22% higher on average.

Publix

Publix has well over 1,000 stores all across the Southeast, with a particularly large presence in its original home state, Florida (898 stores). Over nearly a century, it has grown to be a staple across the region, but higher prices have been pushing some customers away.

Groceries at Publix were about 20% higher than the study's baseline.

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Save A Lot

Though Save A Lot is, even in name, a value grocer, recent prices seem to be creeping up in a similar way to many stores across the nation. The company has undergone a lot of change and turmoil over the past few years, and many customers seem to be drawn to the store's competitors like Aldi.

The national study showed that Save A Lot's prices were about 19% higher than Walmart's. (Aldi's were about 8% less, for comparison.)

Kroger

Kroger is an absolutely massive company. It began with a single store in Cincinnati in 1883 and has since grown and merged with several other companies to become a grocery behemoth with thousands of stores across the U.S.

Despite that reach, prices were still about 15% higher than the study's baseline.

Bottom line

Shoppers looking to save should compare prices across different stores and not stick to one out of habit. Even though the stores above scored poorly on the recent affordability survey, a full boycott may not be necessary. Clipping or downloading coupons on store apps can go a long way at many grocery chains.

Buying wholesale has major perks as well. If you're looking to get more out of your Costco membership, for example, it's worth it to see how much you can purchase in bulk. Prices at the wholesale giant were 21% lower than they were at Walmart.

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