The Smartest Deals to Look for at Every Major Grocery Store

Updated: May 04, 2023

No wonder these stores are considered America's favorites!

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Woman doing grocery shopping at the supermarket and reading food labels, nutrition and quality concept
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After finding out America’s favorite grocery stores through a recent survey by Market Force Collection, we couldn’t help finding out why these stores are considered best of the best. After a little bit of research, it is clear why these stores are considered number one: the deals! Here’s how you can also save big at these top 20 grocery stores.

Up next: Don’t miss the 10 secret grocery shopping tips every smart shopper should know.

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exterior shot of a publix grocery store and parking lot
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Competitor coupons at Publix

Did you see a coupon from a competitor instead of Publix? Bring that coupon with you! Publix posts a list of competitors at each store, allowing you to bring in a coupon you saw elsewhere and get that same deal right at Publix.

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Wegmans grocery store facade and sign with people and Christmas wreath decorations
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Double coupon policy at Wegmans

Speaking of coupons, Wegmans offers a stellar deal with their double coupon policy. If you saw a coupon from a manufacturer that was less than $0.99 in value, Wegmans will not only give you that coupon but will also reward you with another $0.99 off. If the price is above $1, they will still give you the coupon’s face-value deal.

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Las Vegas - Circa July 2017: Trader Joe's Retail Strip Mall Location. Trader Joe's is a chain of specialty grocery stores in the U.S.
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Return policy at Trader Joe’s

Hated the recent flavor of Joe Joe’s? Just return them! That’s right, even after trying something, you can actually return it if you found it unbearable. Trader Joe’s will happily take it back and give you a refund.

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Grocery store delivery man wearing orange polo-shirt delivering food to a woman at home
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Combos Locos deals at H-E-B

Do you get coupons for H-E-B? If not, well, you should. H-E-B offers a coupon deal called Combos Locos where, when buying two items together, you get discounted prices. For example, a deal could include a bag of salad with a free bottle of dressing! Keep an eye out for deals on their website.

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Aldi grocery store.
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The Bargain Bins at Aldi

Nope, these bargain bins actually aren’t a rip off (like some bargain bins turn out to be). You are going to want to take advantage of the incredible deals at Aldi’s bargain bin because the low prices will actually knock your socks off.

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Young woman reading ingredients,declaration or expiration date on a dairy product before buying it.Curious woman reading nutritional values of the food.Shopping in the supermarket grocery store
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B1G1 and B2G3 sales at Harris Teeter

Buy-one-get-one deals, or even buy-two-get-three deals, are always a draw for people trying to buy bulk at a grocery store, But what make’s Harris Teeter special is the secret behind those deals. Instead of offering one item full price and another completely free, the items just ring up as half off. So if you only need one pound of meat and don’t have room in your freezer for another, that meat will still ring up as 50 percent off!

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Hy-Vee grocery store exterior and logo
Shutterstock / Ken Wolter

Fuel Saver + Perks program at Hy-Vee

Loved the fuel saver program through Hy-Vee? Well, their new-and-improved program is going to have you jumping out of your seat. With this new membership, you can save big using digital deals and coupons target specifically for your shopping list, receive surprise savings, and even get the chance to win rewards! Some of those include kitchen makeovers, vacation packages and even a new car.

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Close-up facade and logo of Costco storefront. Costco Wholesale Corporation is largest membership-only warehouse club in US.
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The back of the store at Costco

That’s right—the back of the store is where you’re going to find all of the deals. By working your way forward, you are finding the best bang for your buck. Make sure to walk through “center court” (the savings aisles in the center of the store) and to avoid the front at all costs. The front is known as “action alley” and will rarely give you the type of deals that you crave.

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Person handing over a credit card to a cashier at a store
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The jobs at WinCo

Not only are WinCo deals even cheaper than Walmart most of the time, they also offer incredible employee benefits. Like being a part-owner of the store, for example. If you work at WinCo for over 500 hours in the first six months and 1,000 hours in a year, you are eligible for the Employee Stock Ownership program. They also offer incredible benefits including retirement savings and insurance.

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The app from Whole Foods

Whole Foods may sit more on the expensive side, but their app can actually help you save those dollar bills. It’s completely free and loaded with coupons and current deals, giving you a leg up on what to grab in the grocery store. Find out the best grocery shopping apps to simplify your trip to the store.

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Woman shopping milk in grocery store
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Free Item Fridays at Fry’s and Kroger

Because Fry’s is a Kroger brand, these two offer the same incredible deal every week—free item Fridays! Find out what you can get for free by downloading the coupon the day of before heading to the grocery store.

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girl makes a purchase at the grocery hypermarket
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Meal deals at Winn Dixie

Every week Winn Dixie offers meal deals where they hand you not one, not two, but threeitems for free. The meal deal typically comes with a specifically chosen entree. Once you get the entree, you can get the chosen sides (typically a carbohydrate, a vegetable and a dessert) for free.

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Tuesdays at Target

You may not realize it, but most department stores work off a markdown schedule in certain departments each day of the week. Although every store is different, shopping at Target’s Market (the grocery part of the store) is best for savings on Tuesday. However, there is no harm in asking a sales associate when your local Target’s specific markdown schedule is. If you want to save money, then find out the best day to go grocery shopping.

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Woman cutting abstract discount coupon
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Super Coupons at ShopRite

If you still love to get coupons mailed to your home, then you better be digging for those ShopRite super coupons. These coupons will offer you deals you probably couldn’t even dream about and will make your wallet sing songs of praise. You can also check out a lot of their other coupon deals online at their Digital Coupon Center.

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The MVP kiosk at Food Lion

After signing up for the MVP Program at Food Lion, you’ll want to take advantage of their kiosk ASAP. Simply scan your MVP card when you’re in the store to see what deals are going on for that day, and even a set of personalized coupons based on your recent purchases.

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Albertsons grocery store exterior and logo.
Photo: Shutterstock / Ken Wolter

SimpleNutrition tags at Albertsons

Just like their Everyday Low Prices and Club Card Savings, Albertsons offers deals on their healthy products by using their SimpleNutrition tags. So instead of ignoring those healthier foods because of the prices, scout Albertsons for these tags to save big and eat healthily.

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Cropped image of girl leaning on shopping cart, using a mobile phone and smiling, in the background her boyfriend is choosing food
Shutterstock / George Rudy

Free item codes at Meijer

Every now and then, Meijer will post codes on their Facebook and Twitter for mPerk members to get free items. They offer all sorts of items for free, and if you follow them on social media, you’ll always come across some incredible deals.

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sams club
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Cash back at Sam’s Club

That’s right—they just hand it to you! For every $500 you spend, you get $10 back. That may not seem like a lot, but if you’re a faithful Sam’s Club shopper, that can seriously add up as the year progresses.

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SavingStar at Stop & Shop

If you have a Stop & Shop card (or a Giant card, since they are owned by the same company) you can actually earn cash back when using some of the offers. Just click the offers you want to use on the app.

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The price match policy at Walmart

Saw a cheaper price somewhere else? Bring those ads with you to Walmart! You can get the cheaper deal by showing the associate that pricing, who can then walk you through a process to get that same deal right at the store.