I didn't know that grocery stores held popularity contests but here we are. YouGov Ratings, an international online research data and analytics technology group, is known for publishing popularity scores for everything from musicians to, yes, grocery stores. And according to their recent data—take a deep breath big gulp!—7-Eleven owns the crown in popularity when it comes to grocery stores in the States. I didn't even know 7-Eleven classified as a grocery store!
To determine these results, YouGov conducted 1,220 nationally representative interviews of the US population during the last quarter of 2024. Their research found that 65% of the people interviewed had a positive opinion of 7-Eleven, beating out Trader Joe's by one meager percent. Rounding out the top five were Whole Foods Market (at 61% popularity), Aldi (60%), and Kroger (60%).
The results are certainly surprising considering that you can't hit up your local 7-Eleven for all your grocery needs. Sure, you might be able to scoop up some bags of chips, protein shakes, or even soup, but if you are looking for all the ingredients to make your favorite slow cooker recipe, you won't be able to snag everything here. What's even more surprising is that this data comes after the chain announced it was closing over 400 stores due to underperformance late last year. You'd think that the most popular "grocery store" in America wouldn't have an issue with attracting customers.
While I don't plan on swinging by everyone's favorite highway rest stop to stock my pantry anytime soon, I could always go for a Slurpee!
