Trader Joe's Is No Longer America's Favorite Grocery Store

Although it's easily one of the best places to score 19-cent bananas, great cheap wine, and as many damn samples as you want, Trader Joe's has been dethroned as America's favorite grocery store -- after holding the title for four years in a row, according to an annual study by consumer insights firm Market Force Information. 

Wegmans, the beloved regional grocery store chain, tops this year's ranking, while Publix took second place on the list for the fourth year in a row. Good ol' Trader Joe's, however, fell to third place after slipping by 5 percentage points in the study's Composite Loyalty Index. The scoring is based on how 10,000 respondents rated "their satisfaction with their most recent grocery shopping experience and their likelihood to refer that grocer to others," the firm said in a press release.

Here's a chart visualizing the full ranking:

Market Force attributes Wegmans' big rise to its ability to win over new “devoted customers" despite its slow growth. "Its focus on employee training to ensure customers have the best experience has been a winning strategy that creates superfans eager for a new location to open near their home," according to the firm. Just ask New Yorkers who are excited about the upcoming Brooklyn location.

While TJ's didn't rank No. 1 on the overall list, it did take the top spot in one of a handful of other metrics in the study: cashier courtesy. So, ultimately, Trader Joe's won't get to keep its crown as America's favorite grocery store, but it certainly shouldn't wear one of its paper bags on its head in shame.

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Tony Merevick is Cities News Editor at Thrillist and has still never been to a Wegmans. Send news tips to news@thrillist.com and follow him on Twitter @tonymerevick.