According to our Consumer Reports supermarket report, eight national and regional chains, ranging from vast warehouse clubs to an upstart from Europe, have the most competitive prices. The report is based on a survey of more than 50,000 Consumer Reports subscribers.
Here’s the lineup, in alphabetical order:

Eight Standouts for Grocery Store Prices

• Aldi. This fast-growing, no-frills import from Germany operates stores in the eastern half of the U.S. and southern California that are about one-third the size of a typical American grocer. It sells a limited selection, mainly private-label goods. You’ll find a number of low-cost items for game day including boxes of mozzarella cheese sticks for $1.69, restaurant-style tortilla chips for 99 cents per 13-ounce bag, and containers of guacamole (8-10 ounces) for just $2.79.
• Costco. Who could pass up a 3-pound rotisserie chicken for $4.99 at this venerable warehouse club, cheaper in some cases than a raw bird of the same size? Our survey respondents also gave the national retailer top marks for fresh store-prepared foods.
• Fareway Stores. This family-owned chain operates in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. To celebrate the Super Bowl, the grocery store has a number of discounts including 24-pack cans of Mountain Dew or Pepsi for $3.88. You can buy up to three packs at that price.
• Market Basket (Northeast). Residents of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire know this family-owned chain for its low prices and absence of self-checkout lanes. Our subscribers placed Market Basket among the top-rated chains overall, along with East Coast retailer Wegmans, Trader Joe’s, and Publix, a Southern regional chain. Among the specials for Sunday’s game: 50 pieces of Buffalo chicken wings for $49.95.
• Military commissaries. The federal government ensures that these vast stores, open only to those carrying authorized Department of Defense ID cards, offer competitive prices for the astounding 38,000 items they sell. While we couldn’t find any particular discounts for Super Bowl Sunday, the prices here are good all year round.
• Trader Joe’s. The national chain, known for its funky vibe and unique store-brand products, isn’t singling out any special discounts ahead of Super Bowl Sunday. But the store pleased our readers with its competitive prices, store cleanliness, staff courtesy, store-brand quality, and selection of healthy options. Trader Joe’s is among the top-rated chains overall, according to our survey.
• WinCo. With more than 100 stores in the West, WinCo sells many items in bulk and further trims costs by requiring customers to bag their own items. Several readers on CR’s Facebook page said they did most of their shopping at these warehouse-style grocery stores. “The appearance of the WinCo store’s interior will go unchanged for decade after decade, which is nice,” said one. “I don’t want never-ending remodeling driving up the price.” It you shop here for the Super Bowl, you can pick up a variety of chicken wing trays that serve 12 to 15 people for just under $26.
• Woodman’s. Warehouse-style Woodman’s, which operates in Illinois and Wisconsin, passes on savings by selling items in bulk, though this is a good place to buy in quantity for, say, a Super Bowl party. The employee-owned retailer also saves by refusing to accept credit cards, thereby sidestepping the associated processing fees.
In addition to grocery store prices, other factors contributed to readers’ satisfaction with grocery stores. Wegmans, which topped our ratings, offers competitive prices as well as other commendable features including fresh store-prepared foods, courteous staff, fast checkout, and high-quality produce. Wegmans has placed near or at the top of our ratings many times since 2005.