America’s Least Favorite Grocery Store Has 25 Locations in Maine

There’s certainly no shortage of this grocery store in our Pine Tree State, even if it is America’s least favorite.

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Here in Maine, as well as in most other parts of the country, grocery shopping is an important and necessary errand that needs to be run weekly, if not two or three times a week. Not trying to sound dramatic, but it’s unquestionably an essential evil.

We know the ‘most overpriced’ grocery store in Maine and in America at large.

As we’ve previously discussed, the ‘most overpriced’ grocery store in the country only has one location in Maine, and it’s in our largest city. Whole Foods Market was named with this distinction, and our Whole Foods Market is on Somerset St. in Portland and first opened in February of 2007; since then, it’s been Maine’s only Whole Foods Market.

Whole Foods Market has strict quality standards for the products it sells, which often means sourcing from smaller, more specialized producers who charge higher prices. Whole Foods stores also tend to be larger and more upscale than many other supermarkets, which can lead to higher overhead costs.

Additionally, we know what the ‘most affordable’ grocery stores in Maine are.

An article from the publication U.S. News recently released a list of 'the 7 Cheapest Grocery Stores in the U.S.,' and while not all of these grocers are in our state, both Market Basket and Costco are.

Well, what is America’s least favorite grocery store and why does Maine have so many of them?

NewsBreak Contributor ‘Coupons in the News’ recently shared an article highlighting the ‘Country's Favorite Grocery Stores - And The Least Favorite,’ based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index releasing its latest annual ranking of American grocery chains, based on how satisfied survey respondents were with their recent shopping experiences, and the results are eye-opening, if not a little surprising.

According to the results, Walmart with an index rating of 74 came in last place. The following was stated about Walmart’s placement:

How’s this for consistent – Walmart finds itself at the bottom of the ACSI list, for an astonishing nineteenth year in a row. But it’s not all bad news – Walmart has shown some improvement, as its rating is up four points from last year, for its strongest showing since 2020. But Walmart was dead last back then, too. With every other retailer rising in the rankings, even an improved Walmart apparently isn’t good enough.

With 25 stores in Maine, comprising 19 Supercenters, 3 discount stores, and 3 Sam’s Clubs, there’s no shortage of representation in Vacationland. As of October 31, 2023, over 8,000 Mainers make up Walmart's full-time workforce.