What’s the best grocery store in Raleigh? Here’s what our readers told us
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Price Check: Your guide to the Triangle’s grocery stores and warehouse clubs
Read The News & Observer for tips and advice to make the best choices while shopping for groceries — and more — at traditional grocers and wholesale clubs in North Carolina.
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This summer, The News & Observer’s service journalism team price-checked groceries at 16 popular grocery stores in Raleigh. Our reporting found ALDI has the lowest prices, but shoppers we encountered at a variety of stores told us why other grocers have their heart.
So we opened up the question to readers, asking them to tell us where they shop and why. What about the store’s offerings, prices, location or other quality makes it the household favorite?
We got about a dozen responses from passionate grocery shoppers with strong opinions on their best (and sometimes hands-down worst) nearby stores — and some let us publish their thoughts. (You can always reach us at ask@newsobserver.com.)
Some responses have been lightly edited for grammar, clarity and length. Here’s what they said.
Favorite Raleigh grocer: Harris Teeter
Merrilee Jacobson of Raleigh
Most important factors: Price, quality and grocery experience
Grocery thoughts: “While Harris Teeter tends to be a bit pricier than places like Walmart and ALDI, I’m a loyal customer because of their VIC card specials, the $10 coupon that appears in The N&O from time to time, the freshness of their produce, their organic options and the 5% discount. Plus, I get to see a lot of my over-60 friends on Thursdays! I drive by Publix and Fresh Market on my way to Harris Teeter several times a week. Once in a while, my husband and I reward ourselves with a box of caramel corn at Publix on the way home from choir practice. (Harris Teeter doesn’t sell the brand we like.)”
Rich Woynicz of Cary
Most important factors: Discounts, quality and grocery experience
Grocery thoughts: “We (I since I am retired) shop mostly at Harris Teeter for four primary reasons: Senior discounts on Thursdays, fuel points (that do really add up), their produce is some of the best in the area and though they may be more expensive, their sales (thank you N&O for the Wednesday sales flyers) make many of the things I purchase very competitive with others. I shop at Cary Crescent Commons and the people there are very friendly. They always say good morning and hello, and that makes me feel welcome in their store. It makes a difference. My second go-to grocery store is Food Lion, primarily for price.”
Jim Gogan of Carrboro
Most important factors: Convenient location and price
Grocery thoughts: “Carrboro Harris Teeter is my preferred store because of how close it is to home: only about a mile. The senior discount is an added attraction (and given that it starts at age 60 and I’m currently 72, I’ve definitely taken advantage of it). The combination of VIC sale prices and the senior discount has saved me over $1500 just since the start of 2024, so YAY! The fact that Harris Teeter actually keeps track of my annual savings is pretty cool. But I do need to go elsewhere on a regular basis to get things my store doesn’t stock, so every other week, I make a ‘fill in the gaps’ stop at Wegmans in Chapel Hill.”
Favorite Raleigh grocer: Weaver Street Market
Jim Smith of Raleigh
Most important factors: Community support and online shopping
Grocery thoughts: “We shop at Weaver Street Market in Raleigh for most of our groceries. We like supporting a co-op (we are members) that supports local and organic producers, and the fact that their online shopping is very quick and easy. We started ordering online during COVID and love being able to just drive up and have the groceries brought out and put in our trunk. And as seniors, the modest $4.95 service fee is waived! We’ve found that we can trust them to pick our produce, and quality is excellent.”
Favorite Raleigh grocer: Wegmans
Brian Weiner of Wake Forest
Most important factor: Price
Grocery thoughts: “My wife and I shop primarily at Wegmans, as the prices and value are incredible. Unfortunately some areas of this store are lacking, especially bread, paper goods and cat items. Others are shockingly expensive, especially meats and poultry. As a result, we also shop at Publix and Harris Teeter for fill-in items. The transition from Cape Cod, Massachusetts (which in many ways is a supermarket desert) to Wake Forest has been incredible. We have been slightly delirious over what we can find. But of course, like many 70-year-olds, I’m a bit of a picky [expletive] and want what I want. So far, we have actually hit Aldi, Lowes, Wegmans, Publix, and Harris Teeter...with more to explore.”
Judy Predmore of Northeast Raleigh
Most important factors: Price, convenient location and shopping experience
Grocery thoughts: “Before the recent bout of inflation, I shopped for most things at Harris Teeter as a sucker for their BOGO sales. Now that I’m retired and need to watch my budget more, I’m going to also go to Lidl, ALDI and Wegmans. Also, now that the pandemic scare is over, I can take longer to shop where I’m not as familiar with the layout. When I had two fussy cats, I bought most of my Fancy Feast from Food Lion, which was not only cheaper, but their cans came from a larger variety of lot numbers. (Several cat owners I know have noticed that cat food lots are like vintage wines. Fussy cats prefer certain lots, so I bought from a variety of lots.)”
Favorite Raleigh grocer: Food Lion
Dee Lowery of Graham
Most important factor: Quality
Grocery thoughts: “I have to say you are wrong on Aldi. Yes the prices are good, but the quality is something not mentioned. Their produce goes bad very quickly. Now I am not the shopper, my husband is, but I am the cook and when I go for onions I do not want rotten. We all know they do not carry too many name brands, but I can say their brands give me migraines. I know most people can eat their stuff but this shopper has stopped going there. Now he does 80% at Food Lion then Publix or Lowes for sales. Harris Teeter has the worst meat. I have returned ground meat twice due to smell, and no one should eat meat that’s black inside. So you can save money, but if quality isn’t there, you are throwing food away.”
