Maine Shoppers Have It Good: 8 of America’s Most Popular Grocery Stores Are Here

For years, buying groceries in Maine was basically the same story: Hannaford and Shaw’s were running the show. Those two were the big dogs, and the smaller stores were just trying to pick up whatever was left.

However, as Bob Dylan once sang (and still sings), “the times they are a-changin’,” and more options are now on the table.

Maine Has Many National Grocery Store Chains

Maine’s grocery scene has been completely shaken up by major national retailers like Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s. Even the monster regional chain Market Basket keeps growing its footprint in the state, including a new store opening in Scarborough.

 Mainers now have more options than ever, and the competition is fierce.

Let’s face it—people can get pretty territorial about where they shop. That kind of loyalty sparks some strong debates (and arguments) about which chain is really the best.

Those fierce rivalries are probably what led Stacker to put together a list of the most popular supermarket chains in the country. Here’s a little on how they came up with the results

Stacker used consumer ratings from the first quarter of 2023, sourced from YouGov polls...YouGov ratings are based on national polling and weighted to equitably represent different demographics, such as age and gender.

Maine’s grocery options are well-represented. I guess that means we’re pretty darn lucky to have so many solid choices up here.

What Grocery Chains Can be Found in Maine?

Eight of the 40 most popular markets can be found here in the Pine Tree State, including five in the top 10. Those five include Shaw’s parent company, Albertsons, at number 10; the variety chain Circle-K at number 8; Whole Foods in 5th; and Trader Joe’s in 2nd.

And Maine is also home to the number-one spot, which is (drumroll, please)...

7-Eleven.

Wait—what?

Yep, 7-Eleven is the most popular grocery store in America. It sounds weird, but maybe it adds up. It is super convenient, and honestly, who doesn’t love a Slurpee?

READ MORE: 20 Must-Try Under-the-Radar Spots in Portland, Maine

Other stores on the list that can be found in Maine include Hannaford, Save A Lot, and IGA. You can check out the full rankings below.

What store is your favorite?