Grocery Store With 18 Locations in Illinois Named Best in America

A new poll just announced America's best grocery store.

Trader Joe's, Costco, or even ALDI might have been the expected winners, but the result is surprising.

The top pick according to USA Today's 10 Best poll is...Hy-Vee.

Wait, what?

USA Today says Hy-Vee works with farmers for fruits and vegetables while highlighting its massive salad bars and food counters, which feature meatloaf, pizza, and fried chicken.

Scrape Hero's data differs from USA Today's, claiming that over 300 Hy-Vee locations are scattered throughout the Midwest.

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Hy-Vee's presence is significant in the Midwest, with 153 locations in Iowa, 41 in Minnesota, 31 in Missouri, 28 in Nebraska, and 18 in Illinois.

I looked for the closest Hy-Vee near me and found one in Sycamore to check the place out.

I may have shopped at a Hy-Vee once or twice when I lived in Kansas. It's okay—it's a grocery store.

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I find that much of what USA Today said supports the reasoning for Hy-Vee taking the top spot, which is essentially what many local grocery stores do these days.

While I'd like a Hy-Vee because more competition is always a good thing, I can't complain while having a Woodman's, ALDI, and Meijer in my backyard.

Here's the complete list of USA Today's Best Grocery Stores in the US:

1. Hy-Vee
2. The Fresh Market
3. Heinen's Grocery Store
4. Stew Leonard's
5. Gelson's Markets
6. ALDI
7. Public Super Markets
8. Trader Joe's
9. Wegmans Food Markets
10. Fresh Thyme Market

What's your take on this? Do you agree with the poll's result or have a different favorite? We'd love to hear from you.