Saturday mid-afternoon, and I’d rather be anywhere than my local Trader Joe’s. 

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It’s a journey that would make Han Solo quiver, both Lewis and Clark tremble.

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The first battle is the parking lot. You have to circle it at least five times before you find an open spot. And, of course, once you do finally find a vacancy, you have to fight with the other car that conveniently found it at the same time as you.

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Walking in, you already see no carts or baskets. People are herded in each aisle like sheep. You’re butt-to-butt with a stranger in the frozen vegetable aisle. 

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Handwritten signs that look like the workers personally wrote it for you, because they probably did, the way they flirt with you at checkout.

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Plus, a lot of the time they don’t have the staples. Sesame seeds? Nope. Honey mustard? You thought. Philly Cheesesteak Bao Buns? Oh yeah, you’re right on. 

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So, despite the ridiculous shopping experience, why do people love Trader Joe’s so much?

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Turns out there is a Trader named Joe. Joe Coulombe was a guy who loved to travel and saw the potential in opening up a grocery store that pushed the boundaries of food exploration. Standing at 610 S. Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena, California, he opened up the first Trader Joe's in 1967. Initially serving just the local area, it quickly became a national favorite. 

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In Jan. 2025, the American Customer Satisfaction Index found that Trader Joe’s ranked top among shoppers’ favorite grocery stores, tied with Publix for first place. 

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Its customers are like fans. When new items are released, they blow up on social media. There are TikTok accounts like @traderjoestalia and @traderjoesnew that garner millions of likes from their Trader Joe’s product-related videos. The fans are loyal to the point of a cult, and it only keeps growing. 

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When Lexy Gazmarian, a junior at Syracuse University, needed an egg to pair with her morning sausage, she went to her closest grocery store: Tops. 

It’s a staple grocery store chain in Upstate New York. Pretty standard, it’ll have what you need.

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But this time, her go-to let her down.

 

A dozen of eggs was $10, nearly triple from the price it was two years ago. Thanks to the egg shortage that’s slapped this year with record high prices, shopping for simple items seems complicated.

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But then she went to Trader Joe’s: $4.50. Only $5.50 in savings, but to a college student, that’s like rags to riches. 

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An immediate buy for Lexy and extra points to her customer loyalty. Now her go-to is Trader Joe’s, because who doesn’t love saving a few bucks. 

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Why the prices are lower: their products are theirs. Trader Joe’s primarily sells products under its own brand name, making deals directly with manufacturers and growers, according to their website. Basically, they cut the middleman– the distributors that require those extra costs.

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That’s what makes it the spot for cheap finds. Pamela Vachon from CNET compared the prices of 48 items from Trader Joe’s and Stop & Shop. The total at Trader Joe’s was $150.32, Stop & Shop $227.45, coming to nearly 33% in savings. I’m down to grocery-battle a person or two if it means saving that much money.

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Their in-house operation is also why the product packaging is gorgeous. Everything is glitzy and beautiful. They have their own group of designers that crafts every item into a piece of art. You go to buy a bag of coffee grounds and you’re met with a painting of beautiful Victorian men.

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If we were to make it a competition (because it kind of is), Trader Joe’s is the prima donna and Tops is the background dancer. 

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“I kind of feel loved when I’m there,” Gazmarian said. “The items are unique, yes, but I find so many that feel perfectly tailored to my taste.”

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Maybe that Philly Cheesesteak Bao Bun is the perfect Tuesday dinner for someone out there. For Lexy, it’s the Shawarma Chicken Thighs.

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“It comes marinated and it’s delicious. All I need to do is heat the pan, which is perfect after my long days.”

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Perhaps the appeal is in just that– that you will find products you can’t find anywhere else. Plus, their ability to withstand the fluctuations of America’s economy is why it’s so reliable for fans. 

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So maybe the overstimulation is worth it, because what comes out of shopping at Trader Joe’s is an experience. In a time of drive-up pick-up orders and Instacart, the experience of being a customer is lost. But Trader Joe’s is there, luring you in with their gourmet cheeses, $5 wine and way-too-small parking lot.

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Because where else could I buy some Chocolate Lava Gnocchi while getting hit on by a cute employee?