2 St. Cloud-area grocery stores named among the best
USA TODAY has released its list of the 10 best grocery stores in the U.S. for 2026. Two of the supermarkets included in the top 10 have locations you can visit right here in the St. Cloud area. USA TODAY 10Best ranked U.S. grocery stores for their value, selection and service. The 10 best grocery stores were nominated by an expert panel and voted on by readers. The ranking was released in early September. Two chains with central Minnesota locations made the list: Fresh Thyme Market and Aldi. Here's where they landed. Aldi Aldi came in at No. 4 on the 10best list. Low prices are also a big selling point for Aldi shoppers. One way Aldi is able to provide these lower prices is by offsetting other costs. Shoppers have to bring their own bags or purchase them from Aldi, and the shopping carts need a quarter to be unlocked, which can be reclaimed once the shopper returns the cart. This reduces the need for extra employees to bring in carts from the parking lot. USA TODAY also highlighted the store's lenient return policy, called the "Twice as Nice Guarantee," in which Aldi replaces the product and refunds the
