Ranking The Top 12 Grocery Store Chains Known For Their Meat Departments

If you would drive a cart with the sticky wheel over Heaven and Earth for a buy-one-get-one pork butt, this one's for you. Just about every chain grocery store has a meat department. But which one is really worth your time and money? Well, you're about to land the best protein of your life (at least at a supermarket).

You might think that your best option would be your local butcher shop. And while that kind of attention to detail comes at a price, who wants to run around to different shops to source their meat? Plus, with growing transparency around sourcing and sustainable practices, it's much easier to decipher exactly where your supermarket ribeye really came from. When ethical meat production grows in scale, those discounts are passed straight onto grocery store shoppers. Cha-ching.

I enjoy a good burger or steak — and I eat animal protein every day — but I couldn't possibly take a thorough sample of nationwide grocery store meat departments in all their glory all by myself. So I hit up the internet — specifically Reddit and TikTok — for a customer-driven take on the beefiest shopping for cost-conscious carnivores. (Plant-based buyers, you're in, too.) Check out these popular grocery store meat departments, ranked from worst to best.

Offering a unique, community-specific layout at each of its Texas-based locations since 1905, H-E-B is well-known for its meat department. But despite selling everything from ballpark frankfurters to mesquite-smoked ham and New York strip steaks, some shoppers are pulling a U-ie at the first sign of ground chuck.

This meat selection may be solid on the basics, but H-E-B isn't the place to look for fancier cuts. As one Redditor asked, "H-E-B carries USDA Prime steaks. Are you looking for something beyond that, like dry-aged? Wagyu?" USDA Prime is the highest quality available beef in the U.S. It will be full of flavorful marbling, but if you're looking for aged or imported beef, this probably isn't the spot.

Over on TikTok, several users called "fowl" on the raw chicken breasts from the chain, wondering if it was actually lab-grown meat. Commenters guessed it had been frozen and thawed a few times, giving the chicken an oddly stringy texture. "H-E-B chicken sucks and is overpriced, so eventually I just stopped buying it," wrote a Reddit user. The beef fared no better, with TikTokers sharing footage of packaged steaks that showed silvery discoloration and raw ground beef that appeared to have oxidized. It's normal for the myoglobin in meat to change color after a day or two in the fridge — and it's perfectly safe to eat. But while H-E-B hits the right price point for many people, it loses steam on aesthetics, landing the chain in the bottom spot.

Southern California's Stater Bros. has been slinging the meat counter hits since 1936. But even its USDA Choice and Certified Angus beef designations haven't been able to win over choosy customers who clearly have a bone to pick with this chain. (No offense to the California state-certified meat cutters who trained at least two years for this impending roast.)

Inconsistency seems to be a theme for Stater Bros. customers. One Redditor shared a story about a delectable USDA Choice rib roast that had evident marbling when it was custom cut by the on-staff butcher. But another user recalled choosing a poor bone-in steak, posting, "I bought the ribeye anyways and was very disappointed. Costco is a better place for steaks ... Lesson learned, don't eat/buy steaks at Stater Bros. again."

On TikTok, one person shared a video of USDA Choice thin-sliced beef chuck that was stained purple on the edges. Many commenters pointed to that mark being the remnant of food-grade ink stamps used by USDA inspectors to approve the animal. Another user shared a video showing stringy, raw chicken breasts that left them guessing about whether it was lab-grown meat. Even if man-made chicken looms on the horizon, as of April 2024, it wasn't yet being sold in U.S. grocery stores. Looks like the meat at Stater Bros. suffered its biggest blunder in the beauty department.

More than a few shoppers out there are down for a spin around the Walmart meat department. It puts out fourth-generation farmed American beef, grilling staples, plant-based options, and chicken drumsticks by the 5-pound bag. Plus, who can say no to buying groceries and major retail items all in one place? (Well, these people did.)

Opposing a fan who praised options like the USDA Choice ribeyes available at the store, one Redditor shared a video shot while opening a new package of Walmart hot dogs which appeared to be covered in a thick, sticky goo. Other users lamented the strictly pre-packaged options when they were hoping for a custom cut. As one Walmart employee shared on Reddit, "We don't cut the meat at all ... The only time we come in contact with raw meat is when we are doing throwaways. This is why we can't cut your steak 'just a little bit thinner.' Don't yell at me."

Somehow even less appetizing was a TikTok video showing alleged price gouging on Walmart chicken breasts. In a post revealing that a package that was labeled (and priced) at 4.78 pounds actually weighed only 2.2 pounds at checkout, the shopper declared, "Walmart is getting us ... they're screwing us." Are those rollback prices worth questionable quality and possibly blurry ethics? That's one item you'll have to figuratively scan at the self-checkout.

Sneaking past one of its main rivals, at least according to shoppers, Sam's Club appears to beat Walmart's meat department any day of the week. The internet might not agree on anything else, but when it comes to this preferred place to stock up on meat, the fans have spoken.

As one Reddit user noted, Walmart doesn't have staffers on hand to prep the meat, but Sam's Club does. This is, in fact, true, with a TikToker explaining that a Sam's Club employee sliced an entire boneless pork loin into 1-inch chops. The customer posted, "I don't know who needs to hear this, but #samsclub will cut #meat for you however you want it done." (Eat it, Walmart.)

Over on a Reddit sub about the quality of Sam's Club meat, a commenter shared, "I prefer to get beef from Sam's Club, honestly. Half the price of my local shop and about the same quality." Someone else pointed to great pork belly, as well as standout brisket. While others chose Sam's Club over Walmart based on location and accessibility, most shoppers praised the Sam's Club meat department for everything from deli meat to USDA Prime ribeye steaks.

A familiar brand in 35 states, Kroger has banked billions in sales with a mission that prioritizes integrity and transparency with its customers. And it seems those values extend to the Kroger meat department, which has amassed plenty of loyal fans.

With many people noting steep discounts on a variety of different beef cuts, pork chops, chicken, and even plant-based burger patties, one shopper confessed, "My eyes are trained to find those managers' specials stickers at [50] yards." Another Reddit user posted, "Our Kroger has wonderful ribeyes. And good sales. I recently got a 7.8-pound ribeye roast for $27.22 total. We got [eight] steaks out of it and they were delicious."

Other than a photo of reduced-cost "gray meat" burger patties that someone posted to Reddit, most Kroger customers are happy campers in the chain's well-stocked meat department. (Maybe keep one eye open when it comes to the clearance section.) Want the best tip from Reddit when it comes to catching deals before anyone else? Just ask the people behind the meat counter when your favorite cuts will be getting close to the expiration (and therefore discounted) date.

If this was a ranking based on drama, Whole Foods would sweep for most contentious meat department on the internet. With fans of the sustainably-minded chain loving the organic, grass-fed beef and small-batch sausage from local ranchers, plenty of naysayers don't think the purported quality of the meat is worth the substantially higher price point in comparison to other stores.

The Whole Foods steak selection gets fat on praise, with only a few questions about cost muddying the meaty waters. A butcher for the company noted the implementation of extensive ethical standards — including a four-step Animal Welfare Rating — that are used to source and package the meat, along with the available customization of cuts. "I got a grass-fed ribeye from WF with a nice fat cap on it, and it was one of the best steaks I've had in my life," wrote one Redditor. Vowing to give up meat altogether if Whole Foods ever broke its stride, a TikToker posted, "I only purchase my meat from Whole Foods, and once Whole Foods fails me on the meat products ... I'm done with eating meat. PERIOD." Even plant-based fans noted the selection of meat alternatives in nearly as many varieties as the animal stuff.

So, is the Whole Foods meat department a lifestyle? Is it the beginning of a spiritual journey? Or is this simply a case of you-get-what-you-pay-for? With opinions falling on both sides of the aisle, Whole Foods lands in the middle of the list.

With slightly more shopper-friendly pricing than the previous chain on this list, Wegmans meat department knocks it out of the park with fans. But with stores dotting a limited region in New England and part of the eastern seaboard, this one's just for customers in the eight states Wegmans serves. (Hope y'all are Bill's fans.) As one Redditor warned, "If you can get past all the Buffalo Bills stuff during football season, Wegmans has a great selection of quality meat."

Perhaps in a reference to the antibiotic-free, organic chicken breast from the chain, one Reddit user explained that the chicken consistently turned out moist and tender, no matter how they happened to prepare it. But you don't need to cook it at all if you go for the prepared fried chicken at Wegmans. As a TikTok reviewer posted, "It is really juicy. It's really, really crunchy. It is seasoned. As far as the ones that I've gotten from stores — probably the best one that I've had."

As for the chain's red meat selection, it seems customers have been able to hunt down some deep, delicious discounts if they look for them. One TikToker shared a .33 pound Wagyu steak that they scored for just $10 on sale. And plenty of other videos featuring family dinner strip steaks, sauce-covered lamb chops, and tender steak bites cut by butchers, on-premise at Wegmans, helped secure a solid sixth position for this fan-favorite grocery chain.

It may be a Southern California-based chain, but Bristol Farms has been sourcing the best USDA Prime and Choice beef for its meat department since the '80s. Will a gourmet cut cost more than the other supermarkets on this list? Yes. But, according to customers, you just have to shop smart. (A smaller store like this is also a great spot to ask for discounted off-cuts of fancy cheese for a dinner party. Shh! It'll be our little secret.)

The chain regularly discounts high-end cuts like tomahawks and puts out buy-one-get-one deals on New York Prime steaks. The meat department also offers dry-aged beef, which newer stores keep in glass-walled coolers. If you were still wondering, this company definitely caters to those with luxurious tastes. As one lifelong fan posted to TikTok, "I don't care how many grocery stores open, Bristol Farms will forever be my freaking favorite."

Even shoppers who live outside the local perimeter of Bristol Farms make the trek for a taste of the meat selection. On a Reddit post that featured an enviable and beautifully marbled beef loin, one person asked, "Is it typical to see steaks like these there? I live about an hour away and I'll gladly make the trip if that's true." Bristol Farms enjoys long relationships with generations of top-tier ranchers. As a Los Angeles local myself (there's a Bristol Farms within walking distance), I can confirm that these steaks are worth it.

One of the biggest changes at Aldi may have been fully ditching plastic bags as of January 2024, but you'll still want to grab your sturdiest reusable grocery tote for the goodies in the much-loved meat department. At No. 4, Aldi slices and dices the competition with zero-additive, USDA Choice beef to become a hands-down favorite for fans.

Someone who had previously once purchased a butchered cow straight from a farm even preferred Aldi, posting to Reddit, "Aldi is always the best. I don't know why. They're also almost always the cheapest. I could eat their ribeyes and grass-fed ground beef for the rest of my life and be happy." Others pointed to vacuum-sealed packaging on the ribeyes, leading to longer-lasting freshness in the fridge, and a Black Angus selection that can't be beat for the price.

With some customers noting inconsistent management between stores, it seems that quality can vary somewhat between locations. Still, overall, the company's meat department appears to be a good bet if you're looking for ethical, sustainable sourcing that prioritizes animal welfare. As this Redditor shared, "Meat is the best thing to buy at my Aldi. Half the price of other places." Sounds like a USDA Choice Black Angus chuck roast is what's for dinner tonight.

It's an eastern-half-of-the-U.S. thing, but The Fresh Market still dominates the supermarket meat department competition. On-site butchers pack up marbled, tender USDA Choice beef, along with antibiotic-free turkey and chicken, and delectable cuts of pork.

A former Fresh Market employee shared word of especially great deals on chicken and beef on Tuesdays. Another user chimed in on the chicken situation, posting, "Their rotisserie chickens are the best of any grocery I've tried." (Those chickens have also been listed as special for as low as $5 each.) The chain also offers deals on everything from flank steak to marinated chicken breast nearly every day of the week. On the flip side of the ol' grocery budget, The Fresh Market also offers higher-end cuts like stunningly marbled American Wagyu. Whether you're popping in for ingredients to cook up a quick weeknight dinner or planning a little something special, there's a cut and a price point for everyone.

Social media is jam-packed with videos showcasing the latest Fresh Market meat department finds, as well as classics like porterhouse steaks and beef tenderloin filets. A loyal TikTok super fan posted, "I love it here; I love grocery shopping here because I love their meat. Their meat is so fresh and good."

As we close in on the top spot, it all comes down to a battle between the most succulent meat and the greatest grocery store rotisserie chickens. But, chickens aside, even though Sprouts Farmers Market slides in at second place, there's no denying its top-of-the-line meat department.

From chimichurri steak to kalbi marinated beef and grass-fed sirloin, shoppers are flocking to their nearest Sprouts Farmers Market meat case. Having already set up shop in 23 states, the company continues to expand its reach with organic, grass-fed, all-natural, antibiotic-free, and preservative-free protein varieties of all kinds. It's all high-quality cuts, offered at budget-friendly prices, and fans of the chain make quick work of snapping up the deals. As one Reddit user explained, "I always tell people it's Whole Foods quality at Food Lion prices, or that's how I look at it." 

Sprouts Farmers Market also follows ethical sourcing guidelines established by the Better Chicken Commitment policies. It's that mission, along with weekly discounts and "Discovery Days" incentives for shoppers, that keeps people coming in the door. When a Redditor asked about the best grocery store rotisserie chicken, almost everyone on the subreddit suggested Sprouts, with one user adding, "Plus their sides are da bomb." Sold.

Just in time for the ringing of the bell for the rotisserie chicken restock, Costco tops the list as the number one grocery store to get your meat on. Is it because you can throw a package of eight USDA Choice Black Angus beef cowboy steaks in your cart without blinking an eye? Well, bulk discounts are the name of the game at Costco's meat department.

Need a little inspo? One shopper said they use their entire membership just for one food group, posting to Reddit, "We have our Costco membership for meats — mostly pork butts and belly, brisket, short ribs, chicken breasts, and thighs each month." Costco Business Centers stock an even wider variety of meat, with specials like whole lambs, halal preparations, and American Wagyu brisket at discounted, case-sized pricing. As for the rotisserie chickens, shoppers love them for easy meal prep and freezing for future casseroles. 

Another Reddit user confirmed the affordability of the Costco meat selection, posting, "It is very hard to beat the price per pound. And the quality is noticeably better than the supermarkets around me." If you don't have one yet, it might be time to snag a membership card and get your hands on the tastiest meat around.

While it would have been a delight to dress in a trench coat and fake mustache, slinking around the meat case like a cartoon spy, I went the slightly more efficient route by scrubbing Reddit and TikTok for the scoop. Because if anyone knows grocery stores like the back of their phones, it's internet shoppers. This ranking represents the average commenter's experience.

Now that you've got the meat, deciding whether or not your freshly sliced ham will accidentally linger for too long in the fridge is totally up to you.