The Easy Way To Cinch Hard-To-Find Trader Joe's Items

From specialty snacks to frozen foods, Trader Joe's is royalty amongst the various grocery store chains. But there are frustrating parts about being a fan of Trader Joe's, like wanting to try popular items, only to find it is out of stock every time you visit. Even when you figure out the best weekday to shop at Trader Joe's to avoid long lines and big crowds, you may still be met with disappointingly empty aisles where your favorite products used to be. While Trader Joe's likely won't ever deliver your groceries nor will they offer online shopping, there is one way to ensure that your favorite item is reserved for you when you arrive: call ahead and ask nicely for an employee to set your desired items aside.

The call ahead method is a not-so-secret hack that many Trader Joe's shoppers will utilize when they really want to get their hands on a popular product. One TikToker attempted this hack for themselves and was happy to confirm that the rumors are true, happily collecting the two packs of hash brown patties that they had requested to be set aside.

This Food Republic writer discovered this hack in person from a helpful Trader Joe's employee after one grocery trip where I was disappointed to find that my local store was all out of ube-covered pretzels yet again. The cashier advised me to call the store phone number early in the morning to reserve a bag, then simply give my name and pick it up within 24 hours. I followed the instructions, and happily picked up two bags of ube pretzels later that day.

There may be limits on what Trader Joe's is and is not willing to set aside for you when you call ahead. One Reddit user shared that their local TJ's will not reserve seasonal items, which fly off the shelves every year much to the chagrin of unlucky shoppers. It is also unlikely that Trader Joe's will be willing to hold more than a few items for you — it is best not to try out this call ahead hack with your entire grocery list. If you do get a no when you request for a popular item to be reserved, be polite and graceful with the understanding that if the employee was able to help, you know they would.

One of the reasons that Trader Joe's seems to frequently be out of stock is because it does not carry nearly as much stock as other, larger grocery stores. This is done on purpose to eliminate food waste by avoiding an excess of unused, spoiled products. The limited stock also allows Trader Joe's to continue offering a wide range of new and experimental items without the major burden of having to offload a ton of product if it doesn't sell. With this knowledge, many shoppers are encouraged to snag items while they are available, because you never know if you will see them on shelves again. If you happen to call on a day when stock is limited, don't be surprised if the Trader Joe's employee cannot accommodate your request.