20 Popular Chain Grocery Stores For Meat, Ranked

Correction 5/15: A previous version of this article indicated that Stater Bros. exclusively sources its meat from Harris Ranch. Meat from multiple brands is sold at the chain.

Making a trip to the grocery store can feel like a hassle at times. But, it's reassuring for shoppers to know that their local store has an accessible, and also high-quality, selection of meats to choose from. Determining where to shop involves considering the number of cuts available, the quality of meat products, and how easy it is to shop at the store. So, what is considered the best grocery store chain for purchasing top-tier cuts? 

Although the meat sold at your grocery store may not come from a local farm (like you would find at a farm stand or farmers market), popular chains can offer convenience and allow diverse groups to fill their nutritional needs. Whether you are looking for strictly grass-fed meat, an easy shopping experience, or prefer to ask a lot of questions before making a purchase, you can find the perfect grocery store for you — with a little help from this review. Nowadays, there are numerous grocery store chains that offer conventional and premium cuts of meat. Here are the best chains that you should consider shopping at. 

Even if you go to a Super Target, the meat selection is subpar. And if it is a regular Target, there are only a few pre-packaged cuts of meat. Target also doesn't have an on-site butcher, so everything is pre-packaged. In general, we would avoid heading to Target to shop for meat.

The general quality of Target meat, whether it is the small display at a traditional Target or the enhanced offering found at a Super Target, is on par with most other grocery stores. While Target does have its own "Food Animal Welfare Commitments," the meat it sells comes from Thomas Foods, the same meat provider as Walmart and Safeway. A small percentage of meat from Thomas Foods comes from Nicaragua. If you're curious as to where the meat does come from, make sure to read the labeling closely on the package before purchasing. The only real reason why we have Target listed below the other two locations is because of the volume of meat available.

You might be surprised to find Trader Joe's so far down on this list. Now, the meat the grocery store does sell is fantastic. The problem is the selection. There's very little of it. You can stand in front of the small display of meat without turning your head. So grab meat from Trader Joe's if you're already there, but don't go out of your way to shop for meat from Trader Joe's.

One of the issues with Trader Joe's, however, is it can be difficult to backtrack the company's food sources. Just about everything sold at Trader Joe's is a third-party manufacturer, such as Teva, Kayem Foods, and Empire, and the company simply slaps its own label on top and sells it as its own. The exact company it buys from will likely vary depending on where you live. A Trader Joe's in Arizona will likely obtain its meat from a different location than Trader Joe's in Michigan.

The main reason why we have Trader Joe's this far down on our list is that it is difficult to identify exactly where the meat comes from. That might not be a big deal if you're buying boxed cookies. But when it comes to meat, that would be something nice to know.

While the Walmart Supercenter might have a large meat selection, it isn't always possible to track down where the meat came from, and you're not going to find many specialty cuts. You will find some organic options, but there won't be many options when it comes to dry-aged and grain finished.

As we covered in the Target section, much of the meat Walmart offers comes from Tyson and Cargill. The main difference between Walmart and Target is you will find a larger selection of meat in Walmart. Most Walmart grocery stores are now Supercenters, and the Neighborhood Markets provide a large selection of meats as well. Even the smaller Walmart grocery stores still have an adequate meat selection.

However, in addition to Thomas Foods, the grass-fed meat, which includes grass-fed beef, comes from within the United States (typically Wyoming and Utah). Walmart also purchased a stake in Sustainable Beef LLC in 2022, which is a rancher-owned meat company based in Nebraska.

The Giant grocery chain can be found along the East Coast. You may also hear it called Giant-Carlisle or Giant-Landover. Frequent Giant shoppers may be familiar with the store's selection of Nature's Promise organic and grass-fed beef. The label sources its beef from farms in South Dakota, Colorado, Nebraska, and Idaho. Ranchers and farmers who partner with the company raise animals on certified organic land and 100% organic feed.

While the Nature's Promise organic beef receives high marks for quality, the availability of meat in the Giant stores is a different story. When we've visited the chain in the past, we've had to dig through a few options before getting our hands on a quality package of meat. We've have also come across slim pickings in the butcher's section and sometimes empty displays of certain cuts. This could be due to a number of reasons, but it's discouraging to make a trip to the grocery store knowing that there's a good chance the meat you need may be out of stock. Again, this could be caused by other factors, like going to the store too late or right before the next delivery, but people want to have confidence that their grocery store can supply the products that they need. After too many disappointments, customers may abandon ship for a chain that is more consistent in terms of its product availability.

The grocery chain is visited by shoppers in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Wakefern Food Corp., ShopRite's parent company, sets strict standards for its vendors to ensure they follow its Animal Welfare and Care Program. This includes providing quality feed, allowing the animals to engage in normal behaviors, and ensuring humane treatment at all times. In 2021, ShopRite launched its private label Bowl & Basket Fresh Chicken line, promising chicken grown without the use or steroids, antibiotics, and hormones. The brand is an addition to the company's other private labels, Paperbird and Wholesome Pantry.

ShopRite can be crowded, so there may be some waiting involved to access to your desired cut — whether it's waiting for your fellow customer to make room so you can get a better look in the freezer section or waiting in line for the butcher. Due to the crowds, the butchers might be a little too busy to give you the attention and detail you need to pick the perfect cut. Their goal at that point is to keep the line moving, so your question may receive a short response at best. You'll have a better chance of getting your questions fully answered during off-peak hours, so long as you can track someone down. We have previously come across empty butcher areas during early afternoon visits to the store. However, if you find yourself selecting meat from the prepackaged section, rest assured that it's typically wrapped well and don't leak.

This Midwest grocery staple does have a wide display of meat. While you're not going to find the unique animal offerings found at, say, a Kroger, if you need basic cuts of meat or hefty amounts, Meijer is a solid option to consider.

Meijer ranked relatively low on this list because it doesn't have many strong commitments to animal welfare or ethical sourcing compared to the top brands on this list. It hasn't made any pledges to support animal welfare, besides pledging to only purchase cage-free eggs by 2025, which follows in the same footsteps as brands like Kroger. 

One benefit of buying beef from Meijer, though, is that it's freshly cut and put on display daily. So, you're not going to sift through meat that has been sitting on shelves for long periods of time. This can be beneficial for customers seeking the freshest cuts of steak or ground beef for their dinner plates. 

Lidl has a global presence with store locations in the United States, Europe, and Asia. In the U.S., Lidl customers can choose from a selection of high-quality beef, sourced from ranchers who are forthcoming with information about the treatment and health of their livestock. The grocery store offers select cuts of grass-fed and free-range beef. Those who prefer organic poultry may be pleased to know that the birds supplied to Lidl are fed a non-GMO and 100% organic diet and never given antibiotics. Both conventional and organic poultry at Lidl is sourced from American farms. Although the company relies on American suppliers for a lot of its meat, it turns to Australia for quality cuts of lamb. One of its lamb suppliers, Swift, raises free-range lamb with no growth hormones. 

While the grocery chain appears to have high standards when it comes to its meat, some shoppers aren't happy with the quality of its cuts. Some customers have complained of seeing rotten meat in the freezers at different locations. Some customers have also reported damp, faulty seals on the packaging at the stores, while other have reported clean, stress-free shopping experiences. That being said, many folks have only had positive experiences at the store and consider the brand to be one of the best grocery stores. Lidl stores tend to be clean and often well-stocked with endless cuts of meat, grocery items, and other knickknacks. 

BJ's Wholesale Club is well-known to customers along the East Coast, especially for its private label, Wellsley Farms, which adorns much of the packaged meat aisle. Customers who purchase poultry from the business will appreciate that it carries free-range chicken, which some believe has moister and more tender meat than conventionally-raised birds.

In addition to fresh cuts and packaged meats, BJ's also offers customers the opportunity to purchase smaller cuts of meat than what often fills the shelves. Although wholesale clubs like BJ's center around bulk buying, customers can request their preferred quantity of meat to be repackaged with the assistance of in-store butchers. The butchers are helpful and attentive, but you may want to take caution when grabbing your meat from a freezer. While it is understandable for meat packages to leak, we have mostly found our hands rather wet after reaching for our desired cut in the BJ's freezers.

Moreover, gaining access to these various meats may prove difficult if you don't know your club's delivery days. In our experience, visiting a location on the wrong day could mean slim pickings and empty shelves. If you do manage to find a few packages of meat left, they may not look appealing and may cause you to rethink if you really need the product that bad. The good thing about BJ's is that there is plenty of space, so you don't have to worry about crowding when you're searching for your desired cut of meat.

You're probably not going to find a better-priced cut of steak than at Costco. Because the company buys so much at once, the price savings are passed down to you. Specialty cuts are difficult to come by, although there is usually a butcher on hand to assist with your meat needs.

Costco receives its meat from all around the world. While the chicken, veal, and pork are all sourced from various locations around the United States, the beef comes from not only the U.S., but also Canada, Australia, and even Southeast Asia. Costco does sell more than just beef and chicken, though. You can find lamb, the majority of which comes from Australia. Veal, on the other hand, is typically sourced from farms in New York and Ohio.

Safeway has fewer meat options than those coming up on the list. Sure, you'll find beef, chicken, and pork, but not much else. The meat offered at Safeway comes from some of the country's largest meat producers, which means you'll find much of what you find at Safeway at other big-box grocery stores.

Safeway retails meat that not only originates in the United States, but Canada as well. So, depending on your Safeway location, the meat might be from either a domestic location or a Canadian ranch. However, Safeway does have its own agreement with the Aspen Ridge Canadian beef manufacturers. All of these cows are humanely raised, are never fed antibiotics, nor are they given hormones. You can identify meat that comes from these Canadian ranchers as there will be a "Certified Humane: Raised & Handled" sticker on the package.

Sam's Club and Costco have a lot of similarities. Both big-box grocery stores have similar selections, although Sam's Club tends to have higher quality cuts of meat available for consumers. As is the case with Walmart, Sam's Club receives all of its meat from within the United States. Some of the beef providers of Sam's Club include National Beef, Swift, Farmland, and Nebraska Beef, just to name a few.

Sam's Club has several animal welfare acts set up, both for grazing animals as well as chickens. By 2025, the brand pledges to have 100% antibiotic-free chicken. This is much easier to monitor and ensure as all of the producers are within the United States. That cannot be said of Costco, especially in locations such as China. Due to this, we list Sam's Club ahead of its bulk competitor.

The meat selection at your neighborhood Kroger is, in general, pretty decent. Many locations also tend to have a surprisingly good selection of fish. So whether you're making steak or pork chops for dinner, chances are you'll find what you need at Kroger.

Kroger beef is of a high standard. The majority of its meats, whether it be pork, beef, or chicken, come from JBS and Tyson Foods subsidiaries. The organic beef Kroger offers in its stores under the Simple Truth label is sourced from an organic beef ranch in Uruguay. None of the cattle used for this brand receive hormones or antibiotics. The beef receives a USDA grade and is up-to-par with USDA organic standards. 

Beef from Uruguay meets and often exceeds the quality standards found within the United States. According to American University, in 2015, Uruguay became the first country outside of the United States to receive the USDA's "Never Ever 3" certification. Known as the NE3 certification, it means cattle were "never ever" given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal by-products of any kind. 

This California-based grocery store has not only an excellent selection, but one of the most comprehensive butcher sections of any chain grocery store. In fact, for someone to work in the butcher department, they need to pass a two-year training program in the state.

The only reason Stater Bros. isn't higher on this list is because it has a limited selection of meats. However, in terms of beef, you'll be hard-pressed to find many other grocery stores that can compete with the quality of Stater Bros. beef (as well as the information available on it).

Stater Bros. receives its meat from multiple sources including National Beef, Excel, and IBP. It also offers a wide selection of options from Harris Ranch, a ranch that has been family owned since 1937. Being able to trace beef back to its source directly is very beneficial. With that said, Harris Ranch moves cattle off grass feed and switches them to corn feed about four months before slaughter. The ranch also uses some antibiotics, although testing on all beef is performed prior to shipment to ensure there is no antibiotic residue. Ideally, we would like to see more exclusive grass-fed options, but we do appreciate the ability to know exactly where our beef is coming from and what happens to it while on the ranch.

Harris Teeter prides itself in being the first retailer in the U.S. to offer USDA Certified Very Tender beef. The chain promises the finest meats, but depending on how popular the location is, getting your hands on that perfect cut may be challenging. Luckily, the grocery store has a butcher's section that may solve any meat-related problems you may encounter. In our experience, the butchers are knowledgeable about the various cuts available and are quite helpful. If a desired cut looks like it's out of stock, there's a good chance an employee is in the middle of restocking it, or you can simply ask the butcher about the availability of the product. We've found that the butchers at Harris Teeter were willing to go in the back and check for the requested product if it's not on display.

In the refrigerated meat section of Harris Teeter, customers can find numerous cuts of meat that are easy to grab. In our visits to various locations, we haven't felt the need to dig through packages of meats before finding a decent looking one. Whether you grab a package of meat from the top, bottom, or the back in the section, you'll be satisfied with your product and walk away with clean, dry hands. Based on the location of your Harris Teeter, you may find it less crowded (especially in quiet residential areas), which means more space for you to look for that perfect cut without a line forming behind you.

The history of Trader Joe's is closely intertwined with that of Aldi, so it's not surprising that the two stores often have a great deal in common. While Trader Joe's has so much going for it, Aldi beats it out in terms of both meat selection and price. Aldi also does what it can to purchase from local companies. So while there's no guarantee when searching the label on your meat, there's a better chance you'll find locally-processed meat in your Aldi grocery store than in most other grocery chains.

Aldi offers some of the most affordable meat options for any company on this list. The company does use similar sourcing practices as its counterpart, Trader Joe's; the big difference here is Aldi sources its meats from regional farms. This helps keep the cost of its meat lower than the competition. The downside with shopping at Aldi's though is Aldi, much like Trader Joe's, does not specifically list the farm its beef comes from. The company's chicken, however, comes from Tyson Foods. Some of the meat is imported at Aldi from Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, and Australia, but none is brought in from China.

Customers at King Kullen can find a variety of high quality cuts of lamb, poultry, beef, and pork. The grocery store chain that serves the Long Island area offers USDA choice beef and a range of antibiotic-free meats. The brand also carries USDA choice grade products from American Lamb. In the poultry section, customers choose from a wide array of labels, including cage-free, USDA Process Verified, and fed an all-vegetarian diet. For example, organic chicken supplier Bell & Evans prides itself on raising antibiotic-free chickens in a stress-free environment. 

Since its Long Island staple, you will find King Kullen at its busiest over the weekend. But despite the crowds, the butchers will make time to answer all your questions. In our experience, we have looked lost enough in the meat section that butchers have asked if we need help on several visits. However, this was during early afternoon hours, as they tend to be busier during the late afternoon and early evening. In the past, we also found that since locals are so familiar with the store, they often grab their cuts and go and rarely form a crowd in the meat section. Finding the perfect cut of meat is often a breeze at King Kullen, and the store promises customers will only find the best cuts of meat on its shelves.

Whether you live in the Southeastern United States or you've visited, residents will swear by Publix. Whether it's the freshly made deli sandwiches or the wide assortment of basically everything, Publix has you covered. You're going to find most of your meat requirements here, and, more often than not, Publix will have better prices than three of the next four options.

Publix prides itself on having some of the highest quality food on the market. This holds true with its meat selection as well. Plus, the chain is super accommodating for shoppers who may not see the item that they want on the shelves. You can get your portions re-packed by the store's in-house butcher team, or even opt to get something trimmed in-store so you don't have to do it at home. The selection at Publix is also on-par; you'll find antibiotic-free options, as well an array of cuts to choose from. 

In terms of both quality and selection, few grocery stores are able to match that of Whole Foods. Now, you will likely pay a premium price for the meat sold at the upscale grocer, but if you're looking for a unique cut, beef that is dry-aged, or you just want to surround yourself with excellent quality and selection, you can't go wrong with Whole Foods.

The chain offers a lengthy list of standards for its meat department. That checklist includes no antibiotics or added growth hormones for any Whole Foods meats. Stores also offer meats that are sourced from local farms. However, keep in mind that if a selection doesn't carry the "local" label, it may be sourced from a brand that is under the banners of Tyson and Perdue, two massive meat producers in the U.S. that companies like Walmart use. 

This location only does you any good if you live in the Northeastern United States (more specifically around New York state, although you can find them elsewhere). Since 2011, Wegmans has had an exclusive contract with Senterfitt Farms. Senterfitt Farms is based out of Virginia. The farm doesn't use hormones or antibiotics on its animals. While some of the store's beef comes from Senterfitt Farms, Wegmans also works with regional farmers spread throughout the Northeast, which allows it to offer a range of grass-fed beef options.

Wegmans is one of the few grocery stores that have a specific connection with its farms and ranches. So, when you purchase beef from Wegmans, chance's are that you'll get to see where it's sourced from. All of the other meats, whether it be chicken, pork, or lamb, come from regional farms located near the stores themselves. Thanks to its regional meat producers as well as the ability to directly track what farms and ranches the meat comes from, Wegmans is one of the best places to buy your meat. 

If you haven't been in Sprouts before, just think of it like a Whole Foods, only larger. Sprouts have an excellent fresh produce selection on-hand, as well as possibly the best displays of meat. Whether you need lamb, beef, pork, turkey, heck, even duck, you're going to find it at Sprouts. Sprouts might not be as readily available as Whole Foods, but if there's one in the area, take advantage of its meat offering.

Sprouts not only has an exceptional selection of meat, but it is also some of, if not the highest, quality meat you're going to find. The 100% grass-fed beef all comes from Grass Run Farms, where the cattle are not given antibiotics or hormones. So, while other grocery stores do offer organic beef, all of the beef sold in Sprouts is grass-fed and skips out on hormones and antibiotics. The ranches are located in the Midwest, and the animals are fed grass and forage throughout the entirety of the year. As for chickens, laying hens are cage-free, and by 2025, all farms Sprouts sources from will have a 6 pounds of chicken per square foot stocking density.

These selections were based on personal shopping experiences and online reviews of the store chains. Each store was analyzed for the quality of its meat, availability, and presentation — the latter meaning how easy it is to find a good piece of meat without having to dig to the bottom of the freezer. We also considered how crowded the stores were, as well as if its packaging tends to leak or not. 

While cost is an important factor that dictates where many people end up shopping, certain prices and deals can't be guaranteed, so this wasn't a big factor in deciding which stores ranked where. We instead considered access, and whether or not there was a helpful employee on-hand to assist customers in making informed decisions about their purchase. I also considered if stores offered organic and humanely-raised products in their inventory.