Report · Health

Most Americans don't buy food at dollar stores

Reading

More than four-in-ten Americans (44%) say they don't buy food from dollar stores at all, according to a November 2025 Verasight survey.

Among the reasons for buying, picking up food on a non-food trip tops the list: 17% say they typically go to the dollar store for other items and grab some food while there. Similar shares say they need food quickly and the store is convenient (16%) or that it has better deals (15%), while few call it their go-to grocery destination (3%), say the package size fits their needs (3%) or give another reason (2%).

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

Most Americans don't buy food at dollar stores.

What's your main reason for buying food from dollar stores?

  • I don't buy food from dollar stores 43.9%
  • I typically go to dollar store to buy non-food items, and I pick up some food while I'm here 16.9%
  • I need some food items quickly and dollar store is convenient 16.3%
  • Dollar store has better deals 15.0%
  • Dollar store is my go-to destination for groceries 3.0%
  • The package size is more appropriate for my needs 2.6%
  • Other 2.3%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.2%

Module 3

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-11-14 → 2025-11-20
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.2%
Module
Module 3

Source

Citation

Verasight APHA Omnibus Survey #2025-148, fielded November 14-20, 2025, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/verasight-apha-2025

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.