Costco has taken the top spot in ChangeUp’s 2026 retail ranking, knocking H-E-B out of first place after the Texas grocer led last year’s report.
The Dayton, Ohio-based brand strategy and retail design agency released the report in late September. This year, it split the results into separate Top 50 lists for retailers and restaurants, comparing each brand with others in its own category.
How the ranking works
ChangeUp surveyed more than 6,500 consumers about 300-plus brands, compiling more than 400,000 data points from survey responses, online reviews, and digital conversations.
The rankings looked at eight factors, including whether people remember a brand, want to return, would recommend it, see it as fresh and relevant, or feel they could easily replace it with another option.
According to the report, Costco was one of the few retailers to improve measurably this year, while H-E-B’s scores were mostly unchanged. Costco, H-E-B, and Fleet Feet all performed above the retail average on nearly every measure. The broader takeaway: the strongest brands do well across the board instead of relying on one standout feature.
Grocers and convenience stops lead the retail list
Grocers and warehouse clubs dominated the retail list, taking five of the top 10 spots. Costco came in first, H-E-B took second, Sam’s Club landed at No. 7, Wegmans at No. 8, and Publix at No. 10.
Wegmans, which appears in the study for the first time this year, earned high marks for its selection, prepared-food department, and well-staffed stores. The report found that some shoppers are willing to skip closer grocery stores and travel farther to visit. Publix stood out for its customer service, from employees helping shoppers find an item to carrying bags to the car.
Texas-born Buc-ee’s came in at No. 9, while Kwik Trip ranked No. 11. In both cases, the report found that customers see the stop as part of the outing—not just a place to grab gas, snacks, or essentials.
Restaurants: In-N-Out holds the top spot
In-N-Out held on to the No. 1 spot in the restaurant ranking for a second year, followed by Texas Roadhouse. The report also pointed to Chick-fil-A and Playa Bowls as brands that have turned familiar details—whether service, menu, or atmosphere—into something customers associate with them right away.
The report also looks at how delivery, curbside pickup, and online ordering have changed what people expect from a store or restaurant. When so much can be ordered from home, brands have to give customers a reason to show up in person.
What it means for shoppers
“Consumers are still willing to spend on experience, but as people become more selective, every trip now carries more expectation,” said Lee Carpenter, CEO of ChangeUp. “They’re taking fewer trips and asking more of the ones they make.”
Grocery and mass retail, which the report calls “the trips people cannot skip,” held their experience scores steady, while discretionary categories such as apparel slipped.
Carpenter said a brand does not need to get worse to fall in the rankings. If competitors improve the experience they offer customers, standing still can be enough to lose ground.
