Tops vs Wegmans: Who has Cheaper Groceries?
New York is listed as one of the state’s with a high cost of living. These costs include variable spending like groceries and gas. So even with a tight budget, grocery shopping can get expensive.
Today we will compare grocery shopping at Tops and Wegmans to see who is cheaper for groceries. I have a set meal plan and grocery list for both places, and we will see who has cheaper prices. Scroll to the end to see the final verdict!
Is Tops more expensive than Wegmans?
For this test, I have prepared a meal plan for one week that consists of breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 young kids). I am using the “25 Cheap food that fills you up when you are broke!” as my guide to pick not only healthy foods but also ones that should be fairly cheap.
Here is the meal plan for this grocery trip:
Breakfasts
- Peanut Butter Toast with Bananas x2
- Overnight Oats with Apples and Raisins x3
- Scrambled Eggs with Cheese on top and Toast x2
Lunches
- Tuna Salad Sandwiches x 2
- Veggie & Pepperoni Pasta Salad with Zesty Italian Dressing
- Salad Wraps with tomato, cucumber, and cheese
- Leftovers
Snacks
- Carrots
- Apples
- Popcorn
Dinners
- Baked Whole Chicken with rice and sautéed carrots
- Leftover Chicken in a Pasta with Alfredo Sauce, Broccoli, and side salad
- Ground Turkey Tacos with Corn and Refried Beans
- Leftover Taco Meat in a Mexican Baked Potato Bar with Side Salads
- Pork Loin with Mashed Potatoes and Corn
- Hawaiin Pizza with Leftover Pork, Pepperoni, and Pineapple (using a little Alfredo Sauce as the Base)
Sweet Treat
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
For this meal plan, I am going to shop at both stores and look for the best deals on price. We will be using prices in Syracuse, New York. for this store comparison.
Most items will be the generic store brand, and I will be aiming to get my groceries needed for the cheapest price available.
Even though my pantry is very well stocked, for this experiment I will shop as if I only have the bare basics at home like seasonings, salt, sugar, and cooking oil. For a full breakdown of this meal plan, and how I would make it work, check out “Healthy Grocery List for Family of 4 on a Budget #1.”
Produce
These are the fresh vegetables and fruits needed in the produce section for my meal plan this week.
| Items | Tops Price | Wegmans Price |
| 8 Bananas | $0.55 a lb= $1.10 | $0.59 a lb = $1.20 |
| Apples | Gala 3lb bag = $3.99 | Gala 3lb bag= $3.79 |
| Green Leafy Lettuce | 1 head= $1.34 | Iceberg head = $1.99 |
| Potatoes | Russet 5lb bag= $3.99 | Russet 5lb bag= $3.49 |
| Tomatoes x3 | $1.17 ea x 3=$3.51 | $1.75 ea x3= $5.25 |
| Cucumber | $1.00 each | $0.79 each |
| Carrots | 1lb = $1.69 | 1lb bag= $1.19 |
| Totals: 7 Items | $16.62 | $17.70 |
Tops came in cheaper with $16.62. That was $1.08 cheaper than Wegman’s at $17.70.
Deli/Meats
Here are the items I will need from the deli and meat section of the stores.
| Items | Tops Price | Wegmans Price |
| Pepperoni | Sugar Dale 8oz = $3.59 | Margherita 5oz= $3.49 |
| Whole Chicken | $1.19 a lb/4.63lbs = $7.73 | $1.49 a lb/ 6.5lbs =$9.69 |
| Ground Turkey | Jennie-o 1lb fresh= $3.99 | Wegmans 1lb fresh =$6.69 |
| Pork Loin | Smithfield 18.4oz = $9.99 | Wegmans 1.14lb = $6.14 |
| Totals: 4 Items | $25.30 | $26.01 |
Another close race with Tops coming in first with $25.30. This was $0.71 cheaper than Wegmans at $26.01.
Dry Goods
This is the center area of most grocery stores, and I call this area dry goods. It is all items that are considered shelf stable and are typically stored in a cabinet or on a pantry shelf.
| Items | Tops Price | Wegmans Price |
| Sandwich Bread | Tops white bread 22oz = $1.29 | Wegmans white bread 22oz = $1.19 |
| Peanut Butter | Tops 16oz jar = $2.09 | Wegmans 18oz jar = $1.99 |
| Oatmeal | Tops 18oz container = $3.39 | Wegmans 18oz container = $2.89 |
| Raisins | Sun Maid mini boxes (6oz) =$2.79 | Sun Maid mini boxes (6oz) =$2.89 |
| Canned Tuna Fish (2 cans) | Tops 5oz can (1.09 each) = $2.18 | Starkist 5ox can (1.39 each) = $2.78 |
| Pasta | Tops Rotini 16oz = $1.09 | Wegmans Penne 16oz = $1.19 |
| Zesty Italian Dressing | Tops 16oz bottle = $2.09 | Wegmans 16oz bottle = $1.89 |
| Flour Tortillas | Tops 10ct = $1.49 | Wegmans 8ct = $1.59 |
| Microwave Popcorn | Tops 19.8oz box/6ct = $2.69 | Wegmans 17.4oz box/ 6ct = $3.49 |
| White Rice | Goya 16oz bag = $1.89 | Wegmans 16oz bag = $1.19 |
| Alfredo Sauce | Ragu 16oz jar = $2.99 | Wegmans 16oz jar = $2.99 |
| Canned Corn | Tops 15.5oz can = $0.89 | Wegmans 15.5oz can = $0.69 |
| Refried Beans | Ortega 16oz can = $1.89 | Ortega 16oz can = $2.19 |
| Salsa | Tops 16oz jar = $2.29 | Wegmans’ 16oz jar = $2.59 |
| Canned Pineapple | Tops 8oz can = $1.09 | Wegmans 8oz can = $1.19 |
| All Purpose Flour | Tops 5lb bag = $1.79 | Wegmans 5lb bag = $1.99 |
| Dry Active Yeast | Red Star 3ct= $2.69 | Fleishmann’s 3ct = $2.29 |
| Brown Sugar | Tops 2lb bag= $2.39 | Wegmans 2lb bag = $2.29 |
| Totals: 18 items | $37.01 | $38.02 |
Wow another close section! Tops came in first with $37.01, which was $1.01 cheaper than Wegmans at $38.02.
Frozen Foods
This is the area in the store that typically has frozen meats, vegetables, fruits, and ice cream. We will mainly stick to the frozen veggie section.
| Items | Tops Price | Wegmans Price |
| Frozen Mixed Vegetables | Tops 16oz bag = $1.09 | Wegmans 12oz bag = $0.99 |
| Frozen Broccoli | Tops 12oz bag = $1.09 | Wegmans 12oz bag = $1.19 |
| Totals: 2 items | $2.18 | $2.18 |
This section was a tie with Tops and Wegmans total being $2.18.
Dairy
This is the final section of the store and will cover all dairy needs like cheeses and milk.
| Item: | Tops Price | Wegmans Price |
| Eggs | SB white 12ct = $3.59 | Wegmans white 12ct= $3.79 |
| 2% Milk (gallon) | Tops = $3.86 | Wegmans = $3.79 |
| Cheddar cheese (shredded) | Tops 8oz bag = $2.69 | Wegmans 8oz bag = $2.59 |
| Mozzarella cheese (shredded) | Tops 8oz bag = $2.69 | Wegmans 8oz bag = $2.69 |
| Sour Cream | Tops 8oz tub = $1.69 | Wegmans 8oz tub= $1.59 |
| Totals: 5 items | $14.52 | $14.45 |
Super close section but Wegmans came in cheaper at $14.45. That was $0.07 less than Tops at $14.52.
Is Wegmans or Tops cheaper?
This was so close for every section, so I can’t even predict who will be cheaper!
| Section | Tops Price | Wegmans Price |
| Produce | $16.62 | $17.70 |
| Deli/Meats | $25.30 | $26.01 |
| Dry Goods | $37.01 | $38.02 |
| Frozen Foods | $2.18 | $2.18 |
| Dairy | $14.52 | $14.45 |
| Overall Total | $95.63 | $98.36 |
Tops came out cheapest with a total of $95.32. This was $2.73 cheaper than Wegman’s at $98.36. That means shopping at Tops is a little less than 3% savings on your grocery budget.
With these two stores being so close, I would really focus on their sales flyers every week. If you were to make a solid meal plan based on what items were on sale, you could potentially get your weekly total closer to $80.00.
For more grocery store comparisons, check out “Fred Meyer or Walmart: Who is Cheaper?” and “Cub Foods vs Target: Who is Cheaper for Groceries?“
