7 Big Differences Between Publix and Food Lion Every South Carolinian Should Know
At the Publix register, you enter your phone number before you finish paying. It’s a small step, but Food Lion does it differently.
Some South Carolinians shop at both, and the switch is easy to miss on a quick trip.
Here are the differences between Publix and Food Lion that you should know.
1. Store Counts
Publix lists 1,448 store locations across eight Southeastern states.
Publix has 74 stores in South Carolina.
Food Lion says it has more than 1,100 stores across 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, according to its October 13 release.
The same release puts the greater Greenville market at 49 locations.
That market includes Lavonia, Georgia, so you can’t count all 49 stores as South Carolina stores.
Food Lion’s Greenville store on North Pleasantburg Drive was set to open October 21.
2. Basket Prices
The Post and Courier compared more than 20 South Carolina grocery stores in March 2025, and Publix and Food Lion both turned up.
The basket included milk, butter, eggs, ground beef and a canister of Folgers coffee, before taxes.
Food Lion stores in Charleston, Spartanburg and Florence rang up between $30 and $31.50, the second-best deals in the check.
Publix totals landed around $36 in Charleston and Spartanburg and at $32 in Columbia.
The cities in the two lists don’t fully match, so you can’t read the totals as a like-for-like comparison.
Publix stores in Charleston, Greenville and Columbia had the cheapest eggs, all under $5.
Publix had the highest ground beef price in the check, at $8.59 a pound in Charleston and $8.49 in Greenville.
3. Loyalty Programs
With Food Lion’s MVP loyalty program, pricing applies automatically at checkout when you scan your card, Grocery Dive reported in April 2026.
The same report says Food Lion’s Shop & Earn program offers a savings refresh at the beginning of each month.
Publix runs a free loyalty program called Club Publix.
You enter your phone number at the register before you finish your transaction.
Club Publix members can clip digital coupons and see the weekly ad a day early.
4. Coupon Limits
Food Lion allows one coupon per item.
Food Lion honors printed coupons from some grocery competitors.
Food Lion’s coupon policy says store management reserves the right to determine who its competitors are.
Publix accepts a manufacturer coupon plus either a Publix or a competitor coupon on the same item.
That tops out at two coupons per item.
Publix limits you to eight of the same coupon per day for each household.
How BOGO Works at Publix and Food Lion in South Carolina
Publix BOGO terms depend on the state where you shop.
Krazy Coupon Lady’s state list, updated October 21, 2026, puts South Carolina in the half-price group.
That means you can buy one BOGO item at half price in South Carolina.
A $4 item on BOGO costs $2 when you buy one.
Krazy Coupon Lady’s list, updated October 21, 2026, says Florida requires you to buy two.
Two $4 items there cost $4 total, still $2 an item.
For a BOGO deal, Publix treats each item as a separate purchase when you use a coupon.
Food Lion’s Scan Guarantee page says BOGO items count as half of the regular retail price with your MVP Card.
5. Refund Guarantees
Food Lion’s Double Your Money Back Guarantee covers private brand and in-store produced items that don’t meet your quality expectations.
Its separate 100% Fresh or Double Your Money Back guarantee covers all fresh items in the produce, meat, deli/bakery and dairy departments.
Private brand items are covered too.
Publix backs its purchases with a guarantee of complete satisfaction.
Publix’s guarantee says it will refund the full purchase price on request if a purchase doesn’t satisfy you for any reason.
Psst! How much do you know about Publix and Food Lion? Take our quiz and see if you can ace it.
Quiz
Publix and Food Lion IQ
Answer these questions about Publix, Food Lion and grocery shopping. We bet you can’t get them all right. Prove us wrong?
About how many cookies does Publix say its bakeries give to kids each year?
6. Online Order Coupons
Online orders are a difference between Publix and Food Lion because the two chains treat your coupons differently there.
Publix says Instacart provides the overall service for its online orders.
Food Lion's May 2024 release described Food Lion Home Delivery as powered by Instacart.
Grocery Dive reported that Food Lion added delivery in South Carolina that May.
That release said customers who link their MVP card to their account can use digital coupons and redeem Shop & Earn savings.
It also said you can see which clipped digital coupons will apply to your order.
Publix's Instacart page says printed and digital coupons you've clipped to your Club Publix account aren't redeemable through Instacart.
The same page says most BOGOs and Club Publix perks are redeemable through Instacart.
It adds that not all Publix deals or weekly ad promotions apply.
Publix also says the higher online price covers what Instacart charges to provide the service.
Check which of your coupons an online order can use before you place it.
7. Who Owns Each Chain
Publix lets only eligible active associates and board members buy its stock.
That means you can't buy Publix stock the way you'd buy shares on an exchange.
Publix says it is the largest employee-owned company in the United States.
Associates become PROFIT Plan participants automatically after a year in which they work at least 1,000 hours.
Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Ahold Delhaize.
How Publix Rain Checks Work
Publix gives you 30 days to redeem a rain check.
Mind the clock.
A Publix rain check covers up to eight single items or up to four deals, with a 20-item maximum.
It applies only to items advertised outside the store at a reduced price.
Publix won't issue rain checks for coupons, and it won't issue them for alcohol products where the law prohibits it.
Publix will accept the coupon that was valid on the date the rain check was issued.
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