5 Things Alabamians Pay More for at Publix Than They Realize
Pay cash at Publix, and your total can round up by as much as two cents.
Two cents won’t break the bank, but other Publix extras can.
Here’s where your Publix total runs higher than the shelf tags say.
Note: This is general information, not tax or financial advice. Tax rates and store policies are subject to change.
1. Sales Tax on Groceries
Publix collects Alabama’s state sales tax on groceries, which was 2% before a tax holiday that ran from May 1 to June 30, 2026.
The 2% came back July 1.
Many cities and counties add a food tax on top of that.
In those places, your receipt shows two layers of tax.
The holiday didn’t apply to local grocery taxes, so those kept running the whole time.
Many shoppers skim past the tax line.
Florida law, by contrast, exempts food products for human consumption from sales tax.
So many groceries that go untaxed at a Florida register carry tax at your Publix.
The Math on a $100 Publix Order
At the 2% rate, a $100 Publix food order in Alabama carries $2 in state tax before your city and county add theirs.
In Dothan, the city and county portion of the food tax is 5%, so a $100 order that is all food carries $7 in total tax.
On a $50 order that is all food, the same Dothan total tax comes to $3.50.
2. Name-Brand Staples
In Palm Beach-area stores, Stet News priced a basket of staples at Publix.
The Publix labels averaged $18.31 against $29.23 for the name-brand counterparts.
That’s $10.92 more for the name brands.
The name brands in that basket included Mahatma rice, Campbell’s soup and Kraft Mac & Cheese.
In that survey, shoppers confirmed lower prices on store-labeled products at every store, compared with national brands.
Those prices come from Florida stores, so the tags at your Publix may read differently.
Compare the two tags before a name brand goes in your buggy.
3. Delivery and Curbside Prices
Publix delivery and curbside pickup run through Instacart.
You may expect the shelf price to carry over.
It may not.
Publix says item prices there vary from the prices in its physical stores.
The Instacart FAQ on Publix’s site explains why online prices are higher.
The higher price covers the cost of Instacart providing the service, including the shopping.
Publix says it isn’t attempting to profit from the service or collecting additional fees from customers to use it.
Fees, tips and taxes may apply on top of that.
Tipping is optional, and your tip goes to the Instacart shopper, not to Publix associates.
Prescription delivery adds $2.00 to a grocery order, or $10.99 when you order it alone.
4. Clipped Coupons on Delivery
Publix’s Instacart FAQ says the coupons you clip to your Club Publix account, printed or digital, aren’t redeemable through Instacart.
In a store, the app FAQ says you enter your unique 10-digit phone number at checkout to use your clipped coupons.
That can leave a delivery cart costing more than the same cart rung up in a store.
Most BOGOs and Club Publix perks do redeem there.
Not all Publix deals or weekly ad promotions apply, though.
The manufacturer decides how many times a coupon can be used, and most coupons can be used only once.
A clipped coupon that didn’t apply can be used on a future trip, as long as the transaction hasn’t been finalized.
5. ATM Surcharges
Publix has Presto! cash machines, or ATMs, at over 1,400 stores across eight states, Alabama included.
Customers of banks and credit unions in the Presto! network pay no ATM surcharge.
If your bank isn’t a member, a surcharge may apply.
Publix defines a surcharge as a fee the ATM’s owner charges for using the machine.
Free depends on your bank.
Presto!’s website lets you check whether your bank or credit union is a member.
Some banks also charge a fee for using ATMs they don’t own, so check your bank’s fee schedule.
Psst! How much do you know about Publix’s fine print? Take our quiz and see if you can ace it.
Quiz
Publix Fine Print IQ
Answer these questions on Publix policies and Alabama stores. We bet you can’t get them all right. Prove us wrong?
Under the Publix Promise, what do you get if the scanned price of an item exceeds the shelf price?
In-Store Pickup
Publix says its in-store pickup service comes without additional fees or charges.
If you order sale items for in-store pickup, the site automatically reflects the sale price.
Some special instructions on those orders may result in additional charges in-store.
So your final total at pickup may not match the total you expected.
Publix charges your payment method when you submit your order.
You can pay with a debit card, a credit card, a flexible spending account (FSA) card, Publix gift cards or Apple Pay.
Rounding on Cash Totals
Publix rounds cash totals to the nearest five cents, and the total includes your tax.
Totals ending in 3, 4, 8 or 9 cents round up, so cash can add as much as two cents to your bill.
A $10.43 total, for example, becomes $10.45.
A $10.48 total becomes $10.50.
A $10.46 total, by contrast, becomes $10.45.
It cuts both ways.
Totals ending in 1, 2, 6 or 7 cents round down, which can take two cents off.
Publix's rounding policy covers cash transactions only.
Publix says all of its policies are subject to that rounding policy.
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