I've shopped at both from time to time and have friends who work at both. I've compared both on several items and I must admit, my choice was Trader Joes. I feel more at home. Wholefoods has a lot to offer but none of which it offers appeals to me. Trader joes is there, I get in, get what I want and get out. I walk in I see the same smiling faces (well they have to but its just a well) and I feel at home.

what about the price! For the same amount of money I buy twice the amount at TJ than WF. Trader Joes ROCKS!!!

Trader Joe's tries so hard to be as good as Whole Foods, but they just don't execute at the same level. Low prices on selected items are nice, but there is no reason to spend your food dollars at Trader's if you have a Whole Foods anywhere nearby. The food quality and service is just better at Whole Foods, hands down.

Well, I don't really have a choice since there is no TJ where I live. But compared to the other grocery stores some of which try to provide organic foods, WF wins hands down, especially their meat and produce. MY WF store is relatively small and friendly, their their prices on some items beat the regular stores..

Here in LA, we have many Trader Joe's and Whole Foods stores to choose from. But I know of practically no one who continues to prefer Whole Foods once they discover Trader Joe's. The reasons are simple: (1) Price: Item for item, TJ's offerings can be as low as HALF the price of the exact same or similar item at Whole Paycheck (as it's widely known here). Overall, you'll spend at least 25% less for a similar shopping basket of goods at TJ's than you will at WF. (2) Selection: TJ's doesn't offer you eight different brands of a given product, leaving you to figure out which one represents the best quality or value. Very often, TJ's will only offer a SINGLE brand of a given food, and often that brand is TJ's own. But repeated experience shows that TJ's does their homework regarding quality and value, so that single brand is almost always top-notch in both respects. (3) Atmosphere: TJ's stores are invariably cozy, casual, friendly. No WF store that I know of can boast any of these attributes. Bottom line? I personally like WF, and am glad that they're in the market. But that doesn't change the simple fact that I know a lot of people who are fanatically loyal to Trader Joe's. I know none who are to Whole Paycheck.

TJ is nowhere near to WF when it comes to kind of choice that you get. WF carries a lot more variety of foods than TJ and quality is outstanding... of course, one would pay the price for that which most of the times proves worthwhile.

I am a medical writer and I live in Southern California, though not in LA. Like Rey Ray, I too have plenty of local Trader Joe's and Whole Foods to choose from. In fact, one of each is a short walking distance from my home. I remember shopping at Trader Joe's in the 80's, when they were just another upscale deli. Back then they seemed unconcerned about the ingredients in what they carried, or how or where the product was produced. Compared to Whole Foods, they are late converts to the organic, socially conscious, and health-conscious market. While both chains are chasing affluent shoppers, WF is much more adept at supplying the needs of more socially conscious as well as health conscious older shoppers. As the population ages and boomers begin to suffer from a variety of chronic illnesses (or fear that they will), they'll be wanting special diets. We're not talking the standard organic, low-fat, or low-sodium fare-- I mean some pretty peculiar-sounding diets. Ones the media doesn't pay much attention to. These diets are gaining more and more adherents every day, not out of desire, but medical necessity. Ever heard of a low-oxalate diet(for urinary stones or vulvodynia)? A alkaline-ash diet (for gout)? Or maybe you've heard of the low-acid, low-monoamine, hypo-allergenic, caffeine-free, preservative-free diet known as "the IC Diet" (for a chronic urinary tract disease, interstitial cystitis)? There are an estimated 1 million people in the US with interstitial cystitis. Tens of millions more have something called irritable bowel syndrome, and doctors recommend a unique diet for that too. Know anyone with allergies or a gluten intolerance? Tens of millions follow special diets for those reasons. Aging citizens with chronic diseases may soon find their "lifestyle" shopping choices supplanted by the medical necessities of buying food that doesn't trigger symptoms. Rising health care costs, an aging population, and an expanding list of diseases that are known to respond to dietary choices may make the wider variety of products at Whole Foods more attractive. What's more, WF is ahead of the curve in stocking the unique niche products that people on special diets require. While each special diet population may be small, taken together they represent a significant and growing part of the market. TJ's I'm afraid, doesn't seem to get it. Thanks in part to their business model, they once again appear to be last out of the gate the race for these shoppers.

i have worked for both. i have eaten their foods and experienced what both have to offer. i loved the people i worked with at TJ's but my only problem is that they had ZERO standards. yeah they made a point to have workplace safety, but there was ZERO concern for anything with regards to environmental responsibility, small business empowerment or even employee empowerment. Wholefoods as a company makes sure that they support local bakeries, local farmers, and the towns in which they reside. TJ's didnt recycle, wouldnt think of bringing in locally grown produce. I take pride that i can go to work everyday at wholefoods that I work for the lesser of evils in the world. I like going to wholefoods not only because they treat me right but the food is overall cleaner and better. you can call it whole paycheck all you want, but it all depends on what we think we as humans need more, cable tv or healthier cleaner food. i would much rather spend money on better food for me and my family than have luxuries like new TVs and computers every year or two, and cable TV with extra channels. but thats just my preference and we all have our own priorities.

I love Trader Joe's! I live in Southwest Florida & there are no stores here, I have to shop when I visit my family in Md.

I would LOVE to shop at Trader Joe's, and would relish the opportunity. Unfortunately, Trader Joe's cares too much about California and doesn't think enough of the southern states to put a store here; thankfully, Whole Foods Market DOES.

Whole Foods vs. Trader Joe's? No contest.

Whole Foods has turned from a source for high quality foods into nothing more than a huge corporation that is looking to put profit before quality. Their "green" initiative is nothing more than an attempt to fine tune their marketing to ride the latest "green" wave. They import dozens of types of food from China (a country where we have no FDA inspection ability) and then label those foods ORGANIC!!

How can something be organic when it's of unknown origin? Talk about not supporting their local farmers... they don't even support Americans, nevermind locals.

As a Whole Foods consumer who got them started, shopping at stores they bought as well as some of the first Whole Foods markets built, I am disgusted to have taken part. They are reducing the quality of foods sold as organic just to turn a quick buck.

I have only recently discovered Trader Joe's because I'll shop ANYWHERE except Whole Foods now. I was pleasantly surprised to find many American products and much more reasonable prices.

Whole Foods is nothing but a profit hungry corporation. Profit hungry corporations skimp on the product and then sell them at over inflated prices... that's how they make money for the share holders. Is that the kind of irresponsible outfit you want selecting your food from China? Think about the recent pet food problem. Who's to say it won't happen to the garbage Whole Foods imports?

There seems to be some conflicting info here. #s 8 & 11 both raise valid and interesting points. Does anyone know anything more? Maybe a good website? Thanks.

Unfortunately, the Midwest is always the last to get any healthy or tendy stores, so we have neither here. Someone hurry up and come to the Midwest!!

This is a bizarre comparison. Other than projecting organic wholesomeness, the stores have litle in common. Whole Foods is a supermarket with fresh produce, meat and fish counters, canned goods, a bakery, a deli, and wine in many of their stores. Trader Joe's stores are much smaller and make no pretesne at being real supermarkets. You might do better to compare Trader Joe's to a local convenience store than Whole Foods.

My husband and I moved from West Los Angeles (and 2 Trader Joes within 3 blocks of the apartment) to Colorado Springs where the nearest TJs is Santa Fe, NM. We know this because we have made special trips to the area to load up on supplies only Trader Joes can supply. There is a whole foods market in town but in the 3 years we have lived here, we have shopped there 1 time. It is too big, too pricey and the selection wasn't so exciting that we were willing to make the 15 minute drive again. Trader Joes is a special place. My husband and I have been attempting to get a TJs anywhere in the state, but so far there have only been rumors of a Denver location (it's one of those urban myths that doesn't want to die). If we move to another state one of the main criteria is that it has a Trader Joes within a reasonable distance (2 hours would probably be okay). Call me crazy, but we were spoiled in LA and have to maintain a certain standard of living! :-)

I've also shopped at both.

Wish Trader Joe's had a better selection of fresh fruit/vegetables. Other than that I love shopping at Trader Joe's.

As for Whole Foods...I've simply stopped going there. The last couple of times I went there,I walked out in disgust because of their obnoxious prices on vegetables,fruits and especially meats!

Whole Foods prices are ridiculous. I mean, seriously insane. Especially the prepared foods. $13/lb. for breaded chicken! You wouldn't pay that in a restaurant, sitting down, with sides, ambience, and wait staff! Absurd. I like WF better than your typical grocery store. I like their products (though a chocolate station with a cascading chocolate fountain is a bit much). And I like that there are products that they won't carry because they refuse to sell things with certain ingredients in them. But it just doesn't make any sense for the average person to shop there. Anyone who is at all price conscious (and I have a low sense of thrift) realizes after a while that they just can't shop there anymore.

We just got a Trader Joe's here and I was very pleased with their product selection and prices. Didn't look much at the produce beyond bananas, admittedly.

As for service and ambience, I just don't care about that stuff. How often do you actually need help in a grocery store? And with the auto-checkouts these days, you don't even need a sleepwalking mouth-breather to run your things across the scanner for you. For me it's about the quality of the products balanced against the price. I'm hoping the TJs in town will force the WF prices down.

I too have worked for both, and still work for Trader Joe's.

Whole Foods is a grocery store.

Trader Joe's isn't quite sure what it wants to be. Not quite organic or gourmet. But not low quality either.

There is a lot of secrecy at Trader Joe's. Who makes the products? Where do they come from? Can the nutritional information be trusted? No one really knows. We get almost daily recalls for products that don't meet "Trader Joe's requirements." That is usually after numerous complaints from the stores to the buyers.

Our produce and fresh meat selection and quality are really bad. I've received fresh produce off of frozen trucks. Our ground beef comes in with code dates to 7 to 9 days. I could go on and on.

Whole Foods isn't the best grocery store out there. There prices are high, mainly due to the large number of people who work in every department everyday. Trader Joe's goes for the one person fits all philosophy where everyone knows a little about everything but no one is really trained or taught too much about one specific department. But Whole Foods does a better job of running and staffing a true grocery store than Trader Joe's.

So where do I shop? Like most people, I shop at the store most convinient to me. I go to my local grocery store for most of my shopping. I pick up a few things after work from Trader Joe's. And when I want something special, I go to Whole Foods.

But I could tell you horror stories about working at any of them. Beware of anything that looks repackaged!!!

I am concerned about unlabeled ingredients from Trader Joe's, such as "wheat ingredients" and "wheat gluten" with no country of origin given. I just realized that their frozen endame comes from China and tossed it out.

I have yet to find anything from Whole Foods that is from China, but now I'm checking labels. The best thing I did was start going to my local farmer's market.

Yesterday, a friend mentioned that some frozen veggies from Fresh Direct were from China. We said "there is no way that WF would do that" thinking we knew what we were talking about...

Unfortunately, we came home and checked the WF-brand frozen spinach, brocoli, and mushrooms only to find they are all "Products of China".

We have written a letter to WF complaining and will certainly check labels more carefully in the future. We have threatened WF that will stop buying there and will sell our WF stock unless they get more locally-grown or CSA products for their brands.