15 Facts About The Beloved Grocery Store, Publix

Publix Super Markets have remained a popular grocery destination in the Southern U.S. since it first opened in the 1940s. Not only does the chain offer everything a warm-blooded American grocery story should have on hand, but it has also developed something of a cult following in the states where it operates, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

There are a number of reasons why Publix is so beloved. First of all, it is an employee-owned company, which is pretty rare and definitely cool in a world where corporate greed seems to have swallowed up everything we see and touch. Second, it boasts exceptional customer service, and it doesn't just talk the talk about that. It also walks the walk. So, let's take a look at how Publix has won over hearts and minds by delivering on these promises again and again, along with some other fun quirks and historical tidbits.

Although the Publix brand had been in operation since the 1930s, it wasn't until 1940 that owner George Jenkins closed his little food shops and opened a veritable, state-of-the-art supermarket, which also happened to be complete with air conditioning, electric eye doors (which come with cameras that track movement and ensure no one gets crushed between the doors), and terrazzo floors.

The location of this grand venture was Winter Haven, Florida, where Jenkins had also previously operated two smaller Publix grocery establishments. After that, it didn't take him long to turn the Publix name into a local supermarket empire. Starting in 1945, he started acquiring grocery stores by the dozen and turning them into supermarkets. That's a long way to go for a boy from Harris, Georgia, who'd worked at his father's general store and stocked shelves at Piggly Wiggly before investing in his first supermarket.

Air conditioning is a hot commodity these days. Summers are so hot, especially in Florida, that it's perfectly understandable for someone to want to head to a grocery store just to get some relief. Those refrigerated aisles can be especially helpful on a sweltering day.

But there was a time when no grocery store in the United States had air conditioning, and then came Publix at a location in Winter Haven, Florida. It was the very first such store to install a cooling appliance that could cool the entire store. If necessity is the mother of invention, and Florida is pretty much as hot as it gets in America in the summer, then it makes sense that the first air-conditioned grocery store would have popped up in Florida. Or perhaps Publix had taken notice of how much more revenue theaters had started bringing once they'd introduced the newest inventions in indoor cooling.

Giving compliments to other people is a vastly underrated activity. It can really turn someone's day around in a good way, whether you're on the giving or receiving end. Publix seems to know this, too, because the chain has turned this sentiment into concrete results by offering staff a free sub from the deli whenever they receive a compliment from a customer. So, if you happen to be a Publix customer, and you compliment a staff member, you can feel especially good about yourself knowing you've just bought them lunch without spending a penny.

Of course, you'll have to make sure that the employee's manager hears the compliment, or you can make it directly to their supervisor. It's also quite likely that managers only have so many free sub coupons to give out on any given day, so don't expect to be able to feed a Publix employee for every meal. But still, if everyone got a sandwich or could give one out to promote kindness, the world would be a better place.

As much as we humans love to talk about food and eating, many of us still struggle with the cooking side of things. Perhaps all we know how to prepare is an omelet and a bowl of cereal. Or we seem to burn everything we touch, leading to tons of wasted food tossed in the bin — not to mention wasted money.

Luckily, Publix has us covered here, too, with its cooking classes and tips. Indeed, some Publix locations come equipped with a little kiosk known as the Apron Cooking School, where consumers can check out different recipe cards each day and get some advice on how to succeed in following them. If you get your timing right, you may even waddle by on a day when someone is there to demonstrate the proper cooking technique for that recipe. Say goodbye to cereal for dinner and hello to boeuf bourguignon.

Aside from shopping at Publix, if you can snag a job there, you'll be set for life — at least theoretically. Indeed, the company claims that in its 80+ year history, it has never had to lay off an employee. Not only that, but Publix claims that it prioritizes promoting from within, in addition to offering a wide range of employee benefits for both full- and part-timers.

But while all that sounds great, that doesn't mean the company can't fire someone. While layoffs refer to letting someone go because of a slow-down in work or ability to pay, firing can happen to anyone at any time, as when five Black employees were fired in 2020 over their participation in a local Black Lives Matter protest. Some also claim that even if Publix doesn't fire you or lay you off, it can still dock hours until it no longer becomes financially feasible to work there.

Publix can rightly claim to offer many high-quality products, but the thing about high quality is that it often costs more than low quality. As such, it's safe to say that the prices at Publix are not the most affordable known to humanity. With the recent rise in inflation, especially in the food department, this has become very clear to low and middle-income households who shop there.

As some longtime Publix patrons told the Miami New Times, they feel that they can no longer shop at Publix because of the astronomical rise in food prices, which seems to have come hand in hand with a rise in profits for the company. This despite having shopped at Publix since childhood, when they would hang on their parents' coattails all the way to the free cookie at the deli counter. Now, it seems, their only viable options are cheaper stores like Aldi or Trader Joe's.

As with any big venture, a good amount of capital is required to get started. The same was true for Publix, which saw the light of day after its owner, George Jenkins, mortgaged a depression-era orange grove and used the proceeds to buy what would become his first supermarkets.

The timing might have been risky — the depression was only just coming to an end, and many grocery stores across the country were still struggling to fill shelves — but perhaps the stores' innovative accouterments, like air conditioning, and the fact that Jenkins traveled the country looking for products to sell in his stores, just happened to attract people at the right time, in the right place. And it's a lucky thing, too, because Publix managed to weather the advent of WWII soon after, in part by purchasing existing stores instead of investing in construction expansion, which wartime shortages would have hindered.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a one-stop shop where you can get all your errands done in a single place? Many grocery stores these days seem to provide something close to that, but Publix takes it one step further: At some locations, it's possible to renew your car registration right there, in the same place you buy your milk and toilet paper.

For instance, the Seminole County tax collector has made it possible for Florida residents to review their car registration at dedicated kiosks conveniently placed inside two Publix locations there. The process only takes a few minutes and can be done outside of regular working hours. For those of you who know what it's like to wait in line at the DMV, this news may come as a boon if you live in Florida, or it may have given you a pang of jealousy if you don't.

One of the reasons many people may find Publix so friendly and welcoming is that it is an employee-owned company. In fact, it is the biggest such company in the country. And it makes sense: When employees feel a personal stake in the company they work for, they're more likely to be engaged and invested in its success.

Publix, in particular, achieves this effect by paying workers living wages and giving them access to company stock after having worked there for at least a year, regardless of position. That can make for a lot of happy people, especially since, according to recent figures available on the Publix website, the company currently employs more than 255,000 people. Indeed, surveys of employees consistently show that Publix is a great place to work, which seems to translate into Publix being a great place to shop. Any consummate customer of anything knows that goods and services are much more pleasant to come by when the people responsible for them enjoy their jobs.

Whoever said grocery shopping had to be a chore? It can be fun, even an activity to undertake with friends, so long as you have the right outlook. And it seems like a few Publix locations in Florida do have the right outlook because they allow customers to enjoy a tipple or two while browsing the aisles for their groceries.

The service is available at Publix Pours, a cafe within specific Publix locations that also serves beer and wine in addition to coffee. For those who find shopping stressful, a drink and a walk might help to dial things back a bit and turn this errand into a more relaxing experience. You may even slow down enough to spot some fun new items you've never seen or tried before. But you can also just sit at the bar and sip your drink before heading off into the market's melee.

Most grocery stores across the country now have their own bakeries, though the quality can vary greatly depending on the chain or location. With Publix, though, you have a pretty good chance of ending up with a satisfying baked good. That's because the chain is known for having a great bakery section with a vast selection of items. For instance, you can get freshly baked bread every morning, freshly made pizza dough, and pastries. You may even be able to score your kids a free cookie.

Of course, everyone has their own opinion about which baked goods, in particular, are not to be missed. Some sing the praises of the baguettes and garlic bread, while others prefer a sweeter bent and never leave the store without a banana muffin. More elaborate cakes are also done well at Publix, including the three-layer berry and chantilly cake, chocolate chip cookie cake, and the delicious Publix key lime pie.

As the nation moves (slightly) away from Twinkies and toward healthier, more thoughtful food choices, many people might feel a little disoriented as to what constitutes nutritious food and what does not. Luckily, Publix has come to the rescue by dispatching registered dietitians into its aisles to help helpless shoppers with their food choices.

Some of the perks of this program are learning how to shop based on specific medical needs, how to choose food based on a specific goal, such as boosting energy or reducing inflammation, and more generally, how to read labels in order to avoid putting low-quality or even harmful ingredients in your body. If you've never read a food label before, you might be surprised to see many words you've never even heard of before. A registered dietitian can help you decipher their meaning and tell you which ones can be healthful and which are more harmful.

One might think that the name Publix comes from some sort of variation on the word public, perhaps as a means to highlight the chain's commitment to serving the public. But in truth, it has nothing to do with that. Publix was the name of a North American chain of movie theaters that happened to be closing right around the time the supermarket was coming up in the world, so owner George Jenkins thought well to just adopt the name for his own venture.

And it wasn't a bad idea. The Publix Theaters Corporation, an affiliate of Paramount Studios, was known to provide a luxurious experience to moviegoers and even had air conditioning. This may have inspired Jenkins' push to add air conditioning to his stores. Another parallel between Publix Theaters and Publix Super Markets was the Art Moderne style that permeated the buildings.

It may seem outlandish that in the age of hipsterdom, facial hair was banned among staff at Publix Super Markets, with the implausible exception of a mustache. It wasn't until 2018 that Publix finally allowed its employees to grow beards. Understandably, there are some caveats. As a Publix spokesperson told West Palm Beach TV, the company approved the change "as long as the associate maintains a neat, clean, and professional appearance."

The change came into effect after a petition signed by 20,000 people and a trial period at a few locations to see if the initiative could work for the supermarket's image. Luckily, it worked, and Publix has now caught up with the times. 

Of all the Publix locations across the Southeastern United States, most stores are in Florida (with the fewest in Virginia). It makes sense that it would also have a huge market presence there when compared to other grocery stores. Indeed, there was a time in the not-so-distant past when competitors would steer clear of Florida for fear of coming up against the Publix behemoth.

But with the growth of Instacart and other innovations in the supermarket world, that dynamic is changing. Kroger, for one, has been gaining an increasingly large footprint in the state, providing an alternative option for the middle and upper-middle class customers who tend to shop at Publix, especially when it comes to online shopping. But Publix's long-standing reputation for greatness in Florida is certainly not going to go away overnight, though many people have had to turn away from it and its somewhat higher prices due to the overall rising cost of food.