A viral video from a New York grocery shopper has reignited an age-old debate: Is Dealer Joe's low cost?

Katarina Kitt shared her ideas on TikTok, the place her clip has reached over 570,000 views.

"So all the brand new hires have been speaking about the place they wish to eat and the place they like to buy," started Kitt, who works in New York Metropolis. "One woman mentioned Dealer Joe's, so I used to be like, 'Oh, yeah, I like Dealer Joe's, if—you already know—you may have the cash for it.'"

Kitt defined that she thought Dealer Joe's was dear, in contrast with outlets akin to Lidl and ShopRite. "I used to be like, 'However you already know what, it is price it, as a result of they're honest commerce and all these different causes.'"

However her supervisor overheard this, Kitt mentioned. He responded, "What do you imply? Dealer Joe's is not costly."

Is Trader Joe's Cheap Debate
Kitt grew up on Lengthy Island, she mentioned, whereas her colleagues who believed that Dealer Joe's was low cost lived in New York Metropolis. Above, a Dealer Joe's within the metropolis is proven.Michael Nagle / Stringer/Getty Photos North America

Kitt was perplexed, she informed her viewers. "The place I am from, me and my household, we do not store at Dealer Joe's, as a result of it is costly to us. Wow, I actually don't slot in right here, do I? As a result of am I incorrect? Dealer Joe's is an costly grocery store!"

Kitt grew up on Lengthy Island, she added within the feedback part, whereas her colleagues who believed that Dealer Joe's was low cost lived in New York Metropolis. Some viewers proposed that this geographical divide might clarify their variations.

"In NYC, Dealer Joe's is certainly cheaper than different grocery shops," one particular person commented.

One other Lengthy Islander shared Kitt's outlook. "Once I lived at residence with my mother and father on Lengthy Island we barely shopped there as a result of [it's] costly," they wrote. "However then I moved to NYC and it is the most affordable possibility."

Others argued that the shop's packaging fooled folks into seeing it as low cost. "It is cheaper as a result of their parts are made for ants," mentioned one remark.

A number of folks touted their allegiance to different grocery shops. "ALDI woman right here," a viewer mentioned. "Dealer Joe's is EXPENSIVE for a full grocery procuring however nice for just a few distinctive treats and snacks."

A 2018 report by Customers' Checkbook discovered that costs at Dealer Joe's have been about 5 to 10 p.c decrease than the nationwide common, whereas the shop concurrently loved excessive favorability scores for "general high quality." ALDI's costs have been a surprising 40 to 50 p.c decrease than most different shops, though it obtained solely a mean ranking for high quality.

Each Dealer Joe's and ALDI primarily carry their very own manufacturers, reasonably than national-brand merchandise. The draw back to that is that customers might should complement procuring there with journeys to different shops, for the reason that two distinctive chains carried fewer objects than different standard supermarkets, Customers' Checkbook famous.

Due to inflation, the price of groceries is rising regardless of the place you store. Grocery costs have been up 7.9 p.c in February in contrast with the earlier 12 months, latest Shopper Value Index knowledge confirmed. In the meantime, food-at-home costs are anticipated to proceed rising between 3 and 4 p.c by the tip of 2022, in response to the U.S. Division of Agriculture.

Newsweek reached out to Kitt for remark.