Meet the 12 Grocery Stores Driving Food Tourism, From Donki in Tokyo to Trader Joe’s

Grocery tourism is making souvenir shops feel officially old news. Travelers are now plotting entire itineraries around foreign grocery runs, hauling home private-label snacks, regional sweets and packaged goods they cannot get at their local store. It is the food-tourism spinoff blowing up your For You Page, and it finally has a name.

Expedia’s “Goods Getaways” trend report tracks the shift, while Skyscanner has christened the aisle-wandering habit “Shelf Discovery.” Both point at the same vibe. Grocery tourism turns everyday retail into a destination, and these 12 stores show just how varied a single stop can be.

How Japan’s konbini became tourist stops

7-Eleven, Japan. This bears almost zero resemblance to the American version. Japan’s national tourism organization steers visitors to the country’s convenience stores for onigiri, bento, kara-age, trendy snacks, sweets and drinks. Quick, cheap and a shortcut to everyday Japanese food without a restaurant reservation.

FamilyMart, Japan. Another pillar of konbini culture. Japan’s tourism organization calls the stores treasure troves of food and unusual flavors, shouting out the cult-favorite FamiChiki fried chicken, plus onigiri, canned coffee, nikuman and oden.

Lawson, Japan. Lawson leans local, rotating region-specific products as travelers move around the country. Japan’s tourism organization notes how konbini can become tourist attractions in their own right.

Don Quijote, Japan. Known as Donki, this store stacks groceries next to beauty products, household goods and souvenirs under one very chaotic roof. Don Quijote offers tax-free shopping for eligible international visitors and has built experiences designed with inbound tourists in mind.

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Why travelers seek out these American grocery stores

Erewhon, Los Angeles. The upscale grocer became a Los Angeles landmark thanks to celebrity smoothie collabs, drinks priced around $20, “It” tote bags and ultra-premium produce. Peak Skyscanner “Shelf Discovery” trend energy, where browsing aisles becomes part of the trip.

Trader Joe’s. Grocery tourism has turned store-exclusive snacks and rotating seasonal drops into edible American souvenirs for international visitors. That “can’t get this at home” pull is the whole thesis of Expedia’s “Goods Getaways” trend.

H Mart. Packaged international foods, specialty produce and in-store dining in one trip. Korean packaged goods anchor the mix, another entry in what Skyscanner tracks as “Shelf Discovery.”

99 Ranch Market. Packaged Asian foods, specialty produce and in-store dining turn this into a discovery stop, with Taiwanese packaged goods among the standouts. Expedia’s grocery-tourism research reflects that same appetite for local products.

Lotte Plaza Market. Another Asian-American market drawing aisle-wanderers, joining H Mart, 99 Ranch and Mitsuwa in offering international packaged foods, specialty produce and in-store dining.

Mitsuwa Marketplace. Japanese packaged goods sit next to specialty produce and in-store dining, delivering a closer-to-home version of a foreign supermarket run for the food-curious.

Which European grocery stores are worth the detour?

Mercadona, Spain. The budget-friendly chain is tapping into grocery tourism with its private-label products and ready meals. The appeal is the opposite of a traditional attraction, since visitors get to browse the everyday supermarket locals actually use.

Fortnum & Mason, London. The historic luxury grocer dates to 1707 and takes the pilgrimage upscale. It shows just how broad the category runs, from a konbini snack aisle to a centuries-old food hall.

Why grocery tourism is having a moment

Not every store is fancy or famous, and that is kind of the point. Travelers are turning ordinary grocery stores into destinations because the shelves carry something different, whether regional products, store exclusives or unfamiliar foods. Both Expedia and Skyscanner see the habit growing rather than fading, and the grocery aisle is quickly becoming one more place worth exploring on a trip.