Salaries

Inflation is a reality, and it would be awesome if we got paid a little bit more each year, don’t you think? But when our expenses go up, often our employer’s expenses do too. So, are employers required to give cost of living raises?

Here’s what I know from approving hundreds of raises over the years:

Employers are not required to give a cost of living wages. What the law expects them to pay is at least the minimum wage. The only exception would be in the case of a written employment contract that specified pay raises.

So you aren’t guaranteed anything.

In fact, in the last job I had before going full-time blogging, I hadn’t gotten a raise in 3 years. In this article, we’ll explore whether cost of living raises are required by law and how long is too long without raises.

But we’ll also look at what to do if you’re refused a raise and other riveting themes around getting a raise.

Let’s dive right in…

Just how high is inflation in the U.S. going to go? The yearly increase in the cost of living (CPI) is primed to top out close to 5% soon. It would mark the fastest gain since 2008 and easily outstrip the annual pay raise of the average American worker. https://t.co/kocmlBuesu pic.twitter.com/Q4rkg02s7w

— MarketWatch Economy (@MKTWeconomics) June 9, 2021

Are employers required to give annual raises?

Employers are not required by law to give annual raises to employees. What is expected is that the employer pays minimum wage and overtime when the employee has worked for more than 40 hours each week (or over 8 hours per day in some states).

However, annual raises are not mandatory, they are discretionary.

Sometimes an employment agreement or contract or the employee handbook from the company spell out raises and the schedule they are given on.

In many cases, job reviews would be done on a set schedule, but that doesn’t have to include a raise.

There is no statutory requirement that makes it compulsory that the earnings be adjusted upward each year. Of course, an employer might, on their own, decide to put in place such a policy, but it is not required by law.

Overtime is extra pay for extra work.

But, it’s vital to note that it does not apply to all employees. Exempt employees do not receive overtime even when they have worked for more than 40 hours each week.

But in most cases, if you are exempt from overtime and on salary, it would be because you are considered a manager who has the ability to hire and fire.

Got my cost of living raise today! Performance raise on deck. pic.twitter.com/1XNErdHCoy

— Brandon (@BrandonSchrimp1) March 11, 2021

Is it against the law to not give employees a raise?

It is not against the law to not give employees a raise. Raises are dependent on agreements between employers and employees and are not statutorily required or enforced. When an employee deserves it, it is fair that they should be given a raise.

However, the fact that something seems fair is not the same as being legally required.

The Fair Labor Standards Act stipulates that employees who are not exempt must be paid a minimum wage. The implication is that if the minimum wage is increased, an employer must pay employees this wage.

It would, in effect, be a “raise” which must be paid. But, apart from this, it is not against the law if an employer decides not to give a raise. Raises are usually negotiated between the employer and the employee.

And, in some cases, between the employer and the union.

Written offers of employment given to employees state the terms of the employment and, in some cases, the earnings and whether there would be increases over time.

The letter of employment is a contract.

If such an increase is specifically stated in the letter, it is against the law if an employer decides not to pay it.

Unless its payment is contingent on a condition that the employer has not met.

When was the last time you asked for a raise? Your boss won’t necessarily give you a raise out of the goodness of their heart. It’s up to you to ask. So what are you waiting for? #FinancialLiteracy #FinancialLiteracyMonth #careeradvice pic.twitter.com/JZiAzxYh12

— Maggie Germano (@MaggieGermano) April 4, 2019

How long is too long without a raise?

Most companies give raises at least once a year, so going more than 2 years without a raise could be considered an excessive amount of time. However, there is no definitive length of time to go without a raise. 

And if the company is growing and successful, being without a raise after two years could be a cause for concern.

How often one should get raises depends on a couple of factors.

A person who hasn’t spent 6 months in a company has no business asking for a raise. They should be focused on doing their best in their role. But anyone who has been in a company for at least a year ought to ask if the company does not have a policy in place that ensures that earnings are increased from year to year.

As you know, not all years are profitable for a business.

So, it’s understandable that there could be years when there may not be an increase. In that case, the two-year guideline remains ideal. On the other hand, if it’s a business or organization that’s growing very well, and you are putting in your best day in day out, it’s smart not to let any year go by without asking for a raise.

Can you get fired for asking for a raise?

Interesting question if you ask me. Luckily, I explained in a recent article that in at-will states, an employee can be given the pink slip for any reason that doesn’t violate the law. Most employers won’t fire you for asking for a raise. But, I went on to share a caveat.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Whew the prices on everything keep going up 😭😫 #Chipotle is reportedly raising their menu prices by 4% so they can raise their employee pay to $15/hour. We salute them for raising their employee pay but our pockets a lil sad 🥲 pic.twitter.com/jRaMM91Qlp

— The People’s Station (@V103Atlanta) June 10, 2021

What to do if your boss won’t give you a raise

If a boss denies a raise, ask for feedback on what needs to be improved and specifically what improvements are needed to justify a raise. Ask for a timeframe in which to show the improvement and schedule a follow-up meeting after that date.

Ideally, you want to double your efforts and focus on contributing your best in the hope that 6 months or a year down the line, when you make a request again, it would be granted.

It’s smart not to be overly emotional about the rejection because your performance is not the only reason why an employer may reject your request.

The company’s financial health and the timing of the request are other vital factors.

Once you have feedback on why the request for the raise was rejected, you want to act on it. Even if it’s not related to your performance, you want to focus on ensuring that you are giving your best and that your interpersonal skills are top-notch.

You don’t want to be the super-efficient employee that nobody likes being around!

In summary: improve yourself, redouble your efforts to the company, and then ask after 6 months.

The SSA has released the 2021 #SocialSecurity wage base and the cost of living raise for Social Security benefits. Learn more: https://t.co/OlfHzVNsFb#socialsecurityupdate pic.twitter.com/fwnbZxrtMS

— Goering & Granatino, P.A. (@GGCPAs) November 3, 2020

Why do employers not give raises?

Poor or mediocre work performance is the most common reason for a company to not give raises. But there are times when a company might be struggling financially or is financing a capital-intensive project and therefore may not prioritize giving raises to its employees.

Let’s look at some of the reasons why an employer may not give raises:

• You’re not delivering your best
• You’re not a team player and there are many complaints about you
• You’re not a good fit for the company’s culture
• You’re not building your capacity
• You’re known to be disrespectful and a catalyst for creating a hostile work environment 
• You’re often absent from work
• You’ve threatened co-workers in the past
• You’ve threatened to leave

All the reasons above are self-explanatory. In a nutshell, you don’t want to be a toxic or deadbeat employee. Employers and managers want hard-working folks who get on well with others.

Folks who go beyond the call of duty, not those merely going through the motions.

You don’t want to be an “average” employee. If you’re exceptional, it won’t be difficult to get raises. You want to be so exceptional that you don’t ask for raises before management. Instead, on their own, they decide, “this is someone we must keep and elevate.”

Interested in working in a grocery store? Which one pays the best?

I showed in a recent article that Whole Foods and Costco (as of the time of writing) pay the best. They have a starting wage of $15 per hour.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Conclusion

It would be nice to get cost of living raises often, right?

Well, we learned in the article that they are not required by law. So, it is not against the law when an employer does not give them.

We also learned that there is no definitive length of time for asking for raises. But, if you’re not underperforming and have great interpersonal skills, you may not want 2 years to pass before asking for or not getting a raise.

Lastly, we looked at actions to take if the boss refuses a request for a raise and the reasons why they are often rejected.

I loved working in grocery stores. But when you’re first starting out, it’s not uncommon to wonder what grocery store pays the best?

Whole Foods Market and Costco both have a starting wage of $15.00 per hour. That makes them the highest paying grocery stores of the stores that report starting wages. However, Target plans to raise its starting wage to $15.00 by the end of 2020. Walmart, by comparison, currently has a starting wage of $11.00

But that’s only the beginning!

You also can’t go solely on base pay alone. Some stores offer benefits even to part-time employees. Others may do 401k matches, health insurance, and employee discounts.

So it’s important to look at the big picture.

Working in a grocery store can be a great experience with lots of opportunities for advancement. Whether you are new to the workforce and working part-time after school, or changing careers.

So, what is the highest paying grocery store? What is the best store to work at? Do any grocery stores provide employee discounts?

Keep reading to find more!

What is the highest paying grocery store?

One of the best things about job hunting for work at a grocery store is that stores are always hiring. Literally every store. From the small grocery store in rural America to the big chain in the city, you won’t have a problem finding work.

High pay, on the other hand, can be hard to come by.

So, which grocery stores pay the most?

The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. (source)

Fortunately, many stores are going well above and beyond as it relates to minimum wage. In fact, when I was running the original Whole Foods store in San Francisco 18 years ago, our starting wage was $10.00 and many cashiers who had been there a little while were closer to $20/hr.

Stores like Target, Costco, and Walmart all pay well over the federal minimum wage.

Here are the best-known stores from highest to lowest paying:

• Costco & Whole Foods Market comes in at the highest at $15.00.
• Target starts off at $13.00 per hour and will increase its wages to $15.00 per hour by the end of 2020.
• Trader Joes starts off at $12.03 per hour
• Walmart’s minimum is $11.00 per hour.
• Safeway starts at a disappointing $9.76 per hour 
• Kroger starts at a disappointing $8.15 per hour

(source & source & source & source & source & source)

But different positions may have a different starting pay rate. You may be surprised to see how many people it takes to keep a grocery store up and running!

For example, a cashier may start off at $13.00 per hour at Target, but someone who stocks shelves may start off at a different rate; especially if they are working what’s called the “graveyard shift”.

That’s when they stock shelves overnight, often arriving for work at 10 pm.

Not sure what all the different positions are in a grocery store?

I break it all down for you in this recent article. I get into every position and what the job description is and requirements.

After all, if you’re going to excel at it and make the most money possible, it needs to be aligned with your skillset.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

But what about pay, hours, and benefits combined?

After all, great pay doesn’t mean much if they only schedule you 20 hours a week.

And it might be worth taking a dollar an hour less if they cover most of your health insurance. So based on the information the top companies make available, cross-referenced with companies like Glass Door, please refer to the following chart:

Sources not listed elsewhere: (source & source & source & source & source)

Grocery Packer needed worker Part-time
Salary per hour 12.25 + benefits | accommodation | full insurance
Apply now https://t.co/duilwtP0Dc pic.twitter.com/PM8WYDIiOs

— Worldswin (@worldswin) November 18, 2018

What is the best grocery store to work at?

Grocery stores can be great first part-time jobs. They can also be an excellent stepping stone to a permanent career.

Trader Joe’s has been listed in Forbes as being the best place to work. Costco and Wegmans have both made the list, too. (source)

Not only does Trader Joe’s pay above minimum wage, but they also provide benefits like health insurance, paid time off, and a company-funded retirement plan to part-time and full-time employees alike.

Employees love working at Trader Joe’s, too. They encourage a culture of camaraderie and sharing responsibilities throughout the store. They even encourage employees to sample the food they sell!

But, of course, Whole Foods Market has also made the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, for almost all of the past 25 years.

Costco made the list of top employers, too.

In March 2019, they raised their minimum wage to $15.00 per hour. They also provide part-time workers and full-time workers with access to benefits like health insurance, 401K, and PTO.

Being a team player is an important aspect of working in a grocery store. On busy days you may have to leave your department to help out a coworker.

Not sure what it takes to be a successful grocery store employee?

Take it from me. I worked for Whole Foods for more than 2 decades, starting at the very bottom. Eventually, I became one of their best and top-awarded store managers.

So I know a thing or 2 about being successful in that environment. To learn more, read this recent article.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Our grocery employees are important so during these challenging times. During the month of May 2020, we honor the service and sacrifice of grocery store employees with a discount of $350 of underwriting fees. pic.twitter.com/Kh1QKusw3H

— Jennifer M. Stewart (@jfit63) May 2, 2020

Do any grocery stores start at $15 an hour?

Yes!

Costco raised it’s minimum wage to $15.00 per hour in 2019, less than a year after they raised it to $14.50.

Target has announced that it will be raising its minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by the end of 2020. (source)

Trader Joe’s doesn’t have a specific minimum wage they pay across the entire country. Instead, they pay a wage that is competitive with the surrounding area. Each starting pay is based on what it will take to attract the best talent.

In some places, Trader Joe’s minimum wage is $24.75 an hour??! But $12.03 is currently their average starting wage.

All of these stores provide part-time employees with benefits, too! Things like medical and dental insurance, paid parental leave, access to retirement plans, and even PTO (paid time off) are offered to part-time employees.

This is a great improvement from working at a grocery store 20 years ago.

20 years ago, grocery stores paid the federal minimum wage and didn’t offer any fringe benefits to part-time employees. Employee retention wasn’t a priority.

It’s wonderful that so many employers are making their employees a priority. Work should enhance your life and make you feel valued. Not like you are just a cog in the machine.

Costco gives every employee benefits and a huge salary which angers right wing media into a frothy rage. @DLoesch pic.twitter.com/9Ruu3eHrJ9

— Bipartisan Report (@Bipartisanism) May 7, 2015

How much does Costco pay an hour?

In March of 2019, Costco raised its minimum wage to $15.00 per hour.

Not only do they go above and beyond the federal minimum wage, but Glassdoor has also awarded Costco in its “Best Places to Work” list every year since 2012. (source)

Employees love working at Costco, too. 80% of former and current employers would recommend working at Costco to their friends. (source)

Costco has “great benefits,” even for part-time employees.

The most important benefit, though, is that they offer health insurance to all of their employees, including part-timers. They also offer a matching 401K plan, PTO, and a Thanksgiving turkey.

When considering how much a company pays per hour, it’s important to think about the benefits package, too.

While it’s not something you use every day, health insurance, PTO, retirement options, and disability insurance should all be considered when job hunting.

It’s also not often that companies offer benefits to part-time employees.

So, if you are looking for a job, even a part-time one, Costco should definitely be on your list!

But when applying, know that in some job markets, you’ll be up against dozens, if not hundreds of others!

In those cases, it pays to know an insider’s perspective on how to get noticed and get your foot in the door.

Luckily, I break that all down in this recent article with lots of valuable tips on how to land the job.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Wise Buys Discount Groceries employee Carol Carver stocks shelves on Friday afternoon at the store’s location at 369 Whitney Road, Spartanburg. The store opened Dec. 7 #shjsc pic.twitter.com/lcO3FgrYVo

— Chris Lavender (@LavenderSHJ) December 29, 2017

Do you get a discount if you work at a grocery store?

Sometimes.

But if they do offer a discount, it won’t be much.

While stores like Aldi provide excellent benefits, even to part-timers, they don’t offer employee discounts. Their prices are already so low, they can’t reduce them much more if they still want to make a profit.

Trader Joe’s and Meijer both offer employee discounts, too.

When I worked for Whole Foods Market (I left in 2013 before Amazon took over), they had a tiered discount system.

Everyone got 20% off once they were out of their initial hiring probation system. But if you were open to submitting for a physical (that they paid for), you could get a larger discount if you had low blood pressure, low cholesterol, and low body mass.

Essentially, and again, this was voluntary, they paid their employees to be healthier. 

I don’t see mention of that system on their website today, but it does say “Plus, after six months, you have the opportunity to increase that discount up to 30%.” (source)

An employee discount, while nice, shouldn’t be your deciding factor in where you choose to work. It’s important to look at the whole benefits package.

Things like health insurance, dental insurance, and retirement plans can’t be replaced by a 10% discount.

And while benefits are great, company culture is important, too. You spend a lot of time at work. You want to work at a place you love and where you actually want to be.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we talked about the highest paying grocery stores.

We talked about what stores pay $15.00 per hour to start. And we also talked about what stores offer benefits to part-time employees.

Then we also talked about what stores offer employee discounts.

Working at a grocery store can be a great experience. Whether it’s your first job or you are looking to supplement retirement.

With a variety of departments, you are bound to find a position you love.

You may even be interested in becoming a store manager. If that’s the case, read this recent article to find out what kind of education and experience you need to get into management.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Which grocery store will you work at? Will you make it a career or will it be a stepping stone to another career.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”7qOd0xMM” upload-date=”Sat Aug 08 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”What Grocery Store Pays the Best? (& has the best benefits)” description=”I loved working in grocery stores. But when you’re first starting out, it’s not uncommon to wonder what grocery store pays the best? Here’s what I know from 2+ decades of experience: Whole Foods Market and Costco both have a starting wage of $15.00 per hour. That makes them the highest paying grocery stores of the stores that report starting wages. However, Target plans to raise its starting wage to $15.00 by the end of 2020. Walmart, by comparison, currently has a starting wage of $11.00 But that’s only the beginning! You also can’t go solely on base pay alone. Some stores offer benefits even to part-time employees. Others may do 401k matches, health insurance, and employee discounts. So it’s important to look at the big picture. Working in a grocery store can be a great experience with lots of opportunities for advancement. Whether you are new to the workforce and working part-time after school, or changing careers. So, what is the highest paying grocery store? What is the best store to work at? Do any grocery stores provide employee discounts? Keep reading to find more!”]

I was a grocery store general manager for many years, but I always wondered if I went off on my own, how much does a grocery store owner make?

Grocery store owners make anywhere from $60,000 up to around $300,000 or more. Location, size of store & whether it’s a franchise affect the pay range the most. While grocery store owners on the top end, do earn more than a grocery store manager for a company, that is not the case on the low end of the range.

But there’s a lot more to get into about grocery store owners and their salaries.

So in this article, we’re diving deep into the world of grocery store owners. We’ll compare how much they make, on average, compared to grocery store managers working for a chain. We’ll even compare that against Walmart store managers.

Lastly, we’ll see how much you could earn as a grocery store owner compared to owning other types of retail stores. Let’s get going!

What is the typical grocery store owner’s salary?

A grocery store owner literally owns their business, or are at least franchising it from someone like Grocery Outlet.

So right out of the gate, we know there’s a lot more pressure on them than if they worked for someone like Safeway, Kroger, or Whole Foods Market, where I spent 2+ decades of my life.

So does all that extra responsibility add up to extra dollars? Let’s see!

On average, grocery store owners make around $62,419/year according to Indeed.com. But there’s a lot that factors into that, such as:

• Location
• Size of store
• If it’s a franchise

Some grocery store owners, like a small specialty shop on the streets of NYC, for instance, might clear multiple 6 figures. By comparison, a Grocery Outlet store in a neighborhood that’s heavily reliant on food stamps might only earn $60,000/year.

Bear in mind too, it’s hard to get exact numbers from independent grocery stores that aren’t publically traded. There are no financial reporting requirements, nor are grocery store owner salaries listed on sites like GlassDoor.

First Black Owned Grocery Store Franchise In Compton.
Grocery Outlet Bargain Market
2175 W Rosecrans Ave
Compton, CA 90222
(310) 667-5527 pic.twitter.com/UvNp6IqFRO

— Eazy Duz It 🏁 (@BEazyTheDJ) May 30, 2017

A franchise like the one offered by Grocery Outlet Bargain Market or Save-a-Lot can be a great way to own your own business (sort of) and can pay really well too.

Pay is a range, of course, but some owners make around $70,000 on the low end up to the mid 6 figures.

It also gives owner-operators the freedom and flexibility to run their stores how they wish (sort of) and keeps a nice chunk of the profits while at the same time, also giving them a certain level of corporate security and systemization.

I have a recent article that breaks down the Grocery Outlet Franchise program and whether or not it’s worth it. I get into everything from earnings potential and how they split profits, including the 1 thing that would probably prevent me from doing it.

But they do have some owner-operators making $300k/year. So for many, it’s a great opportunity. Just click the link to read it on my site.

From working at his uncle’s store as a young boy to opening his own in 1997, the grocery store business is a family tradition. pic.twitter.com/THvJ8XNeQ7

— Ron’s Supervalu (@RonsSuperValu) April 9, 2019

Starting your own grocery store?

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I have arranged with BuyerZone.com to provide free quotes from all the best cash register manufacturers – with no obligation to buy. Simply complete BuyerZone’s request form below.

“He’s done [things] for people I’ll never know about, but that’s just the kind of person he is.” Mark Presley, a grocery store manager, is going above and beyond to serve customers during the pandemic. Meet him in a couple minutes at 6AM @NC5 pic.twitter.com/9Eyu8sYmuM

— Hannah McDonald (@HannahMcDonald) April 16, 2020

How much do grocery store managers make a year?

I was a GM for Whole Foods Market for well over half of my 20+ year career. Whole Foods calls their GMs Store Team Leaders.

During that time, I ran 4 stores and was an Associate Store Team Leader (assistant GM) in 4 other stores.

On average, and bear in mind the last time I did this was in 2013, so it’s been a little while, I made in the low 6 figures. While I knew some store managers who made around $150,000 a year (salary plus bonuses), I never got that high.

Officially on their website today, Whole Foods lists the starting salary for their GMs as $99,000/year.

But while I’m sure things have changed since Amazon bought them, that’s most likely without bonuses. The bonus structure for Whole Foods Market store managers provided a quarterly bonus on top of their salary. The bonus was based on a somewhat complicated profitability calculation.

So while in a store that wasn’t doing well, that bonus could be nothing, I also knew store managers who bought brand new Jaguars with just 1 of them.

So for many, compared to the risk of being a grocery store owner, it makes sense to be a grocery store manager for a large company.

But outside of Whole Foods, here are how store manager salaries stack up in other grocery stores, according to GlassDoor.

The interesting takeaway here is how wide the range is for essentially the same job.

On the low end, we have Piggly Wiggly and then The Fresh Market, and on the high end, we have Publix. Of course, I can see why a Publix GM would make more than Piggly Wiggly. Publix stores are much larger, with more moving parts (like a pharmacy), and do a lot more sales volume.

By definition, larger sales volume means more employees and more customers, all of which take up the time of a GM.

I was a little surprised Wegmans was so relatively low given they are somewhat similar to Whole Foods, just exclusively on the east coast.

It was also interesting to see a difference between Safeway and Albertsons given they are the same company and their stores are similar.

Walmart reveals average store manager salary—and it’s bigger than you think https://t.co/F9YncVvi3U pic.twitter.com/mCrMzpLgYL

— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) May 10, 2019

How much does a Walmart store manager make?

While people love to make fun of Walmart (or at least their customers), Walmart store managers do quite well, on average.

Going back to GlassDoor for my research, Walmart GMs make between $100k/year up to $141k/year.

But there’s also no doubt that a Walmart GM probably deals with a lot more crazy stuff than I did with Whole Foods, not even counting the multiple instances of shootings that have happened there.

Obviously, if you’re running a large, newer Walmart in a large urban city, you’re going to make more than someone running an old 1980’s looking Walmart in rural West Texas.

But since the Walmart store manager gets a base salary on top of various bonuses. Let’s take a look at those:

• Actual range of base pay – $32,903 – $194,446 (average $100,076)
• Cash bonus – a range of $42k to $141k (average $71,943)
• Stock bonus – a range of $1k to $16k (average $1,321)
• Profit-Sharing – a range of $1k to $26k (average $3,531)
• Commission-Sharing – a range of $1 to $204 (average $102)
• Tips – An average of $204/year

Partnering with our local Walmart helps make our community stronger! Mr. Shawn Sebastanelli, Walmart Store Manager, is donating supplies to our school! Thank you! #alohaes #abcusd #abcstories pic.twitter.com/01Qk5LEjJF

— Aloha Dolphins (@aloha_academy) September 27, 2019

Do grocery store owners make more than other retail business owners?

Yes, is the short answer. At least compared against retail store owner salaries on average.

The average retail store owner makes an average of $49,924/year according to Payscale. That’s based on a range of annual salaries that falls to $24,000 on the low end and $149,000 on the high end.

As I mentioned above in the Walmart example, the location of your store will make a huge difference in pay. It’s also very true that running a Wine shop in Manhattan is very different than running a convenience store outside of Memphis, so it is a little hard to compare apples to apples.

As a sole owner of a large retail store in a decent-sized city, there’s no corporation to back you up.

If your store isn’t profitable for 1 or more months, there aren’t dozens or hundreds of other stores making a profit to balance that out like there would be if you were simply a GM for a large company.

Done right though, your earning potential could be multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars per year; maybe as high as $300,000/year.

But many of these retail store owners will be franchise owners.

That not only means they don’t quite have the same freedom as a true independent store owner, but it also likely means they paid a lot of money upfront to join that franchise. After all, most franchise companies require an initial cash investment of anywhere from $10,000 to over $100,000.

On average, though, franchise owners can expect to make a cash investment of $20k-$35k.

If they then turn around, work like a dog only to earn $49k/year, that doesn’t exactly sound like paradise to me. Now it is true that if you are part of a franchise there is less risk and less start-up cash needed than if you truly opened your own business.

After all, a Subway franchise owner has the entire Subway marketing, distribution, and operations team behind them to help them succeed. A true independent owner has themselves and their employees.

Grocery store profit margins have a lot to do with how much the owner’s earning potential is.

I have an article that breaks down everything you need to know about grocery store profit margins, including how small changes could mean the difference between a 5 figure salary and a mid 6 figure salary.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we took an in-depth look into the world of grocery store owners and how much they make in a year.

We examined not only their salaries but how they stack up against other retail industries. And we compared those salaries against what grocery store managers who work for a chain store might earn.

Ultimately, we answered the question of how much does a grocery store owner make?

If you’ve ever wondered whether owning your very own grocery store is worth it, it can be! I have a recent article that breaks down just how profitable it can be to own your own grocery store. I even cover start-up costs and everything you need to know to get going.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

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Google Cheque epayservice.jpg by J.Archer is licensed under CC3.0

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”N6uQeidx” upload-date=”Mon May 04 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”How Much Does a Grocery Store Owner Make?” description=”I was a grocery store general manager for many years, but I always wondered if I went off on my own, how much does a grocery store owner make? Here’s what I discovered: Grocery store owners make anywhere from $60,000 up to around $300,000 or more. Location, size of store & whether it’s a franchise affect the pay range the most. While grocery store owners on the top end, do earn more than a grocery store manager for a company, that is not the case on the low end of the range. But there’s a lot more to get into about grocery store owners and their salaries. So in this article, we’re diving deep into the world of grocery store owners. We’ll compare how much they make, on average, compared to grocery store managers working for a chain. We’ll even compare that against Walmart store managers. Lastly, we’ll see how much you could earn as a grocery store owner compared to owning other types of retail stores. Let’s get going!”]