What to Know About the Latest TikTok Trend: Grocery Store Tourism

Sure, you can check out area museums, hit up all the local coffee shops, try on a new wardrobe in the local boutiques, and dine in the finest restaurants during a vacation to get a taste of what this new location has to offer. But nothing — nothing — will embed you in a sense of place, like hitting up a local grocery store on your travels. 

For years, frequent travelers have traded secrets about which destinations offer the best chip flavors, unique sauces, and “you can only get this here” candies. But now more people are getting in on the fun thanks to the hot new travel trend on TikTok, “grocery store travel.” 

“This may be controversial, but I think that the best thing to do while traveling is going to the grocery store,” TikTok user marissainchina said in a now-viral TikTok about her experience traveling through Malaysia, visiting grocery stores along the way. “Going to a grocery store could technically be counted as sightseeing, right? Because not only is it a cultural experience, but you can also find lots of stuff to bring back as souvenirs.”

The commenters clearly agreed, with one saying, “I always always always go to grocery stores when traveling overseas. It’s different kinds of souvenirs, which we can enjoy afterward.” Another added, “Grocery shopping is my favorite sport. It’s one of the first things I do when I travel. And the last thing I do, too, to replace my favorite discoveries.” 

Some of the top items TikTokers appear to be after on their grocery store tourism experiences are the aforementioned chips (as a frequent traveler, I can say with confidence that the best chips are in Estonia, specifically it’s these Chanterelles in a Cream Sauce, though my fellow Food & Wine writers also swear by the Jamon Chips in Spain, the chicken flavored chips in Colombia, and the Roasted Chicken Lay’s in the UK, and F&W editor Chandra Ram loved the caper-flavored potato chips she bought in Chianti so much, she developed a recipe for them), candies, and according to the many videos, drinks are a hot item too. 

Expats are also getting in on the fun, taking to social media to share the grocery store items that forever changed them once they moved, including TikToker ba.noma, who explained that when she first visited a grocery store in her new home in Argentina, she was “shocked” to find items like ham-flavored chips and bagged milk. 

“Bags. So many things here come in a bag, from the yogurt to the milk to even the chicken,” she said. One other discovery? “The cracker aisle here is ginormous,” she said. “Bonus points to Argentina for having a dulce de leche section.” 

So, on your next visit to a new place, take a little time to peruse the grocery store aisles and pick up a snack you won’t find anywhere else. Just make sure to get an extra bag of whatever you love most and bring it home with you.