I compared Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar and found one messy, one pricey, and one that was just right for stocking up on snacks

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  • I visited the three main dollar store chains: Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar.
  • Family Dollar was the tidiest store I visited, while Dollar General was chaotic.
  • Dollar stores have become a major part of American retail and are attracting more shoppers.

Dollar stores have become a big part of shopping in the US. But they’re not all the same.

Insider previously reported on disorder and a shortage of workers at Dollar General stores across the country. Customers and store workers told Insider that aisles at many of Dollar General’s locations are crammed with inventory — some so much so that fire marshals ordered the stores to close until they could tidy up. 

But are all dollar stores as messy as Dollar General? 

It’s a question worth asking given how prominent the stores have become. Dollar General is on the verge of opening its 20,000th store after cutting ribbons on 1,000 new locations just last year. Dollar Tree has about 16,000 stores, some of which it runs under the Family Dollar name. 

All three stores are common sights, both in remote rural areas as well as closer to major cities. And even if most items now cost more than $1, they’re still popular places to shop, especially as inflation remains high.

To find out what the major differences are between the three main dollar store chains, I visited some of their stores in Southern Maryland, about an hour’s drive from Washington DC. 

Dollar General declined to comment to Insider for this article. Dollar Tree, which also owns Family Dollar, did not respond to a request for comment.

Do you work or shop at Dollar General, Dollar Tree, or Family Dollar and have a story idea to share? Contact Alex Bitter by email at [email protected] or via text/encrypted messaging app Signal at (808) 854-4501.

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