Bin Store Pricing Report 2026
What do bin stores actually charge, and when are they cheapest? We analyzed the reported weekly price schedules of 229 U.S. bin stores in our directory to find out. (Prices are reported by stores and shoppers, vary by location, and can change — this is an analysis of reported data, not audited prices.)
Key findings
- • The average bin store's cheapest day runs about $3.10 per item (median $1.00), while its priciest/restock day averages $11.68 (median $10.00).
- • Across the week, per-item prices drop by about 85% on average from the high day to the low day.
- • Wednesday is the single most common cheapest day — the lowest price falls on it for 50% of stores.
- • Friday is the most common high-price (restock) day, for 59% of stores.
Average price by day of week
| Day | Avg price / item | Cheapest day for | Restock day for | Stores closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | $5.25 | 7% | 3% | 16 |
| Tuesday | $4.92 | 21% | 4% | 18 |
| Wednesday | $4.92 | 50% | 12% | 35 |
| Thursday | $7.43 | 27% | 6% | 127 |
| Friday | $11.51 | 9% | 59% | 56 |
| Saturday | $10.00 | 4% | 33% | 7 |
| Sunday | $7.77 | 3% | 7% | 19 |
“Cheapest day for” / “restock day for” = share of analyzed stores whose lowest / highest reported per-item price falls on that day. Percentages can exceed 100% across the row when stores tie on multiple days.
What this means for shoppers
If you want the best selection, go on the restock day (most often Friday) and expect to pay near the top of the cycle. If you want the lowest price and don't mind picked-over bins, the back half of the week — Wednesday most often — is when per-item prices bottom out. Every store sets its own schedule, so always confirm the current cycle before you go.
Methodology
Figures are computed from the reported weekly price schedules of 229 active bin stores listed on Bin Store Map (stores with at least two priced days). Prices are reported by stores and shoppers, are unverified, and change frequently. Read more about how we source and verify data. To cite this report, link to this page; figures update as our directory updates.