Tops, Big C, Villa Market, Gourmet Market — and the endlessly useful 7-Eleven.
Every 200 metres throughout Bangkok — fresh pastries baked daily, microwaveable Thai food, cold drinks, medication, phone top-ups, and bill payment; the true backbone of Bangkok life.
Thai-owned hypermarkets with excellent fresh produce, cheap dry goods, and a food court; prices significantly below tourist areas.
Mid-range supermarket chain with good imported goods and quality fresh produce; usually in malls.
Bangkok's best supermarket for international imports — Australian beef, Western cereals, international wine; used by expats and upper-middle-class Thais.
Premium imported food in Emporium and EmQuartier; Japanese, Korean, European products; the most expensive option but best quality imported goods.
Dried spices, Thai curry pastes, and vacuum-sealed snacks travel well and are far cheaper at any of these supermarkets than at airport gift shops — worth a stop the day before flying out.
Cards are accepted everywhere in this category, though smaller change from cash payments is genuinely useful for markets and street stalls elsewhere in the city.