Publix BOGO, is it Buy One, Get One free? Or can you just get one for half price? The answer is: It depends what state you are in!
Different States, Different BOGO Rules
I live in Florida, where if you buy one BOGO item, you pay full price and get a second free. If you don’t get your free one, you lose out.
I was visiting north Alabama and shopping at Publix with my cousin and grabbed some BOGO chips. She said I could just get one for half off, and I was like, “Oh no, that’s not how it works. I thought it did, but a Publix employee told me that only works on the “2 for” items. You have to get the second one or you miss out.”
We got to the counter and I got confused at the receipt because it had both items rang up at a half price discount. And she was like, “See, you could have just gotten one half price.”
Mind. Blown. So of course I had to go look it up, and ran across a Reddit thread and Facebook thread of people arguing back and forth about which was was right.
I finally managed to find a clear answer and discovered it differed by state. For the most part, if you live in Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and northern Alabama, you can buy just one BOGO item at half price.
But everywhere else you have to buy one at full price and get the same item free.
I like the half off option so much better! Come on Publix, why the different rules?
As a side note, the “2 for $x” deals can be split up, and you can get one item for the discounted price.
I Got an Answer!
Thank you to Publix employee Theresa who solved the mystery by leaving this comment:
I work for Publix. I worked in Florida and Tennessee. In Florida we have no food tax so we can give one completely free! (Publix started in Florida, where there has never been a food tax, so it’s always been full price for one, second item completely free)
As Publix moved into the northern states, those states had an existing and current food tax. Each item sold has to have a food tax attached to it. Therefore, allowing those states to offer half price on bogo items.
Mystery solved!
So, while it’s awesome that Florida doesn’t tax food items, it means we don’t get the 1/2 price item option and do really get a freebie. Personally, I’d rather be able to just get that package of BOGO strawberries at half off because you know those things are getting moldy in like two days.
Geek Mamas 
That’s so werid! When I go to Virginia this summer, I’m gonna go get my half price item, just because. 😁
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Do it! Lol
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Not just northern Alabama, but all of Alabama.
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I work for publix. I worked in Florida and Tennessee. In Florida we have no food tax so we can give one completely free! (Publix started in Florida, where there has never been a food tax so it’s always been full price for one, second item completely free)
As Publix moved into the northern states, those states had an existing and current food tax. Each item sold has to have a food tax attached to it. Therefore allowing those states to offer half price on bogo items.
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Thanks for explaining why they do that! That’s really interesting. I love that we have no food tax here in FL, but I would rather have the option for one half price item. Especially for stuff like those BOGO strawberries that go moldy in like two days lol.
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SC doesn’t have food tax… we get BOGO deals half price…
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No, you’re wrong. You may work for Publix, but you’re no expert on public policy (which I am). Almost all states with grocery taxes are in the Southeast, not the North. I grew up in Indiana where my dad owned grocery stores. I was taught from the beginning that taxes on non-prepared food was illegal. I’ve lived in the South now for 18 years, and little taxes on lots of things is more the norm, especially in Florida, where I lived for 5 years. There may be no income tax, but there are lots of smaller taxes (e.g., I never paid a toll in my life until I moved to Florida). The BOGO determination has nothing to do with state taxes and everything to do with state laws. In Florida, it has to do with Florida’s truth in advertising laws, which is interpreted as BOGOs being 2 sold, 1 free, whereas in other states it’s not so stringent. I’m in Georgia now, and I always buy just one BOGO as half price. Sweet.
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Chiming in to say this is a thing in NC as well I think. BOGO rings up half at Harris Teeter(don’t have too many Publix around here).
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It’s been interesting to hear everyone’s BOGO experience, lol. When I wrote this I had no idea so many people were googling it.
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Got confused by this myself today. I live in SC and always got the one item at 50%. Visiting FL this week, I bought one item on bogo and it rang in at full price… didn’t realize until I saw the receipt after I got home. Going back to the store TM to hopefully get the second freebie. And buy like a dozen more – this particular bogo is on a beer i happen to enjoy so I’m stocking up yo!
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I’m surprised they didn’t let you know! They usually ask if you want another when you get 1 of a BOGO item. The cashier was slacking lol
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