Golden-Gallery.net

SEE NEW EPS
SEE CLASSIC EPS
GET TICKETS

Grocery Game

The first game on The Price is Right to be played with supermarket-level “grocery” products.

Five common grocery products are shown. A contestant chooses one product and the quantity of that product they wish to ring up. The contestant is shown how much their “purchase” is worth.

A model rings up the contestants’ purchases on an old-school cash register, and the contestant keeps making purchases adding to their total. If the contestant can total a cumulative bill between $20 and $22 without going over, they win a large prize.

Grocery Game is an proven classic, and it’s nearly impossible not to play along as the contestant gets closer and closer to their target. To this day the cash register remains an analog mechanical device.

A contestant in a blue sweater stands with Drew Carey in a gray suit, discussing the Grocery Game on a colorful Price is Right set with a cash register and grocery items displayed.
4th pricing game to debut
S1, September 5 1972 – Present
Created by Imie Lane Camelli
Strategy
Stats
FAQ
S1, Sep 5 1972
A contestant on The Price Is Right stands speaking to the host while a model prepares to ring up groceries on a cash register.

Doti will be breaking in the Grocery Game! She has five items to use to get as close as she can to $7.00 without going over.

A game show model presents prizes, including a vintage television and a refrigerator, in a colorful studio set.

This freezer and color TV can be hers if she hits the winning range of $6.75 to $7.00!

A contestant holding a dollar bill stands next to the host of a game show, both focused on the task at hand, with a glittery background.

Doti starts off by buying three packages of bacon.

A hand holding a price tag of 99 cents in front of a packaging for hickory smoked sliced bacon on a display.

Each package of bacon is 99 cents, for a total of…

Old-fashioned cash register displaying a total of .97 during a segment of Grocery Game on The Price is Right in 1972.

$2.97, and she’s got about $4 left to go before hitting $7.00.

Contestant Doti holds up a 0 dollar bill while interacting with the host during The Price is Right game show.

In the game’s earliest days, Bob gave contestants a $100 bill before the game as a bonus for staying under. They could quit the game at any time and keep the $100, but if they went over the $7.00 target, they lost everything. This rule was dropped by the game’s second week.

A hand holding a price tag showing 39 cents in front of a can of Campbell's Chunky Soup.

Her next purchase? Three cans of Campbell’s soup. Each can is 39 cents, for a total purchase of $1.17, which makes Doti’s running total…

Close-up of an old-school cash register displaying the total amount of .14.

$4.14. A calculator may be more efficient, but an old-school cash register whir keeping track of your total makes for MUCH better TV.

A contestant listening intently during the Grocery Game on The Price is Right, wearing a blue jacket and earrings, with a colorful backdrop.

Doti’s next move is the Lipton Chicken Stroganoff, and she wants three.

Close-up of an old-fashioned cash register display with the readings 'NCR' and '0237' on the screen.

Each one is 79 cents, for a purchase of $2.37… and adding that to her previous total makes…

Close-up of a vintage cash register displaying the total amount of .51, with a blurred retro background.

$6.51. Doti’s 49 cents away from going broke, but 24 cents will win the freezer and TV.

A female contestant holds a price tag while speaking to a male host on the set of The Price is Right in 1972, with a colorful background.

Strategically, she’s left the two least expensive items for last. Dottie takes one can of dog food, and that can is worth…

A hand holding a card showing the price of 33 cents next to a can of Kal Kan dog food.

33 cents! Hot dog!

Contestant celebrating a win on the Price is Right, raising arms in joy against a colorful backdrop.

Doti starts celebrating before the register can even finish ringing her up, because she knows her total is…

Close-up of an old-fashioned cash register displaying the total amount of .84 during a game show segment.

$6.84, and she’s a winner!

S1, Jul 12 1973
An old-school cash register displaying the message 'WIN!' in green and the subtotal of .97.

A display was added to the register that lit up either “WIN!” or “OVER” depending on the game’s final result. Vicki squeaked in just three cents under the limit!

S4, Jan 22 1976
Contestants participate in the Grocery Game on The Price is Right with an old-fashioned cash register in a colorful set designed for the game.

As color TVs saw widespread adoption and TPIR shifted away from the brown set, a new table and sign was added to give the game a little bit more flair.

An old-fashioned cash register displaying 'WIN!' in green and a subtotal of .84.

..don’t those new displays look like 3-D goggles?

S14, Oct 7, 1985
Contestant and host discussing the Grocery Game; various grocery products displayed on a colorful set.

Dwight is in a tough spot. He’s used up four items and is at $6.61. He takes one pack of ramen, which is the only item left.

A man in a suit holds a card and microphone while standing in front of a colorful backdrop on a game show set.

Bob decides to slow-roll the reveal… and before he can show the price, the register makes a click and a whirring noise…

Janice Pennington, a model on the Price is Right, covers up the display on the cash register after she accidentally punches in the price too early in the Grocery Game.

Janice rang it up too early!

S19, Apr 5 1991
A game show scene with a vibrant background featuring the title 'SHELL GAME'. A male contestant stands next to the host, while a female model operates a cash register displaying various grocery items.

Um… that’s the wrong sign!

S20, Feb 7 1992
A contestant stands next to a host at a colorful set for the Grocery Game, with grocery products displayed on a counter. A model operates an old cash register in the background.

THAT’S the right sign. Inflation had made the game tougher, so the winning range increased to $20-$21 in 1990.

S30, July 12 2002 (Primetime)
A smiling contestant wearing a navy blue jacket with a name tag and a yellow contestant sign, standing in front of a colorful background.

Grocery Game was frequently played for rooms of furniture towards the end of Bob’s run. When Coast Guard member Melissa was shown that her prize was three rooms of furniture, you can see her smile slowly fade with each door…

S31, Nov 1 2002
A contestant in a yellow shirt bends over to examine grocery items while a host stands nearby, with a woman operating an old-fashioned cash register at the Grocery Game set.

Paul inspects the coffee before telling Bob he wants to buy nine of them!

A hand holds a price tag displaying .75 next to a can of Maxwell House coffee.

Each is $4.75, so nine is…

A cash register display indicating the game outcome with 'WIN!' in green and 'OVER' in red, alongside a total of .76.

…a BIT too much!

S39, Sep 21 2009
A colorful display of grocery items on a game show set, featuring a bottles of fruit punch, boxes of snack foods, and a cash register.

Beginning with Drew’s second season, Grocery Game began to get “fun” setups where all five products would have some sort of theme.

S44, Sep 21 2015
Cash register displaying 'WIN!' in green and 'OVER' in red, showing a subtotal of 23.96.

In Season 44, every contestant who played Grocery Game went over $21, so the following year the winning range was readjusted. It’s now $20 to $22.

S52, April 29 2024
Drew Carey holds a large sign displaying the names of musicals: 'ANNIE', 'CHICAGO', 'CATS', 'WICKED', and 'HAIRSPRAY', while a contestant stands beside him, smiling.

Game producer Chris Donnan gave Drew a hint as to this game’s theme. “Annie’s” cheddar squares, “Chicago” steak seasoning, Friskies “cat” food…

Model observing cash register display with 'WIN!' and 'OVER' lights illuminated, indicating their total amount during the Grocery Game.

James didn’t win, but he was exactly $10 away from “1776”!