Be a Contestant — Supermarket Sweep

Supermarket Sweep: How to Be a Contestant

Supermarket Sweep is not currently casting contestants. The ABC revival hosted by Leslie Jones ran for one season in 2020 before being cancelled in 2022. However, the format's enduring popularity means a future revival is always possible. Here's how the casting process worked, what producers looked for, and how to prepare if the show returns.

How Casting Worked During the ABC Revival

During the 2020 ABC production, contestants applied through ABC's official casting website. The process followed the standard multi-step approach used for most network game shows:

1. Online application: Teams of two submitted applications with personal information, photos, and answers to personality-focused questions
2. Screening quiz: Selected applicants took a trivia test covering grocery knowledge, product pricing, and general game show awareness
3. Video or in-person audition: Casting producers evaluated on-camera presence, team chemistry, and entertainment value
4. Final selection: Producers assembled a diverse slate of teams balancing personality types, demographics, and competitive potential

What Producers Looked For

Supermarket Sweep casting prioritized entertaining, high-energy teams over pure trivia knowledge:

• Team chemistry: Genuine rapport between partners — couples, siblings, best friends, and coworkers with natural banter outperformed strangers
• Physical energy: The Big Sweep is a running competition, so teams needed to demonstrate fitness and willingness to sprint through aisles
• Personality and humor: The show thrives on authentic reactions — excitement during wins, dramatic disappointment during losses
• Competitive drive: Producers wanted teams who genuinely wanted to win, not just appear on TV
• A compelling story: Every team got a brief introduction segment, so having an interesting relationship or backstory helped in casting

Preparing for a Future Revival

If Supermarket Sweep returns, these preparation strategies will give you an edge in both the audition and the game itself:

• Study grocery pricing: Learn approximate prices of common grocery items, especially premium and specialty products — the quiz rounds test this knowledge directly
• Watch past episodes: Study winning teams' Big Sweep strategies on Hulu (ABC revival) or YouTube (classic episodes). Notice which aisles they prioritize and how they manage cart space
• Practice speed shopping: Time yourself finding items in a real grocery store — familiarity with store layouts translates directly to Big Sweep performance
• Develop your team narrative: Think about what makes your partnership interesting and practice telling that story concisely
• Build physical readiness: The Big Sweep involves sprinting, lifting heavy items, and maneuvering a shopping cart at speed

Big Sweep Strategy (From Past Seasons)

Analysis of winning teams across both the classic and ABC revival eras reveals consistent strategies:

1. Target high-value items first: Meat, cheese wheels, diapers, and large-format items carry the highest per-item value
2. Divide and conquer: Successful teams split the store into zones, with each partner responsible for specific aisles
3. Don't neglect the bonus items: Special items hidden throughout the store carried significant bonus values
4. Cart management matters: Efficient stacking means more items per cart — strategic packers outperformed random grabbers
5. Keep moving: Time is the scarcest resource. Deliberating cost teams more than grabbing a slightly lower-value item

Staying Ready for Casting Calls

Game show casting calls often appear with short notice when a revival is greenlit. To be ready:

• Create accounts on major casting platforms (ABC casting, CBS casting, 1iota.com)
• Follow game show casting accounts on social media — Supermarket Sweep on IMDb tracks production status
• Keep an updated audition video ready (2 minutes, good lighting, clear audio, showcasing your team's chemistry)
• Join game show fan communities on Reddit and dedicated forums where casting announcements are shared early

While Supermarket Sweep isn't currently in production, game show history proves beloved formats return. The original ran from 1965 to 1967, was revived in 1990, again in 2000, and again in 2020. When the next revival happens, prepared teams with genuine enthusiasm will have the best shot at running those aisles.