The Publix assessment is the Publix Retail Employment Test (PRET), the set of questions inside the online application for Publix store jobs. Publix says the questions measure your customer service and problem-solving skills, and tells applicants to slow down because the answers can make or break an interview invite. Candidates describe pairs of statements where you must pick one, with no middle option, and the same ideas asked again in new words. Publix says you can retake the PRET after six months. OphyAI Customer Service helps live or in practice.
From Publix's store application help page, careers FAQ and careers blog, checked November 6, 2026. Publix does not publish the test format, so rows marked as candidate reports come from Reddit posts by people who took it. Publix can change the test at any time.
| Official name | Publix Retail Employment Test (PRET), part of the online application for store jobs |
|---|---|
| What it measures | Publix says the questions "help us measure your customer service and problem-solving skills" |
| Question formats | Candidate reports: pairs of statements where you must pick one, sometimes both negative and with no middle choice, plus the same ideas asked again in different words |
| Where you apply | storejobapplication.publix.com (apply.publix.jobs sends you there), from a phone or a computer |
| Retake | Publix says you can retake the PRET after six months |
| After you submit | Managers at the store you chose and nearby stores can see your application right away. Only applicants chosen for interviews are called |
| Stores and jobs | You can apply for several positions and up to three stores at the same time |
| Keep it active | Publix's help page says applications stay active 30 to 60 days, and to update yours every 30 days so managers keep seeing it |
| Hiring time | Retail hiring usually takes 1 to 3 weeks, and an interview call may come within a week or two |
| Minimum age | 14 for select store positions |
| Help line | Publix Store Application Help Line: 833-755-1161 or 1-800-242-1227, weekdays 9am to 6pm Eastern |
Publix does not publish its question formats. These are what Publix says the test measures and what candidates describe, in our words.
Candidates describe two statements about yourself where you must choose the one that is more like you. Sometimes both sound bad, and there is no middle answer.
Tip: When both sound bad, pick the one that matters less for customers, safety and honesty. A slow learner can be trained; a short temper with shoppers is harder to fix.
Candidates say the same idea comes back several times in different words. Commenters read it as a check that your answers are consistent and honest.
Tip: Decide once where you stand on patience, rules, teamwork and learning, then answer every version the same way.
Publix says the questions measure customer service skills, but it does not show the format. Our examples below use common retail formats: a shopper needs help and you choose what to do.
Tip: Publix says its founder believed customers should be "treated like kings and queens." Pick the answer that helps the shopper now and stays polite.
Publix says the test also measures problem solving. Practice choosing what to do first when a shopper, a coworker and a task all need you at once.
Tip: Shoppers and safety usually come first, then your assigned task, then tidying up. Ask a coworker or manager when something is outside your role.
The rest of the application asks about your availability, the positions and stores you want, and your work history. Publix says open availability and retail, customer service or food experience help you stand out.
Tip: Be honest, and list any similar past work. Night and weekend availability matters because stores are busiest then.
Written by us in the formats candidates describe and common retail formats, never copied from the real PRET. Try each one before you read the answer.
Choose the statement that is more like you.
Better pick: B.
Both admit a weakness, which is the point of this format. B is about learning speed, which training fixes. A is about patience with customers, the trait a grocery job needs most.
Choose the statement that is more like you.
Better pick: B.
Publix says it hires people who are "energized by teamwork," and store work is team work. Pick B unless it is truly not you, and then answer the repeats the same way.
Choose the statement that is more like you.
Better pick: A.
Publix looks for people who are honest, dependable and respectful of Publix property. B sounds friendly, but it signals you might bend coupon, cash or food safety rules.
A shopper asks where the gluten-free pasta is while you are stocking cans in another aisle.
What would you do?
Best response: B.
B puts the shopper first, which matches Publix's focus on premier customer service. The cans can wait. A and C hand the job off, and D makes the customer wait.
At your register, a customer says her coupon should work, but it rang up as expired yesterday.
What would you do?
Best response: B.
B is honest about the rule and still tries to help, with a manager available for the final call. A breaks the rule, C is cold, and D sends her away with nothing.
On your way to break, you see a puddle of milk spreading across the dairy aisle.
What would you do?
Best response: B.
Safety comes before your break. B keeps shoppers from slipping and gets the spill handled. A, C and D all leave the hazard in place.
It is busy. A shopper asks you for help, the trash can at the front is overflowing, and a cart of bread is waiting to go out.
What do you do first?
Best: B.
The shopper in front of you comes first, then your task, and the trash gets handled without being forgotten. A and C put tasks ahead of a person who needs help.
Want more like these, scored? Try 3 free practice questions in OphyAI
Publix publishes no passing score and does not explain how the PRET is scored. Its own advice is to take your time, because your answers "could make or break your chances of being selected for an interview." Publix does not say whether you see a result. Its help page says only applicants chosen for interviews are called, because of how many applications it gets.
After you submit, your application is active and visible right away to managers at the store you chose and at nearby stores. A store manager calls if you are picked for an interview. Publix says retail hiring usually takes 1 to 3 weeks, and an interview call may come within a week or two. If you are picked after the interview, a background check and onboarding follow.
Retakes and updates: Publix says you can retake the PRET after six months, and that it is important to do your best the first time. Update your application every 30 days so it stays visible. If an update fails because your application is "in review" at a store, Publix says to try again in 48 hours.
Publix says it hires people who are passionate about premier customer service, energized by teamwork, honest, dependable, and respectful of others and of Publix property. Let that list guide every pick.
When both statements sound bad, choose the one that matters less for shoppers, safety and honesty. Do not overthink a single pair; consistency across the test matters more.
Decide once where you stand on patience, rules, teamwork and learning, then match it every time an idea comes back in new words.
Give open availability if you can, list retail, customer service or food work, pick up to three stores, and update the application every 30 days. For problems, call 833-755-1161.
Publix's application pages mention no webcam, proctor, ID check or time limit for the PRET. You can apply from a phone or a computer, and Publix encourages you to visit the store and introduce yourself to management after you apply.
What it records: your answers and your application. Publix does not name the company that builds the test or say what activity it logs. Corporate, pharmacist, distribution and other non-retail jobs work differently: some of those applicants get an email invite to an online test, and Publix's "assessment complete" page tells them to check the Publix Jobs Center for any other assessments.
Search results are full of flashcards, PDFs, videos and copied pages on unrelated websites that claim to have them. Publix publishes no answer key. And because the pairs and repeats check that you answer consistently, a list from someone else's test does not fit yours. OphyAI Customer Service reads the exact question on your screen and shows the best answer in seconds.
Yes. The formats candidates describe, pick-one statement pairs, repeated ideas and customer situations, are formats OphyAI Customer Service handles as work style and best response questions, live or in practice. Use Chrome or Edge on a computer, or the Mac or Windows desktop app. It is not in the iPhone or Android apps.
Publix's application pages mention no webcam, proctor or screen recording for the PRET, and Publix does not say what activity it logs. In the OphyAI desktop app, answers show in a popup that macOS and Windows leave out of screen sharing and recording. It does not work inside lockdown or proctored browsers, it does not take typing-speed tests, and hiding a window from screen share does not hide it from a webcam, a person in the room, or proctoring software.
Compare every platform: Can online assessments detect AI?
OphyAI Customer Service reads each question of an online customer service assessment on your screen and shows the best answer in a small window only you can see. Practice mode gives you realistic mock tests that explain why each option is better or worse.
OphyAI Customer Service works on the real Publix assessment, not just in practice. Do the application on a computer and share the test tab once in Chrome or Edge, or run it in the OphyAI desktop app for Mac and Windows. Each question is read as it appears and answered in seconds: the better pick in a pair of statements, kept consistent with your earlier answers, or the best response to a shopper or coworker situation. In the desktop app, answers show in a popup that macOS and Windows leave out of screen sharing and recording.
Want to practice first? The free 3-question sample needs only a free OphyAI account, and retail store is one of the six job types in practice tests of 5, 10 or 20 original questions that explain why each option is better or worse. Live sessions and practice tests are on the Premium plan ($59 a month, 500 credits): a live session uses 15 credits and stays open 2 hours, and a practice test uses 5. It runs on a computer, not in the iPhone or Android apps, so start the application on a laptop or desktop if you want to use it.
Pick the single best way to handle the customer.
Two picks per scenario: the most and the least effective response.
A rating for every option, from very ineffective to very effective.
The options in order, best first.
A customer wants to return a jacket bought 34 days ago. The return window is 30 days and she is upset. Pick the most and least effective response.
A customer wants to return a jacket bought 34 days ago. The return window is 30 days and she is upset. Pick the most and least effective response.
Most and least effective
Most: B
Least: A
B shows care and owns the problem within the rules. A shuts her down.
Works in Chrome or Edge on a computer and in the OphyAI desktop app for Mac and Windows. It is not in the iPhone or Android apps. A free 3-question sample is open to anyone with a free OphyAI account, on any plan, with no credits. Customer Service is on the Premium plan ($59 a month, 500 credits). A live session uses 15 credits and stays open 2 hours; a practice test uses 5 credits. See everything it does
It does not work inside lockdown or proctored browsers, it does not take typing-speed tests, and hiding a window from screen share does not hide it from a webcam, a person in the room, or proctoring software.
PRET stands for Publix Retail Employment Test. It is the assessment inside the online application for Publix store jobs, and Publix says it measures customer service and problem-solving skills.
Publix does not publish a time. It does tell applicants not to rush: "Slow down and think about your answers." Set aside a quiet block so you can finish the application in one go.
Yes, after six months. Publix's store application help page says you can retake the PRET after six months and that it is important to do your best the first time.
Publix does not describe a pass or fail screen. Its help page says only applicants chosen for interviews are called, so a call from a store manager is the clear sign. You can check your application status by logging in to your account.
Candidates on Reddit say the same ideas come back in different words, and commenters read it as a check that your answers are consistent and honest. Answer every version the same way.
Publix says retail hiring usually takes 1 to 3 weeks, and you may be contacted for an interview within a week or two. Only applicants picked for interviews are called. If you have not heard in 30 days, log in and update your application.
Yes. Publix says you can apply from your mobile phone or a computer. OphyAI Customer Service runs on a computer in Chrome or Edge, or in the Mac and Windows desktop app, not on phones.
Publix hires for select store positions starting at 14. The application asks for your age range to show which jobs you can apply for.
The Publix Store Application Help Line at 833-755-1161 or 1-800-242-1227, weekdays 9am to 6pm Eastern. For accommodations during the application or interview, email applicant.accommodation@publix.com.
Read on November 6, 2026. OphyAI is not affiliated with Publix or with any test maker or other employer named on this page.
Create a free OphyAI account and try 3 practice questions at no cost. On test day, OphyAI Customer Service reads each Publix assessment question on your screen and shows the best answer in a window only you can see.
