Aldi sucks. Up here they also have Lidl which is another competitor of theirs and also sucks. Its all generic food and the carts are a hassle. Who carries coins with them? No issue with the 'pay for bags' since where I live you have to pay $0.05 for a bag at any store.
I remember a few years back when I was in Tahoe, I went to a Safeway on the CA side. They were willing to bag my food with paper bags at no cost, but if I chose plastic bags, there was a cost. I did a face palm when the cashier told me this. Aldi is meh. I prefer Publix, even if I pay a little more, I know their stuff is generally fresh.
Aldi is my favorite too. In addition to great prices and what used to be good produce (they have had some issues lately) I love going through the "junk isle" to see what random stuffy they are selling this week. Self checkout lanes are making it even better.
It’s shocking to me that they managed to stay in business. A few years ago I had one very close to my house. I would stop by when I needed something right away and didn’t want the additional 5 minutes drive to Publix. It was huge but always a ghost town. The only time it was busy were the holidays when Publix closed.
The Aldi I go to does not have self checkout, but it's usually pretty quick because the cashiers scan thru so quickly.
Dude… I think .. maybe… the tin foil is leeching a little. Might need to take the hat off every now and then. Let the brain breathe a bit.
Aldi has crept into the Atlanta market recently. I went into one while waiting for some car work to be done. I'll never go back in another one. It's basically like a small warehouse. Boxes stacked on portable wire shelves. They definitely don't waste any money cleaning the place. It was like shopping in a 3rd World grocery, but with no charm and no local specialties or local farm goods.
We get deliveries from Walmart+ and Aldi to avoid going in to either. And we still spend a lot at Publix too. Back when I went to Aldi regularly, I always made sure to keep a quarter in the car.
It's must be great to be so unaware of what's going on in our country... You must be falling for all the side shows that the Dems are lobbing out there so that you don't notice what other countries are really doing here in the U.S.A.. China loves your lack of awareness.
Two brothers started together and then went their separate ways---the result was Aldi and Trader Joe's. The Connection Between Trader Joe's And Aldi - Tasting Table For those who are stunned to learn Trader Joe's isn't just an Aldi subsidiary but that there are two Aldis, let's take a step back. CNBC explains Aldi was originally founded as a suburban German corner store which brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht inherited after World War II. In the economic turmoil of post-war Germany, the brothers worked to cut down waste by only selling staples at low prices and were quickly able to expand their store into a chain. By 1955 they had 100 stores, but in the 1960s, the brothers split the business into two (Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd) after disagreeing about selling cigarettes. While the two brands coexist regionally in Germany — divided between the north (Nord) and south (Süd) — they split the rest of continental Europe into territories. According to Brilliant Maps, Aldi Nord operates in France, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Luxembourg, and Portugal, while Aldi Süd services the United Kingdom, Hungary, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Slovenia, and Italy, as well as Australia. Aldi Süd expanded into the U.S. in 1976, just three years before Aldi Nord bought Trader Joe's, making the U.S. the only country besides Germany where both brands operate. Read More: The Connection Between Trader Joe's And Aldi - Tasting Table
Most of their generic stuff is not bad. We haven't bought much produce and no meat but the staples they have work well. They will also have brand names from time to time. The stores here are clean and the layout stays essentially the same. It is nice the carts are not littering the parking lot--it is a hassle, at times, if no one is heading into the store that needs a cart and you have to walk back to the store (especially in the cold winter weather here LOL). Their bargain aisle gets some interesting things with good prices--if you need something at the time they have it in stock the price is usually not too bad.
Yeah, that’s funny. My first trip to Aldi was in Germany. I didn’t need a cart but used a hand tote instead. I didn’t know it was cash only and you had to bring your own shopping bag! I needed help from my buddy to pay and ended up throwing 10lbs of gummy bears and chocolates in my shirt with my belly showing. My buddy was from Georgia so I just kept telling the cashier I am sorry, I am from Georgia I don’t get out much.
Some of their stuff is made in China but with Authentic German Labeling! I saw some Spargelzeit (white asparagus) on sale once and was like, that’s hard to get here! Turns out it was made in China. WTH?! Didn’t buy it. You’re right that some brand name stuff is good but it’s hit and miss. It’s not like they stock the really good stuff on a regular basis but prices are good considering their buying/purchasing philosophy. Their Christmas goodies are usually good.
