You pay to get a buggy ... you bag your own groceries ... but prices are a bit lower. Is it worth it to shop at ALDI? I decided to go find out...
I did my research before going to the store. I'm glad I did because I never would've thought I would need a quarter to get a buggy (I keep NO cash on me) ... or I would need to take my own grocery bags! However, I bought a few reusable bags a week or so ago and decided to put them to use.
The inside of the store looks like a little old fashioned grocery store. It was a little cluttered ... but there was plenty of room to navigate. Of course that wasn't my main concern. I was MOST concerned with the prices ... and the quality.
The first thing I noticed was a major lack in brand names. Of course, I usually buy generic anyway ... so that didn't bother me. Second, I noticed prices ... and I was pretty happy with most of what I found. Granted, there WERE several items I could've found for the the same price elsewhere... but I found a lot of great bargains too (especially on produce and milk).
Then I got to the checkout. Unfortunately they only had 1 person checking people out ... and I had to get in a line at least 6-7 people deep. I expected my frozen goods to be nonexistent and the milk sour by the time I had to pay. What surprised me was the SPEED! I don't think I even waited 15 minutes for my turn! What saved time was the lack of a bagger. The cashier was speedy checking customers out ... without ruining our food. After paying, there was a special table for everyone to bag their own groceries. But that was a small price to pay -- and I'll probably do a good bit of my own shopping there in the future. The selection doesn't have everything I need ... but it DOES have a good chunk!
If you DO decide to check ALDI out for yourself, remember these things: keep a quarter with you. You have to insert it to get a buggy ... then when you turn it back in, you get your quarter back. Also, you only have three payment options: cash, food stamps, and debit card (and not a debit card used as a credit card). It costs more for a store to run checks and credit cards ... so they don't pass along those expenses to the customers. And finally, remember your grocery bags -- whether reusable ones you've bought ... or plastic ones you kept from trips to other stores.
For more information, be sure to check out ALDI's website.
That's it for tonight. As always, if you have any questions or topics you want me to cover, be sure to {encode="ahawkins@wvtm.com" title="email me"} or follow me on Twitter. Until next time, happy bargain shopping!
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