What do you think about Aldi in comparison to American grocery chains?

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whip_lash_2@reddit

As you get cheaper on the American grocery store axis, you generally get dirtier, more depressing, and have less selection. Aldi falls on this axis somewhere above the dollar stores (Dollar Tree and Dollar General) but well below Trader Joe's, which is owned by the other half of the family that owns Aldi (there are rival branches, very German).

It's also the only store here that requires coin deposits for shopping carts. In America we use minimum wage teenagers with no health benefits to return our carts, and save our quarters.

Pretty much all of it, but in my experience berries are the absolute worst. My family has literally bought packages that looked totally fine and then pulled them out of the fridge the next day to have several already covered in white mold.

ChemicallyAlteredVet@reddit

No technically it’s not spelled with an S. But we do pronounce it with an S.

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BullsOnParadeFloats@reddit

Fred Meijer's Green Acres was the original name

Yep. Aldi veggies last significantly longer than what I get at Kroger. I also think their charcuterie meats and cheeses are better and cost less if I’m just looking for normal staples for snacks. The American big box grocery stores don’t even come close. But the big box stores cater to volume.

Might be fewer preservatives than is common in the US?

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drebinf@reddit

Lower prices

And in at least some cases, lower quality.

Example: there's a prepackaged salad widely available here at other grocery stores (I don't recall the name/brand) - lettuce, spinach, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, some nuts. Aldi has a similar product, with the same ingredients, but the balance of ingredients is very different. About the same amount of lettuce, but about 1/3 of the quantity of fruit, seeds, nuts.

Aldi about the only one to allow their cashiers to sit, though. Forcing everyone to stand all the time is basically abusive in my view.

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StarManta@reddit

Aldi has the dubious honor of selling me the only crab rangoon I've ever had that I couldn't bring myself to finish.

We have both Aldi and Lidl very close to us that both opened within the last year. So far, we've found that Aldi only beats Lidl on price in 1) dips 2) things that are so bad in quality you'll wish you hadn't gotten them at all.

I can get everything I need to feed the two of us (husband and myself). Meat, veggies, fruit, bread, eggs, creamer, cheese, nuts, etc.

I can't get the extras like spices, ice cream (he's diabetic so specific ice creams-although the summer yogurt pops are good), and other stuff we need.

If we were hurting for money, Aldi would be 100%, but as we have room for luxuries it's not a 100% store for us

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eejm@reddit

Which spices? I know Aldi doesn’t have everything, but their spice selection seems decent to me.

Aldi is wonderful for staples. They also have an amazing selection of cheese. I probably buy 90% of our food there.

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anemonemometer@reddit

Weirdly it's hard to find powdered ginger at Aldi. My experience is that they have the bare minimum of seasonings and spices. Maybe yours has a better selection though.

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Prairie_Crab@reddit

Oh gosh, I keep expecting them to carry more. I’ve recently looked for dry mustard, white pepper, ground ginger, and celery seed. Why I keep thinking I’ll find something I don’t know! 🤣

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jessdb19@reddit

We do A LOT of mid eastern and Mediterranean spices, so like za'atar and sumac.

Also, much less likely to have needed items in stock.

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HeatwaveInProgress@reddit

There are two Aldi in the general area. I had to go look. One IS about a mile away from Walmart, although separated by a major freeway and in a completely different neighborhood.

Our Aldi is across the street from Publix who have inflated prices massively since COVID. We used to shop at Publix most of the time but now we get all but a few items at Aldi and those we get from Walmart.

thedawntreader85@reddit

Exactly.

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MiserableEase2348@reddit

Yes. Can even price check items on the Walmart app. Much easier parking at our Aldi than Walmart Neighborhood Market.

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SabresBills69@reddit

you would like where I live……there is a kohls, Walmart, sams, Aldi one one side of the road, on the other side there are two other supermarket chain in 2 large shopping centers

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abstractraj@reddit

Exactly. Good for staple items

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limbodog@reddit

I don't go there often, but I feel like I should. But there's only a handful of items I'd buy. Their prices are great. But they have a very limited selection.

I'm spoiled because I have something like 9 different grocery stores in close proximity so I have heaps of options and each kind of has a thing they're good at.

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LettuceInfamous5030@reddit

I love Aldi and put it in the same smaller format category as Trader Joe’s or Lidl.

In my area they are known to be a tough employer that pays decent wages.

Usually I hit up one of those smaller format stores a few times a month then supplement with food from the farmers market, local bread shop and the speciality cheese and meat store in my town.

When Aldi first started showing up back in the 90s, it didn't have the best reputation so it was kind of looked down on.

As the quality of the products has improved so has the reputation. Much like others on here I shop at Aldi for the basics. When I need something more specialized I end up at Wal-Mart or Meijer.

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AlienDelarge@reddit

I don't think about it all because the nearest one is around 1200km away.

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water-sloth@reddit

Love aldi! So much cheaper than our other stores. Will mostly get staples there like certain fruits/frozen veggies/bread/milk/eggs/snacks. Its about half the price of big chain stores.

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Apprehensive-Kick457@reddit

It’s never been very popular besides the few people who like it, but it has gone viral in the last year and now is incredibly popular.

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amethystalien6@reddit

I like Aldi. That said, I find shopping at only Aldi very difficult. Luckily, Aldi and Meijer are very close together so I typically hit Aldi, put my stuff in cooler bags, and finish up at Meijer. Because of the small size of Aldi, my grocery time hasn’t increased significantly and I’m saving compared to just shopping at Meijer.

Love Aldi!

My Trader Joe’s is full of a huge variety of ready-made salads and sandwiches. They have so many fresh-baked goods of the kind I would never see in Aldi. TJs coffee is good, normal coffee. Aldi coffee tastes like something you’d get from a vending machine. The produce at TJs is top quality with a very diverse selection. Aldi produce is wilted and they are regularly and randomly out of very common things like cucumber or celery. The variety of frozen foods alone at TJs is mind blowing compared to Aldi’s meager selection. TJs has about ten times for types of chocolates and candies and cookies.

We shop for everything we can at Aldi and get the rest from Walmart. Also, Aldi has a lot more gluten free options, which is great for people who can't eat gluten!

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Quirky-Bad857@reddit

I love Aldi for treats! Their chocolate is always great and much less expensive than you can get anywhere else. I love finding all of the German specialties, as well. Their fruits and vegetables are all high quality. They are often out of popular items, and it is hard to do a full shop there. I am disabled so it can be hard for me to bag all of my groceries myself, but mostly, it’s fine.

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Dramatic_Stranger661@reddit

Love it. Lower prices, they give us the old boxes instead of wasting plastic bags, they let their cashiers sit. I'll usually go there first before good to another store to get whatever aldi didn't have.

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Quality is good on meat and produce as well as most of their generic brand stuff (except some of the savoritz stuff…just buy cheezits or goldfish ).

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Stock-Swing-797@reddit

I’m also a sucker for the “aisle of shame” where you can buy random crap that rotates seasonally.

Great prices but they are not a one stop grocery story and don't have very good quality on some items (e.g. I really don't like their cheeses or yogurt and you have to be really careful with produce.)

I am one who doesn't mind shopping multiple grocery stores. This is partly because I live in an urban area and like to take long walks, preferably with destinations, and I can almost always justify a small purchase at a grocery store, especially if it saves me money. I live more or less within walking distance (or within EXTREMELY short driving distance) of every major national and regional chain, plus smaller stores, so I'm spoiled for choice. I love a clearance section!

Overall, I get probably half of my groceries and grocery-adjacent items at Lidl/Aldi, because the prices and quality are as good or better than that of other stores. I prefer Lidl to Aldi, but I do like Aldi, and Aldi has better prices on a couple of things, and has a few things Lidl doesn't have. Or has things I just prefer the taste or quality of (eg, their seltzer).

I live in New England and my chain grocery store is cheaper than Walmart and about the same price as Aldi but having way more selection, butchers, bakery, and prepared food including freshly made by request,

If I lived in FLorida? I would be all over Aldis.

It's SO hard to compete with MB.

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CupBeEmpty@reddit

Same in my part of New England. Groceries are priced about the same as Aldi if you buy the generic options.

Hannaford and Market Basket both have good generic branded items.

Aldi is good for a quick stop if you just need some essentials. Our Aldi is right near three other grocery stores. I don’t have a real draw to Aldi because the prices are usually comparable the way I shop.

Do you have a plan of what to eat for a week and a list - don't go to Aldi. Are you flexible and figure it out on the fly- great deals.

bryku@reddit

Aldi is ok, but since I still need to go somewhere else im not always sure if it is worth the deals.

Also, ive been running into quality issues. I will go 2 or 3 times then I get something where the quality is below subpar, so I stop going. 6 months later I forget about it and the whole process repeats.

Their produce can be hit and miss. Sometimes it's fresh well stocked and sometimes it's picked over and doesn't look great, while all my other local groceries always have well stocked, fresh produce. The cookies and chocolate are always good. So are the prepared stuff, like salads, salsas, pastas, etc. Stuff like nuts and dried fruit are great. Aldi brand stuff is always hit and miss for me. It's either much better than the name brand or almost uneatable. I'm not a fan of their meat. I honestly don't know why, it just doesn't taste as good. Overall the selection is very small but the prices are great. I do like their seasonal items. It's always fun to see what they have.

Overall, I'd describe Aldi as hit and miss. I think most people have to supplement what they buy there with other stores.

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Smart_Engine_3331@reddit

Ive heard good things about them, but there are only a few around.

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uruiamme@reddit

Hard dislike. They occasionally have much produce, but they stock it rotten, like bagged oranges tend to be nasty. I can't save anything over WalMart pricing. The one thing I would frequently go there was 27% fat ground beef, but it's often out of stock. That's because I can't stand Walmart ground beef.

When they first came to town 10 years ago, they had a price war on their eggs. Then the bird flu came and they restricted it to 6 dozen. Then 1 or 2 dozen.

No thanks. I'm not playing the "limit 2" game, Aldi. I am already checking/bagging everything myself.

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Rockerstar33@reddit

Aldi’s usually seen as one of the cheapest options here, super no-frills but great for basics

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SufficientComedian6@reddit

Aldi is a weekly stop for us.

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QCSportsGuy@reddit

It’s fine. I can often get better deals at wholesalers like Costco/Sam’s Club etc. but what they have is usually good.

Of that model of store I actually prefer Lidl.

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Ratatoskr_The_Wise@reddit

I am a HUGE Aldi fangirl. I don’t shop anywhere else except for vegetables, because my local ALDI doesn’t have a lot of variety.

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VegetableSquirrel@reddit

I've never been to an Aldi store.

My preference is WinCo, SF Market(similar to Ranch 99 Asian supermarket), and every other weekly visits to the farmers market.

ALDI doesn't really compare to a "real" grocery store. The entire ALDI can just about fit in the produce section of the average grocery store. The quality of a lot of the products is also pretty questionable.

On the other hand, the prices are great and some of the products are really great if you know what to look for.

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Pretend-Scallion-734@reddit

Their atomic pickles are the best—Aldi

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tasukiko@reddit

I wish we had an Aldi's. I hear nothing but wonderful things.

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SBG214@reddit

Niche, but limited. When I shop I go for economy of motion and expenses - where I can find the most items at once without driving all over. I can usually find similar (if not same) niche items in stores with wider selections. Places like Aldi, Whole Foods, Erewhon hold no particular cachet for me anymore.

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Didn't know that. Don't really see the difference. Don't really care.

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vwsslr200@reddit

You claimed Aldi learned from their acquisition of Trader Joe's... they didn't acquire Trader Joe's.

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781nnylasil@reddit

No Aldis in my state

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thomasjmarlowe@reddit

Hate it. Is this what it felt like to shop at a grocery store in the USSR? Biggest gripe is actually the lack of any counter space past the cashier. I can bag myself but I have to basically pull the items from her hands? And it’s not a space issue- the store by me has like 15 feet of open space past the cashiers, they can’t spare 18 inches of extra counter so I can bag accumulated groceries?

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Sabertooth767@reddit

I dislike it.

Yes, their prices are often lower, but you pay for it with a lower variety of goods, lower quality for perishables, and a generally worse shopping experience.

It's like Dollar General but focused on groceries.

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echinoderm0@reddit

I just wanted to let you know that I had a deep, visceral reaction to this comment, something which I do not often experience on the internet.

This comment gave me profound insight as to how much I love and idolize Aldi. It has also reaffirmed how deeply I loathe Dollar General. I find them disgusting and actually evil (it is not a coincidence that DG laden areas also tend to have lots of churches).

Thanks a bunch for this awesome experience. I hate your comparison. But I really enjoyed this.

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I do the majority of my shopping at Aldi, then I go to another store to get the things on my list that Aldi doesn’t carry (like hot rotisserie chicken, fresh deli meats. Some produce items, and fresh seafoods)

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MukadeYada@reddit

In the U.S., Aldi is an east coast thing. Most of us in the West (outside of Southern California) have barely even heard of it. I've never been in an Aldi.

If you look at a map of Aldi locations, it's as though they drew a line right down the center of the country and decided not to expand west of it.

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GOTaSMALL1@reddit

So I build grocery stores for a living and hear lots of things… and although it’s not “official” what I’ve heard is Aldi’s expansion/location plan is out of a direct desire not to take on Winco.

Makes sense cause even though the mountain west is a very tough market with such a spread out population… there isn’t a good reason Aldi isn’t in the PNW other than Winco.

As an aside… Aldi’s are fun to build. Winco people are fucking assholes. :)

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SnooHabits4201@reddit

But Aldi will eventually get to the PNW! It seems they have a slow but steady expansion model. They aren’t even in Northern CA yet, but give them time. With their small footprint, they can go into a lot of locations that Winco can’t. Plus, Winco is usually a zoo, I only go there for a couple of specific things and kind of hate it. I bet a lot of people here will find Aldi’s low prices and small manageable stores appealing.

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GOTaSMALL1@reddit

Oh for sure… I certainly didn’t mean to say “Never”. Aldi just wants more market share first.

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BelethorsGeneralShit@reddit

I've never even heard of Winco before this post, and I've lived on both coats.

I hate the quarter thing for the carts as well, just pay an employee to put it back, where I live no one really leaves shopping carts in the parking lot although I did see it a lot when I lived in AZ.

Pros: cheap and some fun selections. Some staples that we only buy there.

Con: not "nice" inside like nearby stores, low staffing numbers and they pay employees less, can't depend on it to find specific niche items. No bakery, fresh foods, or deli.

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rethinkingat59@reddit

Aldi does save us money, especially when my wife does the shopping. It is because there is less there to buy on impulse and fewer upscale options.

If you say that sounds like a significant self control problem, I would agree with you, I just wouldn’t do it in front of my wife.

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Reasonable_Wasabi124@reddit

Aldi's prices are better than other grocery stores, although they don't have as big a selection. The only thing I don't like is feeling rushed in the checkout line. I know the employees are expected to keep the line moving, but I really think they could help put things in the bags.

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psycho_stripper@reddit

I love aldi

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JessicaGriffin@reddit

The closest one to me is a 12 hour drive away, 747 miles/1200 kilometers. So no idea, I’m afraid.

It would be like living in Berlin and driving to Rome to get groceries. Until this post, I didn’t even know there were Aldi stores in the U.S.

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buried_lede@reddit

I like shopping there for good deals. Goat chevre is a great deal. The cleaners are super good —for dishes, counters. Dark coffee is a bargain. I can’t find a yoghurt i like, though. I just don’t buy yoghurt there—I don’t need added sugar or sweetener. Bananas are great, salads

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Certain-Singer-9625@reddit

Aldi has products that are as good as or better than what you get at larger grocery stores…for considerably less.

But the larger grocery stores—and here they’re a lot larger—have a vastly bigger selection of foods, plus bakery and butcher service. The decor is also more appealing.

In cases where both stores carry similar offerings, you typically choose Aldi.

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Eat_Locals@reddit

Affordable for the staples, but relatively small selection.

I haven’t worked there, but IIRC they got busted a few years back for classifying employees as managers inappropriately, to get out of paying overtime.

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timbotheny26@reddit

I shop at Aldi more than any other grocery store, even Wegmans which I love.

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Astronaut6735@reddit

I don't know how our Aldi compares to the stores in Germany. They might be very different.

The prices are very good. I like how Aldi does discount pricing without coupons. Coupons have always annoyed me. Regular grocery stores all have customer rewards programs where you have to get their card and swipe it (or enter your phone number) every time to shop to get the "sale" price.

Also: the Savoritz brand of anything tastes absolutely disgusting.

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TallChick66@reddit

The Savoritz "trisket" alternative are vile but the "6 cracker assortment" are delicious.

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KevrobLurker@reddit

Their faux Cheez-itz are closer than anybody else's I have found. I like their Clancy's chips. L'oven bakery is superior to local generics at supermarkets.

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silverbatwing@reddit

Oh gods thier cheezits taste like cardboard to me 🤢

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Visible-Disaster@reddit

I’ve found our grocery bill is significantly cheaper going to Aldi, but it usually requires a second stop at a more encompassing grocery store for some items. Fortunately it’s right next door, so easy to hit both. We also mix in Costco twice a month. I find Costco and Aldi pricing to be comparable, but it depends upon the quantities we want/need.

So we save money, but at the expense of a slightly less convenient shopping experience.

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Donald_J_Duck65@reddit

Here they ate rather small with a very limited selection and they dont always have the same stuff on every visit so it's hard to do all your shopping there. We stop im from time to time and pick up a few items we like.

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martlet1@reddit

Aldi is way worse than most American grocery stores for us. It’s treated like a discount/off brand place in my community

It has a niche customer base.

I have only been to Aldi once, but it was in France. It was fine and inexpensive, but limited selection and just ok quality.

I live in Texas, we have Aldi here. I've never been to the one nearest me, but think about it. However, HEB is and has always been amazing and reasonable, and better than any grocery I've been to in the US (I've lived all over), so I doubt it will beat it.

Where I live is kind of a grocery haven, it is the birthplace of Whole Foods (although it was much different than it is today), and HEB was born about an hour away. We are a bit spoiled.

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extremefuzz777@reddit

It’s great for what it is. I hate Walmart since it’s usually way too crowded for me. We usually get our general food items from Aldi and branch out to other stores for more specific items. Meat from a local butcher, specialty items from say an Italian grocery store, and most name brand things we like at our local grocery chain. My wife still gets a lot of stuff from Sam’s Club.

Most people I know like Aldi. They used to be pretty bad, but their quality has gotten better over the years. Plus by my understanding they have pretty good benefits for their employees.

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ManateeFlamingo@reddit

We just got an Aldi in my neighborhood! I love it because the only other nearby choices is Publix, and they are pricey. Most grocery stores here have pharmacies, deli counters, snack bars/coffee counters inside.

Aldi is very, very basic but has great prices. I definitely love it for the quick in between trips. Definitely cannot do a full grocery stop there, but it has come in handy for small trips! Things i grab there would easily cost me much more at Publix.

I am totally ok with their no plastic bags and bagging your own stuff. I do find myself wishing they had hand baskets sometimes but I understand why they do not.

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osteologation@reddit

its not one stop shopping. like i still have to go to another grocery store to get everything i need. does have some good stuff though.

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fnrv@reddit

I’ve heard good things. I grew up in Texas and HEB is our main grocery store; not really much in competition other than Wal Mart.

I have to have their dark chocolates coated butter cookies. Great with a cup of tea.

Less choices, lower quality or generic brands, considered a lower quality store

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BC999R@reddit

The closest Aldi is 3 hours driving time away. I can walk to Safeway, Costco (though walking home with Costco-sized purchases is challenging), Trader Joe’s and a Hispanic market, a regional chain, and a wonderful locally owned Mom & Pop store, plus Whole Foods if I’m OK with walking a half-mile (kilometer) further. Plus two farmer’s markets, year around. My one time at an Aldi, it seemed cheap but limited selection.

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ReallySmallWeenus@reddit

Aldi has had serious glow-up in my lifetime.

Growing up, I was always ashamed that my family shopped there because it was cheap and low quality and showed you were poor (we were).

If I want to feel like I’m shopping in the USSR I go to Aldis. Low prices on a selection of goods the state has decided is all you need.

If I need anything beyond the basics, I go somewhere else.

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BroCanWeGetLROTNOG@reddit

I've barely ever seen one, definitely never been to one

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Turdulator@reddit

Low prices, low selection…. Except weirdly cheese… there’s like an entire wall of cheeses for some reason.

Also if you are having trouble finding something, it’s also hard to find someone to ask.

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einsatzpoopen@reddit

If you go anywhere but Costco/Sam’s ur just fuckin up. Aldi included.

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Charlesinrichmond@reddit

very cheap, not all that great but very good value for little moeny

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rogun64@reddit

As a customer, I think it's nice because the stores are small and they're easier to navigate. Our big chains all have huge stores that require a lot more walking.

My Aldi has good produce and lots of Euro-specific items I can't find in the larger chains. My main reason for shopping at Aldi is so I can get in and out faster.

States have complicated liquor/wine/beer laws, indeed.

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Live-Ad2998@reddit

Aldi has German week other grociers do not.

Kerbixey_Leonov@reddit

Aldi is very spartan on interior design and shelving, the ones near me have polished concrete floors and many of the goods are still on pallets. Honestly I dont enjoy it, it makes you feel poor. Lidl may be just a touch pricier but its still far cheaper than the main grocery stores here and has a much nicer shopping experience IMO.

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bandley3@reddit

Aldi (in the US they’re a division of Aldi Süd) has good prices but the quality, on average, seems slightly lower than mainstream grocery stores. Things just taste a little cheap, like many items from Walmart. There are some gems to be found, but at other times you can taste the difference. Trader Joe’s, owned by Aldi Nord, is the complete opposite, with good prices but above average quality.

JediHokie@reddit

Aldi is great here, northern VA. We also have Lidl. We get most everything we need from Aldi. Never had an issue with things spoiling faster than other places. Besides, if it did, I could probably go back and get more and it would still be cheaper than if I bought it from another place (Giant, Kroger, etc).

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vabeachkevin@reddit

They don’t carry most name brands.

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cHaNgEuSeRnAmE102@reddit

Cheapest place to buy food. I love aldi, so does Kanye west. ❤️

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LakeTwo@reddit

It is very similar to my experiences with Aldi in Europe though European Aldi's tend to have better meats, cheeses and fresh breads.

While it is true that it sometimes does not have exactly what you want (for example ours never has shallots), it generally has almost all of the typical things an American would buy. However compared to a typical American grocery store the selection is extremely limited. For example, a standard grocery might have 30 different types of ketchup. Aldi has one or two. I don't care about that since I really don't want to choose among 30 different types of ketchup.

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aloofman75@reddit

Aldi is good for some items, but we can almost never get everything we need for the week by only going there. There are always at least a few things that they either never have or they don’t have on a particular day. That means that we’ll have to go to another store, so it’s not a store we go to regularly.

emmiginger@reddit

Aldi in the US is NOT the same as Aldi in Europe. We don’t have fresh bread, produce is hit or miss, and stuff packaged in Europe is far and few between. It’s a discount market here with a lot of processed food that’s no better than other stores; however, if you read the labels you can get some quality items there at significant savings

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Alternative-Law4626@reddit

It’s small. We probably wouldn’t bother going unless we were after some of the German items they carry.

cohrt@reddit

parking lots are way to small and their quality sucks.

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houdini31@reddit

I love Aldi-I save a bunch even compared to Wal-Mart and the selections are more than sufficient

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pootin_in_tha_coup@reddit

The cart thing keeps me from going. Who has quarters these days?

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tcspears@reddit

It’s ok, we also have Trader Joe’s which is owned by the same family, and lots of other similar grocery stores that private label other brands.

They tend to be pretty middle-of-the-road for US grocery stores. Low prices, but not a lot of variety or options. Americans tend to like variety so they have more control over things, which is why many stores will have a dozen different versions of everything.

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Informal_Persimmon7@reddit

Not a fan. I like Lidl better. But yeah, there are American brands I like better like trader Joe's and whole foods and Safeway.

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aSYukki@reddit (OP)

Trader Joe's is also a German brand.

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Alg0mal000@reddit

Trader Joe’s is an American brand owned by a German corporation, Aldi Nord.

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vwsslr200@reddit

It isn't owned by Aldi Nord themselves, it's owned by the same family who have pretty much left them alone to do their own thing.

clearedmycookies@reddit

Aldi's makes sense if you don't buy like an American of one week at at time, and only a few days. Cheaper prices than other stores, but everything that is fresh there goes bad way quicker.

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PerfectAnonym@reddit

Affordable but the quality seems pretty mediocre. The produce is near end of shelf life and the meats seem to be mostly saline. They also simply do not have the selection Americans are used to and I plan on stopping at an additional store if I do my shopping there. I am lucky enough to live in one of the spots in the US where Lidl has entered the market, and love them. They feel like they have a bit better quality than aldi. While the selection is still definitely sliced down from what the typical store has, it's way better than aldo and feels like it has everything. For instance, I can get feta cheese, coconut milk, peanut butter, and other ingredients from completely different cuisines. Those specific ones lidl even has store brand options for that are excellent quality.

crimson_leopard@reddit

In my area Aldi is pretty similar to Walmart. I can buy eggs, milk, snacks, and bread for a similar price.

I very rarely buy meat or veggies at Aldi. The selection is extemely limited and the pricing isn't the best compared to other local grocery stores.

Teri-k@reddit

I have about 10 grocery stores within a 20 minute drive. Aldi is the smallest and most cramped. It's also bare-bones looking and feels like a warehouse, unlike all the others. But it has really low prices. Honestly, I usually go to Lidl instead, as it has a better selection and still good prices. But I like Aldi for its amazing cheese selection and holiday treats for the grandkids. It just doesn't carry enough of what I need to be my regular store.

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BorkDoo@reddit

I absolutely hate the way the stores are laid out. I've said it to other people, and maybe it's just my local one, but everything feels very haphazard and a little too open which leads to chaos as everyone is crammed together and going in different directions compared to something like a Publix, Target or even Walmart. It feels like a store designed by someone who hates shoppers and wants them to have as miserable an experience as possible.

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NYCNatv@reddit

Lower prices on just about everything. But you really need to watch their packaged meats, especially the chicken and then inspect them very carefully before buying. I typically stick with their prepackaged/seasoned pork and beef roasts and put them in the crockpot with potatoes, onion & carrots!!!

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Elegant-Bat2568@reddit

It really depends on what competition is available. Where I grew up, Aldi for the win. Where I am now, the local supermarkets are actually cheaper. I have friends that swear Aldi (and Costco) are less expensive but having done item for item comparisons repeatedly for the things I actually buy, Aldi rarely wins.

Unfortunately we're pretty spoiled in America with beautiful and massive grocery stores with tons of options that put a lot of work into aesthetic appeal, so we think that's normal. Is all that necessary? No. Does all that extra work increase prices? Absolutely. But it is what we consider a proper grocery store and how products should look and be treated, and we do associate visual effort with quality (which obviously isn't always true). That's just how we've been raised.

So places like Aldi, which I know are considered totally normal in Europe, comes across as cheap and lower class. I think the European mentality is 'why put effort into making everything look nice when people are just here to buy stuff and leave?', so things are done more simply and efficiently, which leads to the lower prices. Makes total sense. But in comparison to what we're used to, it looks lazy and like poor quality and if the store doesn't even care that much about the products then why should we?

Aldi can be nice to get basic items cheaper, but in general it unfortunately just comes across as poor and low quality compared to going to our normal stores. The stores are also mostly in poorer areas, so they don't have good associations with quality. The few times I've been there I was impressed with the prices, but very disappointed with the quality and haven't bothered to return unless it was the only option around. The produce was terrible.

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SweetPewsInAChurch@reddit

When I was a kid (Midwest, USA) it was where you went when you were poor as hell. There was a stigma associated with it. Nowadays its like it's THE place for locals to go. It was like whiplash for me when I moved back close to one.

I dig the vibe of it: "You get what the fuck we give you, we don't have anything else." Love the cheese selection. But usually I am looking for things Aldi doesn't have, so I usually go to somewhere else. (Not WalMart if I can help it.)

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Embarrassed_Flan_869@reddit

Low prices, lack of brands, so you can get what you need and get out. Doesn't have everything. Decent fruits and veggies, meh meats. Have tons of stuff, especially charcuterie, that others don't have

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ReddyGreggy@reddit

I worry that some of their packaged food products, or those found in Lidl, are made in China

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gcalfred7@reddit

25 cents deposit???? Unamerican. Calling ICE.

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Mental_Freedom_1648@reddit

The quality is pretty bad on a lot of stuff, but there are some gems. The produce at mine was almost near expiration.

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WhichWitch9402@reddit

I didn’t care for aldi when it first was in town. I had bought a bunch of fruit on Friday and went to cut it up Saturday. morning for a party and it was all mush rotten inside. Several people I worked with found bugs and redone parts in canned goods from there. So I stayed away. It was seen as the “poor people” grocery store.

There a a much newer one near my work. It’s bigger than the other aldi in town, much cleaner and I’ve gotten some good deals. I will agree with others that the selection and general breadth of items available is much greater than most Chan grocery stores.

So it kind of comes down to convenience for me. Do I have a quarter to get a cart? Do I have bags in the car? Can I get everything I need at Aldi of is it just easier to go to the grocery store that’s a mile closer to my house and in the way home (Aldi also is on the way home), be able to use a cart free of charge, bag my items in a plastic bag if I didn’t bring mine, and have a much bigger selection?

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ClockAndBells@reddit

If cost is a top priority, Aldi is the place to go. It has the best value.

I like that Aldi is about reducing waste, good value, and efficiency. I wish Aldi were more popular.

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WhichWitch9402@reddit

I didn’t care for aldi when it first was in town. I had bought a bunch of fruit on Friday and went to cut it up Saturday. morning for a party and it was all mush rotten inside. Several people I worked with found bugs and redone parts in canned goods from there. So I stayed away. It was seen as the “poor people” grocery store.

There a a much newer one near my work. It’s bigger than the other aldi in town, much cleaner and I’ve gotten some good deals. I will agree with others that the selection and general breadth of items available is much greater than most Chan grocery stores.

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Just1Pepsimum@reddit

The one time I went probably wasn't the best time to go was in a hurry and didn't have the time to find the products I was looking for because they didn't carry the usual brands I buy.

I plan on going back when I can actually spend time browsing.

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FionaTheFierce@reddit

Aldi is considered a "bargain" grocery store here - and it doesn't have the fancier bits of the regular grocery store here, and is much smaller.

In my experience, the Aldi - at least in Spain and Netherlands, are larger and nicer than the ones in the US.

I personally LOVE Aldi because the prices are good and the products are excellent.

I like them but they are much smaller with less selection than a typical American grocery store. I really like them for cured meats and fancy cheeses. Their meat and produce selections are kind of weak. Prices are good. But I don’t feel like I can do all my shopping there.

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AnswerAggravating646@reddit

Aldi is awesome. Except for lacking a deli, it is head and shoulders better than Publix or Walmart.

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atheologist@reddit

We have an Aldi not too far from where I live, but I don't think the prices or quality are enough better than my local Stop & Shop or Trader Joe's to make a special trip. That said, it's slightly further and I live in NYC, so I don't drive when getting groceries. My uncle who lives in another state and drives everywhere absolutely loves Aldi.

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CosyBeluga@reddit

It's where I do majority of my shopping.

I live in a city where there's one brand of grocery store that pretty much runs the city.

Cautious_General_177@reddit

As a customer: They have a smaller selection of items, but what they have is typically less expensive than other stores.

We have a couple and I go in spurts whether I go there or not. Compared to the grocery stores around me

The prices are mostly better (except maybe compared to Walmart), especially on “specialty” things
They are dramatically smaller than a typical American grocery store.
The selection is pretty likited. Especially fresh meat
I don’t feel like I can do all my shopping there

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DineenMattingly@reddit

It's a cheap grocery store for people who can't afford to shop at the regular ones.

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TrainElegant425@reddit

They're pretty damn good. Only issue is they tend to be small and a little cramped. Cost competitive with anyone and the quality tends to be pretty good.

Not an employee but I know they have a decent reputation as an employer.

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