topic Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others in Community Chat

ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

ciao_bella — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:53:37 GMT

Don't know if it's like this in all Aldi stores, but the kindness, consideration and overall good customer attitude is such a welcome difference and relief from some other grocery stores.

One example, many customers will purposely leave their prepaid (quarter) in their cart for the next customer who needs it. I've found that it's such a nice experience dealing with Aldi customers, as well as the Aldi store staff.

I'm in NJ. Is it the same in your Aldi grocery store?

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

SusieQ_2 — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:10:09 GMT

Yes, but I find it to be true in all the grocery stores I physically shop in which are generally limited to Trader Joe's, Aldi, Vons, and Sprouts.

Actually, almost everything I buy is online minus the once a week stop at one of the above for fresh produce.

I find (as mentioned in a previous post) people tend to meet me with the same energy I put out so I try to make sure my energy (or attitude or behavior) is what I'd like to receive and it's rarely failed.

Oh, also, I do enjoy the 25 cent kindness at Aldi when I give someone my basket or they give me their's. It's a nice gesture!

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

PinkyPetunia — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:21:42 GMT

No, and I am in north NJ.

I rarely find a cart prepaid but that's ok, I have a quarter ready. A nice experience at Aldi? It's just the usual. The store is grim and often out of stock on many items. Store help? None to be found. Cashiers are on auto-pilot.

I go there since it's close. I wouldn't bother if it was farther away.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

CelticCrafter — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:26:41 GMT

My opinion, they either found it with the quarter in the slot or can't be bothered to walk it back to the front of the store.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

RetRN — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:36:47 GMT

Have always been pleased with the Aldi's in our area. Only am aware of one bad experience with employee that was quickly dealt with. My neighbor lady saw an elderly gentleman being treated horribly by the checkout girl. She reported it to someone and later that day was informed that the incident had been dealt with and that the employee was no longer employed there.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

ScrapHappy — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:33:22 GMT

Sometimes. When I go to Aldi's there always seems to be the same man at the register. He's incredibly fast at ringing stuff up. I once put a $5 bill on the conveyor belt when he was ringing my stuff up, I only had about 4=5 things and he didn't like it and let me know that. I apologized. I always give my cart to someone if someone is there. I never chain it back up.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

SusieQ_2 — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:37:11 GMT

Speaking of kindness I was impressed recently when checking out at Trader Joe's. An older gentleman walked in and was being guided by an employee. I watched for a minute and they stayed together. I asked the cashier if the employee was helping the man. She told me he's almost blind and once a week or so he comes in and an employee guides him through the store showing him new products and helping him choose his groceries. Maybe all stores do this, idk, but I thought it was lovely.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

kitcat51 — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:42:26 GMT

Aldi, Dollar General & Dollar Tree are the only stores I go into, the rest I order online & pickup. Shopping at Aldi is always pleasant, the staff & customers are great, the store is clean, well stocked, reasonably priced & there's carts available with a quarter in case you don't have one.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

Jersey Born — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:48:26 GMT

@ciao_bella - Here's my sure to be unpopular opinion on Aldi stores. I do not like anything about the concept of forcing Aldi's paying, loyal customers to place a quarter into a device in order for them to be permitted to get a cart for the privilege of entering an Aldi store to shop for necessary food items. I find this unique-to-Aldi concept demeaning and thoughtless to the Aldi customer, and just plain wrong. There are many other food markets at which to shop, and none of them make their customers do this.

What is the purpose of having to pay a quarter for the right to use a cart at Aldi, only to have to return the cart, to get that quarter back? Is it so Aldi does not have to pay one of their workers to collect the carts from around the parking area and place the carts at the front of the store multiple times per day, or is it that Aldi suspects some of their customers might steal their carts? Or is the reason something else, entirely? Aldi's survival depends upon their repeat customers. If a customer gets mugged taking out their wallet to find a quarter to place into the cart-holding machine, how has this process benefitted the customer? Having to put a quarter in, distracts the customer, making them more vulnerable to being robbed right outside of an Aldi, unless they get a quarter ready and have it in hand, prior to exiting their automobile in the parking area.

Sorry for the rant, but I have not shopped at Aldi because of this quarter-to-get-a-cart issue. I find what I need, elsewhere. I think it would be a much more pleasant experience for Aldi shoppers if Aldi did away with the quarter for a locked up cart issue entirely.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

okaywitheasypay — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:55:29 GMT

I like Aldis and have found employees to be helpful . Recently I notice the checkouts are speedier and lines move faster.

As far as leaving the carts with a quarter not locked up and retreving one's quarter -- that negates the purpose of asking for the quarter RENTAL fee . You do not pay a quarter you get it back. I have had other customers refuse to take the quarter when we pass in the lot , so I do leave it unchained when I am finished, but I try to park it safely behind other carts. I realize fellow shoppers not accepting the 25 cents comes from kindness. Of course not having a cart rolling around is the purpose of their policy.

My very favorite place to shop is Trader Joe's. I love how they bag your purchase and place it in the cart. I would shop there regularly if I were closer.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

CoffeeNut — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:11:09 GMT

Every store, not just Aldi's has good employees. Publix is another one where customer service is top notch.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

We rescue cats — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:12:06 GMT

We keep a few quarters in our cup holders to use at Aldis, seldom need it however. There is almost always a cart waiting or a person walks up with an empty carts and offers it to another shopper saying "Pay it Forward". I love that there are not carts all over the parking lot utilizing the parking slots or having the carts roll into my car.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

CrazyDaisy — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:29:45 GMT

@Jersey Born wrote:
@ciao_bella - Here's my sure to be unpopular opinion on Aldi stores. I do not like anything about the concept of forcing Aldi's paying, loyal customers to place a quarter into a device in order for them to be permitted to get a cart for the privilege of entering an Aldi store to shop for necessary food items. I find this unique-to-Aldi concept demeaning and thoughtless to the Aldi customer, and just plain wrong. There are many other food markets at which to shop, and none of them make their customers do this.

What is the purpose of having to pay a quarter for the right to use a cart at Aldi, only to have to return the cart, to get that quarter back? Is it so Aldi does not have to pay one of their workers to collect the carts from around the parking area and place the carts at the front of the store multiple times per day, or is it that Aldi suspects some of their customers might steal their carts? Or is the reason something else, entirely? Aldi's survival depends upon their repeat customers. If a customer gets mugged taking out their wallet to find a quarter to place into the cart-holding machine, how has this process benefitted the customer? Having to put a quarter in, distracts the customer, making them more vulnerable to being robbed right outside of an Aldi, unless they get a quarter ready and have it in hand, prior to exiting their automobile in the parking area.

Sorry for the rant, but I have not shopped at Aldi because of this quarter-to-get-a-cart issue. I find what I need, elsewhere. I think it would be a much more pleasant experience for Aldi shoppers if Aldi did away with the quarter for a locked up cart issue entirely.

This sounds like one of those comedy skits you see on facebook.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

AuntG — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:34:29 GMT

If @CoffeeNut is saying that every store has SOME good employees, that might be the case. In my experience, Aldi employees work hard and are helpful. Not so in some other stores. I won't go back if service is bad. Same with restaurants.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

SusieQ_2 — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:42:58 GMT

"Not having a cart rolling around is the purpose of their policy." @okaywitheasypay

"I love that there are not carts all over the parking lot utilizing the parking slots or having the carts roll into my car." @We rescue cats

Exactly. It gets really windy here at times, as I'm sure it does everywhere, and not having to dodge rolling carts in the parking lot, not having to find an empty space because a cart is sitting right in the middle of one, not to mention getting to the door only to find that none of the carts have been retrieved make that little quarter seem like a very good idea since that has never happened to me at Aldi. Vons...well, that's a different story to be sure!

eta ~ Has Aldi become a hotbed of muggings when grabbing a cart? Yikes, who knew? Pays to careful!

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

matty liz — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:56:38 GMT

Agree and I love the middle isle. I am able to afford fun things and gifts.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

RespectLife — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:13:54 GMT

I can't comment on the employees....never see one except at the one Full service register open.

My Aldi's now has 6 self check outs! YAY!

Prior....I rarely went for a couple things since I would be waiting in line forever behind cart fulls. Rarely did anyone let me go ahead...I know...kinda sad.

I stopped going for a long time...once I went again and saw the self cks, I was happy!

Now I will go for just a couple things. In and out so fast now!

I don't really need a cart usually.....

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

Ainhisg — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:25:28 GMT

@Jersey Born from the Aldi website:

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

Ainhisg — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:32:43 GMT

I quit going to Aldi after the pandemic, because I felt their product quality went down in most areas, but yet their prices went up to be almost the same (and sometimes more) than Walmart's Great Value/Equate brands, which I like. I only go now if there is a special purchase I *have* to have, which isn't very often. I utilize Walmart pickup/shipping almost exclusively except for meat purchases.

As far as the cart situation, well, an earlier post on this thread made me LOL. Most people who shop at Aldi DO have a quarter out before they exit their vehicles, because hello...they're going to need the quarter right away. Good grief.

Re: ALDI Pleasant Customer Attitude and Consideration of Others

JeanLouiseFinch — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:58:00 GMT

It can be hit or miss, even from store to store. I have several Aldi locations to choose from and definitely have my favorite among them. Some folks are on a mission and need to get in and get out, no time for chit chat or even a pleasant exchange. You can just tell. Other times, I'll experience friendly encounters. Sometimes I'll see cart left unattached for the next person to use. If I'm finished unloading and someone wants my cart most of the time they'll hold out a quarter, but I just let them keep it and tell them to pay it forward.

The other day I was in Meijer, in the spice area. A gentleman was looking for Accent. He asked me if I knew where it was. I tried to find it but couldn't. I noticed he had another lady looking too. He got frustrated and left to finish his shopping. The other lady found it and went to look for him. The rest of the shopping she and I would end up in the same aisle again once or twice. She initiated a little conversation. I though it was nice.