Community Chat

[Karie2022]

Trader Joes, yes-they are always super nice and polite; Aldis- i dont go too often, but when i do its ok, i dont find they go above and beyond at my store, its just ok. I've never found a quarter in the waagon.

[DrakesMomma]

@Jersey Born   Aldi was originally based in Germany, I think, and "renting" the cart is standard there.   

[monicakm]

@SusieQ_2 

I wish we had a Trader Joe's.  We do have a Sprouts though. Is it like Trader Joe's?

[monicakm]

The other day my daughter told me that Aldi's would deliver to my area so I went to their website to shop but didn't recognize a single brand.  Had no idea what to buy.

[1Snickers]

@ciao_bella   I shop Aldi locally and like the small size and fresh produce that's cheaper than other stores. 
   If something needs to be returned, ie, past sales date, spoiled, etc they give a refund plus another product. 
   I usually pass my cart on to others. One kid told his mother I was a nice lady, ha! That made my day! 
     🛒🍎🍐🍌🥕🥬🍞

[Hmmmmm24]

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@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.

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I like it. No unmanned carts rolling around the parking lot. No dings in my new Kona. It's not like they keep your 25 cents. The parking spaces seem to be extra wide, too.

[azgal]

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@monicakm wrote:

@SusieQ_2 

I wish we had a Trader Joe's.  We do have a Sprouts though. Is it like Trader Joe's?

I really like Sprouts. I would say it's about the size of a Trader Joe's. They have excellent meat and seafood. They are expensive but sometimes have good sales.

I mainly go to Sprouts for produce. About 1/2 of the store is produce. Good prices too.

They also have a sandwich counter and you can get a great sandwich for about $6.

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[SusieQ_2]

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@monicakm wrote:

@SusieQ_2 

I wish we had a Trader Joe's.  We do have a Sprouts though. Is it like Trader Joe's?

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@monicakm 

I'm the worst at describing things or comparing things but I'll give it a go. I'm imagining myself walking through the front door of each store and how they're different.

They both carry a lot of organic and gluten-free items for those who need them. Trader Joe's is smaller and one thing I like (which some people don't) is that they rotate their inventory on a regular basis so there's always a lot of new and interesting things to try. 

Sprouts, unlike like Trader Joe's, has a deli and a fish counter. You can have sandwiches made there too. Ah, I just remembered you have a Sprouts so you already know all that!

I told you I wasn't very good at this, lol, however if you have a specific question about Trader Joe's I will definitely be happy to answer if I can! 

eta - I just noticed @azgal 's post above mine describing Sprouts. Reading it made me realize I forgot one of the most important things and that's price. Sprouts is ridiculously expensive compared to Trader Joe's, however, Sprouts always seems to have fresher celery. I hate limp celery 😂

[HerRoyaLioness]

The ALDI closest to me is not friendly, helpful or nice.

I detest the quarter for a cart thing, can't figure out how it works from start to finish - evidently you get someone else's cart at the end?

So I grab a box to put my stuff in, but they still make me feel stupid when I checkout.

i guess I just don't understand their "system"

I only go there for a few things, they are reasonable, but I always need to go to another store to get things they don't have or are always out of.

[Twins Mom]

Sometimes I find an unhooked cart but usually I have to use my own.  No issue, I keep Aldi quarter in ashtray. (DH knows not to mess with it.)  Sometimes will meet someone in lot and they will ask me if I want cart and I hand them the quarter.  No problem.  I do same.  That way I can restock quarter.

They just added several self checkouts and when that happened I note they lost several of the clerks that I had gotten to recognize - they got my groceries during Pandemic for Instacart.  I kind of miss them.  Others are ok but definitely not as friendly.  

I sometimes use clerk checkout, especially if they aren't busy.  I had to do self checkout at local grocer when they had one day sale.  Just 😟 loved 🙁 checking myself out with $200 worth of groceries on stand with limited room.  Shopping has changed and I have difficulty adapting.