So you’re saying you don’t get the HYP about Harvard? 
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Aldi – Aldi seems to be popular in my area, in spite of other discount food stores in the area regularly going out of business. For example, traditional restaurants survive. Fast food gets little business and quickly fold. I regularly rotate through a variety of different grocers, getting the different products that are the best value at the different grocers. Today I went to Smart & Final. Last week I went to Costco. The week before that I went to Walmart. With my style of grocery shopping, one might expect Aldi to big a hit. This was not the case. I try Aldi once per year or 2, and each time I am disappointed. Some of the specific observations in my recent trip include.
Shopping Cart – Brought the quarter for cart, yet still couldn’t get the shopping cart out. Eventually found a free one inside
Service – Only 2 people were visible in store – one on floor and one cashier
Bags – Said they charged 30 cents per bag (may have misheard)
Milk – Didn’t sell the lactose free + skim I wanted, Regular skim was 1 week past expiration date and still on shelves
Frozen Vegetables – No price listed on shelves, so bought without looking at price. Some of the vegetables within the bag had an odd taste that is not natural.
Fruit – Sticker price was indeed lower cost than other grocers, but the bananas I wanted were all solid green and hard, as if no ripening agent was used.
Rotisserie Chicken / Deli – Not offered
Ice Cream – Good sticker price (not as good as sale price elsewhere), but didn’t have any of the flavors I wanted. Even as basic as chocolate chip was not offered.
Canned Tuna / Cereal – Only store brand that I don’t like is offered
I could continue, but I had negative experiences on nearly every item I looked for or purchased. I also had a negative experience within the store. I have had positive experiences shopping at Vons/Albertsons/Safeway, Ralphs/Kroger, Walmart, Costco, Target, Smart & Final, Uber Eats grocery, Instacart grocery, Amazon grocery, and various others, but not Aldi. I just don’t see the appeal.
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Wow! Surprised you do not like Aldi.
In my town, no one uses a quarter to obtain a cart. When you exit the store, you give it to someone entering. If you are offered a quarter, you smile and suggest they pass it on.
I regularly buy my fresh fruit and veggies there.
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I love Aldi, but do not get the appeal of Whole Foods.
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What about Aldi do you love? I agree that it has low sticker prices (not necessarily as low as sale prices elsewhere). Most areas besides sticker prices have been negative in my experience – limited selection/offerings, subpar quality on many items, subpar store maintenance, awkward store experience.
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Here I am going out of topic on my own thread. 
I was at Aldi yesterday. To me it’s not meant to compete with a big box like Kroger or Meijer. It’s a blend between big box, small local, discount store, etc
I never expect to see staff on the floor. I. Fact I use self check out so never need to engage with anyone.
Paper bags were .13 at our store. Plastic even less. I always bring my bags in so no worries there. Grab your quarter, grab your bags.
No deli as that would take extra regular staff. But I’m the refrigerated shelves you can find prepackaged salads, fresh sliced lunch meat etc. (I don’t buy this stuff though)
I go for mainly the dairy and meat. With a stop jist for that. Excellent cheese prices. I get my milk, half and half, creamer much cheaper than the big box. Dairy free dairy always plentiful. Organic grass fed 85/15 ground beef $5.29/pound. Ground chicken $3.29. Italian sausage often $2.99/pound.
Also buy my basmati rice, tostada shells, some condiments there. Also some of their baking staples.
I do an Aldi trip like once every 6 weeks and stock up. You’ll get better at the cart thing with practice! Clearly others do!
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Another Aldi fan here…and another who doesn’t get the appeal of Whole Foods.
Our shopping starts at Aldi, then to a larger grocery store where we round out our purchases.
I like Aldi because it’s smaller in size, I know what I like to buy there, and it’s very convenient. And as noted above, lots of good things. I’ll add…they have an excellent cheese section!
Whole Foods…I just don’t understand it. The one nearest to us is 40 minutes away, very large, and very expensive.
I’m with data10 on Aldi. Ours doesn’t have a good selection on produce, and lots of out of date items…I don’t think I’ve been there in 2-3 years. It doesn’t have better prices or a better selection than any of our other main shopping options…Trader joes, Marianos, Costco, or Jewel. I also don’t go to Aldi because I never have a quarter and that whole concept annoys me (and there are never enough people at our Aldi where you could count on doing the cart swap thing.)
Re: Whole Foods prices, they seem relatively lower ever since Amazon bought it, now they are not noticeably more expensive on most items (whereas the reverse was true 20 years ago.) Near me, Fresh Market and the two mom and pop local grocery stores are noticeably more expensive than Whole Foods.
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Any experience with Lidl, which I think is supposed to be similar to Aldi? We have one fairly close to or home. Aldi is a little further, but maybe I will give it a try.
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If you go for a first time just treat it as an explore. Don’t plan to do major shopping. Stroll the aisles, choose a few items, try them out.
For me produce varies from store to store. But that is never my main intent of going there - that’s what Costco or the farmers market is for!
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We have a Lidl. Tried it once. Lots of things in boxes and bins and no rhyme or reason to the layout. Some non-grocery items (clothes?) I like neat and organized grocery stores that I can get in and out of quickly.
I like Whole Foods for “healthier” options and slightly less processed, processed items. Their brand of cinnamon has zero traces of lead and I use it everyday in my coffee. They also have a good selection of grain free items. Also, an awesome hot foods bar (gets very busy at lunchtime). All of our Whole Foods are in upscale areas and that is reflected in the clientele that shops there. I agree that the prices have come down since Amazon came in.
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I’m another one who just doesn’t get Aldi. Everything about it feels pretty grim, even though it’sa relatively new establishment. Very little of what’s there appeals to me. I’d take TJ any day.
A relative loves the one near her and shops there regularly, so I do wonder if there may be differences between stores.
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Aldi is directly across the street from our Costco. There are almost no cars in the parking lot, ever. I went in once just to see what it was about. No thanks, for all the reasons others have listed. I don’t know anyone who shops there and don’t see how it can survive in our area with no customers.
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There is. We shop at two different Aldi stores. Both are always crowded, but one is in a more upscale area. That one has a huge and better selection of things like cheeses, for example.
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Also - no clue if everything is expired. 3 times. That’s enough to see. Never again.
Sprouts same thing - but they’ve fixed the issue.
I used to show them yogurts. They were horrified.
It was a new store so I was a bit more lenient. Rarely go but…
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Stop and Shop supermarkets are ubiquitous here in New England. The Boston Globe did a piece comparing stores in inner cities vs. those in affluent suburbs. Surprise surprise, very different inventories. Inner city stores had lots more high carb/calorie pre-packaged foods, while suburban locations had lots more fresh produce, better looking and more varied meats, etc.
Shocking, right? (sarcasm alert)
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I hate to get on the Aldi discussion.
Ours is new and well stocked. I’ve never had an issue with out of date items.
It’s right next to the Walmart, which is next to the meijer. So convenient for going into several stores. Meijer is most expensive with Aldi the least if they have what you need.
The socioeconomic aspect of my town is probably different than many here. It’s not an upscale suburb but a very rural area. I always see Amish in the store shopping. Convenient to go to Aldi and Walmart.
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Any successful retailer will tailor assortments to maximize sales. It’s not Stop & Shop’s responsibility to tell people what to eat.
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We live in a what I’ll call a mid-sized Midwest town. Not small! We have no Trader Joe’s and no Whole Foods. Actually did have a Whole Foods for like 2 years - it didn’t make it.
You go to Aldi to save money not to have a fancy experience. I’ll also add they pay their cashiers/staff pretty well and their cashier line is pretty efficient.
Maybe I’ll start an Aldi post again. I think the last one got closed. 
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Colostrum for adults
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