Anyone Shop At ALDI Here? A Question

July 30, 2021, 01:50 PM

So, I’ve been a fan of ALDI since they’ve come to this area almost 10 years ago, love their coffee, chocolates, and baking supply prices cannot be beat.

But I’ve come to the realization that their produce is mostly garbage. Not sure why, but if I buy lettuce or bananas for example they are bad within two days. Are they buying produce that is on the older side? Produce I buy at my local supermarket chain or at Walmart lasts a normal length of time it seems, but I always have issues with the ALDI produce going bad on me.

I’ve even seen containers of blueberries and strawberries that look great on top there, but you turn the container over and they are all moldy on the bottom.

Has anyone else experienced this?

July 30, 2021, 01:54 PM

12131

quote:
...realization that their produce is mostly garbage. Not sure why, but if I buy lettuce or bananas for example they are bad within two days. Are they buying produce that is on the older side?

Funny you mentioned that, because they gave me that exact impression. When they first opened around here several years ago, I went there because a co-worker raved about them. Haven't been back since that first day.

My wife and I used to joke, they must get their products from Kroger's Manager Specials, because they all looked like crap about to go spoiled in a day or two.

July 30, 2021, 02:03 PM

SIG4EVA

Yes, you have to be careful on produce. It's generally decent, but sometimes they leave them way too long. I mainly stick with peppers, beefsteak tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach in a bag, and their slaw kits. The last round of cherries was great. I typically buy large fruit/vegetable purchases from Costco and supplement with Aldi or Harris Teeter as needed.

July 30, 2021, 02:10 PM

Cookster

Yes.

We have an Aldi’s very close to us and produce is not one of their strengths. In a pinch it’s o.k.

I am guessing that in order to keep overall costs down that they chose to not invest in a costly ‘fresh produce’ supply chain to guarantee better quality.

July 30, 2021, 02:15 PM

BigSwede

Yes, they are lacking in the produce section, the wife has banned me from buying any of it

July 30, 2021, 02:17 PM

Cookster

quote:
Originally posted by Cookster:
Yes.

We have an Aldi’s very close to us and produce is not one of their strengths. Much of their produce seems to be right on the edge of ripe or slightly past that.

In a pinch it’s o.k.

I am guessing that in order to keep overall costs down that they chose to not invest in a costly ‘fresh produce’ supply chain to guarantee better quality.

July 30, 2021, 02:20 PM

12131

Oh, and another thing that was a complete turn-off, stick your quarter in the cart to use it and put the cart back in place to get your quarter back. I realize that it's just a quarter, but to me, that's just going out of their way to inconvenient your customers. Do they still do that shit?

July 30, 2021, 02:22 PM

SIG4EVA

quote:
Originally posted by 12131:
Oh, and another thing that was a complete turn-off, stick your quarter in the cart to use it and put the cart back in place to get your quarter back. I realize that it's just a quarter, but to me, that's just going out of their way to inconvenient your customers. Do they still do that shit?

You would be surprised how many carts would walk off if they didn't. It's never bothered me. I just keep a quarter in the door of my cars.

July 30, 2021, 02:41 PM

12131

quote:
Originally posted by SIG4EVA:
quote:
Originally posted by 12131:
Oh, and another thing that was a complete turn-off, stick your quarter in the cart to use it and put the cart back in place to get your quarter back. I realize that it's just a quarter, but to me, that's just going out of their way to inconvenient your customers. Do they still do that shit?

You would be surprised how many carts would walk off if they didn't. It's never bothered me. I just keep a quarter in the door of my cars.

You can still walk it off with the quarter in, can't you? They should do it like every other major chain, installing the wheel lock in their carts. Nothing can walk off beyond the parking lot's boundary.

July 30, 2021, 02:43 PM

PASig

quote:
Originally posted by 12131:
Oh, and another thing that was a complete turn-off, stick your quarter in the cart to use it and put the cart back in place to get your quarter back. I realize that it's just a quarter, but to me, that's just going out of their way to inconvenient your customers. Do they still do that shit?

That’s because they’re a German company and it’s been done like that in Europe for probably 50 years now. I actually love it, you never pull in and have carts ditched all over the place like at Walmart were these lazy assholes just leave them wherever they feel like it.

July 30, 2021, 02:45 PM

Edmond

quote:
Originally posted by 12131:
Oh, and another thing that was a complete turn-off, stick your quarter in the cart to use it and put the cart back in place to get your quarter back. I realize that it's just a quarter, but to me, that's just going out of their way to inconvenient your customers. Do they still do that shit?

It's done mostly so the customers will return cars in order to:

1. less carts hitting customer cars
2. don't have to hire lot attendant

Their business philosophy is keeping payroll low. From what I understand, they don't keep much staff on but staff is well paid.

July 30, 2021, 02:46 PM

Pyker

I always shop at Aldi when I need a loaf of bread, a packet of cheese, and a 4 person canoe.

July 30, 2021, 02:48 PM

iron chef

I shop at Aldi regularly. I don't believe they have as good of refrigeration for their produce as most other large grocery chains. Consequently, that results in their produce on display spoiling faster.

When I've come across produce that was just put out from a shipment that morning, it looked as good as any other place.

I have an IR thermometer, so maybe if I'm especially curious one day, I'll go take produce temperatures from different stores to compare.

July 30, 2021, 02:49 PM

RogueJSK

quote:
Originally posted by Edmond:
It's done mostly so the customers will return cars in order to:

1. less carts hitting customer cars
2. don't have to hire lot attendant

Their business philosophy is keeping payroll low. From what I understand, they don't keep much staff on but staff is well paid.

This is exactly right.

Same reason why they don't bag the groceries, and they emphasize extreme speed in checkout (even designing their packaging around fast and efficient checkouts, with large barcodes on each side of a package so it doesn't matter which way they're scanned).

It all allows them to operate with a reduced staff, to keep payroll low, and therefore be able to have lower prices.

In my opinion, bagging my own stuff and returning a cart are small sacrifices for the cost savings.

But yes, their produce specifically isn't always the best, along with much of their meat (but their deli meats, sausages, and chicken breasts are fine). I do most of my grocery shopping at Aldi, with the exception of most produce and pork/beef, which I get elsewhere.

July 30, 2021, 02:54 PM

Pale Horse

quote:
Originally posted by PASig:
quote:
Originally posted by 12131:
Oh, and another thing that was a complete turn-off, stick your quarter in the cart to use it and put the cart back in place to get your quarter back. I realize that it's just a quarter, but to me, that's just going out of their way to inconvenient your customers. Do they still do that shit?

That’s because they’re a German company and it’s been done like that in Europe for probably 50 years now. I actually love it, you never pull in and have carts ditched all over the place like at Walmart were these lazy assholes just leave them wherever they feel like it.

I love it for that reason too.

July 30, 2021, 03:05 PM

Black92LX

Produce and meat are things I do not buy from Aldi.

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July 30, 2021, 03:07 PM

V-Tail

quote:
Originally posted by 12131:

Oh, and another thing that was a complete turn-off, stick your quarter in the cart to use it and put the cart back in place to get your quarter back. I realize that it's just a quarter, but to me, that's just going out of their way to inconvenient your customers.

That is one thing that I really DO like about Aldi. There are very few, usually none at all, carts rolling around in the parking lot, blocking access to parking places, and hitting cars when a breeze blows them around.

I wish that more grocery stores would do this.

Re fruit, vegetables, meat, etc., I don't buy them at Aldi. Eggs are always fresh and low-priced, as are things like orange juice, half & half, canned goods, frequent German specialties, etc.

July 30, 2021, 03:30 PM

bryan11

Meat is good at local Aldi, but produce is sometimes too ripe and ready to spoil. That's about the same as other local grocery stores, though.

July 30, 2021, 04:16 PM

corsair

quote:
Originally posted by PASig:
quote:
Originally posted by 12131:
Oh, and another thing that was a complete turn-off, stick your quarter in the cart to use it and put the cart back in place to get your quarter back. I realize that it's just a quarter, but to me, that's just going out of their way to inconvenient your customers. Do they still do that shit?

That’s because they’re a German company and it’s been done like that in Europe for probably 50 years now. I actually love it, you never pull in and have carts ditched all over the place like at Walmart were these lazy assholes just leave them wherever they feel like it.

Sounds good to me.
The amount of lazy shit-heads around parking lots and grocery stores is stunning.
I'm perfectly fine bagging my own purchases...in fact, I can't remember the last time I went though a full-service check-out other than Costco. The people usually hired to bag groceries, while eager and well intentioned, I usually find the lettuce or, yogurt at the bottom of the bag or, a single bag just for an squash

July 30, 2021, 04:31 PM

They have good prices and the chicken breasts don't have a lot of fat hidden on the back side like other places. It can be a hit or miss on the produce.

I don't mind the quarter for a basket while the Asian market, Lottes Plaza, there are baskets everywhere.