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Shopping at Aldi - Page 2

post #16 of 29
3/2/10 at 10:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by xchen View Post
I read somewhere that something like 80% of the people in Germany shop at Aldi.
This is interesting. I don't doubt it at all, but in the cities of Trier, Koblenz, & Bonn (the only ones I have more than tourist experience in), I cannot recall ever having seen an Aldi. And I don't remember seeing one in Munich either. Kaufland and REWE were the major grocery shopping options in Trier, where I lived. I'm kind of puzzled.
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post #17 of 29
3/3/10 at 3:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sebastian_Flyte View Post
Someone describe a US Aldi for me, please.

How does it compare/contrast with Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and a typical Giant-style supermarket?

Central Market - expensive, less hippie-ish than Whole Foods, fantastic salad bar/prepared food area

Whole Foods - expensive, lots of hippie bullshit in the middle of the store that you can ignore, best meat selection in my town (grassfed beef, bison at very reasonable prices), beer selection on par with specialty liquor stores

Trader Joe's - similar to the hippie variety of a Whole Foods without the organic premium, I think their entire product selection is aimed at twentysomethings (cheap beer, snacks, food appropriate for cookouts)

Aldi - tiny (size of a grocery store), limited product choices (two detergents instead of 40), fairly cheap, don't carry the more unique items of a TJ's or Whole Foods.
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post #18 of 29
3/3/10 at 4:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sebastian_Flyte View Post
Someone describe a US Aldi for me, please.

How does it compare/contrast with Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and a typical Giant-style supermarket?

You have to put a quarter in the thing to get a shopping cart...
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post #19 of 29
3/3/10 at 10:58am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tck13 View Post
You have to put a quarter in the thing to get a shopping cart...

But you get it back when you return it! It's to keep assholes from leaving carts all over the parking lot and having to pay someone to collect carts all day long.
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post #20 of 29
3/3/10 at 12:40pm
I get depressed every time I enter an Aldi. But they are very cheap!
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post #21 of 29
3/3/10 at 1:15pm
Thread Starter 
Also, the two founders of Aldi are the richest men in Germany.
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post #22 of 29
3/3/10 at 9:27pm
..
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post #23 of 29
3/4/10 at 8:02am
Not enough variety for my liking. Without too many commitments right now, i don't mind splurging a little on groceries.
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post #24 of 29
3/4/10 at 6:38pm
I haven't seen an Aldi since I left the Chicago area. My Mom used to shop there all the time.
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post #25 of 29
3/4/10 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sebastian_Flyte View Post
Someone describe a US Aldi for me, please.

How does it compare/contrast with Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and a typical Giant-style supermarket?

Cheapest grocery store in the town I grew up in.

Limited hours, they aren't open as much/as late as the other stores.

Limited staff.

Limited selection.

More generic/store brands. Less major name brands.

Have to put down a deposit to get a cart.

Less neatly stocked shelves, more cut-case cardboard boxes/cartons (less staff time that way).

I think you get charged for each bag?

It is, however, cheaper.
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post #26 of 29
3/5/10 at 5:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Infrasonic View Post
The staff efficiency model is a bit extreme, stacking shelves, tills etc. all done by the same staff, but they certainly are keen.

Keep in mind that virtually all grocery stores in Germany operate this way. To me, the key difference always seemed to be the very limited number of products. If they have what you want, great.
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post #27 of 29
3/5/10 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Clean View Post
Keep in mind that virtually all grocery stores in Germany operate this way. To me, the key difference always seemed to be the very limited number of products. If they have what you want, great.
I'll be in those parts this summer, six cities in fact, and look forward to visiting a grocery store.
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post #28 of 29
3/5/10 at 7:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JayJay View Post
I'll be in those parts this summer, six cities in fact, and look forward to visiting a grocery store.

Be prepared to be amazed by the dairy section.
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post #29 of 29
3/5/10 at 7:40pm
I don't have an Aldi near me so I don't shop there, but I would if there was. At the grocery store I go to, there are roughly 60 lanes open at all hours of the day with 4-5 baggers at each register and (not hyperbole) a person at each lane welcoming the shoppers to that checkout lane. I have to pay about 175% of Aldi's price for the single tomato those dipshit high school kids bag for me.
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