There used to be a Save A Lot where I live, but they closed up shop. I have heard that Groucery Outlet is a good place to shop, but my folks like to shop at: Stater Brothers, Walmart, and Aldi. One place that I would try to avoid would be Vons. Vons is ridiculously expensive! There are good things about Vons, but they are expensive!
Has anyone ever been to an Aldi?
- Thread starter maytag85
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We don't have an Aldi in my area, in fact I'd never even heard of this store until it was mentioned hear on AW. I'd been grocery shopping exclusively at Safeway for over 40 years until about 3 mo ago. While I really like all the staff at my local Safeway, I got tired of everytime I went shopping on Friday with my weekly list and having to go somewhere else for several items because Safeway either was out of the items, or they just stopped carrying the product. Also, the store was almost always understaffed and on a busy Friday morning there would only be 2 checkouts open. It would take me over 1 hr and 45 mins to complete our weekly grocery shopping,and the store is only 2 miles from home.
So 3 mo ago I decided to give the Target that is in the next town, 6 miles away a try. I can leave our home and get ALL our weekly groceries in the cart, checked out, home and put away in just slightly over an hour. And with my Target Red Debit card I save 5% on everything. I'm now spending about $20 less per week, I can buy everything in one store, and the quality is better on almost everything. The produce is fresher, the meat is better, but if I want a large roast I'll still need to go to Safeway or another grocery store because this is one item that Target doesn't stock, but for everything else its a win-win.
I miss my friends at Safeway, but I'm finished spending my dollars at a store whose corporate office couldn't care less about customer satisfaction. During the past 2 years I have called Safeway corporate no less than 3 times to tell them what is wrong with my local Safeway, and it has done no good. This store used to have an excellent manager, but they moved him to the Petaluma store, and every since that happened I seems like they consider the Rohnert Park Safeway to be their poor bastard stepchild, that they ignore. Safeway sends second quality produce to this store, and while they display it just like Whole Foods, it doesn't disguise the inferior quailty. Too bad, they lost a lifelong customer because they just don't care.
Eddie
So 3 mo ago I decided to give the Target that is in the next town, 6 miles away a try. I can leave our home and get ALL our weekly groceries in the cart, checked out, home and put away in just slightly over an hour. And with my Target Red Debit card I save 5% on everything. I'm now spending about $20 less per week, I can buy everything in one store, and the quality is better on almost everything. The produce is fresher, the meat is better, but if I want a large roast I'll still need to go to Safeway or another grocery store because this is one item that Target doesn't stock, but for everything else its a win-win.
I miss my friends at Safeway, but I'm finished spending my dollars at a store whose corporate office couldn't care less about customer satisfaction. During the past 2 years I have called Safeway corporate no less than 3 times to tell them what is wrong with my local Safeway, and it has done no good. This store used to have an excellent manager, but they moved him to the Petaluma store, and every since that happened I seems like they consider the Rohnert Park Safeway to be their poor bastard stepchild, that they ignore. Safeway sends second quality produce to this store, and while they display it just like Whole Foods, it doesn't disguise the inferior quailty. Too bad, they lost a lifelong customer because they just don't care.
Eddie
Walmart.....its as if I absolutely, positively, would rather drive an hour out of my way than go there.....
has a new slogan.......Fast Check Out, no waiting in line!......yeah, where the heck is that?......I think even the express register runs in reverse.....if your looking to run in, grab your stuff, and get out, this is not the place for you....
even in this commercial, what about the other two people standing in line...waiting!....
has a new slogan.......Fast Check Out, no waiting in line!......yeah, where the heck is that?......I think even the express register runs in reverse.....if your looking to run in, grab your stuff, and get out, this is not the place for you....
even in this commercial, what about the other two people standing in line...waiting!....
I always do my Walmart run during the middle of the night, like right about now (3am) because I absolutely despise going in there during the daytime. I never use a cashier checkout because I can do it faster myself (I was a Walmart cashier while I was in college). If I'm in a hurry and need to get in and out quick, I just go to Kroger. I have to pass Kroger on my way to WM anyway, they are only about half mile apart and just a little over a mile from home.
Aldi
Our Aldi was just moved down the road to a new location. The new store is incredible. Very clean and nice to look at. I love the efficiency and germanic nature of the store. There are limits to what you can purchase as the selection is not like Meijer or Kroger, however we always go to Aldi first since the price and quality is spectacular. The only thing we don't like is their applesauce. I can go to Aldi and by stuff for a steak dinner for $20, and at Meijer it would be $30, Kroger is damn near $40.
Our Aldi was just moved down the road to a new location. The new store is incredible. Very clean and nice to look at. I love the efficiency and germanic nature of the store. There are limits to what you can purchase as the selection is not like Meijer or Kroger, however we always go to Aldi first since the price and quality is spectacular. The only thing we don't like is their applesauce. I can go to Aldi and by stuff for a steak dinner for $20, and at Meijer it would be $30, Kroger is damn near $40.
Misinformation or Disinformation?
ALDI's competitors in Sunny SoCal have gone on record to say they're ready to fight the invasion, but one has to wonder if their tactics include shills posting negative Yelp! reviews. Seems the closer an ALDI store is to a Stater Bros., Ralphs or Albertsons, the more likely the negative 1-star reviews that mention the same "issues", almost as if the reviewers are using a list of bullet points:
1. ALDI stores are tiny dark dingy dirty soulless places having more in common with Berlin Wall-era state-run food rationing centers than with a bright clean cheery Muzak-infused American supermarket.
2. ALDI won't last more than a year in the USA because the experience is a shock to the system of the average American, so don't get used to shopping there.
3. ALDI waits for other grocery chains to fail, then buys up their remaining house brand stock for pennies on the dollar, thus the proliferation of brands you never heard of.
4. You have to bring your own shopping bags or buy them at checkout. ::referee's whistle:: FOUL! Common practice at all grocers in California. Five-yard penalty.
5. "All they sell is no-name crap of questionable quality, so I didn't buy anything." Uh, how would you know if you didn't buy anything?
6. You have to pay a quarter to use the shopping cart. Do not mention that you get back the quarter for returning the cart.
7. All their meat is old, gray and on the verge of botulism.
8. All their produce is other markets' rejects.
9. ALDI has a history of opening stores with super low prices then gradually raising them to match the prices at full-service markets over a period of one to two years (the ol' frog-in-a-pot-of-cold-water trick).
ALDI's competitors in Sunny SoCal have gone on record to say they're ready to fight the invasion, but one has to wonder if their tactics include shills posting negative Yelp! reviews. Seems the closer an ALDI store is to a Stater Bros., Ralphs or Albertsons, the more likely the negative 1-star reviews that mention the same "issues", almost as if the reviewers are using a list of bullet points:
1. ALDI stores are tiny dark dingy dirty soulless places having more in common with Berlin Wall-era state-run food rationing centers than with a bright clean cheery Muzak-infused American supermarket.
2. ALDI won't last more than a year in the USA because the experience is a shock to the system of the average American, so don't get used to shopping there.
3. ALDI waits for other grocery chains to fail, then buys up their remaining house brand stock for pennies on the dollar, thus the proliferation of brands you never heard of.
4. You have to bring your own shopping bags or buy them at checkout. ::referee's whistle:: FOUL! Common practice at all grocers in California. Five-yard penalty.
5. "All they sell is no-name crap of questionable quality, so I didn't buy anything." Uh, how would you know if you didn't buy anything?
6. You have to pay a quarter to use the shopping cart. Do not mention that you get back the quarter for returning the cart.
7. All their meat is old, gray and on the verge of botulism.
8. All their produce is other markets' rejects.
9. ALDI has a history of opening stores with super low prices then gradually raising them to match the prices at full-service markets over a period of one to two years (the ol' frog-in-a-pot-of-cold-water trick).
Aldi is growing fast here in Australia.
The supermarket-market here was very uncompetitive before they arrived, with huge domination by two national chains, Woolworths and Coles, plus a small number of IGA and other independents. Aldi has really shaken up the major companies, for example Geelong, my nearest largeish city, has a population of 177,000 and now has 7 Aldi stores. One of the ways the big guys have retaliated is by lowering prices to match, but to fund this they have cut many less profitable lines. Eeven today at Coles, two of my regular items have disappeared.
They are known to be a "safe bet" in that you can return anything you aren't happy with within 60 days.
They have had recent criticism for making a lot of money here but paying little or no tax in Australia.Like lots of multi-national companies.
The supermarket-market here was very uncompetitive before they arrived, with huge domination by two national chains, Woolworths and Coles, plus a small number of IGA and other independents. Aldi has really shaken up the major companies, for example Geelong, my nearest largeish city, has a population of 177,000 and now has 7 Aldi stores. One of the ways the big guys have retaliated is by lowering prices to match, but to fund this they have cut many less profitable lines. Eeven today at Coles, two of my regular items have disappeared.
They are known to be a "safe bet" in that you can return anything you aren't happy with within 60 days.
They have had recent criticism for making a lot of money here but paying little or no tax in Australia.Like lots of multi-national companies.
Aldi...
is hiring in this area of Ohio, looking to expand according
to the manager at the store nearest me.
is hiring in this area of Ohio, looking to expand according
to the manager at the store nearest me.
And that starting pay rate . . .
. . . is the main reason you rarely see "informational" picketers from the UFCWU in front of ALDI.
The picketers are usually minimum wage temps hired by the union.
. . . is the main reason you rarely see "informational" picketers from the UFCWU in front of ALDI.
The picketers are usually minimum wage temps hired by the union.
twintubdexter
Well-known member
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">That's very interesting, an ad for a supermarket with an offer for employment, especially with wages and benefits shown. I really like these semi-off topic threads that don't necessarily deal with appliances and such. It's fun to hear where other people grocery shop and what they like and dislike about a store. I think that because food shopping is a "regular" thing a person becomes attached and familiar with a market they like.</span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">I shop at Stater Bros. because it's near me, they have attractive sale items and the produce is pretty good. They have a huge meat department but I rarely buy anything, not because I don't like steak but because it's too much effort to cook (standing is painful). I like the fact that Stater Bros. changed their 2 restrooms to unisex. There's little or no waiting...so important for us oldsters. The one store I hate with a passion is Walmart. I've had so many ugly experiences there. I've purchased deodorant, pulled the top off the container and found it covered with hair. I opened a box of vanilla extract purchased a while back (it's not inexpensive stuff) and found a bottle of cheap vanilla flavoring inside. Ground coffee was opened under the lid, probably so someone could stick their nose in to smell it. There have been other instances too.</span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Probably the worst incident was the very last time several months ago when I shopped there. I stepped in a pile of dog poop while I was walking through a clothing area. I love dogs, have 2 of them myself, but would not bring them into a place where people shop for food. I took a shirt off of a rack and used it to wipe my shoe, then promptly went over to customer service and asked to see the store manager. When I questioned the individual who finally showed up as to why they allowed so many people in the store with dogs he told me "we are not allowed to say anything negative to any customer". I handed him the dirty shirt (which probably went back on the hanger for sale) and left. I have not been back since. I saw the store manager at Stater Bros. politely tell a customer that unless their big dog was a service animal they would have to take him out. Kudos to that manager.</span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Walmart needs a sign like this on every aisle...</span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">I shop at Stater Bros. because it's near me, they have attractive sale items and the produce is pretty good. They have a huge meat department but I rarely buy anything, not because I don't like steak but because it's too much effort to cook (standing is painful). I like the fact that Stater Bros. changed their 2 restrooms to unisex. There's little or no waiting...so important for us oldsters. The one store I hate with a passion is Walmart. I've had so many ugly experiences there. I've purchased deodorant, pulled the top off the container and found it covered with hair. I opened a box of vanilla extract purchased a while back (it's not inexpensive stuff) and found a bottle of cheap vanilla flavoring inside. Ground coffee was opened under the lid, probably so someone could stick their nose in to smell it. There have been other instances too.</span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Probably the worst incident was the very last time several months ago when I shopped there. I stepped in a pile of dog poop while I was walking through a clothing area. I love dogs, have 2 of them myself, but would not bring them into a place where people shop for food. I took a shirt off of a rack and used it to wipe my shoe, then promptly went over to customer service and asked to see the store manager. When I questioned the individual who finally showed up as to why they allowed so many people in the store with dogs he told me "we are not allowed to say anything negative to any customer". I handed him the dirty shirt (which probably went back on the hanger for sale) and left. I have not been back since. I saw the store manager at Stater Bros. politely tell a customer that unless their big dog was a service animal they would have to take him out. Kudos to that manager.</span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Walmart needs a sign like this on every aisle...</span>
polkanut
Well-known member
The crème cakes at Aldi's are some of the best tasting store bought cakes I've ever tried. We especially like the pumpkin (seasonal) & chocolate flavors.
Imported Pound Cakes, Jaffa Cakes and Doppelkeks (similar to Bahlsen Hit sandwich cookies) have moved from ALDI Finds to the ethnic groceries section. They're now available year-round. 2 DIE 4!
If ours was closer i would likely shop there more but its way across town and i stop in when i am over that way. I find their dairy such as cheese and milk good and very affordable...the chocolate milk i think is as good tastewise as truemoo. I didn't care for most of the bread item i tried but the bagels are tasty. The produce is hit or miss with a lot of misses. The last time i was there some ladies filled a cart full of meat and walked out of the store without paying and all kinds of chaos followed.
