The ALDI Cart 'N' Quarter Swap

[joeekaitis]

So I see a woman who has just unloaded her shopping cart in the ALDI parking lot and I offer her a quarter to replace her quarter in the cart lock. She was so grateful that she wouldn't have to walk the cart back that she waved off the money but I insisted.

When I come back to the Subaru with my 4 made-in-USA cotton canvas reusable shopping bags, another customer is waiting, quarter in hand.

I wonder how many times this went on, with only the last customer returning the cart to the cart corral.

 

[polkanut]

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It actually happens to me quite often at our local Aldi's.</span>

 

[murando531]

I love the genuine atmosphere found at an ALDI store. People are always so polite and cheerful. Everytime I've gone between a couple of years ago where that's where all the food I lived on came from, to now when I go for odds and ends and specials, there is always this sense of decency that just isn't found anywhere anymore. I'll offer my quarter to someone walking a cart up, and they get the biggest smile on their face, and likewise when someone offers me a quarter for the cart I'm taking back. I don't know what it is about it that brings those genuine smiles because to me, it's just a quarter that I would be getting back or giving anyway, but it makes me smile just seeing it. ALDI seems to be the place for people who appreciate the little things in life.

 

[vacerator]

Great idea

I use my large plastic Aldi shopping bag usually. I go there for the "deutsche cook" brand specialty items on occasion mostly.
The selection has been thin lately. No Spaetzel, or those little chocolate dipped cookies in the Pepperidge farm size bags from Germany. They still had the sauer kraut last time. It's very good, also from Germany. So is the chocolate selection.

 

[maytagbear]

The quarter thing?

Always.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[yogitunes]

also they hire the most friendliest staff......and not just one location, we have 3 local ones, but have been to other states with them, as is they hire only a certain personality, cheerful, friendly and helpful.......you wont find that at most Walmart!....

not to mention their quick on those registers....lines move along quickly

 

[firedome]

Yes the Aldi is great...

we have 2 of them within a few miles here, and it's always a nice experience!

But we also have Wegman's, year after year rated the #1 grocery chain in the US.
Part of which is because they offer excellent benefits to ALL their employees, and it shows in their great and helpful attitude! Plus they have best products anywhere! Never been to a better grocery store, it's shame they are only found in the Northeast.

 

[kevin313]

I have done the quarter/cart exchange many times in the Aldi parking lot - and the concept works. There are never carts all over the parking lot, and when there is the occasional stray cart I see in the lot, I feel it's my lucky day because I'm a quarter ahead!

They almost always have the best milk/eggs/butter/sour cream prices - unless one of the big stores is running a super sale. I love their specialty food items and the excellent Belgian and German chocolates.

 

[delaneymeegan]

 

 

ditto.

 

I just got back from Aldi's.  I like the walkable store sizes, too.  Some of those other grocery stores are needlessly large and heaven forbid you forgot something from another wing.  It's a trek back to that section.   And those other stores with no ceiling, no floor, it's literally shopping in a warehouse.   Drafty there too.  Can only imagine the gas and electric bills for such stores.  Not green friendly.

 

Another thing about Aldi's, is the quality.  Last week I heard a women ask a rep. about a certain item and why it wasn't in the vegetable section.  "We had a problem with quality she responded."  If Aldi's has a problem with a suppliers product, they won't sell it.  They'll pull it off the floor so other customers don't get disappointed.  

 

Last week the women behind me bought just a few things, as I was boxing up my purchase.  Her order came to $1.53.   "That's all for all those things?"  She asked.  Everyone smiled, and I teased her "She's complaining".  "no, no I'm not complaining." She smiled while responding.

 

Frankly, I like the quarter for a cart idea.  Never do you have to worry about a shopping cart that has gone careening into your car when it's windy.  And the carts are always neatly lined up by the door.  What a good idea.

 

[foraloysius]

We had the coin for a cart system for ages here in Europe. It helps indeed to keep the surroundings of the supermarket tidy. No staff needed to collect the carts and never a cart where it doesn't belong. One supermarket does it without this system, as a service I guess, but it's always tidy there too. I guess the system taught people to always bring the cart back to where it belongs.

 

[joeekaitis]

A common denominator at ALDI stores in Sunny SoCal

Everyone I've chatted with while either bagging groceries at the communal table or doing the Cart 'N' Quarter swap in the parking lot has the same story to tell:

We miss Fresh & Easy, and Save-A-Lot keeps jumping around trying to find a neighborhood where it can catch on and build clientele. ALDI seems to have hit the elusive sweet spot with Californians.

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

Ah Aldi, one of my favorites. The quarter/cart exchange has happened to me too, also at ShopRite. ShopRite is good when they have sales. BJ's, Costco and Sams are my regular stores. But for everyday/specialty  items, love my Aldi. 

 

I remember when I first visited Germany back in '87 I encountered the coin for cart concept. I was so pissed at that. LOL.  To be honest, I still view it as a nuisance. Those smiles are from relief that you don't have to take the damn cart back or get one in the first place. If it's brutally cold, raining, snowing or I'm just too tired, fuck it, I just leave the cart somewhere it doesn't block anyone.

 

 

 

 

 

[rp2813]

I'm patiently awaiting Aldi's northward migration to the Bay Area, and I hope they land here in town first.    We ended up with yet another damned Safeway where Fresh & Easy used to be.

 

Does Aldi generally take over space that other grocers have vacated, or do they also build their own facilities to suit?  Either way, applicable real estate convenient to me is scarce, so I can see myself having to make Aldi a destination. 

 

[mattl]

I do a fair amount of my shopping at Aldi's, more than I used to as my local Meijer's closed.  Only thing I rarely buy there is eggs - Aldi's are the smallest large I've ever seen.  I use  Meijer extra large all the time for baking and eating.  I make a chiffon cake that calls for 1 cup of egg whites, if I use the extra large it's 7 just as the recipe says, if I use Aldi's it 8 or 9 to get a cup.

 

One issue I have is their early hours, I'm a night person and it was not unusual to see me in Meijer's at 1 or 2 AM in the morning, but Aldi's closes at 8 PM, if I need something after that it's Kroger's.

 

[supersuds]

All of the Aldi stores around here are new from the ground up, and they have some very attractive locations. By which I mean they have paid up for prime retail spots in growing or gentrifying areas.

 

[delaneymeegan]

I've seen quite a few Aldi's, in several states.  Most, were in new buildings, usually free-standing.

 

Considering their projected clientele, I'd doubt they would push to get into SanFrancisco, one of the most expensive places to buy real estate ON THE PLANET.  The median home price is over a million.  

Sacramento ?  Yes.

Santa Rosa ? Yes.  But they'd be competing with Grocery Outlet.  Frankly, I'd shop Aldi's over Grocery Outlet anyday, though I did like shopping the Rohnert Park store when I lived there.

 

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[firedome]

Evidently

Aldi and Trader Joe's are each individually owned by 2 German brothers?

 

[joeekaitis]

ALDI Nord, ALDI SÜD and Trader Joe's

ALDI is an acronym of ALbrecht DIskont. In the 1960s, Theo and Karl Albrecht had a disagreement over selling cigarettes, so they split the company in two as well as dividing Germany north and south. ALDI Nord (ALDI North) acquired Trader Joe's in 1979 but always maintained a hands-off relationship. ALDI SÜD (ALDI SOUTH) owns ALDI Food Markets in the USA and have been in the States since the 1970s.

Ignore the inevitable "Trader Joe's Cut-Rate 'Schwester' (sister) Comes To Town!" headlines.[this post was last edited: 5/19/2016-11:17]

 

[rapunzel]

Hardly anyone here uses Aldi carts. Shoppers usually get their carts from Coles or Woolies, which are usually located next door and that do not require coins, to shop at Aldi. Here Aldi carts use one and two dollar coins and Aldi also sells key ring tokens that can be used. However, its a pain in the arse, just like their reusable bags. I find that I forget them at home or in the garage. So I just use my shopping trolley and put my Aldi shopping in the trunk or I get a bunch of plastic bags from one of the other supermarkets.

Apparently Lidl supermarkets are coming to Oz this year. They are similar to Aldi, but supposedly have better merchandise.