Just wondering. There are none out west here, so I can't go look for my self. I know they are a discount grocer (no frills), but was wondering what the atmoshere was like inside a store. How do customers feel about the store or the employees or the odd quirky things they do (like charge for bags and shopping carts)? If you work there or know of someone who works there please LMK what they think. The reason I ask is I am considering a job with them. I would be a district manager and would have to move (obviously) out of state again and any insight would be helpful.

I've read things about them online.....what I'm interested in is first hand knowledge and/or experience. What are your opinions of ALDI's?
Thanks.

There are two nearby here (Manhattan and Emporia, KS)

They are like wherehouse food stores, very savings oriented. The employees are helpful, but stay out of your way. lol The merchandise is strictly budget oriented, etc. You can use boxes for free or 3 cents a [plastic] bag. You bag your own stuff (or throw it in a box...)
Its a savings type of place, but after I did the "math" I really wasn't saving much over regular military commisaries.

As for career oppertunities, or working there, I havent heard "bad things" at either place. However, I am not there often enough for a totally true and "spin-free" report.

[This message has been edited by htexans1 (edited 07-02-2010).]

Shopped there for years... Used to know a guy who managed another store.

Its very basic - you go in one door, get your stuff, pay, bag it, and go out the other door. The aisles aren't in a perfect line and you're essentially herded through but its no big deal and the employees won't bother you. The bags are cheap enough, and because people pay for them, they keep them for reuse. Same thing with the carts... You put a quarter in, shop, and you get your quarter back when you take the cart back to the corral-thing. It keeps parking lots free of carts and you never get one with a stuck wheel.

Added into this, they don't have people who go around and collect them, so prices stay lower as well.

Ok, that's about it for me here

From what I hear, ALDI treats its employees VERY WELL. Thats what the wife keeps raving about, anyhow. Some food at ALDI is no cheaper than anywhere else, and on top of that, it is lower quality.. so do some comparison shopping, or know how much your items cost elsewhere before going in. Some things at ALDI are great... canned goods especially. Stay away from the cereal, it ALWAYS has bugs.

There are several in the Tulsa area and we shop there twice a month, on paydays. They carry a few name brands but not many. They sell mostly generic versions of familiar products, on par with other larger retailer's store brands like "Best Choice" or "Great Value". The few products that we cannot get from them, or things we need between paychecks we get at WalMart. Unfortunately there is not an Aldi in Sand Springs, so we tend to have to turn our Friday into a shopping day, planning our trip to Tulsa around our shopping needs. Aldi's prices are good enough, however, to make it worth a special trip, at least on paydays, and we've figured out in the past that we end up saving ~30% on our grocery bill by shopping there.

They DO charge for bags, but they also keep all their shipping/packing boxes and stack them out front where customers can grab them to use in place of shopping bags if necessary. We just bought a half dozen of the reusable canvas bags from WalMart for $0.50 a piece and use them, no one cares that they say "WalMart" on the side instead of "Aldi". They also do not have bag boys. THey just pile the paid-for groceries back in the cart and let you bag them (or not) yourself. I'm not bothered by them charging for bags as it means a lot less waste - you're more likely to save/reuse your bags if you had to pay for them.

The DO NOT charge for shopping carts really. They have locks on them that lock them to the other carts outside. You need a quarter to unlock the cart, but you get it back again when you return you cart at the end of your shopping. I don't see it as a negative, it gives people an incentive to return their shopping carts back where they belong rather then abandoning them in the lot, or even worse, the parking lot of their apartment (that always bugged me back when I was an apartment dweller)



As a consumer, I love Aldi.

Good luck to you and I'd be curious to know what you decide.


------------------
"The flag should be displayed with the union down, as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property."

Read my Earthship thread in Totally O/T
si vis pacem, para bellum

"The said constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms." - Samuel Adams

What part of "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" is so hard to understand?!

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 07-02-2010).]

Thanks guys. I like the concept of the store....small, simple and no frills. I just wish I could visit one easily without driving 300+ miles. I found a job listing for ALDI's as a district manager and the pay sounds great and I would get a company car too (I'm not sure if I can convince them to get me an '88 GT though). It's just that I have a bad track record when I have moved out of state for a job and don't want to pack everything up again only to be miserable with the job.

Anyone else have comments about ALDI's? Please keep them coming!

I think they mostly stock their own 'house' brands. Or at least that's how it was down here.

Store was small but clean, and ya, you gotta bring your own boxes/bags and they charged for carts here too. And you bagged your own stuff. Bring your kids to help . Clients can vary depending on the area, i know the inner city store would have a vastly different group of customers then the one out in the sub burbs next door to the trailer park. ( ya, i know that's stereotyping to an extent, but it is true )

It is a German company and have great chocolate bars. The stores are small in size and have the basic food items but limited selection. There are a few around here and I go there once in a while. Every time I go they seem crowded because of narrow isles. Easy to take your own green bag.

[This message has been edited by Old Lar (edited 07-02-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Old Lar: It is a German company and have great chocolate bars. The stores are small in size and have the basic food items but limited selection. There are a few around here and I go there once in a while. Every time I go they seem crowded because of narrow isles. Easy to take your own green bag.

The one time i went, i saw a woman with a fold up stroller, using it like a shopping cart.

quote Originally posted by OKflyboy: We buy the cereal quite often and have never had any quality issues at all, much less bugs...

Lucky you!

I like shopping there. Every week I buy more items there and less items at my local big box grocery store because the savings are very good. Most of their items are top quality, It's like anything else, try the product and see. As a consumer I love Aldi's. But they certainly do not splurge on excessive employees in the store. Usually the lines at the register are long, they don't open up many registers unless the line gets ridiculous which may mean their work force is at a bare bones minimum. I'm thinking their employees have to work hard and be very dedicated people to work there.
Larry

There are quite a few in my area, including one just a short walk near my house.

I go there every once in a while to pick up dry and non-perishables stuff. Especially for food storage purposes and I rotate them out before expiration.

Although I admit I buy more at Sam's Club in bulk than any other place.

I used to see Aldi's when my daughter was going to school in St. Louis, but I never stopped there. They just opened up an Aldi's in Omaha, Mike...I'll have to ask some family members if they've ever shopped there.

quote Originally posted by skuzzbomer: Shopped there for years... Used to know a guy who managed another store. Its very basic - you go in one door, get your stuff, pay, bag it, and go out the other door. The aisles aren't in a perfect line and you're essentially herded through but its no big deal and the employees won't bother you. The bags are cheap enough, and because people pay for them, they keep them for reuse. Same thing with the carts... You put a quarter in, shop, and you get your quarter back when you take the cart back to the corral-thing. It keeps parking lots free of carts and you never get one with a stuck wheel. Added into this, they don't have people who go around and collect them, so prices stay lower as well. Ok, that's about it for me here

I used to go with my mom to Aldi's all the time and I would stand out in the parking lot offering to take people's carts back to the corral so I could get the quarter. You'd be surprised how many people happily gave up the quarter so they wouldn't have to walk back up to the store.. I could make $15-20 in the half hour or so my mom was in shopping.

quote Originally posted by litespd: I used to see Aldi's when my daughter was going to school in St. Louis, but I never stopped there. They just opened up an Aldi's in Omaha, Mike...I'll have to ask some family members if they've ever shopped there.

LMK what you find out. It sounds like they have a good customer base.....I've worked at so many different & quirky grocery stores that I think I would fit right in at ALDI's. I would really love to hear some first hand info from an employee (especially a manager). They seem to pay well too, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything (could be a bribe to stay with them!)

quote Originally posted by mrfiero: What a great gig!

It was, I was 11-12 at the time too, so 20 bucks was a lot. I don't think I could let my 11-12 y/o kid do that now though.. *shudder* Who knows what would happen?

I was surpirsed at the American Aldi stores when I moved back to the States. They are in the UK as well
http://www.aldi.co.uk/
but the ones here seem to be, as stated, more "economy" oriented. Aldi in the York area carry all kinds of things the ones here do not (there were electronics, tools and other goods) and their prices are about on par with Asda (British Walmart) and Morrisons. Here they are mostly food products and very little else.

[This message has been edited by tutnkmn (edited 07-03-2010).]

i do 90 percent of my shopping there . i talk to the manager alot she is a good looking woman ( but that has nothing to do with lol ) . the biggest compant she tells me is they do work her hard she is running a regaster most the time if she isnt do that then she is restocking . they seem to only have the store manager and one cashier at the 2 stores buy my house . there are some peaple that try there pactince also . just if you dont mind staying bussy it would be ok
food is very good only had 1 iteam i had to return they took it back no problum i did cook 1 but didnt like the taste. but been shopping there for years

[This message has been edited by fierobrian (edited 07-03-2010).]

I like Aldi (in the UK) mainly as generaly my #1 most hated thing to do is food shopping - with ALDI, they only have one kind of each thing, being own brand only. That makes it a lot easier to get all your stuff in, stress free!

quote Originally posted by Gandalf: I like Aldi (in the UK) mainly as generaly my #1 most hated thing to do is food shopping - with ALDI, they only have one kind of each thing, being own brand only. That makes it a lot easier to get all your stuff in, stress free!

This is a big plus in my book too.....only having one of each item makes sense in a lot of ways. I worked at a small store in Jackson, WY that carried multiple brands and sizes of everything.....there was just too much selection and each competed against each other for sales. It makes more sense to me to sell a higher volume of one item that smaller volumes of multiple items of the same thing.

There are several around here. We get mainly canned goods from them, though we have got cereal there, and never had a bug problem.

I like the place all right, but I never really thought about it. I think every store should do the cart thing. It stops a lot of the problems that other places have with carts.

Here they have groceries, and some electronic items, depending on the time of year. I have never got any electronics there, so I cannot comment on the quality. The canned goods are decent, I would compare them to the Always Save brands, not bad.

Most times we have found that the freezer items, and bread are less expensive elsewhere, though I don't know if that is typical.

Brad

I went there and didn't recognize 1/2 the brands... I don't mind buying SuperHappyKleen dishwasher detergent, but I'll pass on the AlmostPork hot dogs.

Thanks for everyone's insight on Aldi's.....it helps since I can't easily go and visit a store. I did send in my resume and have been contacted by their corporate office (or whoever got my e-mail) that my info has been forwarded to the Texas division. Texas was one of my preferred locations (the other was Florida), so if I do get a job it looks like I will be moving south. No idea where in Texas, but hopefully somewhere near some Fiero people.

Wish me luck.

Shopped there once. Didn't have change for the cart - had to go inside and stand in line to get change -- limited choices and very few "brand names" but the quality was ok. Meat was less expensive at Giant- Bloom & shoppers. At check out -- no credit cards - or checks --debit or cash! It was a new store and not all the signs were up and the manager approved our check. Only time I was there --- just to limited in selection and if I have to go elseware to finish I'll just get it at somewhere else.

I have been shopping at Aldi for a couple of years now and have to say that I love it. Mostly because of the prices. For comparison, $85.00 worth of groceries from Aldi would cost you ~$110.00 at Wal-mart.

Issues that are different than your normal Wal-mart experience are:
Rent a cart for a quarter, take it back to the cart stall and get your quarter back.
You have to sack you own groceries AFTER you check out, so bring your own bags or scrounge up some boxes there.
Aldi mostly sells their off brand stuff, on occasion they have name brand stuff but I think that is there to show the price differences.
Aldi's off brand stuff is usually just as good and sometimes even better then the branded.
Haven't seen any screaming kids in there in the two plus years that I have been shopping there.
At the Aldi store in OKC they usually only have one check-out lane open but when it gets backed up they open another.
The one chek-out lane that's open almost always moves quickly because the cashier doesn't have to sack it.

Brian

[This message has been edited by BHall71 (edited 07-09-2010).]

yup. I be an Aldi shopper.
I have my shopping bags in the trunk
I have my Aldi Quarter in the center console
there is alot of good stuff. and there is some yucky stuff.
wont know till ya try.
yes - I like the cereals - sofar - bugless - but - now I'm gonna that in my mind everytime I pour a bowl...thanks

I have no clue as to how the employees are treated. they dont seem to be down, or forlorn when I shop
they actually seem to very somewhat understaffed because they ALWAYS look busy. to me - thats a good thing - makes the day go by quickly.