“I went in for a chicken. Came out with a bench grinder.”
March 9, 2019 8:07 AM Subscribe
The rise of Aldi and Lidl in the UK, though sometimes confusing or delighting, brought with it continental treats and the now-famous middle aisle. Otherwise known as the 'aisle of wonder' or the 'aisle of shite', this is where random items are stocked high and sold cheap. Go in for cheese, come out with an inflatable kayak (which was very popular). You can find the German Bob the builder, a toilet paper gun called "Skid Shot", triathlon clothing, fragranced pillows, something what is this is it edible, inflatable kangaroos, portable toilets, LED shower heads, wheelbarrow wheels, and discount underwear. But it's not just in the UK; randomness can be found as far as Australia...
We've only been to an Aldi once and totally failed due to our lack of preparation. Neither of us ever carry change so we couldn't get a cart and we didn't know that they didn't have bags so we ended up only buying what we could carry. They did seem to have good produce and also seem to locate in low-income neighborhoods that other chains avoid.
posted by octothorpe at 8:28 AM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 8:28 AM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
Considering Aldi is owned by the same company as Trader Joe's, it's only a matter of time before TJ's sells angle grinders and equestrian helmets. By the way, if you ever come across a computer at Aldi, pick it up. It is the dog's dinner, best quality computer I have ever bought for $450. Also, the tool quality is fantastic. I run a makerspace and approximately 50% of our tools and equipment are from Aldi and Lidl.
posted by parmanparman at 8:35 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by parmanparman at 8:35 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
Aldi and Trader Joe's are separate companies, but owned by brothers, I believe.
I live, laugh, love for Aldi and their cheap cheap wine. I'm definitely keeping my eye out for a laptop now!
posted by mmmbacon at 8:38 AM on March 9, 2019 [5 favorites]
I live, laugh, love for Aldi and their cheap cheap wine. I'm definitely keeping my eye out for a laptop now!
posted by mmmbacon at 8:38 AM on March 9, 2019 [5 favorites]
Aldi and Trader Joe's are separate companies, but owned by brothers, I believe.It's much more complicated than that! Aldi was founded by a family, and then the brothers who were in charge had an acrimonious falling out that resulted in the company being split into two separate companies. Aldi Nord runs Aldis in some countries, and Aldi Sud runs Aldi stores in other countries. One of the two companies runs the Aldis in the US, and the other one runs Trader Joe's. But the Trader-Joe's-running one is in charge of Aldis in other parts of the world. It's just not in charge of the Aldi stores in the US.
I shop at Aldi regularly, and I have yet to buy anything from the center aisle. I deliberately avoid looking that that stuff, because I am easily seduced by junk, and I do not need any more junk in my life.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:51 AM on March 9, 2019 [32 favorites]
Aldi and Lidl are also invading America. It feels like a half-dozen of each have popped up in my town over the course of the last year. What that means for my life is that I now live less than a mile away from an easy source of fresh, decent, and extremely cheap baked goods.
posted by skymt at 9:12 AM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by skymt at 9:12 AM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
This was the bit that struck me from the Guardian story:
When entering a new market, Aldi seeks to magnify this labour-cost advantage in a counterintuitive way: by publicising that it will pay its store staff better than other supermarkets. Today, new Aldi store assistants receive industry-leading pay of £9.10 an hour, and £10.55 an hour in London – the London living wage – while a graduate accepted on to the area manager programme starts on £44,000 and gets an Audi A4 company car. Paying well obviously helps attract and retain staff, who might otherwise go to chains where the pace of work is slower. But it also serves to drive up wages across the industry, which, because of Aldi’s lower overall employee costs, hurts its competitors more.posted by TheophileEscargot at 9:13 AM on March 9, 2019 [40 favorites]
In the summer Aldi sells these big boxes of 12 brats for like $5 and they're just this amazing nexus of cheap and good. And they've also got a dizzying array of delicious chicken sausages in various varieties...
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:15 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:15 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
What that means for my life is that I now live less than a mile away from an easy source of fresh, decent, and extremely cheap baked goods.
Oh my God, I still remember when the Lidl up the road from where I worked opened its on-site bakery. I just got a jolting sense-memory of how the blueberry muffins tasted. The whole road but especially where I worked was a shitty industrial strip on the outskirts of Newport, Wales (about which I will refrain from saying much more), and that bakery was an oasis. I am not even joking.
I am so, so happy to hear that Lidl and Aldi are infiltrating the US. I guess the sour pickles and wobbly custard from Poland (and, for some reason, my Philadelphia childhood) probably won't make it, but I do miss that middle aisle.
posted by kalimac at 9:26 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
Oh my God, I still remember when the Lidl up the road from where I worked opened its on-site bakery. I just got a jolting sense-memory of how the blueberry muffins tasted. The whole road but especially where I worked was a shitty industrial strip on the outskirts of Newport, Wales (about which I will refrain from saying much more), and that bakery was an oasis. I am not even joking.
I am so, so happy to hear that Lidl and Aldi are infiltrating the US. I guess the sour pickles and wobbly custard from Poland (and, for some reason, my Philadelphia childhood) probably won't make it, but I do miss that middle aisle.
posted by kalimac at 9:26 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
The Ballad of Lidl and Aldi by songwriter Mick MacConnell sets this to music.
posted by Azara at 9:30 AM on March 9, 2019 [8 favorites]
posted by Azara at 9:30 AM on March 9, 2019 [8 favorites]
There's a Lidl and an Aldi right next to each other in my hometown, so I stock up on Kinder chocolate whenever I go. I dream of living near one so I can do actual grocery shopping there and be tempted by the middle aisle junk all the time. I almost bought a small toy animal suitcase last time. I don't know why.
posted by gaybobbie at 9:40 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by gaybobbie at 9:40 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
Aldi has been in the US for decades - they were the closest grocery where I was growing up, though in the 90's they were more famous for iffy meat than quality. Their reputation certainly has gotten a lot better in the last few years, though.
posted by dinty_moore at 9:40 AM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by dinty_moore at 9:40 AM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
Parmanparman: I think you may be getting your British idioms confused. A "dog's dinner" (also known as a "dog's breakfast") is something that's very bad - a confused, unsightly mess, in other words. Something very good, on the other hand, is commonly described as being "the dog's bollocks". Getting your bollocks confused with your dinner is never helpful.
posted by Paul Slade at 9:43 AM on March 9, 2019 [44 favorites]
posted by Paul Slade at 9:43 AM on March 9, 2019 [44 favorites]
I always assumed the term dog's breakfast was a reference to the fact that dogs will happily eat vomit.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:46 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:46 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
Same basic idea, I guess. For what it's worth, my UK-published Collins English Dictionary defines the term as "something that is messy or bungled". "Dog's bollocks" was evidently thought too rude to include in the dictionary at all.
posted by Paul Slade at 9:50 AM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Paul Slade at 9:50 AM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Speaking of breakfast, the first response in the link to the Skid Shot toilet paper shooter refers to taking a shit as "parking [one's] breakfast". I...well, I didn't just LOL but scared the dogs.
posted by notsnot at 9:55 AM on March 9, 2019 [9 favorites]
posted by notsnot at 9:55 AM on March 9, 2019 [9 favorites]
That middle aisle!
posted by infini at 10:01 AM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by infini at 10:01 AM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Lidl, last seen on Metafilter 13 years ago
posted by infini at 10:02 AM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by infini at 10:02 AM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
We've had Aldi here in the states for a while, but my town in Virginia has seen two Lidls pop up in the last year. A cursory search for "Lidl Canada" indicates they don't exist where I'm about to move. I'm really going to miss those LED showerheads and the discount underwear. (And the chocolate peanut butter banana ice cream that tastes almost as good as Ben and Jerry's). They've got a $12.99 deal on chest waders this week. And a $14.99 "2-in-1 folding chair backpack" - it converts from a backpack to an instant chair!
The frozen pizza and beer & wine selection ain't bad, either. In fact, the latter is kind of one of the things at which they excel. It's like the new Two Buck Chuck.
posted by nightrecordings at 10:02 AM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
The frozen pizza and beer & wine selection ain't bad, either. In fact, the latter is kind of one of the things at which they excel. It's like the new Two Buck Chuck.
posted by nightrecordings at 10:02 AM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
It's true that some items seem strange, but I have to admit that the kettle equipped with leds I got from Aldi is one of the best I ever owned (it's made of glass and the leds turn from blue to violet, orange and red as the water gets warmer).
posted by nicolin at 10:06 AM on March 9, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by nicolin at 10:06 AM on March 9, 2019 [6 favorites]
Aldi and Lidl in the states are different concepts them elsewhere. Aldi in the US is lower end/lower quality than in Europe as there aren't enough good private label manufacturers in the states to make their European model work. The food quality inn Europe is much much better. Stores in the US tend to be in less well off areas, while in Europe they are more general.
Lidl is even more different here with a bigger box more skus and even some brands in the store.
Wal-Mart is being very aggressive in keeping them out. Usually if incumbents keep margins low enough Aldi and Lidl can't get the volumes to scale and get the whole model working. UK only happened because Tesco Management became stupid.
posted by JPD at 10:15 AM on March 9, 2019 [6 favorites]
Lidl is even more different here with a bigger box more skus and even some brands in the store.
Wal-Mart is being very aggressive in keeping them out. Usually if incumbents keep margins low enough Aldi and Lidl can't get the volumes to scale and get the whole model working. UK only happened because Tesco Management became stupid.
posted by JPD at 10:15 AM on March 9, 2019 [6 favorites]
I drive 20-25 minutes to one of the two nearest Aldis (Simi Valley or Santa Clarita/Newhall, for Angelenos on the northish side of town; the website suggests there is a phantom (under construction maybe?) one in Panorama City, which is closer to me but I've never gone to check) every other weekend. I always check this/next week's ads to see what will be in the Aisle of Shite and plan accordingly (next weekend: birdbath and bird-feeder pole!).
I am always extremely impressed with the quality of the food I get there, even though they routinely offer things very experimentally/highly-seasonally and then they take them away. RIP grilling cheese patties, frozen eggplant-zucchini bag, Broccoli Bake and Cauliflower Bake. There's things I'll stock up on there because I like it better than anyone else's version (grapefruit seltzer, sour cream, chicken feta sausage, 10-calorie cranberry water that looks and tastes like cranberry juice, gorgeous .99 greeting cards). The employees are always nice and knowledgeable. I get a good bit of satisfaction playing Clearance Chicken with shit I don't technically need but could justify buying if it got cheap enough ($9.99 dehydrator).
posted by Lyn Never at 10:25 AM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
I am always extremely impressed with the quality of the food I get there, even though they routinely offer things very experimentally/highly-seasonally and then they take them away. RIP grilling cheese patties, frozen eggplant-zucchini bag, Broccoli Bake and Cauliflower Bake. There's things I'll stock up on there because I like it better than anyone else's version (grapefruit seltzer, sour cream, chicken feta sausage, 10-calorie cranberry water that looks and tastes like cranberry juice, gorgeous .99 greeting cards). The employees are always nice and knowledgeable. I get a good bit of satisfaction playing Clearance Chicken with shit I don't technically need but could justify buying if it got cheap enough ($9.99 dehydrator).
posted by Lyn Never at 10:25 AM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
Feel like maybe I am missing out on something but no Aldi or Lidl near me in the SF/Oakland area. Lot's of TJ's however. Perhaps that's by design given the lineage of these stores?
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 10:36 AM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 10:36 AM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
In the areas where I've seen Aldis in the US, it's more like they're locating them near other major grocery stores in an effort to compete with their business, but that could also be a zoning or land use thing, like "this is the part of town where all the big box commercial real estate is and whaddya gonna do?" I haven't noticed a correlation between an area's general socioeconomic level and Aldi locations - they are certainly located in poorer areas, but I've seen them in nicer areas as well.
posted by LionIndex at 10:37 AM on March 9, 2019
posted by LionIndex at 10:37 AM on March 9, 2019
Aldi has been in the US for decadesThey've been in Eastern Iowa since the late '70s. They're kind of an interesting phenomenon in the US, in that they originally got a foothold in markets far from media centers, and now they're expanding into big cities and the coasts. The media treats them as some fascinating new phenomenon, but that's kind of a feature of the media's provincialism.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 10:39 AM on March 9, 2019 [12 favorites]
Feel like maybe I am missing out on something but no Aldi or Lidl near me in the SF/Oakland area. Lot's of TJ's however. Perhaps that's by design given the lineage of these stores?It looks like Aldi hasn't got to Northern California yet. They're expanding, but right now all their stores are in the eastern half of the country or southern California.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 10:50 AM on March 9, 2019
Lidl just opened a store here about a year or so ago; Aldi has been here for a few years. FOr what it’s worth, I much prefer Lidl; they have a really good bakery and are in a better location.
I have to say that I really want one (okay, a couple) of those toilet paper guns. The FPP left out the tag line on the box, which totally sold me on them: “Wipe out the competition!”
posted by TedW at 10:52 AM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
I have to say that I really want one (okay, a couple) of those toilet paper guns. The FPP left out the tag line on the box, which totally sold me on them: “Wipe out the competition!”
posted by TedW at 10:52 AM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
I just got back from grocery shopping at Aldi and proceeded to make lunch on a tray from the center aisle.
posted by julie_of_the_jungle at 10:53 AM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by julie_of_the_jungle at 10:53 AM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
They've been in Eastern Iowa since the late '70s. They're kind of an interesting phenomenon in the US, in that they originally got a foothold in markets far from media centers, and now they're expanding into big cities and the coasts.
The coasts, maybe, but the one I remember from the 90's was in Chicago city limits. Lower income or non-trendy neighborhoods, yes, but I'd hardly consider it the sticks.
posted by dinty_moore at 11:13 AM on March 9, 2019
The coasts, maybe, but the one I remember from the 90's was in Chicago city limits. Lower income or non-trendy neighborhoods, yes, but I'd hardly consider it the sticks.
posted by dinty_moore at 11:13 AM on March 9, 2019
I like the Aldis near me, but only having one till open on a busy Saturday is irritating. And, while I like the low prices, cold water only in the bathrooms when it's 5°F and windy out is rough! Good half sour pickles, though.
posted by Bee'sWing at 11:25 AM on March 9, 2019
posted by Bee'sWing at 11:25 AM on March 9, 2019
I love my local Aldi, and my Crofton Casserole from the center aisle in fire-engine red. It’s small enough that I can be in and out in 20 minutes most days. We have a new L8dl here, but it’s always packed with people and the Aldi’s Closer. Bonus find: their Thai sauces in a jar.
posted by wintermind at 11:51 AM on March 9, 2019
posted by wintermind at 11:51 AM on March 9, 2019
We do a lot of our regular grocery shopping at Aldi. We get an unexpectedly tasty (and cheap!) malbec at Aldi. I haven’t bothered with the Aldi beer, though. If it’s at all similar to the TJ beer, it’s gonna be kind of...meh.
Can’t say we’ve shopped the middle aisle, though. We’re trying to downsize.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:55 AM on March 9, 2019
Can’t say we’ve shopped the middle aisle, though. We’re trying to downsize.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:55 AM on March 9, 2019
Australian Aldi has a $799 eBike going on sale this coming Tuesday. People are going to fight for them.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 11:58 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by the duck by the oboe at 11:58 AM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
I always called that middle bit the 'fell off a truck' section, because it always seemed to be such a random mix. After a while you start to recognise the "brands" though (are they real, cheap brands? Or lidls own? I have no idea).
We do a fair bit of shopping at lidls (love their hazelnut chocolate) and then head to tescos for the stuff I prefer there.
I like lidls much better than aldi, but I don't know if that's based on anything real.
posted by stillnocturnal at 12:01 PM on March 9, 2019
We do a fair bit of shopping at lidls (love their hazelnut chocolate) and then head to tescos for the stuff I prefer there.
I like lidls much better than aldi, but I don't know if that's based on anything real.
posted by stillnocturnal at 12:01 PM on March 9, 2019
I mainly know Aldi from its cheese novelties. Evidently folks lined up around the outside of the store for the advent calendar!
posted by 41swans at 12:08 PM on March 9, 2019
posted by 41swans at 12:08 PM on March 9, 2019
The bike helmets from Lidl are fantastic, and adjustable in a good range of sizes. They also tend to have decent menswear, which is the only reason my father looks anywhere near stylish, because he refuses to enter clothing stores.
And in Poland they have this 100% rye, no yeast, sourdough-only dark bread that's damn good and once toasted, sublime. In the land of 1001 bakeries I actually get bread from Lidl.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 12:22 PM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
And in Poland they have this 100% rye, no yeast, sourdough-only dark bread that's damn good and once toasted, sublime. In the land of 1001 bakeries I actually get bread from Lidl.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 12:22 PM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
I have done most of my grocery shopping at Aldi for years (in addition to the price advantage, I find it to be faster and greatly reduces decision fatigue). When I moved out of suburbia I was extremely delighted to find the two mainstays of my shopping life (Aldi and Tractor Supply Company) right next to each other and less than 15 minutes from home on the West Virginia side. PLUS, West Virginia grocery stores can sell alcohol, unlike most grocery stores in Maryland, so I can get beer and wine there if I have a hankering.
I've bought/fallen prey to the allure of a lot of stuff from the "center aisle," although I've not heard it called that in the U.S.--I don't know if there's just not enough of an Aldi culture here or I'm simply not part of it? I was sad that the equestrian line they sell in the UK hasn't made it to the U.S. stores. Here's one of my favorite "WWAH" find.
posted by drlith at 12:55 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
I've bought/fallen prey to the allure of a lot of stuff from the "center aisle," although I've not heard it called that in the U.S.--I don't know if there's just not enough of an Aldi culture here or I'm simply not part of it? I was sad that the equestrian line they sell in the UK hasn't made it to the U.S. stores. Here's one of my favorite "WWAH" find.
posted by drlith at 12:55 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
I have to say that I really want one (okay, a couple) of those toilet paper guns.
I'd read the Amazon reviews first. Some buyers loved them, others say they broke almost immediately.
posted by Paul Slade at 12:59 PM on March 9, 2019
I'd read the Amazon reviews first. Some buyers loved them, others say they broke almost immediately.
posted by Paul Slade at 12:59 PM on March 9, 2019
Ha never thought to go in, there's one over by the Harbor Freight and Ocean State Job Lot (job lot makes my skin crawl just a bit but on advice from a local email list got a few tshirts for cheap that are really comfortable)
posted by sammyo at 1:06 PM on March 9, 2019
posted by sammyo at 1:06 PM on March 9, 2019
Aldi has been moving into my area in Appalachia, and is the only place around here to get full sized legs of mutton (cheap), and sausages w/o nitrates. Produce selection is limited, but I often make do with a trip to Aldi plus an asian grocery, and skip the supermarket for the week.
posted by joeyh at 1:17 PM on March 9, 2019
posted by joeyh at 1:17 PM on March 9, 2019
The bike helmets from Lidl are fantastic
I understand from my SO that once a year Aldi do some sort of bike gear sale which is good enough for her to drive to the nearest store. Might be worth looking out for.
posted by biffa at 1:19 PM on March 9, 2019
I understand from my SO that once a year Aldi do some sort of bike gear sale which is good enough for her to drive to the nearest store. Might be worth looking out for.
posted by biffa at 1:19 PM on March 9, 2019
So the Aldi in Minneapolis was definitely meh. It reinforced my previous US experience with Aldi years earlier as being having weird foodstuffs with emphasis on canned goods. What a revelation it was to step into one in the Netherlands! I thought, is this really the same store; fresh produce, decent frozen section and my goodness, attractive goods that don't scream fallen out of a truck! It was revelatory that throughout Europe that Aldi was so much better than the US version.
The Australian version is not as good as the Netherlands or Germany but better than the US. The middle aisle tempts but like others I am trying to reduce the amount of stuff I have.
Question for Aldi lovers, what is the best things to buy at Aldi? I want to break away as much as possible from the duopoly of the local grocery store scene.
posted by jadepearl at 1:35 PM on March 9, 2019 [5 favorites]
The Australian version is not as good as the Netherlands or Germany but better than the US. The middle aisle tempts but like others I am trying to reduce the amount of stuff I have.
Question for Aldi lovers, what is the best things to buy at Aldi? I want to break away as much as possible from the duopoly of the local grocery store scene.
posted by jadepearl at 1:35 PM on March 9, 2019 [5 favorites]
It's funny how they're so similar, but everyone has a favorite. I prefer Aldi because it has better produce (and SUCH cheap blueberries, in season) and just looks less messy. However, in my area Lidl has bulk bins of these in-shell roasted, salted almonds that are half-cracked so you can pry the shell off with your fingers like peanuts and they are soooo good that the bin is almost always nearly empty. I've never seen almonds like them anywhere else.
posted by lollymccatburglar at 1:40 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by lollymccatburglar at 1:40 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
The shocking thing about Aldi is always how darn cheap it is compared to other options in my mid-sized city.
A few years ago I was living apart from my family for work reasons and had a hard time keeping food costs low. Now that there are three Aldis within a 15 minute drive I had the inclination to see what I could get for $25 or less week.
I put together a spreadsheet that would cover breakfast/lunch/dinner for meals that I could tolerate for a week. (Breakfast: English muffin or banana with peanut butter; Lunch: piece of fruit with cheese quesadilla and hard boiled egg or hotdog; Dinner: black beans & rice with soft boiled egg & frozen veggies) I was surprised at how much easier it was to put something together than when I'd previously tried. Spreadsheet is here if you want to copy it for your purposes. Prices are from February.
Aldi also sells popup tents for $15 and they get a lot of kid sleepover mileage in my house.
posted by Alison at 1:50 PM on March 9, 2019 [8 favorites]
A few years ago I was living apart from my family for work reasons and had a hard time keeping food costs low. Now that there are three Aldis within a 15 minute drive I had the inclination to see what I could get for $25 or less week.
I put together a spreadsheet that would cover breakfast/lunch/dinner for meals that I could tolerate for a week. (Breakfast: English muffin or banana with peanut butter; Lunch: piece of fruit with cheese quesadilla and hard boiled egg or hotdog; Dinner: black beans & rice with soft boiled egg & frozen veggies) I was surprised at how much easier it was to put something together than when I'd previously tried. Spreadsheet is here if you want to copy it for your purposes. Prices are from February.
Aldi also sells popup tents for $15 and they get a lot of kid sleepover mileage in my house.
posted by Alison at 1:50 PM on March 9, 2019 [8 favorites]
Oh god, I love LOVE Aldi. The middle aisle has been a source of wonder and entertainment for me for years now. I have seen unicycles, flamingo watering cans, trumpets, tents, cast-iron cauldrons (actually some sort of camp pot but still...), motorcycle helmets and boots, canned black truffles, washing machines, 3D printers, breadmakers, copper cookware, the list really does go on. Willpower is really helpful.
Every time this chair comes in, I've seen absolute chaos break out. I've seen people fighting over the one on a pallet, people grabbing one and trying to put it into a trolley (doesn't fit, unsurprisingly) and multiple combinations of people trying to stuff the box into a car and it Just Not Fitting, and the resultant meltdowns were awesome to behold.
It really has become a meme now - if you ask someone where they got their random Cool Thing, you have a 50% chance the answer is "Aldi" (the remaining 50% will likely be Kmart, which is another story).
That said, I mostly go there for cheap international cheese or good quality local stuff (their Queensland-made triple-cream brie is better than most imports for a third of the price), and various other domestic standards like sparkling water and cleaning products. I go to Aldi first for the bargains and then to a standard supermarket to fill in the holes on my shopping list. I don't often buy their wine but let me tell you - their $9 rioja is a lovely drop and there are some bargains to be had if you search. Can confirm - was cheap and good.
TLDR: Aldi is awesome.
posted by ninazer0 at 1:56 PM on March 9, 2019 [7 favorites]
Every time this chair comes in, I've seen absolute chaos break out. I've seen people fighting over the one on a pallet, people grabbing one and trying to put it into a trolley (doesn't fit, unsurprisingly) and multiple combinations of people trying to stuff the box into a car and it Just Not Fitting, and the resultant meltdowns were awesome to behold.
It really has become a meme now - if you ask someone where they got their random Cool Thing, you have a 50% chance the answer is "Aldi" (the remaining 50% will likely be Kmart, which is another story).
That said, I mostly go there for cheap international cheese or good quality local stuff (their Queensland-made triple-cream brie is better than most imports for a third of the price), and various other domestic standards like sparkling water and cleaning products. I go to Aldi first for the bargains and then to a standard supermarket to fill in the holes on my shopping list. I don't often buy their wine but let me tell you - their $9 rioja is a lovely drop and there are some bargains to be had if you search. Can confirm - was cheap and good.
TLDR: Aldi is awesome.
posted by ninazer0 at 1:56 PM on March 9, 2019 [7 favorites]
Lidl's theme weeks are worth planning around. Especially French and Italian weeks are always highly anticipated here. And the distribution system is distinct from that utilized by mainstream Swedish grocery stores, resulting in produce of generally high quality. And yeah, the tools and bike gear have a high value to cost ratio. I've long wished they'd make a bike kit plastered with store brand logos like a 90s Italian team like Amore e Vite or something more stylish than random tribal designs.
posted by St. Oops at 2:29 PM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by St. Oops at 2:29 PM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
So the Aldi in Minneapolis was definitely meh. It reinforced my previous US experience with Aldi years earlier as being having weird foodstuffs with emphasis on canned goods.
It is really meh! I am always astonished by everyone else's descriptions, because ours has low-quality produce (I bought the bitterest, most sulfurous cauliflower there a couple of weeks ago and it is characteristic), unappealing off-brand staples and certainly nothing desirable in the middle aisle.
However, if you are at the south Minneapolis one, the imported chocolate bars are good, the imported cheeses range from decent to occasionally exceptional, they have that brick-shaped german all-rye bread for cheaper than anywhere else in town and the freezer of "Aldi finds", though very hit and miss, sometimes has genuinely desirable food in it. Also they have Kerrygold butter in half blocks (salted only, no unsalted of any kind) for $2.99.
posted by Frowner at 2:30 PM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
It is really meh! I am always astonished by everyone else's descriptions, because ours has low-quality produce (I bought the bitterest, most sulfurous cauliflower there a couple of weeks ago and it is characteristic), unappealing off-brand staples and certainly nothing desirable in the middle aisle.
However, if you are at the south Minneapolis one, the imported chocolate bars are good, the imported cheeses range from decent to occasionally exceptional, they have that brick-shaped german all-rye bread for cheaper than anywhere else in town and the freezer of "Aldi finds", though very hit and miss, sometimes has genuinely desirable food in it. Also they have Kerrygold butter in half blocks (salted only, no unsalted of any kind) for $2.99.
posted by Frowner at 2:30 PM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
Question for Aldi lovers, what is the best things to buy at Aldi?Produce, in my experience, is hit or miss, but I sometimes get good deals on things like those tri-color packages of bell peppers.
I buy baking stuff at Aldi: flour, eggs, sugar, baking powder, big bags of walnuts, etc. Milk is super-cheap there, and I also get milk substitutes. (I like almond milk best, but I feel guilty about it, so I'm trying to alternate with other fake milks.) They have really good fancy cheese, and their plain Greek yogurt is fine. Frozen fruit and veggies are good. Canned and dried beans are good. They've got the best deals on Cafe Bustelo coffee. (If you're in to that kind of thing, they also have cheap sweetened condensed milk to put in your coffee.) They have really, really good chocolate, which is actually kind of a problem for me.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 2:31 PM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
Well I just ventured out to the the near suburbs to an Aldi and it's definitely a different experience. It's in a mostly abandoned shopping center that was anchored by a now-closed K-mart and next to a check cashing place. They definitely don't spend any money on the place, the carts were banged up and rusty, the lighting was very dim and I don't know if I'd call it dirty but it wasn't excessively clean either. It feels very much like a flea-market with the random stacks of boxes everywhere.
The produce at this one was very limited and not very good looking but the meat selection was good and cheap. The center isle stuff again just looked like random flea-market crap. The place was pretty empty of customers on a Saturday afternoon and given how tiny the store is we did get in and out pretty quickly. Maybe I'll try another one in the city to see if it's any nicer but I wasn't really blown away by the experience there.
posted by octothorpe at 2:39 PM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
The produce at this one was very limited and not very good looking but the meat selection was good and cheap. The center isle stuff again just looked like random flea-market crap. The place was pretty empty of customers on a Saturday afternoon and given how tiny the store is we did get in and out pretty quickly. Maybe I'll try another one in the city to see if it's any nicer but I wasn't really blown away by the experience there.
posted by octothorpe at 2:39 PM on March 9, 2019 [2 favorites]
An Aldi opened up in Asheville NC about a year before I moved away (this was over 10 years ago). I went a couple times; my experience was similar to octothorpe's except that since it was a brand new building everything was still clean. I have no idea if either the selection or the cleanliness has changed since then.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:12 PM on March 9, 2019
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:12 PM on March 9, 2019
There's an Aldi's a couple miles from home here. Maybe a year ago it got revamped to look much more like a high-end store and less like the bargain shop it is. Although at the same time they seem to have cut back on the packaged foods imported from Germany that were actually good, so I guess the net result is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Produce there has always been pretty dismal; the prices are good but the quality is so bad that it's usually not worthwhile. Packaged foods are kind of a mixed bag, qualitatively and cost-wise.
Maybe a year and a half ago, Lidl made a big noise about expanding into North Carolina and southern Virginia, but after setting up maybe a half-dozen stores they quietly halted further expansion. I have a feeling that one of the locations they wanted was an empty grocery store front near the Aldi's that Kroger was paying the rent on (It used to be a Harris-Teeter, but Kroger bought the Harris-Teeter company and shut that location down because it was coincidentally across the street from a Kroger; I guess they'd rather throw money at a landlord than face competition), but once Kroger shut down all their stores in North Carolina, a Sprouts got the space instead. Sprouts' produce is good quality and their prices are on par with Aldi's, so it worked out. They don't have a middle aisle selling chainsaw sharpeners and bras in adjacent bins, though.
posted by ardgedee at 3:35 PM on March 9, 2019
Maybe a year and a half ago, Lidl made a big noise about expanding into North Carolina and southern Virginia, but after setting up maybe a half-dozen stores they quietly halted further expansion. I have a feeling that one of the locations they wanted was an empty grocery store front near the Aldi's that Kroger was paying the rent on (It used to be a Harris-Teeter, but Kroger bought the Harris-Teeter company and shut that location down because it was coincidentally across the street from a Kroger; I guess they'd rather throw money at a landlord than face competition), but once Kroger shut down all their stores in North Carolina, a Sprouts got the space instead. Sprouts' produce is good quality and their prices are on par with Aldi's, so it worked out. They don't have a middle aisle selling chainsaw sharpeners and bras in adjacent bins, though.
posted by ardgedee at 3:35 PM on March 9, 2019
There are Aldis all over the Minneapolis area. My wife noticed that they claimed to sell a particular gluten-free mix she wanted. After checking two stores and finding they didn’t have it, I searched their web site to see if there was a way to locate a store that carried it. Nope. Then I tried calling on the phone... they have an insulting phone message that basically says “in order to keep prices low, fuck you, we’re not available on the phone.”
TL;dr: their stores have NO WAY TO CONTACT A HUMAN. Email likewise went unanswered. So, pluses: very cheap crackers and take-n-bake pizzas. Minuses: bad produce and meat and a culture of surly unhelpfulness. Balance: screw Aldi. My daughters’ feel differently—they like it. Maybe a generational grumpiness in play.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 3:49 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
TL;dr: their stores have NO WAY TO CONTACT A HUMAN. Email likewise went unanswered. So, pluses: very cheap crackers and take-n-bake pizzas. Minuses: bad produce and meat and a culture of surly unhelpfulness. Balance: screw Aldi. My daughters’ feel differently—they like it. Maybe a generational grumpiness in play.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 3:49 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
For what it's worth, I have never, ever, ever encountered "surly unhelpfulness" at Aldi. Every employee with whom I have ever dealt has been friendly and helpful within the confines of what they do. What is true is that it's completely no-frills. They don't bag your groceries. They don't return your cart. They don't answer the phone. The tradeoff is that the prices are really cheap, and they pay their workers well. (Starting wage for an Aldi checker in my area is $3.50 an hour higher than at other grocery stores.) They don't do that by magic: they do that by not hiring employees to do the stuff that employees at other stores do, like bagging groceries, returning carts, and telling you whether they have some obscure food.
Aldi caters to people for whom the money matters. Those of us who shop there understand what we're getting. I think that some of you are probably not the target market, although there's also a thing where there's a learning curve before you figure out how to get the most out of the store.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 4:30 PM on March 9, 2019 [18 favorites]
Aldi caters to people for whom the money matters. Those of us who shop there understand what we're getting. I think that some of you are probably not the target market, although there's also a thing where there's a learning curve before you figure out how to get the most out of the store.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 4:30 PM on March 9, 2019 [18 favorites]
They have Chili, (unless you want Veggie Chili.)
They have flour, (unless you want corn flower.)
Quasi-supermarkets are "here's what we got" rather than "we got what you need"! Their everyday price on a dozen eggs slays the competition though.
posted by Fupped Duck at 4:41 PM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
They have flour, (unless you want corn flower.)
Quasi-supermarkets are "here's what we got" rather than "we got what you need"! Their everyday price on a dozen eggs slays the competition though.
posted by Fupped Duck at 4:41 PM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
Apparently Aldi in the UK has a 3d printer that people are going nuts for. It's not super cheap, but cheap enough to tempt people who've never had one.
There are no Aldis in Canada (yet; rumours abound) and I'm mad at them for dropping Choceur white chocolate.
posted by scruss at 5:12 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
There are no Aldis in Canada (yet; rumours abound) and I'm mad at them for dropping Choceur white chocolate.
posted by scruss at 5:12 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
So my local Aldi, when it first opened, must have gotten into a bit of a price war with the nearby Walmart. The result: Aldi milk is now and has always (at least 2 years now) 99 cents per gallon, no limit. Eggs are 49 cents a dozen. I've seen people buy 15 gallons of milk there at a time. I have no idea how long that madness is going to last but we gonna ride it out to the end. Also, agree that while very cheap their produce quality is meh, at least compared to Meijer, who I know (spent a few years in Meijer corporate) spends an absolute ton of money and effort in produce quality sourcing and control..
posted by Chrischris at 5:24 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Chrischris at 5:24 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
My Minneapolis Aldi shopping list is always the same:
Schogetten dark chocolate
Eggs
Butter
Blueberries
See what produce is on sale and still on the shelf (pray that there are 39 cent avocados)
See what random German cookies are still on the shelf (stroopwafel and dark chocolate-glazed, apricot-filled lebkuchen are my winter holy grail)
Sugar
Once they had these caramel-flavored mini rice cakes that were unbelievably addictive - it’s probably good that I’ve never seen them again.
Overall, I think the Aldi produce in Minnesota is about the same as Trader Joe’s produce (both are way more perishable than the other grocery stores), though Trader Joe’s has way better apples and citrus.
I haven’t succumbed to the middle aisle yet, but some day I’m going to buy a couple of the random blueberry bushes that appear in spring. I’m so curious about mysterious Aldi berry bushes.
posted by Maarika at 5:26 PM on March 9, 2019
Schogetten dark chocolate
Eggs
Butter
Blueberries
See what produce is on sale and still on the shelf (pray that there are 39 cent avocados)
See what random German cookies are still on the shelf (stroopwafel and dark chocolate-glazed, apricot-filled lebkuchen are my winter holy grail)
Sugar
Once they had these caramel-flavored mini rice cakes that were unbelievably addictive - it’s probably good that I’ve never seen them again.
Overall, I think the Aldi produce in Minnesota is about the same as Trader Joe’s produce (both are way more perishable than the other grocery stores), though Trader Joe’s has way better apples and citrus.
I haven’t succumbed to the middle aisle yet, but some day I’m going to buy a couple of the random blueberry bushes that appear in spring. I’m so curious about mysterious Aldi berry bushes.
posted by Maarika at 5:26 PM on March 9, 2019
We don't have Aldi out here on the West Coast yet, but we do have WinCo, a grocery store that I once entered in search of cheese, crackers, and sparkling water... and emerged from with all of those things plus a very large 3D sculpted foam fist with pointing index finger. In red, because the black one had a shine to it that made it look way too much like a big weird dildo.
posted by palomar at 5:33 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by palomar at 5:33 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
(and by west coast i meant the pacific northwest, but that'll probably change soonish)
posted by palomar at 5:45 PM on March 9, 2019
posted by palomar at 5:45 PM on March 9, 2019
I agree with palomar that Winco here on the West Coast has a Lidl/Aldi vibe to it. The last time I was in a Lidl was in France almost 2 decades ago but the Wall of Bargains and the bulk food and general warehouse feel to it made me wonder in one is a copy of the other. All Wincos are one of 2 designs (entry to the left; entry to the right) and usually have a "Seasonal" section near greeting cards that sounds like "the middle aisle".
posted by fiercekitten at 6:43 PM on March 9, 2019
posted by fiercekitten at 6:43 PM on March 9, 2019
St. Losers: The best Aldi is the one in Shrewsbury. The worst is South Grand.
posted by fluttering hellfire at 7:18 PM on March 9, 2019
posted by fluttering hellfire at 7:18 PM on March 9, 2019
I live a couple blocks from and Aldi and I’ve neve gotten around to going so I’ll make an effort. I live one block closer to the Cub which is our big grocery store. It’s across the street from the Super Target and the Walmart. I basically live in a weird area that’s quiet with no streetlights a block from every big-box store or fast food restaurant in existence. Seriously, there was one Sonic in the state and it was a block away.
I used to go to Aldi all the time when I lived in Austria. But there they are called Hofer for some strange Austrian reason that may involve tongue-yodeling.
posted by misterpatrick at 8:10 PM on March 9, 2019
I used to go to Aldi all the time when I lived in Austria. But there they are called Hofer for some strange Austrian reason that may involve tongue-yodeling.
posted by misterpatrick at 8:10 PM on March 9, 2019
FYI, Aldi US is headquartered in Batavia, IL. They started in the midwest and have worked out from there -- other companies would be well-served to build their business using the "flyover state" strategy that Aldi followed. I remember the first time I saw one -- they took over part of an old Me Too/Sunmart (midwest US grocery chain that went defunct in the mid-80s) close to the heart of downtown in Cedar Rapids, IA. While they did nominally renovate the interior, it definitely had a "We jam Econo" vibe. Back then, they were the store for the the poors (enhanced by the fact they were cash-only). Since money was an issue growing up, my mom shopped at Aldi's so we quickly learned what was good, what was crap, and what was actually a hidden gem. After 15 or so years, they abandoned that location for a new building on the edge of town and now a Family Dollar occupies that space. All the Aldi locations in that town (there are now 3) have been remodeled in the last couple of years. They've definitely moved upmarket.
I shop at a location built just a few years ago and while the Guardian article is right about the no-frills stocking and decor, the building itself has a clean, modern, Euro feel to it. Definitely higher-rent than that first location I remember from 30 years back.
I have a list of staples (milk, eggs, butter, block cheese, etc.) that I get there. Unlike other commenters, I haven't had issues with the produce, although I shop weekly, so things don't stick around for long in my house. Bananas are from Chiquita and the oranges are Cuties brand, same as the other stores but for about 40% less. Meat, on the other hand, I buy elsewhere. I have been highly satisfied with the prices and quality on frozen vegetables, and their knock-off versions of crackers. Although, I will say that my older son loved, loved, loved their Savoritz Cheddar crackers until he had actual Cheez-Its.
I just did a trip there earlier today and I filled two reusable grocery totes for just over $40. I know that would have cost me $60-$80 at one of the other local grocery stores.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 8:17 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
I shop at a location built just a few years ago and while the Guardian article is right about the no-frills stocking and decor, the building itself has a clean, modern, Euro feel to it. Definitely higher-rent than that first location I remember from 30 years back.
I have a list of staples (milk, eggs, butter, block cheese, etc.) that I get there. Unlike other commenters, I haven't had issues with the produce, although I shop weekly, so things don't stick around for long in my house. Bananas are from Chiquita and the oranges are Cuties brand, same as the other stores but for about 40% less. Meat, on the other hand, I buy elsewhere. I have been highly satisfied with the prices and quality on frozen vegetables, and their knock-off versions of crackers. Although, I will say that my older son loved, loved, loved their Savoritz Cheddar crackers until he had actual Cheez-Its.
I just did a trip there earlier today and I filled two reusable grocery totes for just over $40. I know that would have cost me $60-$80 at one of the other local grocery stores.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 8:17 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Have never been to an Aldi but I like going to Lidl in Sweden. (It's odd to me that Lidl hasn't been sued into oblivion by Coca Cola because the logo of Lidl's knock-off canned cola looks so similar.) I needed a mini refrigerator for my room and was thrilled when Lidl announced it would be selling one last November. I called to get some details and it was a great deal, the least-expensive A+++ rated energy saving mini fridge I could find. It is cute, it is quiet, and it is inexpensive to use. Mostly I like the produce; the fact that Lidl carries frozen kangaroo steaks is intriguing. But I don't go there regularly because it is something of a schlepp.
posted by Bella Donna at 9:07 PM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 9:07 PM on March 9, 2019 [4 favorites]
There's also a wannabe in Sweden, called Netto, which is smaller physically as a store and turns out to be Danish. Often has good prices on packaged nuts. Also sells odd, random crap.
posted by Bella Donna at 9:11 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Bella Donna at 9:11 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
All the Netto stores I've ever been to have been distinctly... Grimy? Sticky? Depressing? Whereas Lidl is beautiful and clean and well-appointed and makes you feel like you've achieved something in life.
posted by Vesihiisi at 10:02 PM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by Vesihiisi at 10:02 PM on March 9, 2019 [3 favorites]
My only experience with Aldi was in a Munich suburb where they had a worse selection of beer than a Swedish supermarket -- and those aren't even allowed to sell full-strength beer. The types they did have were in plastic bottles, for God's sake!
If I'm in Germany or the Netherlands, it's definitely going to be normal supermarkets for me.
posted by groda at 10:10 PM on March 9, 2019
If I'm in Germany or the Netherlands, it's definitely going to be normal supermarkets for me.
posted by groda at 10:10 PM on March 9, 2019
Vesihiisi, we must be going to different Lidls or different Nettos or both. Of course, it might be the difference between Göteborg and Stockholm. Netto has physically smaller stores and does seem a bit more grim. But none of the Lidls I have gone to in Stockholm or even in smaller towns seems upscale to me at all. Not especially low-rent either but clearly budget. I want to come visit your local store so I, too, can feel like I’ve accomplished something in life—especially since I’m running out of time to feel that way!
posted by Bella Donna at 10:19 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Bella Donna at 10:19 PM on March 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
I like their tinned tuna (which is cheap and also scores very well on the "is this ethical tuna" app we have), and my BiL likes their 3d printers.
posted by pompomtom at 10:23 PM on March 9, 2019
posted by pompomtom at 10:23 PM on March 9, 2019
They've definitely moved upmarket.
Yeah, in the last 5 or so years the Aldi near me (on the far west side of Cleveland) has made a big promotional push for & expansion of their organic/fair trade/free range/no hormone selections. And they must be doing something right because they just did a major remodel & expansion (and this is in a mile-and-a-half strip where there's a Lucky's (Trader Joe Lite), a Gordon Food Service, a local grocer, and an enormous Giant Eagle (big box grocery) next to a huge Target with a fairly large grocery section.)
posted by soundguy99 at 10:44 PM on March 9, 2019
Yeah, in the last 5 or so years the Aldi near me (on the far west side of Cleveland) has made a big promotional push for & expansion of their organic/fair trade/free range/no hormone selections. And they must be doing something right because they just did a major remodel & expansion (and this is in a mile-and-a-half strip where there's a Lucky's (Trader Joe Lite), a Gordon Food Service, a local grocer, and an enormous Giant Eagle (big box grocery) next to a huge Target with a fairly large grocery section.)
posted by soundguy99 at 10:44 PM on March 9, 2019
Aldi seems to have improved a lot since the first time I stepped into an Aldi store in Berlin, Germany. My reaction was: But .... there's nothing to eat in here. Long rows of candy/crisps and cheap alcohol. The few edible things were weird, like an industry-made hamburger in a plastic bag (I wouldn't touch that thing with a ten foot pole).
If you're in Berlin, grocery chains like Edeka or Kaisers beat the crap out of Aldi and Lidl every time.
posted by Termite at 11:31 PM on March 9, 2019
If you're in Berlin, grocery chains like Edeka or Kaisers beat the crap out of Aldi and Lidl every time.
posted by Termite at 11:31 PM on March 9, 2019
I used to go shopping with my Grandmother at Aldi’s in Chicago, and she taught me how to bag the groceries.
Fast forward to my expat life in Italy, where you bag your own groceries in all the stores. Thanks Grandma! Last week we bought a telescoping hedge/chainsaw combo from Lidl. The stuff on sale can be a good deal, but anything else is same price as the competition, so I don’t usually get actual groceries there, excepting the random hard to find ethnic staples that occasionally pop up.
posted by romakimmy at 11:51 PM on March 9, 2019
Fast forward to my expat life in Italy, where you bag your own groceries in all the stores. Thanks Grandma! Last week we bought a telescoping hedge/chainsaw combo from Lidl. The stuff on sale can be a good deal, but anything else is same price as the competition, so I don’t usually get actual groceries there, excepting the random hard to find ethnic staples that occasionally pop up.
posted by romakimmy at 11:51 PM on March 9, 2019
Is the cashier (or dedicated bagger I guess?) bagging your groceries an American thing? I googled it and there's articles out there like Everything You Need to Know About Bagging Your Own Groceries and to this European it reads like satire.
posted by Vesihiisi at 3:42 AM on March 10, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by Vesihiisi at 3:42 AM on March 10, 2019 [3 favorites]
The thing I like about Lidls is that they're all the same. Even the one on the Old Kent Road is basically the same as all the ones in Europe, except the prices aren't in Euros. I sometimes entertain the fantasy that they're all one shop, and I could walk into a Lidl in South London and come out in Barcelona or Hamburg or... anywhere else. It hasn't worked yet, but that won't stop me trying.
posted by Grangousier at 3:54 AM on March 10, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by Grangousier at 3:54 AM on March 10, 2019 [6 favorites]
The first time I came across the teller bagging groceries for you was in the Safeway underneath the Watergate ap(p)artment complex while on an extended stay with friends living there back in the eighties. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
Now the only time I get offered bagging at the checkout is by well meaning boy scouts and girl guides on the one day a year they raise money by offering to bag groceries if you look as if you're elderly (i.e. over 25).
I'm still using the Aldi Medion laptop (for sofa surfing, tellybox watching) we bought back in ~2008 and it's still going strong. In those days they'd have a limited stock of say twenty and you'd have to queue before opening hours on a Sunday morning to be one of the first twenty. I'm going to see if I can add some RAM this year to hopefully keep it going another few years.
I haven't seen any laptops or computers in Aldi for a while but we tend to go to Lidl (most have in-store bakeries and I'm addicted to their multigrain low GI cobs. Best bread in the world.)
We do 95% of our weekly shop in Lidl - the soft fruits and vegetables are excellent value and tend to keep a lot longer than that offered by other supermarkets. They don't have useby dates on fruit & veg packaging and (obviously) not on the loose stuff but I've never paid any attention to those, if it smells and feels good, it gets eaten. If they started selling good loose tea (also addicted to Waitrose Assam and Kenyan) and Le Rustique camembert, I don't think I'd shop anywhere else.
posted by humph at 4:45 AM on March 10, 2019
Now the only time I get offered bagging at the checkout is by well meaning boy scouts and girl guides on the one day a year they raise money by offering to bag groceries if you look as if you're elderly (i.e. over 25).
I'm still using the Aldi Medion laptop (for sofa surfing, tellybox watching) we bought back in ~2008 and it's still going strong. In those days they'd have a limited stock of say twenty and you'd have to queue before opening hours on a Sunday morning to be one of the first twenty. I'm going to see if I can add some RAM this year to hopefully keep it going another few years.
I haven't seen any laptops or computers in Aldi for a while but we tend to go to Lidl (most have in-store bakeries and I'm addicted to their multigrain low GI cobs. Best bread in the world.)
We do 95% of our weekly shop in Lidl - the soft fruits and vegetables are excellent value and tend to keep a lot longer than that offered by other supermarkets. They don't have useby dates on fruit & veg packaging and (obviously) not on the loose stuff but I've never paid any attention to those, if it smells and feels good, it gets eaten. If they started selling good loose tea (also addicted to Waitrose Assam and Kenyan) and Le Rustique camembert, I don't think I'd shop anywhere else.
posted by humph at 4:45 AM on March 10, 2019
Bagging is still done by the cashiers in most of stores around here. Often the plastic bags are on a rack just to the left of the cashier below the level of the conveyor so they just scan and bag in one movement.
posted by octothorpe at 5:49 AM on March 10, 2019
posted by octothorpe at 5:49 AM on March 10, 2019
Big Al 8000's description works for me (Minneapolis area). I can remember the 1990s-era Aldi locations here as being definitely discount, and I had forgotten about the cash-only aspect.
In this area, if someone bags your groceries for you, that's often an indicator that you're at an upscale place--if you're at a dedicated grocery store. This analysis doesn't apply if you're buying groceries at Target or Wal-Mart.
Cub: mainstream, bag your own.
Kowalski's: upscale, someone bags for you.
Target: someone bags for you, but they sell more than groceries, and corporate has an entire department of people who sit around in meetings making decisions about how to move lines faster, so they bag for you....and then they also add a self-check line where, by definition, you bag your own.
posted by gimonca at 8:13 AM on March 10, 2019
In this area, if someone bags your groceries for you, that's often an indicator that you're at an upscale place--if you're at a dedicated grocery store. This analysis doesn't apply if you're buying groceries at Target or Wal-Mart.
Cub: mainstream, bag your own.
Kowalski's: upscale, someone bags for you.
Target: someone bags for you, but they sell more than groceries, and corporate has an entire department of people who sit around in meetings making decisions about how to move lines faster, so they bag for you....and then they also add a self-check line where, by definition, you bag your own.
posted by gimonca at 8:13 AM on March 10, 2019
Here in my part of Northern Virginia, we have an Aldi and a Lidl across the street from one another - plus a Dollar Tree and drive-thru Starbucks on the same side as Aldi. We are living the dream.
posted by candyland at 8:32 AM on March 10, 2019
posted by candyland at 8:32 AM on March 10, 2019
It took Portland, Maine ages to get Trader Joe's. Now there's a Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and mega-Hannaford in a small radius of grocery shopping fun. Many people travel a ways to shop; the 3 are quite close to a major highway, so an easy stop on the way t oor form somewhere. We don't seem to have the population density for a Costco, more's the pity, but maybe Aldi will open here; they have stores in New Hampshire. I want the animal LED headlamp.
posted by theora55 at 8:50 AM on March 10, 2019
posted by theora55 at 8:50 AM on March 10, 2019
also a tennis ball launcher; my dog would be in fetch heaven.
The linked Plymouth (UK) article is hilarious.
"I went in for a chicken. Came out with a bench grinder," said Jonathon Matlock, a scaffold laborour. "I forgot the chicken. It was a day of mixed emotions".
"But once I went into Lidl for some cheese and something else caught my eye amongst the multi-packs of wall plugs, Spiderman duvets and thermal socks that adorn the middle aisles: an inflatable kayak.
"This inflatable kayak was priced at a bargain £24.99. It was easy to carry and it came with two oars. In fact, it was cheaper than a pair of life jackets.
"I bought it without thinking twice - who wouldn't have? - and took it to Mothecombe where I spent half an hour sweating over a footpump and another half an hour happily being carried away by the mild current in the Yealm Estuary unable to paddle against it due to the oars being utterly useless.
"The final half an hour we spent together consisted of the kayak slowly deflating while I battled my way back to the shore to console myself with the cheese."
But did Edd learn any important lessons from this?
He added: "I went to Aldi for beer and jalapenos the other week and came out with a £29 lawnmower."
There's more; just read the article. Thanks, Wordshore, made my day.
posted by theora55 at 8:55 AM on March 10, 2019 [3 favorites]
The linked Plymouth (UK) article is hilarious.
"I went in for a chicken. Came out with a bench grinder," said Jonathon Matlock, a scaffold laborour. "I forgot the chicken. It was a day of mixed emotions".
"But once I went into Lidl for some cheese and something else caught my eye amongst the multi-packs of wall plugs, Spiderman duvets and thermal socks that adorn the middle aisles: an inflatable kayak.
"This inflatable kayak was priced at a bargain £24.99. It was easy to carry and it came with two oars. In fact, it was cheaper than a pair of life jackets.
"I bought it without thinking twice - who wouldn't have? - and took it to Mothecombe where I spent half an hour sweating over a footpump and another half an hour happily being carried away by the mild current in the Yealm Estuary unable to paddle against it due to the oars being utterly useless.
"The final half an hour we spent together consisted of the kayak slowly deflating while I battled my way back to the shore to console myself with the cheese."
But did Edd learn any important lessons from this?
He added: "I went to Aldi for beer and jalapenos the other week and came out with a £29 lawnmower."
There's more; just read the article. Thanks, Wordshore, made my day.
posted by theora55 at 8:55 AM on March 10, 2019 [3 favorites]
In this area, if someone bags your groceries for you, that's often an indicator that you're at an upscale place
The hierarchy of UK supermarkets is a complex one, and based on class as much as income levels alone. Here's a couple of articles examining the many fine gradations of snobbery involved.
posted by Paul Slade at 9:23 AM on March 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
The hierarchy of UK supermarkets is a complex one, and based on class as much as income levels alone. Here's a couple of articles examining the many fine gradations of snobbery involved.
posted by Paul Slade at 9:23 AM on March 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
Today’s middle-aisle bargain at my Aldi here in Maryland: Kidde 10-year smoke and CO alarms. Also, a cast-iron Dutch oven I’m watching for a price cut...
posted by wintermind at 9:33 AM on March 10, 2019
posted by wintermind at 9:33 AM on March 10, 2019
In NYC, Aldi’s only in the outer boroughs. I occasionally will shop at the one closest to me (I live in a working-class area of the Bronx), but I go out of my way to shop at the nearest Trader Joe’s on the Upper West Side. I like their produce better (the veg stands near me are... not good), I like their choice of cheese better, the meat is better, and they have great service for not that much more than Aldi.
Navigating the Aldi’s near me is like going through an obstacle course, but if it’s Christmas, I pick up an advent calendar and various special German Christmas nom-noms that I otherwise haven’t had since I was a child in Wisconsin. I’ve never gotten anything from the middle aisle, either. We have a lot of discount retailers in my area (Dollar Tree is all over the Bronx, as well as locally-run stores offering semi-durable goods) who actually sell similar stuff for a lot cheaper, and on a more regular basis.
posted by droplet at 9:39 AM on March 10, 2019
Navigating the Aldi’s near me is like going through an obstacle course, but if it’s Christmas, I pick up an advent calendar and various special German Christmas nom-noms that I otherwise haven’t had since I was a child in Wisconsin. I’ve never gotten anything from the middle aisle, either. We have a lot of discount retailers in my area (Dollar Tree is all over the Bronx, as well as locally-run stores offering semi-durable goods) who actually sell similar stuff for a lot cheaper, and on a more regular basis.
posted by droplet at 9:39 AM on March 10, 2019
Aldi stores in the US stock up on tools around Father's Day. In particular, I've noticed technical-looking giant plastic toolboxes, "quick grip" style clamps, and pretty serious woodworking chisels, recommended by Paul Sellers, four chisels for under $10. I have a set, and I can say they certainly take and hold a razor edge better than some of my other chisels do.
There's a subreddit full of tips, advice, commiseration, etc: /r/aldi
I've been to Aldi stores that were untidy, even gross. But the ones close by me today are well kept. We Americans tend to assume consistency, that if one outpost of a business is terrible, it's because they all are. That vaunted and dearly-departed McDonald's-style consistency takes a deliberate, sustained effort behind the scenes, and not every enterprise is going to pursue that as a goal.
posted by Western Infidels at 5:46 PM on March 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
There's a subreddit full of tips, advice, commiseration, etc: /r/aldi
I've been to Aldi stores that were untidy, even gross. But the ones close by me today are well kept. We Americans tend to assume consistency, that if one outpost of a business is terrible, it's because they all are. That vaunted and dearly-departed McDonald's-style consistency takes a deliberate, sustained effort behind the scenes, and not every enterprise is going to pursue that as a goal.
posted by Western Infidels at 5:46 PM on March 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
Have never been to an Aldi but I like going to Lidl in Sweden. (It's odd to me that Lidl hasn't been sued into oblivion by Coca Cola because the logo of Lidl's knock-off canned cola looks so similar.)
Also, their knockoff of Bregott margarine is named “Bordsguld”, with similar trade dress. They do skate close to the edge.
I've found that Swedish Lidl has a smaller range than UK Lidl. One thing that you'll find in UK Lidl but not Swedish Lidl is the Icelandic-style yoghurt skyr (Lidl's Milbona brand, made in Germany).
posted by acb at 3:13 AM on March 11, 2019
Also, their knockoff of Bregott margarine is named “Bordsguld”, with similar trade dress. They do skate close to the edge.
I've found that Swedish Lidl has a smaller range than UK Lidl. One thing that you'll find in UK Lidl but not Swedish Lidl is the Icelandic-style yoghurt skyr (Lidl's Milbona brand, made in Germany).
posted by acb at 3:13 AM on March 11, 2019
Today’s middle-aisle bargain at my Aldi here in Maryland: Kidde 10-year smoke and CO alarms. Also, a cast-iron Dutch oven I’m watching for a price cut...
Speak of the devil.... They had lots of the regular and enameled pots but this was the last of the 2-in-1s. A similar one seems to be selling on Amazon for $60, so at $30 I think it was a pretty good deal. Also got one of the new pre-marinated pork shoulder roasts to put in it for a test drive.
posted by drlith at 5:13 AM on March 11, 2019
Speak of the devil.... They had lots of the regular and enameled pots but this was the last of the 2-in-1s. A similar one seems to be selling on Amazon for $60, so at $30 I think it was a pretty good deal. Also got one of the new pre-marinated pork shoulder roasts to put in it for a test drive.
posted by drlith at 5:13 AM on March 11, 2019
...also, the Riesling was so good I don't think I should get it again.
posted by drlith at 5:16 AM on March 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by drlith at 5:16 AM on March 11, 2019 [1 favorite]
Yep, my midwestern Aldi has less than great produce, the off-the-back-of-the-truck middle isle, and is poorly staffed. And I LOVE it, because a)I don't like having to make decisions. You want spaghetti? They have it. One brand, one size, that's it. and b) it's dirt cheap. For broke families it's quite a boon.
posted by libraritarian at 6:03 AM on March 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by libraritarian at 6:03 AM on March 11, 2019 [3 favorites]
drlith: "...also, the Riesling was so good I don't think I should get it again."
Yeah, no alcohol at Aldis around here but that's expected.
posted by octothorpe at 6:42 AM on March 11, 2019
Yeah, no alcohol at Aldis around here but that's expected.
posted by octothorpe at 6:42 AM on March 11, 2019
My Aldi on Preston Hwy in Louisville was a seedy little dive back when I was in college (late 1980s). But about fifteen years ago they did a renovation that made the place a whole lot nicer. Then three years ago they renovated again, and now their store is clean, brightly lit, and exceptionally well-organized. A few months ago Aldi opened another grocery on Outer Loop that rivals Kroger for overall presentation. That store is almost directly across the street from a Wal-Mart, so we'll see how they survive now that they've thrown down the gauntlet.
I don't know what Aldi's marketing strategy is, but in addition to staples my Aldi's has a ton of gluten-free products and vegan-friendly products. Legend has it that across the river in southern Indiana, the local Aldis carry wine in addition to beer (gotta love those local blue laws). The quality of their pet food has improved, as well. Their middle aisle-of-random-stuff usually doesn't appeal to me, though over Christmas I found some cute socks for stocking stuffers and a terrific little basket that I now keep in my car's trunk for grocery shopping.
My only concern is that Aldi's fresh produce strikes me as is a little hit-or-miss. Sometimes I get things like romaine lettuce, and it's wilted dramatically after only a day in my refrigerator. Other times their produce seems to have a half-life.
posted by magstheaxe at 9:03 AM on March 11, 2019
I don't know what Aldi's marketing strategy is, but in addition to staples my Aldi's has a ton of gluten-free products and vegan-friendly products. Legend has it that across the river in southern Indiana, the local Aldis carry wine in addition to beer (gotta love those local blue laws). The quality of their pet food has improved, as well. Their middle aisle-of-random-stuff usually doesn't appeal to me, though over Christmas I found some cute socks for stocking stuffers and a terrific little basket that I now keep in my car's trunk for grocery shopping.
My only concern is that Aldi's fresh produce strikes me as is a little hit-or-miss. Sometimes I get things like romaine lettuce, and it's wilted dramatically after only a day in my refrigerator. Other times their produce seems to have a half-life.
posted by magstheaxe at 9:03 AM on March 11, 2019
Was in the new, large and shiny Lidl earlier this evening. The town I currently live in is rapidly expanding, and in the centre of it are the (new) Lidl, a smallish Aldi, a medium sized Tesco (which, for many reasons, is awful), a Marks and Spencer food hall, and a Sainsburys. On the outer bits of the town exist a large Morrisons, large Tesco, and a new large Aldi. Here and there are mini Tesco and mini Co-operative branches. Posh people live in expensive houses to the south (Quorn, Swithland, Woodhouse Eaves, Rothley - the places inhabited by retired Premiership footballers and lottery winners), so there's a Waitrose about five miles away in that general direction.
But the nearby Lidl has been getting my attention recently, especially the aforementioned Portugese custard cinnamon egg tart things, which are fantastic. And this evening, on a browse of the confectionary aisle, I spotted Oreos. Next to the Lidl own brand, the packaging of which looks ... well, you decide as I'm holding them both here. Did the marketing department at Lidl, in some previous phone conversation, ask the legal department "What's the absolute bare minimum changes we have to make to a packet of Oreos to not get sued"?
posted by Wordshore at 5:57 PM on March 11, 2019
But the nearby Lidl has been getting my attention recently, especially the aforementioned Portugese custard cinnamon egg tart things, which are fantastic. And this evening, on a browse of the confectionary aisle, I spotted Oreos. Next to the Lidl own brand, the packaging of which looks ... well, you decide as I'm holding them both here. Did the marketing department at Lidl, in some previous phone conversation, ask the legal department "What's the absolute bare minimum changes we have to make to a packet of Oreos to not get sued"?
posted by Wordshore at 5:57 PM on March 11, 2019
That Guardian article is the best business journalism I've read in ages. The cemetery plot story is beyond satire.
posted by Gin and Broadband at 1:42 AM on March 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Gin and Broadband at 1:42 AM on March 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
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