Aldi Supermarket

[Snowboarder_Bo]

@DMark

Surprised to see this thread - didn’t know they had opened stores in USA - although a quick search shows none in Nevada, or anywhere on west coast?

I remember them from Berlin. They had a very limited selection, many of the products were crap, but for the basics (flour, sugar, salt, etc.) it was a great place to go! It was, however, like walking through an East German supermarket - no customer service, no displays, bland and limited selection of foods - again, a great savings with the basics, but most West Berliners I knew only went there to stock up on the basics.

It’s okay, DMark. We have Fresh & Easy here. Damn, I love that store.

[Broomstick]

@DMark

I remember them from Berlin. They had a very limited selection, many of the products were crap, but for the basics (flour, sugar, salt, etc.) it was a great place to go! It was, however, like walking through an East German supermarket - no customer service, no displays, bland and limited selection of foods - again, a great savings with the basics, but most West Berliners I knew only went there to stock up on the basics.

Here, Aldi advertising emphasized the “stock up on basics” aspect of the store. Yes, the selection is limited. However, what they have is generally the lowest price in town. Thus, the elderly, the poor, and those throwing a big party will show up to stock up on stuff cause the dollar goes farther there. Aldi knows darn well its customers shop elsewhere as well, and they’re totally OK with that. They have a niche and concentrate on that niche instead of trying to be all things to all people.

[Jerseyman]

They’ve changed in recent years from very cheap crap to a good selection of what are normally expensive specialist foods but at normal food price. Good on Belgian chocolate too! At the moment they are going mad on low-price fresh vegetables and fruit. It must be a matter of central policy but they carry some nice central European type savouries that you don’t find in the average rival supermarket (like Tesco) and if you find it at all is likely to be in a Polish delicatessen at five times the price.

[Cisco]

Are you guys buying milk with dodo piss in it or something? I hardly ever pay over a dollar for a gallon. If it’s much more than that (say, 1.39, which is about the highest I ever see it), the stuff expiring within the next few days is almost always on special for .50 - $.75, and it’s never gone bad on me.

[Markxxx]

@Cisco

Are you guys buying milk with dodo piss in it or something? I hardly ever pay over a dollar for a gallon.

Dairy tends to be regional in price. I live in Chicago and dairy has crashed in price compared to last year. A gallon of milk is on sale somewhere $1.50. The stores seem to rotate this every week. Cheese under a dollar of that 8 ounce block. Large eggs you can find for 79¢ dozen or even less. Seems stores rotate that sale price as well.

But I have spoken to people in other areas where dairy is still high. So it definately is a regional thing when it comes to prices

[Balthisar]

@Broomstick

Excuse me?

I’m assuming the “10 types of chilies” is related to Mexican cuisine (given your location field) but you certainly CAN make better than “McDonald’s style food” with what I listed and really, I’m getting some food snobbery vibes here. Granted Aldi tends to stock North American/European centric vegetable choices, but that doesn’t automatically mean those of us who eat them “don’t know how to make anything”. What you list may be common in your part of the world, but where I live more than half would be considered exotic specialty items.

And by “mushrooms” I did mean fresh, not “canned” and not “pieces”. Seriously, yours does not have fresh mushrooms?

Uh, I live in Michigan. It’s a normal part of the world. I’m currently assigned in Mexico City, where there’s no Aldi. Don’t focus on the peppers; I admit that that’s rare. But such basic items as fresh herbs? Really, the best I can do at Aldi is fresh tomotos, potatoes, dried out lemons, carrots, one type of onions, one type of mushrooms. That’s not food snobbery; it’s basic food preparation.

I’m happy that you live near a super-Aldi that has real food. Mine sucks. Thank goodness for Nino Salvaggio and Meijer, though (and in relative terms, Meijer kind of sucks, too).

[Lillith_Fair]

@akennett

We have an Aldi right across the street from our closest big-chain grocery store (Giant Eagle). We definitely hit Aldi regularly, because what they have is generally much cheaper than at the chain store, and quite often of very good quality. I like their Southwest Veggie fake Hot Pocket. It comes in a whole-wheat crust and it’s quite good. Also, their light instant oatmeal in the blueberry flavor is not bad.

Same here…across the street from Giant Eagle. But I’ve never gone to Aldi. Do you have to use cash or check? Can you use a debit/ATM card?

[Balthisar]

@Lillith_Fair

Do you have to use cash or check? Can you use a debit/ATM card?

Oh, yeah… another strike. No credit cards are accepted.

[kittenblue]

They take debit cards there, Lillith Fair. I buy some basic staples there for the receptions…nuts, flour, sugar, cheese…

[Kayeby]

My Aldi accepts credit card but there’s a 1% surcharge. I don’t think there’s a charge for debit card.

I second the love of the Lacura skin line - I bought some of the moisturisers after reading some positive reviews and they’re fantastic. Not just value-for-money fantastic, but I prefer it to the Clarins, Clinique, Guinot and SKII moisturisers I’ve bought.

At Aldi I buy a lot of products that I’m brand-indifferent to (mainly staples). My husband loves the hash browns and tomato sauce. I like the “shop and get out” mentality that a lot of shoppers have. I do my fresh produce shopping at a market across the road which has lots of choice and lots of people wandering around and admiring the produce. After navigating through that a couple of times a week, my fortnightly Aldi shop is like a dip in cool, efficient water.