# Europeans--what do you think of Lidl? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europeans-what-do-you-think-of-lidl/769087 "2016-10-19T23:52:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europeans-what-do-you-think-of-lidl/769087/21 "2016-10-20T17:08:26Z")
If you are going to compare Lidl with Aldi, you have to decide which Aldi, since there are two, a northern Euro and a Southern Euro. > **[Aldi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldi)** > > Aldi (stylised as ALDI) is the common company brand name of two German multinational family-owned discount supermarket chains operating over 10,000 stores in 20 countries. The chain was founded by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht in 1946, when they took over their mother's store in Essen. The business was split into two separate groups in 1960, that later became Aldi Nord, headquartered in Essen, and Aldi Süd, headquartered in Mülheim. > In 1962, they introduced the name Aldi (a syllabic abbrevia... Many folk are not aware of this, they operate independently and most folk tend to encounter one or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europeans-what-do-you-think-of-lidl/769087/22 "2016-10-20T17:21:24Z")
The Wikipedia article tells us that Aldi Nord operates Trader Joe’s in the US, while Aldi Sud operates Aldi stores. So presumably an American asking about Aldi is referring to the southern one. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europeans-what-do-you-think-of-lidl/769087/23 "2016-10-22T22:24:15Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > at times using hidden cameras to spy on staff. Anything in the last 8 years - Google is telling me 2008? ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europeans-what-do-you-think-of-lidl/769087/24 "2016-10-23T01:18:55Z")
Thanks for the replies–I can’t wait till one comes to my area. I already shop at Aldi’s and the quality of the food is comparable to Safeway and Giant supermarkets, and the prices are very good. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europeans-what-do-you-think-of-lidl/769087/25 "2017-02-16T18:11:23Z")
Updating this thread as Lidl is [about to open its first 20 stores in the US.](http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2017/02/16/will-lidls-plans-to-conquer-the-us-market-benefit-consumers-as-much-as-walmart-did/#11e731b01218) I live in England and shop frequently at Lidl. Good quality food at really cheap prices, it has cut my food expenses considerably since I started doing most of my shopping there rather than in Tesco or Asda (Walmart). The selection is limited but it’s all top quality. Well worth a visit if one opens in your vicinity. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europeans-what-do-you-think-of-lidl/769087/26 "2017-02-16T20:22:51Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > 1. the ‘random aisle’ is a thing to behold - no idea what’s going to pop up in that ron twice a week Among the things I’ve seen in the random aisle: Horse riding equipment, skiing gear, a selection of chainsaws… Both Lidl and Aldi (in the UK at least) do pay more than the usual supermarket wage, but the staff work for it, being expected to fill all the roles as demand requires: replenishment, unloading, checkout, cleaning etc. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europeans-what-do-you-think-of-lidl/769087/27 "2017-02-17T02:06:49Z")
US Aldi has the “random aisle” as well. Always a trip to see what craziness they’re selling now. I have never bought any of it as it all looks like absolute bottom-of-barrel junk. The produce OTOH is both good to great and cheap to very cheap. In the two states I’ve used Aldi’s they have employment ads posted and the offered wages seem a bit above those at more typical grocery stores in the same area. The staff all seem genuinely cheerful, but they work like demons. It’s a shame **aldiboronti** ’s link doesn’t mention where those first stores are going. [lidl.com](http://lidl.com) is equally uninformative. Oh well; I guess it’ll be a surprise. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europeans-what-do-you-think-of-lidl/769087.md?page=1)