ALDI

Wanted to see what fuss was about. Don’t forget to get a quarter for the cart. I just ended up passing my cart along to the person coming in as I was leaving. I think that would be a nice thing for people to do. Pay it forward. The store itself is clean. They have mostly processed items, and I wasn’t that impressed with the prices on produce. Sprouts really has me spoiled there. I did manage to find some organic cereal and some keifer at a good price. This is the type of store you only go into if it is on your way, and you have some time to kill. Don’t forget it’s cash or debit only and bring your own bags too. One thing that was off putting was they had their spare rolls of toilet paper on the plunger handle… eww

What can I say, I love my Aldis! This location is clean, neat, and has a nice selection of wines/​beers.

I’ve come to this ALDI almost once every week since it’s opened. I have made this my primary grocery store and they really make the initiative to cut costs. You can see this in how they require a quarter to get a cart and how they charge 15 cents for a plastic bag. I usually look for quality products and alot of what they have are not brand name but they still carry alot of good products. I usually grab the eggs, fruits, vegetables, bread, and frozen goods. I have to say I have only had one bad experience here where I bought some strawberries which were already bad. They had fungus growing on them and I would think they would check for this but given their low staff count due to cost cutting, I guess it’s ok. They also have a great return policy where they refund you and let you grab a replacement for free. I come here for the Fit and Active products as well which are healthy and low calorie. This is the only store I know that carries this brand and as long as they do I will continue to shop here. I have had no issues with the staff but they are usually a bit stiff. Overall, I applaud the concept this store brings and look forward to the new products they bring every week.

I love coming here, so what you have to put a quarter in to get a cart, and bring your own reusable bags (if you don’t want to pay).
Not a problem for me. Not everything I buy has to be named brand, but some things I do prefer to be. So when I need in between things, or even a good deal on fruit, or some potatoes, onions, milk, eggs. I come here. Slightly lower prices than some of the things you can get from Wal-​Mart, or wherever you shop.
But I just wish they had a location closer to my house, I would make it here a lot more!

This was my first visit to an ALDI. I was looking for a place in Arlington that sold organic, natural foods other than Whole Foods. This store came up under a search for organic grocery stores. ALDI’s website indicates they carry Organic produce, but to my disappointment there were none to be found at this particular location when I visited.
If you’ve never been to an ALDI, it’s an interesting concept. They cut costs by offering a limited selection of staple groceries, most of them generic ALDI brands. I’d even go as far as to call it a poor man’s Trader Joe’s. Remember to bring your own bags along with cash or a debit card. They cut costs further by not providing free bags and not paying credit card processing fees. You’ll also want to bring a quarter if you want a shopping cart. You’ll get your quarter back, but only after returning your cart. Personally, I think a quarter for a genuine ALDI shopping cart is a steal!
I like the concept of ALDI. It’s something most people will probably either love or hate, but I think you’ll like it once you get used to it and know what to expect. About the only thing I really disliked during my visit was the checkout process. I understand they’re trying to cut costs wherever they can, but they should maximize the service level with what little they do offer. The girl at the only open checkout line didn’t even acknowledge my existence for the first several seconds leaving me to briefly wonder if there were ANY open checkout lanes. She then put my handful of groceries into a cart on the other side of the register and threw my reusable grocery bag on top. Maybe they have a policy against bagging groceries, but it would not have taken her any extra time at all to put them into my bag rather than the cart. Instead, I was forced to hold up the line for a few seconds to bag my groceries. So really, it did cost them some line efficiency.
I would have given this ALDI 4 stars, but I will knock them down to 3 for the poor checkout service.
BTW, if you like Claussen pickles try the Great Gherkins brand. They taste pretty similar and cost less.