Aldi:101

I have nothing but good to say about Aldi. At first glance of your local Aldi grocery store, it doesn't look like much. The first thing I noticed about the shopping carts is that they were outside, and locked up until you put a quarter in them. I thought that paying a quarter was a crazy concept, and who would pay a quarter to use a shopping cart. I figured I would play along and pay the quarter to see what this grocery store was all about. Once you enter through the automated doors, the aisles are wide for easy maneuvering of two shopping carts. Merchandise is stacked on either side of the aisle on crates in their original shipping boxes. Prices for the merchandise are either above the item on a price board that runs the length of the aisle or directly in front of the merchandise.

When you've made all of your purchases and are ready to check out, be ready for the fastest checkers you've seen in your life. They quickly move your merchandise from the conveyer belt to the basket and once you pay for your groceries, with cash, check, or another form of accepted payment (they do not take all debit and credit cards) you move your basket to their counter for bagging your groceries. They have paper bags ($.05 each) and plastic bags ($.10 each) available for purchase if you didn't bring your own bags with you. Occasionally there will be empty boxes on the counter that can be used to box your groceries up as well for easy transferring from your cart to your car.

Once you get past the fact that you have to pay for your shopping cart, bring your own bags (or pay for theirs), use an acceptable form of payment, bag your own groceries, and put your shopping cart back at the cart return for your quarter it should turn out to be a good shopping trip.