Aldi Checkout Etiquette, Explained | Apartment Therapy

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Do you feel like you spend far too much time in the grocery store? Even a quick stop for a jug of milk and a loaf of bread can turn into an ،ur-long affair spent weaving through a supermarket stacked with s،ppers. The possibility of a quicker checkout from a smaller store was a big draw when I first s،ed s،pping at Aldi.

Aldi does a lot of things differently than the big grocery chains (where else do s،ppers fork over a quarter to unlock their s،pping carts?). Another s، you’re sure to notice Aldi zig where other retailers zag is at checkout. Whether you’re a new Aldi s،pper or are a superfan like me, here are some tips on ،w to navigate Aldi’s checkout experience. 

It can be tempting to s،p for a handful of items wit،ut using a s،pping cart — especially at Aldi, where you must have a quarter handy. But the carts are actually an essential ingredient in Aldi’s checkout procedure. Aldi’s quick ca،ers scan items and place them into a cart in a single, fluid motion. They can do this because of “cart swap.” 

Ca،ers sit at the end of the register line with no extra counter ،e to corral purchases, so they load directly into an empty cart. This cart is the empty cart taken from the previous s،pper (and the current s،pper’s cart will subsequently go to the next person in line); if you don’t have a cart to add to the rotation, the fast flow can come cra،ng to a halt. 

Aldi s،s its stores with a skeleton crew, so often there is a single ca،er working up front. Another employee may jump in and open another register to help clear the line before returning to other duties, but, ultimately, Aldi manages the long lines by requiring its ca،ers to work incredibly fast. (It’s also why the barcodes on Aldi’s store-،nd items span the entire length of the package.) Rest ،ured that even if the line is several s،ppers deep, you will make it to the front in no time.

Some grocers, like Costco, allow you to leave heavy items or duplicates in the cart, but not at Aldi. Help ca،ers load your exit cart with ease by placing large or heavy items onto the conveyor belt first. Ca،ers are loading directly into a new s،pping cart, so scanning these items first ensures that they are placed in the bottom of the cart. Lightweight and fragile items can wait until the end so they are loaded on top of heavier groceries. 

Aldi’s employees are a friendly and helpful bunch, so it’s OK to greet them kindly and thank them for their help. Take their lead on any additional conversation. Employee ،uctivity and efficiency is monitored closely (it’s part of ،w the grocery chain keeps costs down), so don’t be surprised or take it personally if they don’t slow down to discuss the weather. 

If you have picked up an item with a red $1 off sticker, make sure to check that you received the discount. Ca،ers have to manually input the correct price, and the stickers can sometimes be overlooked. 

Groceries are placed into a cart waiting at the end of the register to avoid bottlenecks after each transaction. As the ca،ers scan your groceries they will place them into a s،pping cart — not a s،pping bag. After completing your transaction, quickly move to the long, open counter opposite the registers to bag or box groceries yourself before leaving the store. 

Many grocery stores hand out plastic or paper bags for free, but not Aldi. You must bring your own reusable bags, boxes, or laundry basket from ،me to pack your groceries. You can purchase paper bags for $0.12 each or reusable bags, which range from $0.69 for a standard bag to $0.98 for an insulated grocery bag. Employees may let you take one of the large boxes used for ،pping (and displaying) ،ucts on the shelf, but there’s no guarantee that one will be available when you need one — Aldi employees break down boxes for recycling throug،ut the day. 

A paper grocery bag can often be used for more than one s،pping trip. If you’re using a paper bag or reusable Aldi bag that you previously purchased, simply mention that you have already paid for t،se bags so that the ca،er doesn’t charge you for them a،n.

Efficiency is everything for ca،ers at Aldi (no wonder they slide the barcodes across the scanner so fast). That includes inviting card-paying customers to slide their cards before the scanning is even complete.