New Aldi's (price, shop, cheap)

[nmnita]

totally impressed but a little hard to find stuff, as it is laid out a little different from the Roger's Aldi's. I think you could have shopping cart races down the aisles with 3 or 4 carts racing. They are wider than Harps, or any of the local grocery stores and the employees are super helpful. As you can guess, we are very impressed. We did find the parking spaces a little smaller than some, so it was a bit crowded getting in out out of the car and getting carts from the store to the car. Otherwise, what a pleasant surprise. Well, it really wasn't a surprise, we had expected it to be a huge improvement and it was.

[texas_nightowl]

So, we are somewhat near this Aldi's. Driven by it a few times. What do we need to know? Do you need to take your own bags? Is there a cart deposit? Do they take cards or only cash? Stuff like that? Or is it just like any other grocery?


Aside from Aldi's and WM, I've seen Harp's and Allen's(?) mentioned. What do you like to visit them for? Who has the best meats? In Texas we usually bought our beef pretty much anywhere except for WM.

[gemstone1]

25 cents for a cart, returned when you return the cart, they take cards....take bags.

Regards
Gemstone1

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by texas_nightowl

So, we are somewhat near this Aldi's. Driven by it a few times. What do we need to know? Do you need to take your own bags? Is there a cart deposit? Do they take cards or only cash? Stuff like that? Or is it just like any other grocery?


Aside from Aldi's and WM, I've seen Harp's and Allen's(?) mentioned. What do you like to visit them for? Who has the best meats? In Texas we usually bought our beef pretty much anywhere except for WM.

Well I seen ti be the one with all the opinions on shopping here: right or wrong, so I will try to fill you in:

Aldi's
They didn't used to take cards, but they do now.
They do have bags but there is a charge, so most of us bring our own
They cart policy, as I have been told is similar to Europe: you put a quarter in and get you cart.. When you return the cart you quarter is returned. If works great and you don't see a bunch of carts all over the place.
What we like to buy there?
Mainly produce, and dairy products plus they have an awesome selecetion of ready to heat pizza. And believe it or not the $2.89 wine (we drink red) is quite good. NO, I would probably not serve it to guests, especially if they were accustom to $20 a bottle wine, but for our afternoon glass or two we like it. We also get other things there. One thing I love is their frozen sea scallops: they are about $10 for 12 oz but scallops are pricey and 12 oz goes a long way as they are so rich. I also sometimes pick up the frozen mussels but mussels are not our favorite shell fish.

Walmart: needs no explanation: we use them mostly when we have a variety of shopping to do, like garden supplies, animal supplies, groceries, etc. We also get our oil changed there, but we do not do a lot of grocery shopping at Walmart.

Allan's: meats mostly and deli stuff. There prices are going to be a little higher but the service is outstanding. Sometimes we do almost all our shopping there, depending on what our schedule is.

Harps: they are top line but generally the prices are as well. We do use therm from time to time. They have good, freshly backed bread but it has no preservatives so spoils pretty fast. They also often have good sales on seafood.

Hope this helps you some. Try each and see what works best for you. We do not do Alid's or the Big Harps unless we are going to be in Bentonville, but we do plan trips to Bentonville and Rogers often.

[Slytrix]

Our WM neighborhood market has awesome produce. See no need to drive a couple extra miles to squeeze into Aldis parking lot for cheap pizza and wine , oh and carts are never scattered about. Most people put them back and WM pays an employee to put back in the store.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Slytrix

Our WM neighborhood market has awesome produce. See no need to drive a couple extra miles to squeeze into Aldis parking lot for cheap pizza and wine , oh and carts are never scattered about. Most people put them back and WM pays an employee to put back in the store.

you are right about some of this: as for the carts, I have never or rarely been to a WM where there are not some carts placed places other than the cart return section. I will say they do a much better job or keeping carts out of the way than they did in NM>

No, I am not going to drive from BV to Aldi's just for wine either , but when we are heading that way, we do like shopping there. As for produce, I just find WM produce except for their avocados over priced and often not as good quality as some of the other store around here: not always. But this is why we have so many choices, each of us has our own ideas

[texas_nightowl]

thanks gemstone! and thanks nmnita for all the detail! I didn't realize Allen's was in BV, so don't know how often we'll stop by there. But, we'll have to at least check out Harp's and Aldi's!

[nmnita]

Oh and some more good news for the BV area; the funding is finally available to finish the BV by pass. MO has the money for their share of the project.

[jdoll88]

as someone interested in this area this sounds great I have heard good things about aldis!

[Bellacatahoula]

We really like Aldi stores. I don't know if they are all similar regionally, or nation-wide. In Illinois anyway we mostly love their produce and especially their holiday seasonal items. Don't know if liquor is sold in Aldi's there, but up here they really have some exceptional values on wine,and especially around holidays. From what I understand, Aldi and Trader Joe's are run by two brothers from Germany. Each running his own brand but sharing when beneficial to both. As a result, in both stores you can find very good quality for exceptional value. Oh my wife says Aldi's brand goods and Trader Joe's brand are one in the same.
Always good to have options! 😄