An ALDI convert
The first time I stepped foot inside an ALDI grocery store on Memorial Drive in Decatur many years ago, I was not impressed.
The scene was bleak: picture items crammed into cardboard boxes on shelves; dinged up, half-rotten fruits and vegetables; and an off-putting smell in the store to boot. I certainly didn’t see what all the fuss was about with the sad, little grocery store my friends were flocking to for shopping.
However, after a serious makeover, expansion of higher-quality products offered, and the closure of the much larger Kroger across the street last year, ALDI has become my go-to stop for most of my groceries.
For those who have never been to an ALDI, it is a different experience than most of the grocery store chains us Southerners are familiar with (think Publix, Piggly Wiggly, etc.) and some of those departures from typical big box shopping make ALDI truly special in my opinion.
Be sure to bring two essential items before even stepping foot into an ALDI: a quarter and your own shopping bag. Quarters are required to use a shopping cart (it is returned once patrons place their carts back where they got them, dramatically reducing the amount of stray shopping carts littering parking lots) and while paper bags are sold at ALDI, it is customary for customers to bring their own.
I admit that I was a bit thrown off at bagging my own groceries at first, but now I don’t think twice about it; the process seems to allow customers to move through lines quicker as checkout staff (often sitting on stools) scan groceries at lightning speed.
According to ALDI officials and enthusiasts, these deviations from other store set ups allow for lower prices. Whatever the reason, I see savings reflected on my receipt when I stock up, which is helpful during a time when grocery prices seem to be climbing.
The ALDI on Memorial Drive may only be half the size of the Kroger that was once its competitor across the street, but for those missing grocery shopping in the area, I encourage them to give it a go.
