I spent $162.00 and 3/4 of my product where spoiled, over riped and old. A waste of money for who has time to return items. read more

The store is nearby to costco and jewel-osco, so if you went to for grocery shopping, you sure can get everything in one location. This Aldi looks quite nice, all self checking out machine, staff only walking around or stocking merchandise. Store is bright and similar layout as other Aldi. But it certainly has more meat selection! Also, it has sizable parking! read more

ALDI - Grocery Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first time going to this Aldi and It was a pleasant experience. The store is very clean and everything is well organized. The shelves and food were fully stocked and things were in place. Customer service was good as well, I was greeted upon walking up to the register. Everyone was pleasant, including the security guard read more

ALDI - Grocery Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time @ different Adi's . There are so many items Aldi that I use on a daily basis and the prices are so much lower then many of the big grocery stores. So many Aldi's are so conveniently located to other businesses that I also frequent. This Aldi is on Clybourn right next door to Costco & across the street from Menards. read more

ALDI - Grocery Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is not my regular Aldi but it was close to where I was going so I had a couple of things to pick up. The store was clean and arranged much like all the other Aldis. But, when I asked for assistance in finding something in an aisle and also at the checkout, I found the employees to be kind of cranky. It would have been nice to get a more pleasant reception. How much more work is it to smile and use a pleasant voice? read more

It's in a Plaza with nearby stores such Marshalls, Jewel Osco, etc. Nice customer service, store stay stocked and clean. read more

Staff gets 5 stars and 5 hearts. Produce gets 1 star. Dry goods and dairy are 5 star too. Meat is meh. I read a lot of disparagement here but it's baseless snobbery--except for the produce criticism--that's true. You can come here for anything (but produce) and experience the same quality as fancy-lad stores for less $$$. Avoid the bleached garlic 3-pack from China--it was dessicated and old every time I bought it. I am looking for a purveyor of fresh garlic. But this Aldi is my favorite. I tried the other Aldi on Clybourn closer to North Avenue and my home, but I'll drive a bit longer to this store because it has better flow. Other benefits: Menards is right across the street and the Taco Bell remodeling seems like it will be done soon. Moderation. EDIT: I forgot to mention Aldi's rapid reply to my email about the bad garlic and their great return policy. Good corporation, but regarding their stance on the bad mesh bag 3-pack of old bleached garlic from China: It's not a good value if the product is unusable. How can you expect food shipped to the USA from China to be usable? Gilroy, CA would be a better supplier for Chicago than some country on the other side of the planet. read more

love aldi next to trader Joe's next to homegoods always great deal in it also great thing on the cleatence items read more

ALDI - two boxes of a blender on a store shelf - Grocery Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Recently visited the store and the experience was much way better than before. It was clean and bright inside. Everything is well organized and full stocked. I prefer to do my groceries in here because I was near the place that time and it is more convenient than going to the grocery store near my place. Selection of goodies is way better. There are variety of fresh produce which is on my top list. Produce in this store for me is the best than the other grocery store. It is cheaper and has a better quality. I just bought all the basic goodies I need and went to the checkout where I was able to checkout quickly and the cashier was nice and friendly. I was glad that I was able to shop in there and the receipt was cheaper compared if I did my groceries in other store. read more

Alright, let's start. First Aldi is a European company, and over there it is the very low end in terms of product. I am French, we know Aldi, it is one of the bottom brands in the country, unlike Monoprix or even carrefour. The reason why I am writing this review is not even the products, it is the working conditions in those stores. Aldi prides themselves with high wages and good benefits, that would be pretty much it. The stores run with extremely low labor, which means they will work you to death in order to keep those competitive prices. They have no real HR department, workers report multiple OSHA violations, with most of the time no breaks. DM are hired fresh from college, they have no clue about what they are doing, they time you in order to do the job of 3 people will pay you extra in order not to hire more people but it is not worth the salary at all. Back injuries, overworked staff, no growth culture, old school European 20's century management style, and yes, a lot of those hard workers are women. Men are also worked to the end as well. We might get cynical and say, they "chose it", in that case, Aldi, make sure you have an HR dept that runs your regions instead of a 23 years old DM college kid who has no clue. To the colleges kids buying the food there, know that other college kids are being worked to death to sell you sub par products at competitive prices. I could bet my 10cents that they will get a lawsuit or will end up unionized. You want organic products? Make sure that the labor is organic too, especially when all those people are working to death. read more

This store has been recently remodeled and is very nice on the inside. There is a nice big parking lot but remember to bring a quarter with you because that is how much it costs to rent a shopping cart here. Now do not worry you will get the shopping cart back once you return it to the cart barn. The system is kind of funny and the only other place I have ever seen this is in Mexico City but if it keeps people from stealing carts then I am all for it. This place has the best prices on eggs and milk plus they have pledges on all of those packages about not using growth hormone in the milk and the chickens being fed only grains. So that seems like a good selling point. I am always stocking up on the veggies here. These prices are some of the lowest around the city. Bananas are always cheap here...sometimes as much as 40 cents cheaper per pound then the big store across the parking lot. If you have shopped here you will know who I am talking about. The only think that is a hassle is that this place only takes cash or debit card. I just want to swipe my credit card and be done with it but if it keeps prices low then I am fine okay with having to carry cash to shop here. I also highly recommend you check out there weekly products they sell. There are always some interesting things there and the prices are very low. read more

ALDI - Newly Remodeled - Grocery Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When I arrived here, I realized I had no quarters, but I had bags in the car. So my plan was to buy one bag's worth of stuff, get cash back, convert $1 to quarters, and come back in with a cart for the rest of what I needed. I've done this any number of times before, both here and at other Aldi locations. It's never been a problem. The cashier apparently had other plans, however, because she was so rude and pushy about me not having a cart that I wasn't even able to finish picking up my groceries from the register area before she was ringing up the next customer, despite the fact that I had a bag ready and in my hands. She acted like I was wasting her precious time. She didn't look at me once, and she treated me like this in front of my 4 year old son. There was only one cashier working at the moment (11:30am on 12/11/2018) so figuring out who it was should be pretty easy. Hopefully someone will do something about this person. The store was not seriously busy, so it's not like her being the only open register was actually a problem for anyone except her. There are three other Aldi locations closer to me than this one. I only come here when I have an errand at Menard's across the street. I won't be doing that anymore. Working in retail isn't stellar, but don't bring your personal problems to work, lady. I chose not to embarrass her in front of the rest of the line, because I also got the vibe that she was just looking for a good excuse to have a meltdown and walk out. It's one thing to be a disgruntled *** in front of a bunch of adults, but you got my son involved. read more

I love the staff here and Aldi's prices and range of products are quite literally the only reason my husband and I can eat real & nutritious food on our tight college budget...HOWEVER! I have bought moldy produce from this location 3 times in the past 6 months. I'm not sure how this stuff keeps falling though the cracks, but it's infuriating when you get home and start a recipe only to find your bag of produce to be liquefied (prepackaged bags of salad mix), moldy (tomatoes), or rotted on the inside (avocados). They do offer their double gaurentee so you get your money back plus a replacement but that doesn't exactly help when you're standing over your stove making dinner. I love Aldi so much and it pains me to leave this 2 star review but I simply can't get behind their produce section when I so often experience disappointing quality. This location needs to step up their game and monitor things closer. read more

This Aldi location opened like new last week...remodeled! Big improvement and larger inside, with more inventory. If you gave poor reviews in the past, visit again, you will be impressed. What is not to like, low prices, larger selection and fast check out. read more

Just was in there and before I went I checked on the website to make sure they accept credit cards, which it said in fact they do. Tried to check out and the lady looked at me like I was crazy trying to use a credit card and said people are have been starting rumors about it.... Well looks like the rumors were started by your website. Such a waste of time. They should take it off their website if they don't accept it. I won't be coming back. read more

ALDI - Grocery Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Things you should only buy at Aldi (Unless maybe you're a Costco/Sam's member): Milk, Eggs, Basic Cheeses, Butter, Yogurt, Cereal, Crackers, Granola, Breakfast/Snack Bars, Condiments, Chips/Snacks, Lettuce, Spinach, Frozen Fruit, Bacon, Gatorade, Ppr Towels, Kleenix, Tp and the list goes on and on. It's safe to say you can save up to 40% on your grocery bill when compared to the other notable players in the market. What you shouldn't buy, or at least i don't: - Meat and Fish: I like to be able to chat with the butcher or fish monger on particular cuts, cooking methods, etc, you can't do that here and it's also more a matter of selection and options. - Bakery Goods/Bread: No in house bakers so this speaks for itself...and not a knock on Aldi, you don't come her for a freshly baked croissant, tiramisu, pie, et al, you come here for value on stuff that is the exact same under another name and at time, the same name at half the price. - Other: You'll know it when you see it. For example, I've picked up fresh fruit here on occasion but it really depends, it never looks bad per se, just that i favor other spots on certain items...ie, I get almost all my fruit and veg at Stanley's which is well, the Aldi of fruit/produce when it comes to price point. Final note...the efficiency of the checkout gals are unparalleled and every other grocery store needs to have their clerks got to whatever checkout boot camp Aldi has their staff go through....the last time i was so impressed by my girl i told her she was getting her very own review on Yelp due to her light speed efficiency. She cutely smiled and laughed stating, my name is Tina be sure you mention me. Done. Did. Out. read more

I love this Aldi. Well, I love all Aldis, but this is definitely the best one in the city. It's clean, highly organized and everything is almost always in stock (with the exception of the fresh dairy and meat products that sell very quickly). You can get all of your pantry and fridge staples at Aldi without breaking your bank. You'll pay $70-$80 here for an entire cart full of groceries and over $150 for the same thing at Jewel or Dominick's. This location is better than the one on Milwaukee or Cermak because it's a bit more organized and there are less people here on the weekends. Many people have misconceptions about Aldi but, let me tell you, they're definitely not true. The quality of the food is excellent and they have everything you need. If you want organic or specialty products, you'll have to go to Trader Joe's or something, but Aldi is your best bet for quality and price. Things to note: bring your own bags (paper bags cost $.05 and plastic $.10), you'll need a quarter to get a cart and they only accept debit or link cards (no credit). read more

While I always shopped this location for Trader Joe's, I only began visiting both TJ's and ALDI after spending time in Germany and the Netherlands where TJ's is a brand inside ALDI! How wild is that? You have to take the elevator down from the TJ's if you enter through the second floor parking garage entrance in the back. When you walk in you will find little baskets for shopping and carts (no deposit here like the 25 cent carts elsewhere). You have to bring your own bags or buy bags for a nominal amount. This is very customary everywhere in Europe and ALDI imported this practice to save money. What can you get here? Well, on my visit today I bought a variety of things I can get up at TJ's, but paid less downstairs at ALDI for them. Save money! Always a great day when I save $10. Fresh foods: They had a variety of 3-4 types of hummus for amazing prices (I grabbed red pepper and garlic), and they had Greek yogurt in large containers and small single serve containers for 89 cents. They also had Kefir for $2.77 and a large Naked juice (only one type). I picked up some soy milk and they had almond milk as well for prices that were better than Whole Foods and TJ's. I bought two bags of fresh spinach and broccoli as well. I grabbed a fresh mozzarella ball. I got some extra virgin olive oil for about $4. Chocolates: I bought an Austrian chocolate bar (there are tons of imported chocolates to choose from). I also grabbed some hazelnut spread (think Nutella) for a steal. I have seen Kinder and other German brands here. The selection is pretty good and I would stick to the imported chocolates. Lighter stuff: They have a light and fit brand and it is pretty good. Cheap egg beaters, turkey franks, ground turkey, turkey bacon, and sometimes cereals. Sweet stuff: I have found some good fruit preserves here (look for the ones from Denmark and Germany since these have no high fructose corn sweetener). Coffee: the medium German roasted coffee is pretty good and works well in my stove top espresso maker. Brands? What Brands?: Overall, the "brands" were in-house just like Trader Joe's (these companies are owned by the same German family) so I bought a lot of things that looked like stuff from other places (other brands I mean), but saw some exotics as well: German potato pancakes and wiener schnitzel in the freezer section. My usual ALDI is the one on Milwaukee Ave in Wicker Park and I shop there once a week, but it is closed for remodeling, but I think I will go here more because I can shop on floor one for ALDI goods, then shop on floor 2 for Trader Joe's (this place would be heaven if there were a Whole Foods on the 3rd floor!). I saw a few reviews that seemed overly negative. Sure there will be poor folks buying stuff here using the Link Card some days and they do sell junk food here to be sure, but there are some great steals for those of you with health food and gourmet tastes for sure! They only take cash and Debit Cards, and you are forced to buy or bring your own bags (and bag your own stuff), but you can't go wrong with the bargains here. Do you have to feel guilty if you shop here? No way! Trader Joe's is full of women in workout wear and the lot is full of expensive cars and ALDI is full of women in sweat pants who took the bus, but you see a greater mix of shoppers than you realize. On my shopping trip, I took two professional women who shop upstairs at TJ downstairs to ALDI and they were skeptical (I had to promise them imported chocolate), but when they took the time to look things over instead of freaking out because there were not a lot of people like them in there they actually bought just as much of the "better" stuff as I did. They took their blinders off and saw the deals! There is nothing "trashy" about ALDI. It is your typical European grocery store - without Trader Joe's as a house brand as it is in ALDI-Netherlands. When you say Trader Joe's in the Netherlands, people think you are talking about an ALDI brand. So bring a quarter, a few recyclable bags, and a debit card and have some fun! read more

I don't appreciate that I brought back a moldy product and they just gave me back my money. Since then I've seen so many Aldi commercials that say if you're not satisfied you'll get a new one of the same product & your money back. I didn't get another of the same product. That's not right. read more

I understand these are challenging times, and pennies have to be pinched to meet budgets and keep afloat. But this store is a good example of why America is obese. It was very hard to find items that weren't very high in fat or calories or full of chemicals I can't even pronounce (Lots of baking supplies, junk food, etc. ). I wasn't expecting organic or natural items there, I know it is not that kind of a store, but I think I expected a bit more selection of middle of the road items. The prices were good, and the cashiers were friendly, but I personally don't think I would be able to shop here more than occasionally for party items or such. read more

Warning: This review contains infomerical-like enthusiasm I love, Love, LOVE Aldi. You will not find cheaper food in Chicago. And, the food is always quality. In fact, in many cases, I prefer Aldi's food over name brand food. It definitely beats any store brand. If you don't like the food, they'll give you your money back. Aldi's has a few unique features you should be prepared for if you have never been: You have to pay a quarter to get a cart (but you get it back), you have to either bring your own bags, snag empty boxes from the floor, or buy bags at the counter (5 cents for a paper bag, 10 cents for a big, heavy-duty plastic bag), you bag your own groceries, and there are only a few employees in a store at any given time, so lines can be long. Here are some of my favorite items and their approximate prices, but like I said, almost everything is good: 5# bag of frozen chicken breasts ($5), frozen strawberry Popsicles ($2), sundried tomato garlic vinaigrette ($2), sundried tomato chicken sausages ($3.50), chocolate chip granola bars ($2). I could go on, but I won't. The food really is indistinguishable from or better than name brand foods you pay 2-3 times more for though. They just started carrying alcohol. I tried the Riesling and it wasn't bad, but haven't tried the rest yet. One warning: avoid the produce. Produce is definitely not Aldi's strength. read more

Honestly what's not to love about Aldi! They have everything super cheap! This location is one of the better ones! read more

Just left this Aldi's cause it was an emergency. Anyway, I got there & the meat section was 90% empty. It looked like Venezuela...well, almost. Anyway, this is the worst Aldi's I've ever been to. I told the employees at the Bucktown Milwaukee ave store about it & they all laughed, saying this Clybourn Aldi's is the "Worst." read more

Great location, free parking and below a Trader Joe's. Makes it super easy to get everything you need in one spot.

A general review for all the aldi stores: I am an aldi baby, born and raised on their product, and I fared the same as the jewel/dominicks/omni/whole foods snobs. There's nothing wrong with aldi groceries except that they usually only have two cashiers open. Hell I don't even mind going on hunts for empty boxes. People turn up their nose to aldi but whatever, I'm the 99% on a budget. So don't even beg for my quarter when I return my cart to the chain gang. I've noticed almost every aldi is getting a pretty nice makeover as well in the chicago area. Groceries are groceries, but if you got it like that then do your shopping all at Jewel. read more

I used to live right at 3200 N Lincoln and I thought I was trapped with Whole Foods and Jewel robbing me blind. But then I discovered this Aldi and was able to get all of my basics for super cheap! Like $70 for an entire cart FULL of food and toiletries. On my first visit I bought a few of those large canvas bags and one of the large freezer bags to keep cold items, well, cold. Things to stay away from? * Cream cheese - it's just weird. In fact, the bagels kind of are, too. * Any and all canned foods, especially the soup! * Pasta sauce, it's just not good. I've never had to doctor a sauce so much. Worse than Ragu. * Garbage bags that don't have a pull string, for real. * The booze. Convenient? Yes. Good? No. * Some of their snacks and breakfast foods have almost twice as much sugar or sodium as the name brand they're knocking off. You may want to double check that if you care about that sort of thing. Things you wouldn't expect? * A decent selection of meat. I know, you're thinking, "GROSS!!" but really, I got a frozen bag of all white meat chicken breasts that turned out the be the juiciest chicken I've ever had. I've also enjoyed the center cut pork chops and the box of steaks or burgers are all good. (Perfect if you're having a barbecue!) * I usually go to a farmer's market for my produce, but if I'm in a pinch this will do. The produce isn't top notch but these ones are safe: red or white onions, cloves of garlic, peppers, tomatoes, pineapples, bananas, and grapes. I admit, I wash the hell out of them before I eat them, but they're fine, really. * Amazing selection! I don't think I've ever walked in to an Aldi and not been able to find what I was looking for. I can't really remember if it's this store or another location, but I'm not entirely sure that they accept credit cards so make sure to have cash handy on you...just in case. read more

The recent ad campaign from Aldi convinced us that we'd be treated to clean, spacious aisles, everything we need, and great prices. This particular Aldi location delivered on just one of those three. We came in with our standard shopping list (produce and meat) and left with nothing more than a sack of potatoes and weird tasting pickles. Not finding much of what we needed did nothing to soften the awkward silence blasting through the store. However, it did appear that this is the right place if you like your meals with far off expiration dates. I'll go back for the sack of potatoes, but nothing else. read more

Hells to the yeah.... Cheap groceries to feed my expensive dining out bills...perfect. They have everything here. Its a no frills grocery store where you have to bag your own groceries...totally fine with me to save a couple of dollars. Also, its pretty much all generic, which totally doesnt bother me. I dont mind getting Mama Casa tomatoes instead of Dole?!?!?! Its ridiculous how cheap this place is...check it out, you will love it!!!!!! I "heard" that Trader Joes now owns the Aldi empire...not sure how true this is...... read more

Yes, there is a new Aldi in the SAME BUILDING as the Trader Joe's on Clyborne. Aldi's used to scare me with its Eastern bloc feel, but once you get past the silent depressive air and bringing your own bags, it's some cheap food. Great frozen meat and food staples, you can shop here first, and then head upstairs to Trader Joe's for anything you missed. read more

Aldi...you rock. Like most of the world I had some misconceptions about Aldi, especially the quality and origin of their products. I was wrong. I usually drop between 150 and 180 at Dominick's. Yesterday I spent 84 and some change. The food I have tasted thus far is great - right on par with anything I've gotten from Jewel or Dominicks. Aldi has a really cool business model that keeps prices low by not making us pay for savings clubs, fancy shelving and marketing, cart people and baggers. And for nearly a hundred dollar savings on one trip alone...I'll bag my own. At least I can save the bags and be green too. read more

I shop at this location all the time and customer service is usually good. However my recent visit, I experienced very bad customer service. I asked an employee(side-shaved hair) for an item, which she was stocking that area. She told me she had it but I had to wait. What made my experience worst was that the supervisor, stocking with her, didn't assist me either. They were carrying on conversations. Customer service would have it that one of them should of service the customer, and in a timely manner. After standing there and waiting for some time, I again asked her for the item, so I can purchase it, she finally did. They need to be considerate of customer's time and hopefully this unacceptable customer service won't continue. read more

The main thing I like here is the Winking Owl wine, Cabernet, it is really cheap bottle of wine, but is actually good! I think it was 2.99. The fruit here looked sad, I wouldn't come for produce. They have a lot of junk food. But the Fit and Active line of foods seems promising. They have frozen fruit in bags that is good for smoothies. I just wish they would give you a second when you go to check out, I didn't know you had to put a cart there yourself or anything, she just started chucking my stuff into a cart next to the register really fast and I had to move it quick. So the next time I went I grabbed a cardboard box in there and used it to carry out my stuff. read more

Very clean and organized store. The layout was designed well better than others. The staff where all very helpful and friendly much more nicer then most aldi's. the parking lot was very easy to access in and out and not overly crowded read more

My dad is pretty cheap and wears holes in his shirts but even he mocks me a little for buying produce here. I enjoy grocery shopping here, it's definitely out of my way but the Aldi's along the blue line is beyond unpleasant with spilled food and screaming kids. This branch is a bit more defunct and it's nice if I ever needed to pop in one of the nearby stores for other materials. The prices are very reasonable and the meat & produce are surprisingly fresher than Jewel where you'll more often than not get something on the cusp of spoiling. It's very quiet on a weekday. Anybody who's shopped at an Aldi's before knows to bring their own bags or to use boxes and quarters for the carts. I feel at less chaotic shopping here opposed to a more expensive chain. read more

Had a great experience here this past Sunday...and I try desperately to avoid grocery stores on the weekend. As another reviewer (or many?) mentioned, it's nice and quick. I was able to find my groceries and checkout in about 15 or 20 minutes, and I was delighted by the selection. I especially like the 85-cent Greek yogurt, which is an item I always stock up, so it was nice to see a standard price that was lower than a dollar. I also like that you definitely have to bring your own bags. Plastic bags are silly, anyway. I am grateful to live so close so that I can consistently lower my grocery bill by coming here :-) Tips: - bring bags/boxes - bring a quarter for the shopping carts - bring cash or a debit card read more

Typical Aldi, decent produce section for the basics, probably the cheapest milk around, enough parking. Not awesome prices for name brand packaged items. Bring your bags. read more

This is my second option when my first option is apparently closed for remodeling. This store is bigger with wider aisles. They have the same products, pretty much. I just feel more comfortable in the one on Milwaukee. Employees are friendly. Parking lot is a little crazy since this is near two, connected strip malls. Mama Cozzi pizzas are good if you doctor them up. Bike parking out front. read more

The good: cheap prices, bag-free, easy access bike and car parking. The not-so-good: the food products are low-quality and highly processed, containing oodles of preservatives and other mystery ingredients. The food is inexpensive, but also very cheap. Unlike every other grocery store in the USA, Aldi's displays their prices on the shelf *above* each product. I've witness this really bother lots of people as they feel they're getting scammed at the register. Also, you are supporting a German corporation. The stars go to the staff who, compared to Aldi's Montrose location, and notably friendly and helpful. read more

I'm totally with the other reviewers - most of Aldi's store brands are excellent and often preferable to the pricy name-brands at Dominicks or Jewel (or wherever). I especially like this location for the fact that Dominicks is literally next door - across the parking lot! - so anything you can't or won't get at Aldi, you can get there - almost one-stop shopping! However, there are usually very few items left on my list after Aldi. I don't care for their canned cream soups nor their version of Miracle Whip and I tend to save my produce buying for Dominicks or Stanley's (except for apples, cucumbers, spinach and bell peppers), but their spaghetti sauce is excellent, the salsa, the peanut butter, yogurts... so much is so good! I also haven't found a great coffee at Aldi, but oh well. They've been increasing their selection of "gourmet" and healthy food choices over the years as well. Not so much if you're into organic, but still lots of good stuff to choose from, esp. when you're on a budget. read more

This is a good Aldi that's normally well-stocked and offers vegetables that are, for some reason, usually fresher than some of the other Aldi's I go to around the city and NW burbs. Aldi takes some getting used to. You can always tell a rookie, they're the ones that didn't bring a quarter to unhook their grocery cart... or they actually buy bags. Savvy shoppers keep an "Aldi Quarter" in the ashtray of their car, and stock empty boxes under their cart to bring the stuff home. The alternate food universe that exists at Aldi- by that I mean all the store brands they have- take some getting used to. Occasionally they have some national brands if their buyers got a good deal on, say, Colgate toothpaste. Otherwise, instead of Fig Newtons, you're buying Aldi's Millville Fig Squares. Trial and error is the only way to figure out what's worth buying at Aldi and what you should stick to buying at the regular supermarket. The stuff that's good at Aldi is a great bargain, priced well under what Jewel or Dominick's charges for comparable items. read more