I skipped the Grand Opening In Dec 2023 and waited until I'd be more likely to get a typical shopping experience. I've been to the store 3 times total in Jan and Feb, all on weekday mornings, so my experience may not reflect how the store is on weekends, nights, or holidays. Also, I have only purchased a few items each time, mostly produce so I can't really comment on the entire store. That said, I like what I've seen.
The vibe was laid-back and low-key on my visits which is very nice. The shoppers don't seem insane or pushy. This is a no-frills store (I've only been to one other Aldi and that was years ago but I understand the basics of the business model which eliminates all things fancy-schmancy in order to offer lower prices).
I am primarily interesting in buying produce here and I've been pleased with both the prices and the quality of my purchases. That said, on one occasion I reached for a bag of oranges and my hand went right into a rotting one. Fortunately I had hand sanitizer on me 'cuz it was sticky & nasty. The lettuce selection is small. They don't seem to sell anything "loose" so you can't buy Romaine, Red Leaf, or Green Leaf (by the pound) like you might at most grocery stores. A 3-pack of Romaine hearts, priced just under $3, didn't look all that fresh, with a bit of browning on the outside.
Curiously, the broccoli crowns are sold by the pound but come with a plastic tray which is 8"x5.5"x1.5". Admittedly the tray wouldn't add all that much to the weight but it seemed odd to be paying for a plastic tray by the pound! I have attached a photo.
There were slight variances in prices from one visit to the next. One time broccoli was $1.49/lb and on another it was $1.59/lb. Once the 8oz pack of white button mushrooms was $1.29 and on another it was $1.39. Perhaps this is not unusual for Aldi?
The store looks clean and it has a spacious feeling which is probably for the very large, wheeled pallets that are left out in the aisles for the employees to unpack.
Only one cashier was available on each of my 3 visits but each time the employee, different each time, was friendly and efficient. Everything is down to a system in this store. You may stand in a line but not for long. (I saw a customer with one or two items eye the line and toss his items onto a neighboring conveyor belt and walk out of the store. He didn't need to do that; the line moved very fast.)
So far, and overall, this store has made a good impression. I've given this some thought, having shopped in many other local grocery stores, and what I like, in addition to decent quality and good prices, is knowing what to expect. Once you learn how the store operates, particularly at checkout, it's the same each time. That's my initial takeaway. I hope this continues to be true. read more