We finally have an Aldi store in the Bridgeville area (yes, it’s in South Fayette, but close enough). Judging by the traffic pouring out of the store’s parking lot, people are excited.
Usually, when we think of German imports, we think of luxury — BMW cars, Hugo Boss clothing, A. Lange & Söhne watches.
Aldi is the polar opposite. It’s cheap. Really, really cheap. Pretty much every time somebody compares the price of groceries at various stores, Aldi proves to be the least expensive. ClarkHoward.com found that Aldi was 41% cheaper than Wal-Mart.
Aldi is also the opposite of most American grocery stores in a lot of ways, too. First, your cart won’t work unless you insert a quarter deposit. Next, there are very few name brand products. Nearly everything is an off-brand, private label product. Instead of Cheerios, you can buy “toasted oats.” But those toasted oats cost about half as much as a box of Cheerios.
Aldi doesn’t even play music while you shop.
When you check-out, will the cashier help you bag your groceries? Nein!
Aldi doesn’t even give you bags. You’ll have to bring your own or pay for each bag that you use. The cashier puts your stuff back into your cart, then you roll over to a counter to bag everything yourself. It’s slightly inconvenient, but oh so efficient, in typical German fashion — lines might seem long, but they move fast.
In 2013, Slate called Aldi the best grocery store in America. As the newest grocer in the Bridgeville area, it will be interesting to see how local resident embrace the store after the initial excitement dies down.
