Comment by robodale | Hacker News Reader

Comment by robodale | Hacker News Reader

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Yea...I have an Aldi just a stones-throw away from my house. I was mailed a "grand opening" coupon for first time shoppers. I skeptically took the bait. It was a sad, awkward experience.

Weird knockoff names for popular brands, especially their beer and wine. They look like popular brands, but If I'm going to put alcohol in my body, it better be effing good.

I prefer to go to my regional grocery chain. Much better selection and quality, marginally higher prices...but I don't care. I grab a cart. No hassle and NO QUARTER (who the hell carries change?) I bring my own bags, but if I forget I can use their paper or plastic ones (plus bring back the bags for recycling if I want). I can also order online, pickup if I want or have them deliver. That's what I want, not the shopping experience Aldi offers.

I get it. Millions of people disagree with me. This is my data point of one, Me, but that's the only data point that matters to me.

As Travis Tritt said: "Here's a quarter, call someone who cares..."

It was their "cheaper than gasoline" milk that got us in there. The overall quality of their offerings kept us going there. There are some specialty items that we have to go to our local grocery for.

From what I remember of my first exposure to Aldi about a decade ago, they were cash-only and had a horrid fruits & vegetables selection. Some of their stores in some parts of the country still have the fresh fruit & veg problem. (They have a distribution center two towns over from where we live.)

You can google up various "best beers at Aldi" list and find differing opinions. It's cheap enough that if you're willing to try something and abandon it at a party if it's not to your taste, you can probably find something that you like. They don't sell a porter or a stout, but their "Holland" is a decent enough summer Bier. (I'm surprised that they don't have a Weissbier, though.)

I agree with you. But, I realize that I’m in a position to value time and convenience over money.

> Weird knockoff names for popular brands,

These "knockoffs" are almost always from exactly the same factory as the "popular brands". The product is identical, only the packaging is different.

Also when the packaging is the same, manufacturers will put different quality stuff in it. Same ingredients but different quality so they can sell it cheaper. Happens for many products although I don't know of it happens for food.

the whole point of aldi is that its decent quality but cheap generics. Their generics are pretty good.

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