15 Things We All Hate About Aldi

German grocer Aldi is known for its budget-friendly foods and commitment to bringing flavors of the world to its aisles. And while some adventures through its aisles can be very rewarding, customers take real issue with many things about the grocery chain that even Aldi shopping hacks can’t fix.

Here are 15 things many shoppers complain that they hate about Aldi.

If you’re trying to stick to whole foods and produce, the fresh foods section in Aldi will leave you wanting more. They regularly carry staples like bananas, berries, spinach, and potatoes, but have limited space for rotating seasonal options. Shoppers also say the quality is hit or miss at most locations.

Even though the size of the store doesn’t accommodate that many people at once, many locations experience long checkout lines and very few employees around to help. Because the stores are small, their hierarchy is built differently than other stores.

Employees and their friends have discussed staffing issues online, which may have contributed to the implementation of so many self-checkout registers nationwide.

Aldi does provide many culturally-inspired seasonal items that people come back to year after year. But waiting for them to appear and then hoping they don’t sell out immediately is an entirely new stress regularly associated with Aldi.

There are entire Reddit threads dedicated to mourning the absence of seasonal favorites.

While the Aldi app is convenient in that it helps you locate stores, build shopping lists, and keep track of past orders, there’s no exclusive benefit to downloading it.

Where brand loyalists would love additional savings and opportunities, there are none. People online have even noted that finding the Weekly Ad is almost impossible with the new app update.

Many shoppers cite the small footprint of the store as inconvenient. Supposedly, the size of the store is a conscious decision that helps to cut the cost of overhead many other stores experience.

Because of the smaller size of the store and its lack of variety, you can’t always get what you need there. Some people shop for basics there, and some customers show up decidedly for their internationally inspired or diet-conscious items.

“When I shop on the weekends, I start at Aldi, then go to a local grocery store for whatever Aldi didn't have or only had in huge amounts,” shares one Redditor.

Where fans used to love the variety of chocolate bars, candies, and other chocolate-coated offerings at Aldi, an updated recipe seems to have left a bad taste in many peoples’ mouths.

“They taste gross now,” exclaimed one Redditor, who went on to note a “weird aftertaste.” Others note it as “chalky and stale” tasting.

Much like its sister store Trader Joe’s, one of the biggest gripes about Aldi online is its affinity for discontinuing peoples’ favorite foods.

Employees have tipped off the internet to look for the letter “D” at the bottom of the price tag on the store shelving, which means “discontinued.” That’s when it is time to stock up.

Aldi has such a small footprint that they move products a little faster on the sales floor than megastores.

Unfortunately, this means they leave a lot of items on pallets, which makes it feel like you’re grabbing something from a back alley warehouse.

Does anyone else feel like they’re the one who has to hack through tightly wrapped plastic for a new package of flour or sugar every time they stock up?

The readily available packages of baking essentials always seem to be spilling onto the floor, and shoppers often have to use their own sharp keys on hand to rip a bag free.

While the store caters its hours to the most popular shopping times, this means most locations don’t open until 8:30 am. Closing time is always by 9 pm or earlier.

If you’re an early morning errand-runner or someone who has a strict work schedule, this may limit your opportunities to shop here.

One of the only redeeming qualities of grocery shopping is the nostalgic soundtracks that often remind us of songs and memories long forgotten. However, Aldi saves money by not playing music at all.

This reduces electrical bills, extra work, and licensing any music, but makes the shopping experience less pleasant.

We love the idea of shopping carts that take a deposit. After all, this gives people incentive to keep them organized and to bring them back at all. But it does present an inconvenience for people who don’t carry change with them.

Even with change on hand, those who experience social anxiety find it difficult to interact at the cart return trying to make the process easier for each other. The limited number of carts at each location can cause a lot of unwanted interaction as well.

While stocking up on frozen meats has been a lucrative option over the years, the price of the fresh meats stocked there — as low as it is — is still too high for the quality of the product.

Almost every Aldi loyalist online suggests getting meat elsewhere, and people are understandably critical of the taste and texture of the chicken.

As many shoppers have pointed out, every Aldi location — no matter how close together or similarly operated they are — is an experience unto itself. Some are well stocked and clean, and others feel like an expired goods free-for-all.

While their layouts are similar they aren’t close enough to make a quick stop-in easy unless you are familiar with the specific storefront’s footprint.

While Aldi can be a great place to save money on everyday essentials, there are definitely some features that are lacking or could use major improvement.

To save even more at the grocery retailer, keep your eyes peeled for different colored price tags. Aldi Finds will be marked with red and white, while seasonal items are denoted with blue, and white tags with yellow or red text mean you’ve found sale items.