Aldi

[soonermike81]

Soonermike,
I retired in 2004 and they had been at Rockwell and NW Expressway for at least a few years at that time. All of the stores in Great Britain use the coin deposit (£1). And as for the lazy folks, it's more than that, after a hail storm I had a $6,800 repair job on my car and two weeks later somebody left their cart near my car (in the handicapped parking at Walmart) and the wind blew it into my new paint job. That's pure negligence in my opinion.
C. T.

Thx for confirming! I knew it was a while back when they initially came around. I think that expressway location, Penn/memorial, moore, and 59th/S.Penn were the original four in town.

[bluedogok]

I know the one at NW 23rd & MacArthur was open a few years before I moved to Austin in 2003. Never been in one though.

Here's an article about Aldi and Trader Joe's.
http://www.mashed.com/79564/untold-truth-aldi/

[Mastermind]

Checked the website and saw that the NW Expressway location is re-opening on the 12th!

[Pete]

Since the Mayfair location opened, I've been in several times and have tried to sample a variety of products.

Last week, I bought Ghost Pepper Salsa thinking, "Okay, well this should at least have a kick to it" knowing that in the long tradition of grocery store condiments, something described as 'hot' usually means a very slight spiciness at best.

Holy cow... This stuff would take the chrome off a trailer hitch. So incredibly hot I mixed it with an equal amount of other medium-heat salsa and it was *still* super hot. Like need-to-eat-a-piece-of-bread-immediately-afterwards hot.

Good for Aldi! I've never encountered anything close even at Trader Joe's which prides itself on the semi exotic. Makes me look forward to more adventurous Aldi purchases.

[Jeepnokc]

Since the Mayfair location opened, I've been in several times and have tried to sample a variety of products.

Last week, I bought Ghost Pepper Salsa thinking, "Okay, well this should at least have a kick to it" knowing that in the long tradition of grocery store condiments, something described as 'hot' usually means a very slight spiciness at best.

Holy cow... This stuff would take the chrome off a trailer hitch. So incredibly hot I mixed it with an equal amount of other medium-heat salsa and it was *still* super hot. Like need-to-eat-a-piece-of-bread-immediately-afterwards hot.

Good for Aldi! I've never encountered anything close even at Trader Joe's which prides itself on the semi exotic. Makes me look forward to more adventurous Aldi purchases.

The Chef's Store carries sliced ghost pepper cheese. I couldn't eat it even though tasted amazing.

[ctchandler]

Last week, I bought Ghost Pepper Salsa thinking, "Okay, well this should at least have a kick to it" knowing that in the long tradition of grocery store condiments, something described as 'hot' usually means a very slight spiciness at best.

Holy cow... This stuff would take the chrome off a trailer hitch. So incredibly hot I mixed it with an equal amount of other medium-heat salsa and it was *still* super hot. Like need-to-eat-a-piece-of-bread-immediately-afterwards hot.

Good for Aldi! I've never encountered anything close even at Trader Joe's which prides itself on the semi exotic. Makes me look forward to more adventurous Aldi purchases.

I like the Organic and Ancient Grains Habanero Salsa as well. Actually, it's not as hot as some, but I really enjoy the flavor. It's the first salsa I've had that said "Shake well before using". I think I will stay with it and once in a while Mrs. Renfro's Ghost Pepper Salsa which in my opinion is a little hotter.
C. T.

[bluedogok]

Aldi Sud (US Aldi) and Aldi Nord (Trader Joe's) are different companies and while many products are probably sourced from the same companies they each have their differing product lines. Evidently since the split between the brothers and territory agreements there is very little communication between the companies and absolutely no coordination.

[barrettd]

I went to Ron's for lunch last week, and couldn't get over how nice that Aldi in Mayfair looked, from the outside at least. They did a great job in that space. I don't do much shopping for groceries in that area, but what a great addition for the folks that do live in and around Mayfair.

[Pete]

^

Yes, that Mayfair center has a ton of vacancy and is getting pretty run-down (sad as I remember when it was thriving in the 70's) so demolishing part of it, getting ride of a lot of empty space and adding something brand new that brings a lot of customers... All good things. Plus, a grocery store was definitely needed in the area.

[Ward]

Yes, I miss Stones IGA when they were at Mayfair. That area needs revitalization badly, new stores, more workers earning and more sales tax revenue would be great.

I've gone to the Mayfair Aldis 3 times now, I actually live closer to the NW HWY Aldis and will be glad to see it reopen.

[Pete]

That 39th & May general area has seen some fantastic infill with Lowes, Sam's and now Aldi.

And Winco is just a mile to the west.

[Johnb911]

Off topic, but if you haven't tried the Butter Chicken at Sheesh Mahal yet (2 blocks south of Mayfair) you aren't living your best life

[Pete]

Off topic, but if you haven't tried the Butter Chicken at Sheesh Mahal yet (2 blocks south of Mayfair) you aren't living your best life

Agree!

I like everything I've tried there.

[TheTravellers]

Their karai chicken may, just may, have the edge over the butter chicken, but we're like Pete, everything we've had there has been great...

As far as Aldi, we've never really shopped there regularly, wondering if they operate the same way as Trader Joe's - get major manufacturers to make the same thing for them, but just not labeled as such? Wife got some cinnamon-raisin bread and it looks just like Pepperidge Farm's...

[Pete]

Their karai chicken may, just may, have the edge over the butter chicken, but we're like Pete, everything we've had there has been great...

As far as Aldi, we've never really shopped there regularly, wondering if they operate the same way as Trader Joe's - get major manufacturers to make the same thing for them, but just not labeled as such? Wife got some cinnamon-raisin bread and it looks just like Pepperidge Farm's...

Yes, it's almost all private labeled stuff from other companies.

And I'm sure like TJ's that things come and go all the time.

[TheTravellers]

Yes, it's almost all private labeled stuff from other companies.

And I'm sure like TJ's that things come and go all the time.

Figured as much, thx, and we love TJ's, but the way things get discontinued is frustrating (even though they do have items we like that have been in stock for decades, it's still annoying to find something you love, then poof, it's gone).

[Rover]

Figured as much, thx, and we love TJ's, but the way things get discontinued is frustrating (even though they do have items we like that have been in stock for decades, it's still annoying to find something you love, then poof, it's gone).

True, but it also means they are bringing in something new and great to enjoy. Always love their new and seasonal items.

[Mastermind]

Read this article today and immediately bought two

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/money/b...ips/753756002/

[WenDragon]

Read this article today and immediately bought two

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/money/b...ips/753756002/

I found it a little hard to get the quarter out of the keeper, but maybe it will loosen up in time.

[Mastermind]

Finally had the chance to stop by the NW Expressway location today and was so disappointed!
Even though it's always best to go in the morning, I rarely had issues with purchasing decent produce in the afternoon.
But today was a travesty. Are they going though issues with the supplier at this location???
I can't believe I waited all this time for them to re-open with such horrible selection.
They didn't even have the 40 oz creamy peanut butter I always buy!

I'm just gonna have to go to the one on N. May for the time being... even though it's sort of irritating how they placed the entrance and exit doors.
The two times I've been there, I saw way too many folks try to enter through the exit

[Pete]

Yes, at that May location you enter the vestibule then take a hard right into the store.

Human nature is to walk straight ahead which is into the check out area.

[Pete]

They are expanding their online services and adding curbside pickup in the U.S.:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/comp...AOH?li=BBnb7Kz

[PaddyShack]

Finally had the chance to stop by the NW Expressway location today and was so disappointed!
Even though it's always best to go in the morning, I rarely had issues with purchasing decent produce in the afternoon.
But today was a travesty. Are they going though issues with the supplier at this location???
I can't believe I waited all this time for them to re-open with such horrible selection.
They didn't even have the 40 oz creamy peanut butter I always buy!

I'm just gonna have to go to the one on N. May for the time being... even though it's sort of irritating how they placed the entrance and exit doors.
The two times I've been there, I saw way too many folks try to enter through the exit

This sounds like the Yukon location. My wife and I have started to shop Aldi before going to NHWM and I just can't get on board with the produce selection nor the meat selection at the Yukon location. Of the 4 times we have been, twice on week nights and twice on weekends, both the produce and meat sections were very dirty and out of a lot of product. I know they try and cut costs by not having lots of workers working at one time, but its getting out of hand. Plus, why did they build 8 laves only to have one open? I have never seen more than one lane open at the Yukon location, and I have seen the line nearing the back of the store a time or two.

I might stick with my Uptown or WinCo on my way home from work. I just wish we would get a decent grocer in Yukon, like a nice Crest or Uptown. I don't like NHWM or Homeland and those stupid Cash Savers or Smart Savers stores are like the Allegient Airlines of grocery stores!

[Pete]

Yes, I've never seen more than one checkout open at the N. May location and often get stuck behind people with a ton of items.

It doesn't help when most people still don't understand how the store works. Last time, a woman in front of me just left all her items in a shopping bag and put it on the conveyer. So, the worker had to take them all out and because of the way the auto-conveyer works, there wasn't enough room to put the de-bagged items and several spilled over into my pile. It was a ridiculous mess that resulted in me buying an item that had been in her bag.

[PaddyShack]

Yes, I've never seen more than one checkout open at the N. May location and often get stuck behind people with a ton of items.

It doesn't help when most people still don't understand how the store works. Last time, a woman in front of me just left all her items in a shopping bag and but it on the conveyer. So, the worker had to take them all out and because of the way the auto-conveyer works, there wasn't enough room to put the de-bagged items and several spilled over into my pile. It was a ridiculous mess that resulted in me buying an item that had been in her bag.

Exactly, I am the type who likes to stop by a grocery every couple days or so to get the items we need immediately. I am not one of the types who load down the truck with a few months worth. I shop Aldi like I did when in Europe, enough items to file my one bag and I was out in no time. But I often see people shop Aldi like a Sam's and it is pretty aggravating to wait behind them.