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It's a way to get lazy people to put carts where they belong, and it's also a cost savings passed on to shoppers....no employee chasing down and returning carts.
I never reclaim my quarter...
There are no ALDI stores in my area but have seen the pay-to-use carts before, some airports do that for luggage carts. If a person is lazy, why would they make the effort to return a cart back to the corral for...a quarter? A truly lazy person wouldn't even bother passing the cart to someone, they would just abandon it and forfeit their quarter, right?
One of my first jobs in high school was at a grocery store and I HATED having to go out and collect carts. Some people just left them wherever, and kids or bums pushed them to the far edges of the property and beyond. To this day I always return a cart back to where I got it inside the store, including Home Depot with their bulky utility carts that can't be pushed in a cart train.
Right, it's a European thing, but the fee is usually much more than a quarter, more like $1.50 in those stores I've been to. And you'll definitely make an effort to get your coin back, and not just hand the cart over to the next customer. Not so much community spirit there!
It does feel a bit like being back in Europe, walking into an Aldi. Nobody bags your groceries there, either!
Even if it's $1.50, the majority of people don't carry cash around, and especially not quarters. I don't understand how this is actually a thing anymore.
I wasn’t sure where to put this, but I’m wondering if ALDIs is a kind of social experiment.
I just got back from ALDIs. If you shop there, you know that it takes a quarter to release a cart, and when you return it you get a quarter back.
Almost every time I go, someone who has just unloaded their cart, gives it to me instead of going to get their quarter back. I offer them a quarter, but they say no. I’m wondering if other ALDIs are like that, or if it’s a Georgia thing?
This led me to wonder if it’s ALDIs way of fostering a sense of community.
LOL. No. That is how the operate ALL their stores. They don't have to pay staff to retrieve carts since everyone returns them. I'm surprised you didn't simply google this.
There are no ALDI stores in my area but have seen the pay-to-use carts before, some airports do that for luggage carts. If a person is lazy, why would they make the effort to return a cart back to the corral for...a quarter? A truly lazy person wouldn't even bother passing the cart to someone, they would just abandon it and forfeit their quarter, right?
One of my first jobs in high school was at a grocery store and I HATED having to go out and collect carts. Some people just left them wherever, and kids or bums pushed them to the far edges of the property and beyond. To this day I always return a cart back to where I got it inside the store, including Home Depot with their bulky utility carts that can't be pushed in a cart train.
I've never seen a cart left on the lot. I guess lazy people don't shop there.
If you don't have quarter the cashier gladly will give you one, to borrow.
I had people giving me their cart for my quarter exchange, or not.
Not sure why. Maybe they just didn't want to go back to the cart corral, or was that a nice gesture.
I do that too, occasionally.
Lately I have a spare key, I stick into the money slot. Works fine too.
Either way, I never see any abandoned carts on their parking lots, so the idea works
I am used to pay for the shopping cart use and bag my own shopping. It's just natural to me.
LOL. No. That is how the operate ALL their stores. They don't have to pay staff to retrieve carts since everyone returns them. I'm surprised you didn't simply google this.
I guess I’m not explaining myself well. Of course I know why ALDIs does the carts this way, and also that all their stores do the carts this way.
I’m just wondering if shoppers at ALL Aldi stores give away their carts to others for free, and if they don’t care about their quarter, why don’t they just leave their carts in the parking lot like the typical Walmart shopper?
I guess I’m not explaining myself well. Of course I know why ALDIs does the carts this way, and also that all their stores do the carts this way.
I’m just wondering if shoppers at ALL Aldi stores give away their carts to others for free, and if they don’t care about their quarter, why don’t they just leave their carts in the parking lot like the typical Walmart shopper?
Because people arent categorized as shoppers of one store over another. Many people of all monetary status leave carts in the parking lot.
I have been to Traders Joes, Vons, Safeway, Publix, Aldis, Lidls, Harris Teeters, etc etc. Carts are left out there.
I don't think Aldi is purpusefully attempting to create a sense of community. To them it's all business...it's all about profit.
I shop at Aldi weekly, & I carry a heavy duty re-usable bag in lieu of a shopping cart. I'm just buying for myself mostly, so no cart needed.
I have seen what the Op's referring to...it's quite common.
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