10 Things Aldi Employees Know That Shoppers Don't

Aldi is growing fast in the U.S., and it's not hard to see why. It's budget-friendly, but it has some pretty good quality products, too (some say they'll even drive out of their way to get their hands on certain Aldi items). If you're a loyal or newbie Aldi shopper, you might be wondering how things actually work behind the scenes at this popular German retailer. And, if you're anything like us, you're probably also interested in when and how you can snap up the very best deals. The people to ask for all of this information? It's the employees, of course.

We consulted Reddit Ask Me Anythings and general chatter on social media from employees to figure out what Aldi workers know about shopping at the store that customers don't. And unsurprisingly, our quest turned up quite a lot of useful information. Keep reading to find out more about our discoveries, which covered things like what time of day is the best time to go if you're looking for discounts, what Aldi employee benefits are actually like, and how to score Aldi Finds before anyone else.

Aldi has a reputation for paying its staff well. At the time of writing, the average salary for a cashier at the grocery store is $19.20 per hour, which is 13% above the national average. But many employees say that, while the pay is good, they are expected to work very hard for it. Each store tends to run with a small team (sometimes, it's fewer than three people or even less), which means that each employee is usually rushed off their feet with serving customers, unloading stock, stacking shelves, and cleaning.

This is why employees say that kindness from shoppers is always valued. One member of staff said on Reddit that they have had customers yell and get angry with them, and even call them names. Another said that, out of everything, people being kind to them is the number one thing that can make their job easier. They placed this above stopping annoying habits like customers moving stock around and not putting it back, leaving trip hazards on the floor, and taking items out of their packaging.

Aldi is known for stocking a selection of affordable meats (which are sometimes good value and sometimes not, depending on what you're looking for). But if you want to find an even cheaper deal, it's handy to know the system for marking meat down.

According to one employee on Reddit, meat is usually marked down the day before its expiry date. They added that, while times can vary from store to store, usually this happens in the morning during the mandated date check. Not interested in meat? The employee added that this is also the protocol for marking down bread, too.

If you notice that meat is close to its expiry date, and it hasn't been marked down yet, you can also flag it to employees who may do the discount for you there and then. Pay close attention to the details, and you might get a nice saving in return.

Be honest: How many times do you discard receipts without paying much attention to them? We'll hazard a guess that it's a frequent occurrence. But Aldi employees say that, when Aldi was running its Tell Aldi survey, the receipts at Aldi were very useful. By filling in the survey at the bottom of the receipt, you could share your feedback on things like stock and availability and be in with a chance of winning a $100 Aldi gift card. Employees noted that Aldi's corporate staff did actually look at the receipts to find out customer views.

That said, the Tell Aldi survey seems to no longer be running. One Redditor who works at the store confirmed in January 2026 that the survey was being discontinued. But, don't panic, for now, you can still contact Aldi if you want to ask questions or voice concerns, you'll just have to go through the contact form on the Aldi website instead. Employees say you'll have more luck directing your concerns straight to the corporate office than by sharing it with store staff, who have little control over stock.

Surveys might be coming back, though. One employee also noted on Reddit that shoppers will soon be asked to take a survey before they checkout, only this time it will be conducted via the card reader instead of on the receipt.

One thing about Aldi is that it can get quite noisy. It doesn't play music (so it can save money on licensing costs), but this means it's much easier to hear everything else. Things like customers talking (or arguing) and shelves being stacked are to be expected, but one thing that tends to wind some people up is the bells. If you've been to Aldi, you'll know what we mean. It kind of sounds like a telephone ringing, or it can be a buzz sound, and it's usually very loud. Even worse, it happens frequently.

But Aldi employees say that it's important to make allowances for the bell, even if it is irritating, because it actually helps things to run much more smoothly. It's a method of communication, and is usually used when an employee needs help at the checkout, but isn't able to get away and ask for it (remember, Aldi stores run on very small teams). Not all Aldi stores have bells, but some employees say the ones without don't run as efficiently. In short: The bells might annoy you, but overall, they're making your shopping experience better, so try to remember that next time you hear one.

You've probably noticed that when you get to the Aldi checkout, your cashier is incredibly skilled at whipping your groceries through as quickly and efficiently as possible. And there's a reason for that: Speed is paramount at Aldi, because time is money. Ultimately, the faster the cashier goes, the more customers they can serve, which results in more products being sold. Fun fact: This is also why Aldi cashiers are seated, to help them scan quickly. In the U.K., Aldi has even claimed in the past that its checkouts are 40% quicker than other grocery stores.

On Reddit, cashiers have revealed they have specific quotas to meet, and are timed on how many items they can scan in a minute. Some employees have said that they are also timed on the gap between customers, too. That said, if a customer asks them to slow down, they have to cater to their request. Some shoppers do get stressed out at the Aldi checkout. In 2018, there was even a petition addressed to the UK parliament requesting that Aldi workers slow down to make it easier for customers to bag their items. Unsurprisingly, the U.K. government rejected the petition, noting that it was not responsible for the pace of Aldi employees.

Aldi is already one of the most budget-friendly places to shop in the U.S., but you can make your weekly grocery haul even cheaper if you go at the right time. According to Aldi workers, one of the best times to look for deals is in the mornings, because this is when most stores check dates and mark down anything that's close to expiring. The best time of all is to get their right as the doors open, which is usually around 8:30 am or 9:00 am.

You'll have to be quick if you want the discounted products, though, because some shoppers are incredibly savvy at going at exactly the right time to snap it all up. On Reddit, one customer shared their frustration that one woman was managing to grab all of the discounted meat every morning. Another added that they had suspicions that restaurant staff were snapping up the discounted ingredients in their local store, including meat, avocados, and fruit, first thing in the morning. To this some might say: Don't hate the player, hate the game.

If you've been to multiple Aldi stores, you might have noticed that the prices of some items are different in each location. This isn't an error — according to an employee on Reddit, it's actually part of a deliberate pricing strategy from Aldi. Prices on staples like eggs, milk, sugar, butter, and some fruits and canned goods might be higher or lower, depending on where you live and the prices of other grocery stores in your area. For example, if you live in an affluent neighborhood, you might have to pay more for these items, while those in lower-income areas may find them cheaper.

According to Aldi, other things that can impact prices include consumer demand and even local regulations. As well as pricing, the type of stock on offer can also vary depending on where you live. For example, due to state laws, some Aldi stores sell alcohol while others don't.

Aldi employees do get benefits. For example, they get group health coverage, access to a 401(k), paid holidays, and parental leave, but one thing they don't get is a discount. Yep, according to one employee on Reddit, Aldi workers have to pay the same amount for their groceries as everyone else.

If an employee spots a reduced item that they want, they have to wait until the end of their shift to buy it, and it's the same with any Aldi Finds products they have their eye on. That said, according to the employee, Aldi workers do get access to the customizable discount platform PerkSpot, although they didn't rate the deals available very highly. 

Still, most employees seem pretty happy with the benefits that Aldi offers. At the time of writing, Aldi has a rating of 4.3 on the job review site Glassdoor, and most reviewers rave about the quality of the benefits on offer.

Aldi is one of those places where you can walk in to buy a few simple staples and walk out with a handbag for your dog, a new houseplant, and a cast iron skillet. That's all because of Aldi Finds, which are limited-edition weekly specials that can be anything from food items to clothing and kitchenware. Often, you'll find them in the middle aisle (also known as the "aisle of shame"), but they can be stocked anywhere in the store.

According to one former employee, the Aldi Finds available in each store can vary depending on different factors. Warehouse capacity of specific stores is taken into consideration, for example, as well as previous sales data. Another worker on Reddit explained that if an Aldi Finds item doesn't sell well, it may end up in the stockroom before eventually being displayed for sale again a little while later. This is why you might see old Aldi Finds items occasionally reappear on the shelves. 

Aldi Finds are very store dependent, and some locations get through them faster than others. For example, the employee explained that while some stores get through Aldi Finds in a matter of days, others might hold on to stock for many months. So if there's a specific Aldi Finds item you have your eye on, it might be worth visiting another location if you don't find it in the first store you try.

To give yourself the best chance of snapping up the Aldi Find you want, employees say it's worth paying attention to when the sales start. One worker said on Reddit that, for most stores, it's a Wednesday (although in some locations it might be a Sunday). Unlike the discounted items, it's best to look for Aldi Finds in the afternoon, to give employees time to unload the truck and stock the items on the shelves.

If you're lucky, you may find Aldi employees putting stock out the evening before the official Aldi Finds start day, giving you the chance to snap up items before the crowds (and yes, sometimes there are serious crowds). Finally, while most stores stick to a schedule with Aldi Finds, note that others might load up the stock depending on when they have time. This is usually because some locations are busier than others, or may be operating with fewer staff on shift.