What Employees Know About Dollar Tree That Most Shoppers Don't

If you're a Dollar Tree regular, you might think you know everything there is to know about this discount chain. You might be aware, for example, that while some foods are best avoided like the plague, you definitely shouldn't overlook the spice section or the gluten-free snack range. But there are some things that you can only know if you spend most of your time behind the scenes, day in and day out. We're talking, of course, about Dollar Tree's employees and their hidden knowledge of the discount giant.

We scanned through Reddit threads to find out what Dollar Tree employees know that most shoppers don't. Below, you can find out more about what we found, including the lowdown on those elusive penny deals, the best time to shop, and even the truth about the freezer section and those refrozen items. (Spoiler alert: It's not usually employees' fault that your ice cream tastes a bit funny.)

Sometimes, if the stars are aligned, you might find a secret penny deal at Dollar Tree. Luck has to be on your side, though, because Dollar Tree doesn't ever announce publicly that it's selling products for just one cent, and you'll usually only find out when you get to the cashier. It often happens if an item has been discontinued or if it's no longer in season, and it can affect any item in the store, from freezer food to dog food to supplements.

But the joy of a penny deal is limited. After an item rings through as one cent, employees say they must then go and remove the rest of the stock from the floor. "Policy is that we are supposed to sell them," explained one Redditor in r/DollarTree. "Then after you as a customer leave the store, staff is supposed to find any remaining items and pull them from the sales floor."

According to some employees, though, policies vary. In fact, some workers say they have been told that they can sell all of the penny items (as long as they're not faulty) until the stock has gone. "At my store we try to make it as easy as possible to find them and we sell them," said another Redditor. "The company wants us to sell the penny items right now. [There have] been several emails about it."

Penny policies aren't the only thing that varies from location to location. According to Dollar Tree employees, the best day to shop depends on which store you're in, too. There's nothing worse than turning up to a Dollar Tree to find empty shelves, but if you want to avoid this, it helps to get familiar with your local store's delivery truck schedule.

"We get our truck on Monday," said one Redditor in r/DollarTree. "Usually, ours comes early morning/mid afternoon." Simple, right? Head to the store on a Monday for the best chance of stocking up. Sorry, but there's more to it. Just because a store has its stock, it doesn't mean that all of it will hit the shelves at the same time, say employees. "We can tell you when the truck comes but just because it comes that day doesn't mean [the products] will go out that day," added another employee.

It's a good idea to get a feel for how your store operates if you want to be in the best position to arrive with full shelves. And of course, if you want to avoid crowds, going early or late is always a good move. "The best time to shop in my opinion is either first thing when we open or after 5 or 6," added one employee. "The morning shift gets the majority of items out and it's not as busy with the morning and people just getting out of work crowd."

There is one catch with learning your store's delivery schedule: It can't always be trusted. According to many employees, the delivery truck often turns up late or on a different day than expected. "My store gets [one] truck a week, and it's supposed to be there Thursday morning before we open," explained one Redditor. "Sometimes it doesn't come until Tuesday ... and of course it could come any day in between." According to many Dollar Tree workers, holidays are almost guaranteed to throw off the schedule, so don't be surprised if you turn up to your local store around Thanksgiving or Christmas to find the shelves aren't quite as full and organized as you'd like.

And another tip? Try to avoid bugging employees with too many questions about delivery trucks. In fact, some stores have found customers so annoying that they've stopped providing them with any information about delivery schedules at all. "We get one truck a week on Wednesday but if customers ask we tell them we don't know when truck comes cause these a**holes will stand at our back room and some just walk right in mid truck and demand we open cases and find stuff they want while trying to unload," said one Redditor.

One common complaint from Dollar Tree customers is that some frozen foods appear to have been frozen, thawed, and then refrozen. This can make it taste slightly off, but it's also a hygiene red flag, as thawed food can be a hub for bacterial growth. But while it might be tempting to take your frustration out on employees if you come across a product that looks refrozen, many say it's not their fault.

"We try to get it to the freezers and cooler as fast as possible [from the truck]," said one employee in r/Dollar Tree. "We also [don't] know what happened from [the] distribution center to the truck. So who knows if it sat out [or] it didn't." They also noted that often, it's just one person unloading the frozen food, and if it's a hot day, it increases the chances of products like ice cream melting before they can get to the freezer section. They added: "I would stick with cooler items and anything that takes time to thaw."

Some employees say that, if you do want to shop in the freezer section, the best items can usually be found at the back, where items have been left undisturbed for longer. "[I would recommend] anything from the back of the freezer," said another Redditor in r/DollarTree. "All the front has been thawed out and put back in."

One of the most frustrating parts of grocery shopping has to be when you get home, unpack your food, and realize you've picked up a product that is either damaged or close to its expiry date. But if you inspect your items before you get to the cashier, you'll probably be rewarded with a discount at Dollar Tree, say employees. However, you will need to speak to a manager first. "If the item is damaged, a manager can come mark it down," explained one employee in r/DollarTree. "I don't make that decision, the manager on duty does. It's better than damaging the item out."

That said, the way you speak to the employee will probably make a difference to whether you manage to bag yourself a quick discount or not. In short: Kindness goes a long way. "I usually mark it down unless the customer has a serious attitude problem," said one employee in r/DollarTree. "Then I tell them I can't process it as a markdown in the system immediately and they'll have to wait until its price is updated tomorrow."

There's no doubt about it, Dollar Tree is a great place to find party hosting essentials. You can find everything from balloons to plastic cups to plastic stemless wine glasses and serving platters, as well as snacks and beverages, all in one place, without having to go from store to store. But a word of advice: If you're planning to get most of your party supplies from Dollar Tree for New Year's Eve, make sure to plan in advance. Unsurprisingly, alongside Christmas, this party-centered holiday is one of its busiest periods.

That said, if you're not hosting and you're just looking to quietly shop for bargains, then employees say New Year's Day is a good bet. "Our store is typically pretty busy on New Year's Eve, but New Year's Day is typically very dead," said one Redditor. But again, of course, it varies from store to store, and not everyone has the same experience. Some say that New Year's Day is the worst day for their store (usually due to hungover, grumpy customers), while others say that their store usually falls quiet right through until Valentine's Day.