ALDI — Local services in Athens-Clarke County Unified Government

I must have gone on a few bad days ... My experience was totally different from most comments here. The day I went they had a broken frozen foods section, the entire frozen foods section was in several inches of ice and couldn't buy frozen foods. There was such limited selections of certain bakery products also I couldn't get what I came for most items on my list. Didn't have a quarter for the buggy lol. I bought breakfast sausage that was so full of gristle, I wound up throwing it away, and the cashier when I finally got past the six carts in front of me was so rude I vowed to never come back. Oh but I did a second time, I live exactly forty seconds from the East side Aldi, so it's too convenient not to try again, but this time, the freezer section was out again and food in it was thawed and the floor covered in water, so once again no frozen food. It was not being emptied and I wondered if it was going to be resold? Ugh. The ground beef I bought, like the sausage I'd bought the previous time, had a lot of gristle. The chips I bought supposedly like Doritos brand. Where not nacho flavored like the bag said, but like Cheetos flavored tortilla chips that were so awful we threw them away after no one wanted more than one chip. I tried one more time, third time's a charm right? I was trying to hurry in for simple strawberry shortcake ingredients, a small pound cake is nowhere to be found, I had to buy a lemon pound cake, strawberries were dry and oldish. But the last straw for me was again the checkout... One lane always open and so many people in line, at least ten, that I never went back, that was summer a few months ago. I pass it everyday on may way to and from work. Zero customer service when no one can help you find what they don't have, and let customers stand in line so long before opening a second register. Was I expecting too much? But I didn't save anything if I had to keep throwing food away... Seriously wondering how long his place will stay open. Editing... Ok a year later, still...

For an ALDI, this place is kind of disappointing. The produce usually has a cloud of fruit flies buzzing around sections of it, and sometimes there are even entire crates of fruits/vegetables that are practically spoiled (I think they could easily remedy this if they just moved it towards the back of the store and away from the entrance).

I've stopped purchasing milk from here. It always seems to go sour well before the expiration date (sometimes more than a week in advance). I've learned to be very selective when it comes to perishable items at this location. I already go to the Publix across the road to get things ALDI doesn't carry but now I'm buying stuff there that was spoiled at this ALDI.

I still come here because the prices are too good. If I had the time, I'd just go to the Atlanta Highway ALDI (which I find does a good job of quality control) but that location is so far away from where I live. I don't enjoy coming here, but it's the most convenient and cheap place for me to buy groceries.

On the plus side, the people who work are generally helpful and friendly; but they often seem understaffed, as there is rarely more than one...

You can get such great deals on produce, meat, and dairy here, I pretty much only go to Walmart for diapers and crackers (for brands not carried by Aldi) now. I used to shop between Kroger and Walmart to get deals, but now I feel like I barely spend any time grocery shopping! I can get most of my things from here, and going through Aldi is so quick, you don't have to weave through a million aisles or walk a million miles to get to something. We need more ALDIs!!

Update: Aldi diapers are great-quality and are cheaper than Luvs at Wal-Mart. I buy crackers and diapers/wipes at Aldi now, and the only grocery item I regularly get elsewhere is bulk frozen fruit and frozen kale or bulk fresh kale at Wal-Mart.

Update Dec 2022: The East side location is usually less busy than the Atl Hwy store and almost always have the same things, but if something from the seasonal/homegoods aisles is out of stock on Atl Hwy and you really want it, I check the East side store. If you found this review helpful, please give it a...