Lidl — Local services in Freehold Township

After years of seeing their sign, Lidl has finally come to Freehold from Howell. It is located by the intersection of Trotter’s Way and West Main Street by the Freehold Raceway Mall.

It opens daily from 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM. They are a grocery store that carries some brand names but many of their own brands at cheaper prices. They are known for their baked goods such as their famous $0.49 croissants. I recall in their previous Howell location, they also carried Portuguese Egg Custards and I am hoping they will carry them at this new location, as well.

As I perused their store, I looked at their fresh flowers and concluded some of them looked a little old. To be fair, they are marked at a 50% discount a day after Mother’s Day so I will most likely look at them again, when I revisit next time.

My main purpose for this excursion was for their croissants. I am a huge croissant lover and at $0.49 and “Buy one Get one Free,” I could not resist! I purchased two and saved them for breakfast the following day. They have parchment paper for you to use as you take baked goods out of their case. I would prefer them to have tongs but they had none as of this writing. When I got home, I put them in an airtight bag and the following morning, we toasted them in the convection toaster oven and they were as good as new. Was it buttery delicious? At $0.49 and “Buy one Get one Free,” it was not bad at all.

While I was at the store, I noticed they have a bit of everything. Snacks galore, whole or shredded cheeses, frozen foods, boxed goods such as mac and cheese, coffee, teas, and of course, fresh produce. They also have in the center, household items. I purchased a bag of coffee and have not opened it yet so I cannot speak for how it is.

The store is new and so far, everything is organized and neat. I hope they keep this up.

They have self check out as well as a cashier ready to check out...

I just had a very disappointing experience at the new Lidl in Freehold. I was super excited to check it out since the other one near me closed down. I’ve been a loyal Lidl customer for almost four years because I love their European food, but boy was this visit a total disappointment.

First of all, the store had about five employees working. Seriously, five! It seemed like they were completely overwhelmed. I had to use the self-checkout, it was a nightmare. The setup was so confusing! I spent so much time trying to figure out how to properly bag my items. It’s ridiculous! I just wanted to get in and out, but instead I felt stuck in there forever.

And you could tell the stress on the employees. They were clearly overworked and understaffed. It’s not fair to them or the customers. After all these years of loving Lidl, I left feeling frustrated and completely regretting my visit.

I really wanted to support this new store, but honestly? This was the worst supermarket experience I've ever had. So Lidl, if you're listening, get your act together! Why now? I think I'm done...

Being a new Lidl frequent shopper, I am pleasantly surprised by this store. The competitively low prices on fresh produce, dairy and baked goods is a definite enticement. The store is always spotless, and great measures are taken to ensure the safety of all. I am new to the Howell area and highly recommend Lidl! Update 02/2022: Still shopping at Lidl. Store itself is fine. Wished the employees were a little more cordial. Most can walk by without acknowledging customers. Was pleasantly surprised by today's interaction. Seems the two males handling the front of the store are friendlier than most of their co-workers. Also, the bakery products should be put in plastic towards the late afternoon. For late arrivals, it's pretty disappointing. Update 04/2022: Excited by the recent specials & sales. Started doing more major shopping at Lidl than before. Was lucky enough to find an obscure item I've been looking for by chance. You never know what...