ALDI — Local services in Niceville

First time I've been to an Aldi store. I've been reading reviews on their stuff for years in a consumer magazine I receive and was pretty excited to get an Aldi here in Niceville. The store was very clean and very well organized. I wasn't surprised about the quarter-cart thing as this is pretty common where my husband is from. Sometimes people just give you their cart when you go in because someone did likewise for them. I like the fact that you bring your own bags because I really hate messing with plastic bags and I'm used to bagging my own groceries at self checkout anyway. The paper bags are only 12 cents each and I like to keep a few at home to put my recycling in. There are some really good deals on food and on their weekly "finds." About 90% of the food is their brand and so far all I've tried is really good (even more so than the name brands). The cashiers are super fast so if the line looks long it still takes little time to check out. I like the parking lot as it's quick to get inside. Only downsides are if you have to do anything with customer service you have to wait in the checkout line as the cashier takes care of that as well. Though the store is easy to get through since it's so small, it also gets very crowded. Since they don't have EVERYTHING, they probably won't put the other stores out of business. I'm pretty sure I saved a lot on groceries (but then spent it on their fun stuff). Just remember to bring your bags and quarter...

Today was my 2nd visit to Aldi's, Niceville. I had a cart with a quarter in the slot when I went thru the checkout line. The people ahead me did NOT have a cart, but had their stuff in a shopping bag. The cashier (young girl with black glasses and shorts) I guess keeps a cart next to her, but didn't notice they only had a bag and nonchalantly put their items in HER cart and let them stroll away with it, not paying attention. I see the end of the counter empty, so I pull my cart in around the end and that cashier promptly demanded to know if this was 'my cart' (I really didn't understand what I was being asked because I didn't understand her system. Only my 2nd visit. ) I said 'it was. She then accused me of "taking her cart." I insisted it was mine and took my goods and it to the loading table. But if she'd just looked at the coin slot and seen my quarter, she would've known it was my cart rather then accosting me as a customer. It is not my fault your cashier wasn't paying attention and should not have accosted me. (And a year later, Aldi's never even...

In a previous state, we enjoyed an occasional Aldi visit to find interesting seasonal or European items not widely available elsewhere. The new FL locations though are not customer-friendly. Appears to be no training or focus on customer satisfaction. Clerks don't greet, don't interact, don't say thanks. Really get tired of clerks just hurriedly tossing scanned items into a cart with no regard. Today a clerk tossed a clam shell of herbs from produce that broke open and fell throughout the cart, and she didn't even notice. I told her to take it out and take it off my bill. I'm done with Aldi. I can get better quality and better prices at Publix, where they greet me, smile, bag my groceries, offer to take them to my car, all while wearing a button that says no tip required. Tell me why I should...