ALDI — Local services in Oceanside

My husband and I went to this Aldi for the first time today. We had never been to an Aldi store and were really looking forward to it, as one of my favorite YouTube channels shops there and gets really great deals. Our experience was terrible. Some of the negative experience was due to never having been there but, some of it was poor customer service. Having to pay $.025 to use a cart...negative. We didn't have any change so had to first go into the store to get change just to use a shopping cart. Also, when we went into the store to get change, there wasn't anyone at any of the registers and a customer was waiting with their groceries on the conveyor belt waiting to check and no one was in site.

After we finally got our change to purchase the use of a shopping cart, there were no sanitary wipes in the wipe dispenser to use to clean the cart handles, the dispenser was empty. I located the clerk to inform her (this was the clerk who should've been at the checkout) who was stocking shelves in the produce department. She very unhappily and unenthusiastically said she would tell someone. She apparently did not because when we left the store, the dispenser was still empty.

Overall, the variety of food items was poor. The prices on the items they had in stock were good, but the store is really small and there just isn't much to choose from.

When we got to the checkout, again, there wasn't a clerk at the checkout. I put my items on the conveyor belt and waited for someone. Another customer came and looked at the empty checkout and looked at me with her hands up in the air as if to signal, "what's up?" I shrugged my shoulders to say, "I don't know" and we both waiting. Eventually, the same clerk who was missing earlier and was stocking shelves showed up and mumbled something to me. I asked her what she said and she repeated "if you are paying with a card, you can put it in the machine." I put my credit card in the card machine and paid. She had placed all of my items in my cart, without placing them in a bag or asking me if I had bags or if I wanted a bag. I asked her, "Oh, don't you put things in bags?" She said, "No, we don't bag for you." She continued, "You can buy bags over there and put your stuff in your own bags over there" while pointing to an area beyond the checkout area near the windows.

The clerk never cracked a friendly smile, never had an attitude like she cared if I was a first-time customer or if I ever returned to the store again.

I understand that this store has a process and that I didn't understand it but, I little but of "Oh, is this your first time here?" and "Let me explain how this works" would have made a big difference in how I perceived this store and their interest in having me as a customer. If a clerk is going to leave the checkout area, they should NEVER be out of eyesight of a customer needing to checkout. A customer should NOT have to wait to pay for their groceries and shouldn't have to search to find someone to take their money.

Yes, we saved a little money but the experience wasn't...

I have been an ALDI customer for over twenty years, 1st in Wisconsin, then Florida, and California. For the past 2 years I have made a twice monthly, 25 mile pilgrimage to Vista, just to shop and save. How exciting to learn Oceanside was finally opening. However, it is a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT! Management has made several mistakes, which could be fatal to this location if not corrected pronto. Store layout is completely different, which is confusing to regular customers. Walk thru the door directly into the produce isle, which displays rotten fruit and veggies. When I found an employee, they said fresh produce was in the storeroom, but, the manager said not to bring it out until the others were sold!!! Items are priced higher than the Vista store and some items more than Walmart....why??? Less isles = much less variety of product offered. Again, an employee told me they were waiting to see what people liked. ALDI has product tracking from all locations, testing is not needed. Customers are talking, saying this location is a total waste of time. Our favorite ALDI products cannot be found here. Christmas weekend.....many shelves empty, product sold out.... WHO EVER MANAGES THIS STORE IS DOING A...

Came in shopping with my two special needs children riding in the cart seats. At checkout, instead of giving me literally two seconds to push my cart into place as the previous customer left, the cashier, Victoria, chose to start filling an empty cart. It was completely unnecessary and held up the line longer as I'm unable to push two carts and I couldn't easily transfer my disabled children so everyone had to wait as I frantically threw everything from one cart to another rather than paying. It made my life so much harder and did nothing but ruin the store and experience for me. If some has children riding in a cart, wait for the darn cart they're in!

Also, I know Aldi isn't known for customer service but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a cashier to acknowledge your existence. The ONLY thing said to me during the entire transaction was “Here’s your receipt” without a smile. Being minimally pleasant shouldn't be...