ALDI — Local services in Watchung

This is a fully stocked grocery store on a smaller scale with great prices, different products and brands, many of which are from Germany (like apple strudel, Christmas cookies, spaetzle noodles, bratwurst and ham). The produce is always fresh, and the meat and deli areas are always well-stocked. It's the only grocery store in NJ that always has both kinds of Seltzer Lebonon balogna. Don't miss the 2 aisles near the front of the store called Aldi's Finds. It's ever changing, so you never know what awesome things you'll find there, from clothing to household goods, pet products, kids toys, and special items from Germany. Don't miss the chocolate aisle! It's imported German chocolate to die for. The hazelnut raisin chocolate bars are so good that the store has trouble keeping it stocked. Remember to bring a quarter if you need a shopping cart. It's an ingenious system to get shoppers to return the cart to the cart area. After loading your groceries into your car, take the cart back to the cart area and get your quarter back by pushing it out with the chain attached to every cart. They've been using this clever system in Germany for decades. So, no carts blocking the parking lot, no dented car doors, no cart return corrals taking up parking spaces. Don't worry, you...

We have returned to Aldi's almost once a week because they have some of the biggest, cleanest, freshest celery. The place is never busy and parking which is close to the door is always available. We like the smoked Gouda cheese, the 4 small lettuces each a different variety and whatever other veg/fruit is on special is at a rock bottom price. Jan 2024: Went there for opening day at 9am and the line was almost 100, maybe more people in line, so drove away. Returned almost a week later. UNIMPRESSED. Nothing interesting and nothing really cheap. Very limited choice- all brand I didn't recognize. Bought the $40 needed for the $10coupo that came in the mail a week earlier. Got 2 bargain - Xmaxs closeouts of Santa Clause pasta and red& green chips. The only thing I would return for is a package of 4 fancy small...

Extremely poor customer experience.

I used to love this store - until they removed self service check out. Now, everyone is forced to wait for an open register with a clerk - and they close any extra lanes as fast as they can, so the lanes constantly back up. Today, I had a 10 minute wait in line after shopping for 3 minutes....when standing in line is 3 times the amount of time I need to select my items, something is wrong. What is not wrong is the big beautiful new ShopRite just another mile or so east on US 22. My understanding is that Aldi, nationwide, decided to remove thyself check-out lanes because of theft. I do wonder if their planned savings included the losses they will incur due to annoyed honest customers deciding to go to...