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Post by NatureLover on Jul 11, 2017 19:05:27 GMT
Playing around with polls - let's discuss the ALDI v. Trader Joe's dilemma - or maybe a blessing in your neighborhood. (First poll - sorry about the top "choice"). My area has been pleading with Trader Joe's to open a store here. Every time you see a "coming soon" sign people get all jazzed it may be a TJs. But - one after the other we've gotten three ALDI stores in practically neighboring towns. They're spreading faster than Dunkin' Donuts. I looked forward to trying it and went on opening day. What a disappointment! I had two items in my cart and ultimately put them back and left empty-handed. After what I saw in the produce bins, you couldn't pay me to eat meat from there. However, I read that other ALDI stores are fabulous. Our ALDI has: - rotten produce
- poor choices
- rude employee(s)
- dirty and disheveled
- does not carry promised items
What say ye?
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Post by pamthomas46 on Jul 11, 2017 19:13:08 GMT
We do have TJ but no Aldi. TJs is not close.
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dina
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,445
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Post by dina on Jul 11, 2017 19:17:04 GMT
We have Trader Joe's and I have never been.
We have an Aldi's coming soon, under construction phase. I am not sure when it's opening.
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Post by MarieL on Jul 11, 2017 19:17:50 GMT
We have a very small TJ. We have Wegman's - It is family owned and as far as I know only on the East Coast. It is fabulous! Everything about it. I don't know what I did without it and I know I am keeping them in business Marie
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Post by 100gone on Jul 11, 2017 19:54:07 GMT
We have TJs but no Aldi. I love TJs although it's not a regular grocery store. I go maybe once a month or so for certain items.
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Post by itsrad on Jul 11, 2017 20:04:12 GMT
We have an Aldi. When it first opened, I went once and didn't like it. I recently went back and they have redone it - it is pretty nice. I have been buying produce there and it has been fine. I've also bought meat occasionally without a problem. It isn't worth a trip over there, but if I am in the neighborhood I stop.
I will make a point of going to TJ's on a regular basis.
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Post by jayell13 on Jul 11, 2017 20:50:46 GMT
I have never been to TJ's but would like to try it at some point. It is about 20 minutes away. We have 3 Aldi's, all within 7 miles of me. We are there every single week. I have never had a problem with their meat or produce. Today I got a pint of blueberries for $1.59 and a lb. of Rainier cherries for $2.99 (the cherries are at least $4.99 everywhere else around here). For several weeks now, we have been buying gallons of milk - 98 cents for a GALLON of milk!! I like a lot of their Fit and Active products too, such as their light bread (1 point per slice). You never know what bargains you might find, but some are limited to a particular store. Last Fall, one of our stores had a special on unsalted butter - 89 cents for a pound of butter, limit of 6. I got 6, just in time for holiday baking. As you can probably tell, I am a big fan of Aldi's. Also, ours have always been clean and the cashiers are very friendly.
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Post by luanne on Jul 11, 2017 20:55:41 GMT
We have a TJ's. We had a TJ's where we lived in California. I've never even been into an Aldi's. There is not one here in Santa Fe and I don't think there was one where we lived in California. I checked and the closest to us now is in Texas, over 400 miles away. When we were in California the closest was 250 miles away.
That said, we don't shop TJ's. We shop at Sprouts. Better produce, has just about everything we need. We found that TJ's kept eliminating the items we liked and their parking lot is a zoo. But so many of our friends and neighbors love TJ's and swear by them.
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Post by gottakeeptryin on Jul 11, 2017 21:08:23 GMT
Another big Aldi fan here. I have been to TJ's and it is ok but I prefer Aldi for my particular needs. The only problem I've ran into is certain items i use regularly being out of stock when I visit - particularly the fit/active whole grain bread which is one point per slice and very good IMO. F/V are always fresh and very reasonably priced in my area as well as milk, eggs and many other weekly staples.
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Post by alias123 on Jul 11, 2017 22:10:00 GMT
I only have a TJ's. I do 80% of my grocery shopping there. Love it.
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Post by yogamama007 on Jul 11, 2017 23:28:11 GMT
Big TJ's fan here, been going there for years and years. We go about once every 3-4 weeks, more often when the grands are here. They love their "weird" stuff. First I heard about Aldi was a write up in the NYT..... They praised the stores in Manhattan. I have not been to the one a few towns over but I did look at their brochure........Not impressed. Looked a little cheezy. Which is not to say I won't wander in some day. Where does their meat come from? Geographically speaking. lol
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Post by hpeterson1951 on Jul 11, 2017 23:29:49 GMT
I have never even seen a TJ's. I'd love to go to one to see what the fuss is about.
I love Aldi's. The produce is usually good, but can be hit and miss and you do need to use it quickly. I love the fit and active brand, the points are comparable to the WW brands and much cheaper.
I've used their diary products and had no problem. Never really tried their meat.
Their boxed/canned goods are off brands (actually from what I've read they are brands common to other parts of the country and to Canada) but they are normally very tasty.
Never had a problem with employees.
But I do remember when they first came out with the quarters for the shopping carts (refundable). My dad hit the roof. But it keeps the carts out of the parking lot.
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ladymajky
Transcendent Member
220/169/150
Posts: 871
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Post by ladymajky on Jul 11, 2017 23:31:35 GMT
I started shopping at TJ's when we lived in California. It was my regular routine to go to Safeway or Nob Hill for my routine stuff, and then make a special trip to TJ's for the stuff that was only available there.
My folks who lived in Indianapolis sang the praises of Aldi, and I looked forward to being able to shop in one. I never lived where one was available until they built a store near where I am now. I went there one time and hated it. Disorganized, dirty, brands I never heard of, bad looking produce. You had to pay for a shopping cart. I won't go back.
They recently built a TJ's near here, too. I thought heaven had come to earth, and eagerly made a long trip to the far side of town to get reacquainted with my old favorites. Alas, it turned out that my old favorites were all members of the chocolate food group--about a zillion smart points per piece. Now that I understand that chocolate=crack, I don't dare go in the front door. And Two-Buck Chuck no longer costs $2.
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Post by lmenglish on Jul 11, 2017 23:37:05 GMT
dina, we have an aldi by me and the produce has been spectacular. I have bought snacks there also, they are good. The employees were very nice. Tj is not close but I have gone. It is very small compared to other ones. I liked what I bought
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Post by hpeterson1951 on Jul 11, 2017 23:58:56 GMT
This poll has me curious now. It sounds like some Aldi's are great and some are awful.
We have two, one on either side of town. I may need to go to both in one day to see if there is a difference.
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