Forgetting One Aldi Checkout Rule Is Sure To Annoy The Cashiers

Much has been written about how Aldi does things differently. Usually when a company opens up in a new country, it adapts the way it does things to the new culture, but the Germany-based chain decided to make its U.S. shoppers adapt to it in order to save them money. That's why Aldi is a grocery store where you can make mistakes in the checkout line, the cashier asks you to insert your card into the machine before they start scanning, and where you need to have a hack in case you show up without a quarter. If you're not already in your head about your upcoming shopping trip, we have another rule to keep you from annoying the cashiers: always roll your cart to the bagging area after paying.

It's understandable if your cashier seems annoyed if you don't do this, as anything you do as a customer to slow down their transaction speed could get them in trouble. That's why these cashiers are so fast. The reason they separate bagging from checking out is that Aldi doesn't provide a bagger, and the cashier places your purchases directly into your basket. If you were to bag right there at the register, that would take time and slow down the line, making them have to hire more cashiers to manage the long lines. All this is what allows you to get 12 ounces of wild caught Ahi tuna for under $5.

Before you get to bagging, there are other mistakes you can make in the checkout process. Keep in mind that the cashier is timed! Always unload your entire cart onto the conveyor belt. Some places may allow you to keep the heavy items in the cart, but not here. Aldi's cashiers are sitting down for a reason, and time is wasted if they have to get up to scan bulkier items. Make sure you put the heavy items first so they go into your basket first. This may involve you digging them up from the bottom of the basket, but it saves the cashier an extra few seconds.

Aldi's is an introvert shopper's dream, as lots of small talk is discouraged. Distracting them as they scan your items will put a dent in their metrics. But this doesn't mean you can stare at your phone, as you need to be ready to answer any questions. Also, don't ignore them, you can still be polite and friendly. If you follow all these rules you should be ready to go grocery shopping without getting any of the workers in trouble with their manager.