The Common Misconception People Make About Aldi, According To Reddit

In a recent, now deleted post on Reddit, a user posed a question: "Do Americans really think Aldi is a 'poor people' grocery store?" The general consensus from the replies was that, while it's not a liquidation or overstock grocery store (assuming that's what a "poor people grocery store" is), many people they know think it is.

"My dad called it 'the Goodwill of groceries.' He has never set foot in one," replied one commenter. Another commenter replied, "My dad used to be vehemently against Aldi ... I kept telling [him] how good it was and he stopped in one day. Now he goes probably at least once a week." Clearly we need to convince more dads to try things out before they pass judgement.

In fact, in 2022 Aldi saw a rise in middle and high income shoppers (via Business Insider). It appears more people are realizing that the store isn't selling close to expiring or overstocked name brand items, but its own private label. Aldi uses many tactics to keep prices down, like cutting down on labor, bags, carts, and even lighting. The truth of the matter is that everyone likes a good deal. As one commenter puts it: "Both my partner and I make six figures and I do some of our shopping at Aldi. 50 cent avocados? Yes please, I eat one a day."

Posters on Reddit speculated about the public perception of Aldi. One aspect of the grocery store people pointed to was the general feel of the stores themselves. They feel sparser, less luxurious, and they lack many common amenities. "Pay for your cart, unload your own groceries at checkout and pack them on the other end, cart them out to your car yourself, no service counters (deli, meat, bakery, etc.)," explained one poster. It's understandable that a grocery store where you can feel like you're doing the wrong thing at checkout may not be everyone's idea of a high-end shopping experience.

The supermarket is also having to combat what it used to be. "Late '90s Aldi was not the Aldi you see today. It was definitely a 'poor people store.' I still shopped there (I am poor people myself), but definitely couldn't get as much as I can today," said a commenter. It's true, the amount of different products you could find in Aldi has tripled since the '90s. The brand hasn't stopped there, as Aldi has big changes coming in 2026, including a plan to rebrand its private label products to embrace the Aldi name.