update Haven't Tried This Yet!

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

[Texas Joker]

It works but you can't swap carts at the checkout, you have to make sure you keep your cart

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

When I was in Germany and the carnivals came around, a dog tag doubled for the one mark coin that operated the dodgem. Use the tag with the small chain so you could pull it back out and re-use it.

[Eyesa Horg]

Never had to pay or unlock a shopping cart!

[Rye Miles #13621]

Well since you get your quarter back when you return the cart what’s the point?

[Texas Joker]

33 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Never had to pay or unlock a shopping cart!

Aldis uses this system.

 

16 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Well since you get your quarter back when you return the cart what’s the point?

Sometimes you forget your aldis quarter

[Rye Miles #13621]

2 hours ago, Texas Joker said:

Aldis uses this system.

 

Sometimes you forget your aldis quarter

I have a bunch of change in my car. I’m never without a quarter!

[watab kid]

ok , im going to admit id never heard of this till recently when the new aldies opened here - my wife had to try it out , now sahe goes regularly - 9i think she is up a couple bucks on folks that dont recover their quarters so far , i get it its supposed to make you return the cart instead of living from it but really ? to me its just a hinderance to shopping there , i like what theyoffer , i like their prices as opposed to the others in the area , in this era of bidenomics im not sure where i really want to shop 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

This system is also used at airports for baggage carts. I reckon some porters supplement their incomes returning carts left in parking lots.

[Pat Riot]

Interesting. I don’t think I have encountered this. I don’t shop at Aldi’s. 
 

I do recall some supermarket chain back in ‘83 in the South Bay Area of SoCal tried charging for shopping carts. It was very short lived. There was this unspoken revolt. People refused to push the carts back to the cart return corral. Once you paid for a cart you didn’t get your money back once you returned the cart. Also, they removed the little baskets so you almost had to get a cart. 
I can’t recall if the cart rental was 25 or 50 cents at the time. 

[Badlands Bob #61228]

The wife hates Aldi's.  I shop there just to irritate her.  I can't get everything there, but they do carry a lot of the staples, just off brands.  The wife is a fan of Publix.  She likes paying 30% more for groceries with a brand name.  The cashiers are nicer at Publix and always complement you on some item you bought.   

 

I have an ashtray full of quarters.  A lot of times if there is a customer coming in to Aldi's as I am putting up the cart, I'll just give them the cart and quarter.  Sort of my "Good Deed for the Day".  Then I feel good about going home and facing the wife.  

[Rye Miles #13621]

A lot of times I give my cart with the quarter in it to someone walking up. If not I get my quarter back. I usually only buy a few items so I just carry a canvas bag in there and don't use a cart. It makes the parking lot cleaner and less cluttered and they don;'t have to have an employee out there collecting carts. I think it's a great idea! Their prices are pretty reasonable too.

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

On a recent trip to  I was met by a woman who offered me a  for my cart. Saved her the trouble of fumbling with getting a cart, and I got my  without having to return the cart to the store.
Other times I'll just pay it forward and give my cart with the  to someone just coming to the store entrance.

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

Just finished shopping at  and tried a key vs a quarter and it worked! 

 

[Alpo]

Having to open the split ring, to remove the key, before you could do this, seems like a pain in the butt.

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

24 minutes ago, Alpo said:

Having to open the split ring, to remove the key, before you could do this, seems like a pain in the butt.

 

Actually an old key of no value left in one of the storage slots in the vehicle. Same place a quarter would be kept as I have not carried pocket change on my person since 1984.
Back then I had one of these in my pocket. 

[Cypress Sun]

 

Mrs. Sun makes Aldi key ring quarter holders to sell at craft show/fairs. They are a pretty good seller both on E-Bay and at the shows so I guess a bunch of people shop at Aldi's.

I think she sells them too cheap ($3.00 each+ $4.00 shipping) for the amount of time she puts into them but she always says, "Crafters don't do it for the money."

She has all kinds of designs for her embroidery machine, these are a few.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

On 4/14/2024 at 11:50 AM, Eyesa Horg said:

Never had to pay or unlock a shopping cart!

Never even heard of that before.

[Eyesa Horg]

9 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

Never even heard of that before.

Me either, maybe Aldi's customers like the carts so much,they take em with em!

[Texas Joker]

They like their quarter enough to police up the carts on their own. No need for employees running carts into the store

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]