In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleThe Aldi ExpertsTo Get Your Hands on the Best Products: Know Your Store’s Aldi Finds DayFor the Freshest of the FreshTo Get the Best DealsIf You Want to Beat the RushThe Best Day to Shop at Aldi, OverallMore Insider Tips and Tricks for Shopping at AldiFAQs
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
The Aldi Experts
To Get Your Hands on the Best Products: Know Your Store’s Aldi Finds Day
For the Freshest of the Fresh
To Get the Best Deals
If You Want to Beat the Rush
The Best Day to Shop at Aldi, Overall
More Insider Tips and Tricks for Shopping at Aldi
FAQs
Close
Photo: Getty Images
With its no-frills approach to business, thoughtfully curated private-label products,affordable prices, highly anticipated weekly product launches and an almost comical number ofaward-winning wines, it’s clear why Aldi is a fan favorite. Add inAldi dupes of name-brand productsthat actually live up to the hype, and the fact that the chain regularlycrushes itat theProduct of the Yearawards, and Aldi is easily one of my favorite stops as a Canadian whotravels across the borderto shop.
But anyone who hasbraved the crowded aislesof this small-footprint store knows that timing is everything when it comes to an enjoyable Aldi experience! So, what time of weekisbest to shop at Aldi? I dug deep, scoured the Aldi website and spoke to two content creators and avid Aldi shoppers to answer some of your most burning questions.
Ashley Williams:Williams, a stay-at-home-mom of four, startedOh hey, Aldisix years ago with an eye to creating affordable meals. “I found a lot of my conversations revolving around how to stretch your grocery budget while feeding your family well,” says Williams. With Aldi, she found that she could buy store-brand items that were just as good as their name-brand counterparts and “sometimes even better.” Oh hey, Aldi became a fun way for her to share exciting finds and great deals, as well as a few things “you just didn’t know you needed.”
Cayla Mettenberger:Mettenberger, a newer-on-the-scene creator, is also contributing to the conversation through her platformAldi Girl USA. In operation for just a few years, Aldi Girl USA is quickly becoming a trusted voice for all things Aldi, including weekly finds, recipes, food and product reviews and everyone’s favorite IG scroll-stopper—grocery hauls! She was already a more-than-frequent Aldi shopper when she came across an Aldi fan page while scrolling and thought, “I could do this … for my area.” And she did! Now she loves “being a part of the Aldi nerd community.”
Together, we may have cracked the code on the ultimate Aldi shopping experience. Let’s dig in!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned through doing this research, it’s to prioritize Aldi Finds!Aldi Findsare special limited-time products that Aldi features in their stores on a weekly basis. There you’ll discover everything from food and drinks to home goods, home decor, clothing, seasonal and outdoor products and even children’s items like toys, tableware and stools. Each week, new and exciting products arrive. Then, just like that, they’re gone again. They sell out fast, sometimes even within a few hours! And once they’re gone, they’re gone, says Williams.
Aldi Finds are released every Wednesday or Sunday, depending on the store. If you have your heart set on a particular Aldi Find, head to the Aldi website to find out when your local store restocks. It’s the best way to ensure you’ll be able to get it.
And don’t forget to peep the discounted aisles, as well! “Because new items are coming in weekly,” says Williams, “[the previous week’s Aldi finds] are rotated to the discounted aisle often.” Strolling through there, you might luck out and find “an even better deal!”
Like most grocery stores, Aldi restocks fresh items daily. On their Store StockandAldi FindsFAQ page, they say, “Fresh produce is delivered daily, and each week we release a new selection of Aldi Finds,” adding that they “work hard to ensure [their] stores are fully stocked with fresh food and groceryessentialseveryday.” Indeed, Mettenberger says that she sees the staff at her local store “restocking regular itemsallthe time,” a reflection of their commitment to freshness and quality. So confident they “have the best quality products around,” Aldi offers what they call theTwice as Nice Guarantee." If you’re not 100% satisfied with the quality of any product you buy, Aldi will replace itandrefund your money. So, if you find that a product isn’t up to your freshness standards when you shop at Aldi, know that you can return it.
Shop on Tuesday and Thursday Morning
If you’re looking for a quiet time to shop at Aldi and you have the ability to shop in the morning during the week, Williams says you’re likely to have a “quieter, more peaceful” experience. The one exception to this is Wednesdays, of course, when many Aldi locations release their Aldi Finds. “Wednesday mornings are BUSY and crowded,” says Mettenberger. Tuesday and Thursday mornings between 8 and 10 a.m. are your best bet for a quiet shopping experience. And if you can make it right when doors open, you may even find you have the place to yourself!
Shop in the Evening Just Before Closing
Not a morning person? Aldi UK sharesthis helpful visualon the best times to shop at the store, and evenings score as the quietest. Mettenberger says it’s similar in the U.S., where she specifically finds the hour before closing to be “very quiet.” Of course, the exact timing may vary slightly, depending on your preferred store’s opening and closing hours and the population density of your area. So if you want to home in on the specifics, use thestore locator tooland contact your local store directly. Either way, mornings and evenings typically both offer advantages.
Avoid Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
On the other end of the spectrum, many people just want to know when the Aldi peak times are so they can avoid them. And guess what? There’s actually data on that! In a report published in April 2023,Drive Researchshowed that more than half of consumers (59%) shop for groceries on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, placing weekends at the top of the peak. While that research wasn’t specific to Aldi, both Williams and Mettenberger agree that the trend applies to the store, citing weekends as some of the busiest times to shop there.
Avoid Lunchtime and Right After Work During the Week
During the week, it’s best to avoid lunchtime and post-work shopping trips, when you’re more likely to encounter longer checkout lines and rushed, grumpy consumers.
What About Holiday Shopping?
It was clear from my research that Wednesdays won the gold! Per usual, Aldi restocks its shelves on Wednesday mornings with essentials and perishable items. But in a synchronous meeting, most stores also release their coveted Aldi Finds then too, making Wednesdays a double blessing. If Aldi Finds are released on a Sunday at your local store, then Sunday may be your blissful day.
The Bottom Line
You can never have it all, but with Aldi you can have a lot! Depending on your priorities, there are optimal times to find the most value, abundance, quality, efficiency and overall enjoyment in your shopping experience. But oftentimes, they intersect. If all else fails, think of it like a treasure hunt. From the latest Aldi FInds to an array of award-winning wines and food products, Aldi is full of riches just waiting to be found (and tasted!).
Frequently Asked QuestionsAccording to the popular Aldi fan siteAisle of Shame, Aldi restocks in the morning and again after the 3 p.m. shift change.For getting your hands on any coveted Aldi Findsandpicking up the freshest perishable items, shopping first thing on a Wednesday or Sunday morning (depending on your local store) is your best bet.Like most grocery stores, Aldi is busiest during lunchtime, after work on the weekdays, and on the weekends.Luckily, there are two answers to this question. Aldi stores tend to be much quieter in the evenings, an hour or two before closing, and first thing in the morning on weekdays—Wednesdays excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to the popular Aldi fan siteAisle of Shame, Aldi restocks in the morning and again after the 3 p.m. shift change.
For getting your hands on any coveted Aldi Findsandpicking up the freshest perishable items, shopping first thing on a Wednesday or Sunday morning (depending on your local store) is your best bet.
Like most grocery stores, Aldi is busiest during lunchtime, after work on the weekdays, and on the weekends.
Luckily, there are two answers to this question. Aldi stores tend to be much quieter in the evenings, an hour or two before closing, and first thing in the morning on weekdays—Wednesdays excluded.
Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, August 2023
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
