12 Ways Aldi Outshines Trader Joe’s

Although the two stores can trace their lineage back to the same family tree, Aldi and Trader Joe’s are two distinct companies operating with similar structures. The epic story starts with two brothers, Theo and Karl Albrecht. They took over their mother’s store in Germany after World War II, focusing on frugality and basic products. But a feud eventually led to a split, creating the two companies Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd. Aldi Süd kept the Aldi name and owns more than 2,500 stores in the United States with a sizable international presence as well. Aldi Nord acquired Trader Joe’s, leading to the rumor that the two grocery stores were owned by the same company. 

The strange question of ownership behind Aldi and Trader Joe’s leads people to think that they have a lot in common, and they actually do, especially when it comes to great pricing and a strong store brand. But there are also plenty of differences, and each chain has its own niche strengths. Trader Joe’s may have real roots in tiki culture and tasty premade meals, but there are a few things that Aldi still does better than its distant cousin. From providing budget-friendly staples to the infamous “Aisle of Shame” assortment of housewares, gifts, and random things, Aldi has a special charm all its own.

Both Aldi and Trader Joe’s have some real deals, but Aldi is generally considered the most budget-friendly grocery store out there. It’s one of the main draws that brings shoppers through the door and creates an enthusiastic fan base for the chain. We’re not hating on Trader Joe’s since there are a lot of good bargains there as well. But the tiki-inspired grocery is largely known for prepared foods, which tend to be a bit pricier than staples and ingredients. On the other hand, Aldi is the spot to pick up everything from baking essentials to store-brand cereal for a fraction of the cost you’d pay at mainstream grocery stores.

When comparing like items, Aldi often comes out on top. A loaf of sandwich bread at Trader Joe’s costs around $2.50, while the same thing at Aldi is just over $1. But consider that name-brand bread can be as much as $4 at other stores, and it’s easier to see why people flock to both Trader Joe’s and Aldi. But for the absolute best pricing, stick with Aldi.

If you really want to maximize your Aldi savings, look for special discounted pricing. Some Aldi stores are cheaper than others, so it pays to know the ins and outs of your local Aldi as well. 

The best prices are on Aldi’s in-house brands, but you can find name brands as well. The selection isn’t huge, but it’s bigger than what’s offered at Trader Joe’s, which almost exclusively stocks Trader Joe’s items. The store focuses on unique and boutique items, all under the TJ’s label, rather than competing with name-brand retailers. By contrast, Aldi keeps store-brand products that are super cheap as well as a few name-brand things that are sold at a discount compared to other grocery stores. You can often find Aldi brands right alongside name brands, which makes comparison shopping to get the best prices a bit easier.

The trouble with heading to Aldi to get great deals on your favorite snacks, such as Takis or Cracker Jacks, is that they aren’t always on the shelf. The offerings at Aldi rotate, so if you see something you may like, be sure to grab it while it’s available. Often, once the store is out of stock, it won’t be replenished. Many of the name brands at Aldi are snack items, such as chips, cookies, and candy. While there are also store brands for those, you’ll commonly see Aldi-branded options for ingredients and prepared foods, too. The popular Aldi Aisle of Shame sometimes carries items that are collaborations with other brands, such as Disney or Marvel. 

The Aldi clerks zoom customers through checkout, then have you bag your own items. The result is a super speedy checkout experience and shorter wait times even when the line grows. On the other hand, Trader Joe’s employees tend to take their time with customers and bagging items. This might be one of the most noticeable differences between the shopping experience at both stores. Each one is on a different end of the extremes. The time that it takes an employee to get the customer through checkout is tracked at Aldi, so don’t be surprised to see them scanning your groceries at record speed.

When shopping at Aldi, having to bag your own groceries is one way that the store keeps costs down, which helps the overall prices stay as low as they are. You can use a designated bagging area, plus any extra stock boxes to stack up your purchases. Aldi also has one-time and reusable bags, although you’ll generally need to pay a small fee for these at checkout. You can always bring in your own reusable bags as well.

The parking lots at Aldi are pretty standard, with plenty of spacing and a good design. You won’t notice narrow lanes or cramped aisles that are difficult to navigate. The parking lots at Trader Joe’s, on the other hand, have small spaces, and because there tend to be a lot of cars, it can be difficult to get around. You may also have to wait for a parking space, depending on when you go. Available parking is one of the criteria Trader Joe’s looks for when deciding on new grocery store locations, but because it can get very busy, the lots are still hopping. They are notoriously difficult and feel cramped to customers.

One of the things that you’ll notice about the Aldi parking lot compared to most other grocery stores is the lack of cart return stations near cars. Instead, shoppers have to walk the carts back up to the designated areas near the doors, return their cart, and get their quarter deposit back. This helps Aldi reduce the manpower needed to wrangle carts and helps prevent the carts from being stolen, lost, or taking up space. Overall, that helps Aldi keep operating expenses down.

Take a stroll down the Aldi Finds section, also known as the “Aisle of Shame,” and you’ll know exactly what we mean when we say eclectic. You can find everything from garden tools and Christmas trees to pet toys, although the selection rotates every week. You can get a sneak peek by looking in the Aldi flyer, which many people do when they expect top seasonal favorites, such as pool floats in the summer and holiday gifts in the winter. 

Like other Aldi items, these tend to be budget-friendly, especially compared to the pricier name brands that they are dupes of. But the Aisle of Shame also has branded offerings, such as Disney-themed items. Shoppers love the seemingly random selection so much that Aldi even released a line of Aldi-themed merch and apparel, which is a fan favorite.

Trader Joe’s carries more unique food products, such as passion fruit sorbet and ube tea cookies, but you won’t find nearly as many toys, trinkets, and novelty gifts on the shelves compared to Aldi. The vast majority of the household items carried at Trader Joe’s are still kitchen-focused, such as reusable storage bags for your snacks or great-smelling dish soap.

Aldi puts items on clearance to make room for new deals or just to spark interest in certain products. You’ll see different price tags when shopping at Aldi, including either the red Aldi Savers tag or a red price drop tag to indicate that an item is being sold for cheaper than usual. You can look for the red Aldi Savers ticket label, but sometimes a red, circular sticker is applied to individual products. This tends to be the case for meat, bread, dairy, and other items that are nearing their expiration date. Snacks and shelf-stable foods that the store just needs to clear out will often be labeled as an Aldi Saver deal on the display tag. 

While the Aldi Savers deals can mean some serious budget-conscious purchases, be careful about getting too excited to see particular items on clearance. Most of the time, that means that the store is trying to clear out inventory and may not be ordering more.

Trader Joe’s keeps its prices cheap in general, so it doesn’t offer sales or clearances. This is thanks to the focus on an in-house brand rather than discounts on name brands. So you can count on Trader Joe’s to keep prices affordable, but you won’t find special deals in the aisles.

Trader Joe’s surely carries imported options, but in general, the snacks are pretty standard fare that appeal to U.S. customers. Aldi, on the other hand, has a large selection of German products, although the store also keeps other European staples on hand. You can thank Aldi’s German roots for the focus on tasty products from this country. The Aldi U.S. headquarters is in Batavia, Illinois, but the chain began as a simple family-run grocer in 1961 in Essen, Germany. 

Many products are available year-round, including treats, snacks, and condiments. The selection of affordable European chocolates is particularly good. You can even get a bigger variety during “German Week” at U.S.-based Aldi stores. During these periodic celebrations, Aldi stocks German snacks and treats. This can give you a taste of what is available in the European markets. Many of the imported favorites go quickly, so head over to Aldi early if there’s something specific that you want to try.

Trader Joe’s doesn’t offer self-checkout lanes, while Aldi does. If you want to get in and out in a hurry, you’ll have better luck at Aldi. Each self-service kiosk has a space for your bag, which also allows you to pull your cart right up. You can scan your groceries, load them into bags, and pay all on your own timeline. While Aldi cashiers are legendary for their speedy checkout service, sometimes it just makes more sense to do it yourself. 

Instead of a self-checkout, Trader Joe’s has an express checkout lane for those with only a few items. But you’ll still be dealing with a normal cashier, which can take a little bit more time. If you like the extra amount of small talk, however, this may be something that you prefer. Trader Joe’s also bags your items right at the checkout. Along with the super long lines, this can lead to a pretty lengthy shopping trip. If you want to get through checkout faster and avoid crowds, the best strategy to shop at Trader Joe’s is to go earlier in the day when the store first opens.

The Aldi Twice as Nice Guarantee means that if you want to take something back because you aren’t happy with it, you’ll get your money back and a replacement product. Just talk to the Aldi cashier or manager to get your refund. You can go to the checkout with your replacement item ready as well. This only applies to Aldi-branded food items, however, since the policy is backed by the chain’s own guarantee that its products are fantastic. Items that don’t qualify for the policy are either only refunded or replaced as needed. Each eligible item has the Twice as Nice logo on the packaging.

Trader Joe’s has a good return policy as well, but it can’t beat Aldi’s. Trader Joe’s offers a full refund or exchange if you take a product home and don’t like it. This includes items that you’ve already opened. Both Aldi and Trader Joe’s are known for their customer service, but the Twice as Nice Guarantee gives Aldi a slight edge.

If there’s one thing that Trader Joe’s does exceptionally well, it’s creating delicious and easy-to-make premade meals. But that means that staples and basic ingredients are often better and cheaper when you shop at Aldi. When you shop the store brands, you’ll get the best deals. There might not be a lot of variety or flavor options, but it’s hard to beat the fantastic prices.

At Trader Joe’s, a 5-pound bag of flour is around $3, while the same-sized bag at Aldi is just over $2.50. In the meat case, ground chicken goes for around $4.50 per pound at Trader Joe’s. You can get ground chicken at Aldi for less than $3.50 per pound. Overall, if you want a prepared meal or snack, head to Trader Joe’s. This is one reason why the store tends to get crowded when the lunch crowd stops by to pick something up. But for budget-friendly staples and recipe building blocks, Aldi is the best bet.

Don’t get us wrong, both Trader Joe’s and Aldi’s are among the best grocery store chains for charcuterie ingredients. They have a fantastic selection of tasty crackers, meats, and cheeses, especially specialty options that you won’t find at other supermarkets. But Aldi has TJ’s beat when it comes to price, so if you’re looking for things to put on your board that don’t break the bank, head to Aldi. 

Trader Joe’s does have a lot of unique flavor pairings and ingredients that stand on their own on your board, including chile crackers, sweet mustard dill sauce, and the popular everything but the bagel cheddar cheese, just to name a few. But most of these are quite pricey, especially those with gourmet ingredients like Italian truffles. These are often sold by the pound and are around $12 to $15. At Aldi, you can get a tasty cheese in smaller 7- or 8-ounce portions for between $2 and $6, depending on the type.

For example, a tangy Manchego block costs less than $6 for a 7-ounce block at Aldi. Manchego from Trader Joe’s is closer to $7 for the same amount. At Aldi, there are also prepackaged charcuterie snack packs with cheese, meat, and olives for just $2.50. It’s the perfect way to enjoy charcuterie for one, and it’s for less than what you’d pay for a single block of cheese at Trader Joe’s.

Aldi has a good selection of kitchen tools, bakeware, and other kitchen items. The downside is that the selection rotates, so you can’t always find what you want or need. The upside is that there are always treasures to discover. You can get an idea of what to expect each week in the Aldi flyer. Most of the items are tied to seasonal demand, so you’ll see more barbecue tools and cookout serving platters during the summer months. Around Thanksgiving, look for themed platters for your family bird. During the winter holidays, you can pick up mugs and plates for cookies. Part of the fun of shopping for kitchen tools at Aldi is the ever-changing selection.

On the other hand, Trader Joe’s kitchen tools are limited to mostly just sponges, towels, and cleaning products. You can find a few reusable containers and bags, but you won’t be able to pick up any cookware or larger storage systems. The Aldi Finds aisle is the place to look for these types of products. Whether you need a new condiment caddy or a grill-top pizza oven, you can find it at Aldi. Just don’t have your heart set on anything in particular because you never know when it will be out of stock or if it will be coming back in the future.