Why Aldi's Steak Selection Has A Leg Up On Walmart

Both Aldi and Walmart have reputations for being among the most affordable grocery chains in the nation. And while affordability is key when it comes to grocery staples, customers also demand quality products from the stores they patronize. Quality is especially important where steak is concerned, as shoppers want to be sure that they're getting the maximum bang for their buck when purchasing succulent cuts.

In this case, you might want to focus on Aldi when shopping for meat. When we compared Aldi versus Walmart on which store is better for grocery shopping, Daily Meal found that Aldi's steak selection simply can't be beat. Our reviewer cited Aldi's Black Angus ribeye as a "personal favorite," as it offered excellent quality based on the price. According to Aldi's website, this meat features excellent marbling and can be yours for just $13.79 per pound. A quick perusal of Walmart's website shows that it carries Angus ribeye steaks for $15.97 per pound (the Walmart site doesn't currently list any Black Angus cuts).

Customers are downright obsessed with the discount grocery store. Consider that Aldi has a fan club with millions of members and these consumers love the chain for its selection of affordable, yet high-quality products. Fans of the German store on Reddit are similarly enthused and have great things to say about the chain's steak offerings. According to one commenter on a thread pondering the quality of Aldi meat, "I cannot get over what a good value their ribeye steak is." Another shopper co-signed this statement, saying, "Their grass-fed ribeye is actually really good!" While not all shoppers had the same positive experiences, the general consensus of its steaks was favorable.

As for Walmart, customer reviews of its Angus ribeye steak were not quite as kind. The product has a little over two out of five stars on the website, with the vast majority of reviews falling into the one-star category. One shopper said that while "The ribeyes looked great," they detected an "offensive industrial smell mixed in with burnt plastic smell" that prompted them to seek a refund for the item. Another described the steaks as "mostly fat," which left the consumer "Very disappointed!"

Quality is a big deal at Aldi, per the chain's food philosophy page on its website. The store steers clear of any items containing genetically modified ingredients and insists that suppliers undergo a food safety audit before their goods can be sold at the chain. As for the meat selection, much of what Aldi offers is fresh as opposed to frozen, including its steaks and other types of beef.

Aldi is also quite forgiving when it comes to returns and refunds, thanks to its return policy. In the event you find that a steak is not to your liking, you can return it for a refund, as well as receive another item of equal value. While Aldi's 'Twice and Nice' return policy is a nightmare for employees, it's definitely beneficial to shoppers who end up with a lackluster cut of beef. 

As for Walmart's return policy, items can be returned or replaced, but not both. Additionally, some shoppers have experienced issues with online returns related to the store's Angus ribeyes, with one stating on the store's website, "Tried doing an online return but can't because message I kept getting was 'we are having technical issues.'" Based on this, it appears Aldi wins the day when it comes to quality, affordability, and customer satisfaction.