The Easy Way To Avoid Aldi's Infamous Grocery Cart System

Discount grocer Aldi is renowned for more than its food deals. The cart system requires a quarter deposit to unlock an Aldi cart, and you get that quarter back upon its return. Since the company doesn't need employees to collect the carts from its parking lots, those savings are passed onto shoppers through lower store prices. While a lot of people like the system, some have purchased collapsible carts of their own just to avoid it.

On TikTok, a wife filmed her husband setting up and shopping with a Clax The Original trolley at Aldi, explaining how he feels that the logistics of getting Aldi groceries home is annoying. In this case, the logistics the couple is referring to consist of more than just the cart system: Aldi doesn't bag your purchase either. Instead, you bag your groceries with bags you purchase at the store or bring from home. With a collapsible cart, though, you don't have to worry about either of these Aldi systems. Just fill up the foldable baskets on the cart, store them in your vehicle's trunk, and carry them with all of your items inside when you get home.

This idea isn't limited to shopping at Aldi. Many users have posted videos of their excursions on social media at various stores. You don't have to worry about returning a cart to a designated area, and it's an environmentally friendly way to shop by reducing bag waste. There are even cheaper alternatives to the Clax trolley, such as the Tsukiko Folding Shopping Cart with Wheels and Haushof Heavy Duty Collapsible Wagon.

If you're on a tight budget and want to avoid the expense of a collapsible cart, there are other ways around the smart system. One method people have shared across social media is using the head of a loose key instead of a quarter. The problem, however, is that you'll have to return that specific cart to get your key back. The carts are often switched at checkout, and it can hold up the line to switch them back. Instead, the preferred Aldi cart hack when you forget a quarter is simply asking an employee for one. On Reddit, a store worker confirmed that giving shoppers quarters if they forget their own is built into the store's budget — up to $5 worth per shift.

When it comes to bags to carry your groceries from your trunk to your kitchen, you don't have to purchase them from the store or bring your own either. With the Aldi bag hack, you can put your stuff in empty boxes. The company doesn't have the regular display shelves that other grocers have. Instead, all of the products are displayed in their shipping boxes. When those boxes are emptied, shoppers can use them to store their items. Also, many stores have metal carts with empty boxes in them for customers to grab. The employees even encourage this practice. And, if you're just picking up a few items, you don't even need a cart: Just grab a big box for your quick shopping trip.