Aldi Is Quietly Removing This Popular Feature in Some Stores—Here's What to Know

When you're grabbing a few items at the grocery store, self-checkout lanes can be the quickest option for a fast exit, especially if the store is understaffed.

But at some Aldi stores, the self-checkout lane might be going away. Devoted shoppers around the country have been noticing lanes disappearing at their local stores and voiced their annoyance on Reddit. "It's back to waiting 10-15 minutes since there's always only one lane open. Does anyone know what happened and why?" asked one user within the r/aldi forum.

The online community chimed in, with some saying that their local store never had self-checkout lanes, while others said that their local Aldi still had them, but if they were removed, “I’ll be very disappointed," one shopper wrote.

Many expressed concern that eliminating self-checkout lanes would increase wait times, especially if there were a shortage of cashiers. "My five-minute quick shop ballooned to 20 the other day because all the self-checkouts were gone and I was stuck behind customers loading up on a month's worth of groceries at once," complained another shopper.

Many speculated that theft and loss of inventory were to blame for the checkout change, but according to an Aldi spokesperson, the removal of the lanes is part of an effort to "better address customer needs."

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While the grocer has not yet said which exact stores will be affected, the spokesperson told decorvow.com, self-checkout will remain at some locations.

“At Aldi, our top priority is delivering customers with a simple and seamless shopping experience. We continually test and refine our in-store technologies and checkout options to better address customer needs and enhance operational efficiency," the spokesperson said. "As part of this process, we have adjusted checkout formats in select locations to ensure we’re offering the best shopping experience possible while delivering exceptional value. Self-checkout will remain available at many ALDI stores, and our approach is designed to evolve with customer feedback and new opportunities to innovate."

On Reddit, one customer wrote that their local store never received the self-checkout kiosks, and that was fine with them. "The cashiers at the stores I regularly go to are very quick. If the customers would have their payment out while the cashier is doing their thing, the lines would move even quicker," they posted.

The grocery store chain is known for its speedy cashiers, but shoppers do need to bag up their own wares, which can sometimes slow down the process.