Aldi is renowned for its no-frills model of shopping and ultra-low prices, but it has a couple of weirdnesses that will catch new customers out. The most self-evident? You need a quarter to let go of a shopping cart. But there’s one simple hack that can make your Aldi trips easier: swapping the actual coin for a trolley token.
Let me explain how and why it could make your shopping excursion easier from start to finish.
Why Aldi needs a quarter
To understand the trick, it is useful to understand why Aldi has a cart system. Unlike most supermarkets, where the carts are free for all, Aldi asks you to pay a quarter for the use of a cart. You get your quarter back once you have returned the cart and secured it back in place.
This system isn’t meant to infuriate you—it’s a clever cost-saving tactic. Aldi uses this process to lower labor costs. Because customers return carts on their own, there is no need to pay employees to retrieve them from the lot. And all those savings go into keeping prices lower inside the store.
But if you’ve ever found yourself outside the shop foraging in your bag or glovebox for a coin, you’ll understand how infuriating this is, especially in a time when we don’t tend to have cash on us, let alone change.
In comes the Trolley Token: A very simple solution
That’s where trolley tokens come in. These small metal tokens are the same size as a quarter and work perfectly in Aldi’s carts. The greatest part is, most of them are designed to clip onto your keychain, so you always have one.
Instead of trying to remember to pick up a quarter whenever you go shopping, you’ll never forget. Trolley tokens are inexpensive and easy to buy online in sets of many. You can even give them away to family members or friends who shop at Aldi frequently. It’s a small gift that accomplishes much.
And because many tokens are attached to keys or colorful keychains, you’re far less likely to forget to retrieve them from your cart when you’re done.
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Things to keep in mind
It’s convenient to pay with a trolley token, but there are a few small things to watch for. One of the Aldi traditions is cart-passing, where customers leaving the store hand their cart to an incoming shopper. This courtesy tends to accompany an unspoken quid pro quo: the incoming shopper pays a quarter.
If you are using a token, you may not even have a spare coin with you to hand over in exchange. No biggie, though; it’s just something to be aware of.
Also, Aldi cashier staff get through quickly and often send your cart on ahead for the next person to grab. If your token is on a keychain, remember to let them know that you’d like your cart back. This avoids confusion or accidental cart switching.
Final thoughts
Whether you’re a regular Aldi shopper or just starting out, this one small change—using a trolley token—can make your shopping trips more convenient. It’s a low-cost solution to an everyday problem, especially in our increasingly cashless world. The One Simple Trick That Makes Aldi Shopping So Much Easier
Aldi is well known for its no-frills shopping experience and basement prices, but it does have a couple of strange amenities that first-time shoppers may not even notice. One of the most apparent? You will need to use a quarter to obtain a cart. But there is a simple hack that will make Aldi shopping a heck of a lot simpler: using a trolley token instead of a real coin.
Let me explain how it works and why it could make your shopping experience smoother from start to finish.
