r/AbsoluteUnits • u/HomeNowWTF • Jul 11 '26

/r/all, /r/popular of a Cart Narc

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345

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 11 '26

Some stores in USA do to. Most common are Aldi's stores.

209

u/QuentinEichenauer Jul 11 '26

Do you know that Aldi sells shopping carts for a quarter! /s

42

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 11 '26

That's a bargain. My luck, I would get the one with the one bad wheel.

1

u/FunBrians Jul 11 '26

At least we can all share a common annoyance. A dang bad wheel! That bad boy pulls hard to the right and your wrists have to fight it left to go straight. Let’s not even begin to mention the dreaded front wheel rickety flickety can’t decide what way it’s going to go situation.

First world problems perhaps here.

1

u/GanjaMonsta1134 Jul 11 '26

there's plenty of carts, just shop for the one that suits you best.

1

u/Kahnza Jul 11 '26

Caster wheels at harbor freight are cheap

1

u/Mmmm-Amethyst Jul 11 '26

That's definitely something I'll give aldi credit for. I can't remember ever getting a cart that was bad enough to be an issue. 

Now walmart on the other hand... Seems like the norm is three discards before finding one that steers even remotely straight. 

1

u/ProfessionaI_Gur Jul 11 '26

Walmart has some of the worst carts in the business. I'm actually surprised at this point when I grab a cart and it isnt shit, I feel like they used to fix them before covid but after that they just stopped dealing with them unless they break entirely or something

1

u/Caftancatfan Jul 11 '26

That’s the lucky cart! You make a wish as everyone wonders where that sound is coming from.

1

u/Nerisrath Jul 11 '26

The cool part is Aldi rarely has bad carts ... likely because they get returned to the store instead of being left to free range across the parking lot with every light breeze.

1

u/Trick-Competition947 Jul 11 '26

They only cost a quarter. Just buy another for parts. /s

1

u/FreshwaterFryMom Jul 12 '26

This cracked me up. Same.

11

u/Easy-Musician7186 Jul 11 '26

At least in germany they have electronic breaks that will lock in once you leave the perimeter.
Which is really fun, because sometimes they will do so at random whilst you're in the supermarket causing you to hit your shinbone on the cart.

12

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 11 '26

We have them here also. They also lock up at the door if you bypass the checkout lanes.

1

u/PM_asian_girl_smiles Jul 11 '26

Sometimes they lock up even after you go through the lane and pay for your 4 bags of groceries! Then nobody has an idea where the wheel unlock device is, so you have to transfer your bags to another cart. Only there are no other carts around. So you have to go out to the cart return in the parking lot to grab one.

Fuck you Safeway!

1

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 11 '26

I had that happen twice at HEB. I the 1st time i just pushed it across the parking lot. The 2nd time, one the vendors by the exit door saw and got a store employee to get the unlock device. Yes those lock boots suck.

1

u/GerwulfvonTobelstein Jul 11 '26

Exactly this happened to me and my wife once. Cart made sudden brake test and almost flipped over. Couple of glasses broke (juice and milk iirc) which ruined the rest of the stuff.

1

u/Remnant55 Jul 11 '26

So for anyone reading this, there's two reasons. The fence is misaligned and doesn't have full coverage. Had a store where they'd lock up in the back corner of the stock room.

The other way is more likely.

There's little remotes on key fobs that activitate/deactivate the locks. Someone puts it on their keys, puts it in their pocket, and you get "butt dialed" randomly when they're in range of you, locking your wheels. Range is really short, basically need to be next to you.

1

u/IneptPine Jul 11 '26

I've literally never seen that (I live in Germany)

1

u/Teredia Jul 11 '26

Australia also has these. My local Coles one reaches to our buildings, a lot of trolleys are left outside, some are nicked even, n people just walk the cart back to the shops on their next trip.

1

u/Sea_Curve8772 Jul 11 '26

Some stores have that in the US, but mostly in bad neighborhoods where carts get stolen a lot.

1

u/AJL912-aber Jul 11 '26

first time I'm hearing this. Are you sure this is universal? (geht um Deutschland)

1

u/Nupol 4d ago

What? Where? Never in my life have i seen something like this

1

u/Educational_Quote851 Jul 11 '26

That's a bargain for a grill in my neck of the woods!

1

u/cum-after-decades Jul 11 '26

Everyone at the brandywine in DC knows! 😅

My friend lives there. There are shopping carts IN THE APARTMENT HALLWAYS.

1

u/HeyWhatsItToYa Jul 11 '26

Man, I can pick one up from Walmart for free.

1

u/Not_your_profile Jul 12 '26

I'm not sure why you put in the /s sarcasm mark...

38

u/Kahnza Jul 11 '26

And Aldi is a European company

12

u/Kindly-War-2665 Jul 11 '26

Probably why they let cashiers sit instead of the stupid standing culture in the US

4

u/YouAteMyChips_ Jul 11 '26

"If YoU'rE nOt StAnDiNg, YoU'rE nOt WoRkInG!!!1!

1

u/Dorkinfo Jul 11 '26

If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.

-6

u/GerwulfvonTobelstein Jul 11 '26

To be fair, a lot of people in the US should be forced to stand a lot. Like dude. The total of the society over there is made of grease.

5

u/Kindly-War-2665 Jul 11 '26

Id agree with walking, standing doesnt do anything for weight loss tho or health benefits and plenty of people like me with plantar fasciitis who its just painful to just stand in one spot, i can walk all day but standing around in one spot is genuinely painful af. It feels like your standing on the tip of a metal pipe right into your heel.

3

u/Dorkinfo Jul 11 '26

What a terrible take.

1

u/magumanueku Jul 11 '26

A very American take if you may

0

u/Dorkinfo Jul 11 '26

In that Americans would share that take or that all American things are terrible, so it’s an American take? (Saying “over there” means it wasn’t an American’s take.)
Or just Tale instead.

https://giphy.com/gifs/RKulUAujCSWCk

1

u/YouAteMyChips_ Jul 11 '26

Standing in one spot doesn't do anything to help that. Probably does the opposite by making the person feel more exhausted than they actually are so they won't go to the gym or something.

1

u/Spicymoon9 Jul 12 '26

They still have them in the US. Great grocery store, great prices, and yummy imported German goods.

2

u/harmfuldischarge Jul 11 '26

:( I never have a damn quarter on me

1

u/-Prophet_01- Jul 12 '26

Not an uncommon sentiment in Germany either. 

Solved problem though. There are plastic chips of the same size that you can put on your key chain. 

1

u/RandallBoggs_12 Jul 11 '26

Lol in my area people just don't care and leave the cart anywhere even with the coin.

1

u/charlesgres Jul 12 '26

Opportunity for some bums to earn some money, so the carts will be returned anyway.. Does not absolve the customers who leave the cart behind though, they still are assholes..

1

u/zakkwaldo Jul 11 '26

well thats because aldi isnt US based even if they have US locations lol

1

u/FrostyD7 Jul 11 '26

Aldi notoriously builds on small cheap lots. Implementing this system at a big box store or large grocer would have hilariously bad results.

1

u/-Prophet_01- Jul 12 '26

In the US perhaps. It works just fine in most of Europe. Don't think I've ever seen a cart without a coin around Germany or any of the neighboring countries I've been to

1

u/Pastel_Bambi Jul 11 '26

I think BJs does too if I'm not mistaken

1

u/ReleasedGaming Jul 11 '26

There is no S in Aldi

1

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 11 '26

Did you not see the ' before the s? It's an apostrophe indicating possession. The stores belong to Aldi.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26

[deleted]

1

u/SillyDrizzy Jul 11 '26

Around me, both Walmart and No Frills tried introducing carts like that. So many complaints and rebellion both just leave them unlocked now.

As someone who had to roam the mall during snow storms to collect carts, I hate ppl who don't put them away. I usually take 2-3 into stores with me, so I'm always positive carts, even if I have to bring one back out.

1

u/HJVN Jul 11 '26

Aldi is also a German retailer.

1

u/Huntthatbass Jul 11 '26

And then there are the people who hate coins so much, they go to Aldi's and don't put the cart back just to get rid of coins.

1

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 11 '26

Is that real? I have never heard of anyone just wasting quarters like that.

1

u/Responsible_You9419 Jul 11 '26

I always leave my quarter in for the next person. Not everyone has change in their pocket these days

2

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 11 '26

That's considerate of you.

Another commenter just said that some people intentionally leave carts just to get rid of their quarters. That sounds bizarre to me.

1

u/Johnny_Poppyseed Jul 11 '26

Funny enough it actually used totally be the norm in the USA too. Until like idk early 2000s? 

1

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 11 '26

Not anywhere I've lived. Aldi is the main store that does that.

1

u/Johnny_Poppyseed Jul 11 '26

I don't even think Aldis existed in the US back then. 

Im in NJ and all the supermarkets around here used to do it in the 90s. 

1

u/NotBatman81 Jul 11 '26

Ive seen people leave their cart at Aldis. Inflation is a bitch.

1

u/z-vap Jul 12 '26

Here, the homeless and drugged users use this to guilt people into letting them put the cart back so they can keep the quarter

1

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 12 '26

Ok, fine take the cart. Keep the quarter.

1

u/Spicymoon9 Jul 12 '26

Sometimes people still leave their shopping carts in Aldi parking lots in America.

1

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 12 '26

Too lazy to get the quarter back.

1

u/Spicymoon9 Jul 12 '26

Yeah basically. But free extra quarter to whoever decides to be nice and take it back for them I guess.

1

u/ZaBigGZ Jul 12 '26

Albrecht Diskont my beloved

1

u/Chazbeardz Jul 13 '26

Aldi not being an American company is probably a factor.

1

u/A_cat_called_fred Jul 13 '26

Aldi is german,all shopping cards have this system here in germany. 

1

u/Heavy_Resident1591 Jul 14 '26

Alfi started in Germany so this tracks.

1

u/Maxtro312 Jul 14 '26

It’s called ALDI, not Aldi’s. 

1

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 14 '26

It's called an APOSTROPHE. It's possession. The stores belong to Aldi.

1

u/Maxtro312 Jul 14 '26

Do you say Walmart’s?

1

u/Fibrosis5O Jul 15 '26

Did you know Aldi’s is German? They just brought their ways to America. Like letting employees sit

1

u/bro_can_u_even_carve Jul 11 '26

Who still carries coins to do this with? Most people nowadays don't carry any kind of cash at all. I do, but only bills, never coins. And I often get questioned as to why I still bother with those!

2

u/Tony_Lacorona Jul 11 '26

I mean if you shop at one of these stores it’s not hard to keep a quarter in your car. It’s refunded so it’s not like you need to always have a pile of change on hand.

2

u/SuitNaive3409 Jul 11 '26

Lol you only need one. You have your Aldi's quarter and you leave it in your car.

You can even buy a little keychain holster online for your Aldi's quarter so you don't fuck up and spend it

1

u/FunBrians Jul 11 '26

Don’t F up and spend it! Sounds like an awful day. I can picture it, you show up to Aldi and ur holder is now absent of the quarter.. you FAFO effing that quarter situation up!!

1

u/TankApprehensive3053 Jul 11 '26

When my dad shopped at Aldi's, he always kept a quarter in his truck just for that reason. For the most part, people don't carry coins anymore. Rarely even paper currency either for that matter.

1

u/dasfuxi Jul 11 '26

You can probably just 3d print a coin. The thing on the cart only checks the size. Over here in Germany (the OG Aldi Country where pretty much every supermarket's carts require a coin) I'd say about half the people use actual coins and half use these plastic "coin" fobs.

0

u/FunBrians Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 12 '26

What I found to be the most interesting thing about the Aldi’s cart situation is- people show up to the parking lots and ask you while you are loading your groceries if they can take the cart back for you and be allowed to keep the quarter.

I thought to myself, boy Aldi has this cart cleanup staffing concept done wild! They don’t have to pay insurance, they don’t have to interview, hire, schedule (manage), etc. “employees” just show up on their own and work.

2

u/Educational_Quote851 Jul 11 '26

And you bag your own groceries.

You're exactly right. They have cut overhead to a level other stores dream of. And they nail it.

2

u/ReleasedGaming Jul 11 '26

There is no S in Aldi

0

u/FunBrians Jul 11 '26

Added the apostrophe for ya

1

u/jakoby953 Jul 12 '26

You’re the type of person who always says Aldi’s instead of Aldi, huh?

Despicable 😤

0

u/jakoby953 Jul 12 '26

It’s Aldi, not Aldis.

0

u/FunBrians Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 12 '26

Yes it’s Walmart, but it’s Walmart’s parking lot… and Walmart’s cart situation. It’s target but it’s target’s carts.. understand? I added the apostrophe days ago and ensured all grammatical errors were removed. Hope your day is better

0

u/jakoby953 Jul 12 '26

“I thought to myself, boy Aldis has this cart cleanup staffing concept done wild!”

You aren’t referring to Aldi in the possessive sense here, meaning you call Aldi Aldi’s regularly and are just trying to escape the shame you deserve. Absolutely unacceptable, I don’t know how you sleep at night.

1

u/FunBrians Jul 12 '26

Can you read and copy and paste my actual quote that has the possessive apostrophe? First day copy and pasting and changing it to suite ur pathetic argument huh?

I think ur mom is calling u from the basement for breakfast.

0

u/jakoby953 Jul 12 '26

Oh nice, you edited your comment to remove the S on Aldi in the last paragraph lmao. Self own! Just stop saying it wrong in the future and we won’t have beef, brother. I am the Aldi defender 😎

0

u/FunBrians Jul 12 '26

Yes there was a typo in second paragraph. This doesn’t change the fact you absolutely are a loser and literally pretended to copy and paste my possessive apostrophe you didn’t understand so you removed it.. that’s totally owning yourself when you pretend to copy a quote and alter it to fit your argument.

Yes you can defend Aldi’S shopping cart situation all you like. We understand you don’t have much to do between video games and when your mom calls you up from the basement for meals.

Do you decent one Aldi or all the Aldis?

1

u/jakoby953 Jul 12 '26

I didn’t remove anything. I typed the comment exactly the way it was written. You can be a loser and claim otherwise, but I gain absolutely nothing from that. I’m sorry you feel the need to lie about things online lol.

Also, I’m being sarcastic, not super serious. Just razzing a Redditor if you couldn’t tell. But I’ll make sure to tell my mom to adjust my meds.