11 Strict Rules Aldi Employees Have To Follow

Every job comes with its own proprietary set of rules. Typically, after you sign on the dotted line, there is some form of training or onboarding, as well as a handbook, or at least some established guidelines, to follow. Aldi is no exception; it has both employee-specific, and general store rules. These speak to a culture of corporate sustainability, and is part of how Aldi has such low prices, and superb customer service.

While the rigid rules might at times seem arbitrary, there is a method behind them that supports a bigger picture, and Aldi's plans for the future. The company's workplace requirements contribute to its ability to master efficiency. The more efficient, faster, and effective the staff, the more seamless the experience is for shoppers. The popular discount grocery chain thus has strict practices laid out for employees, with the stipulation that they are expected to follow them with no deviations. 

When hiring, Aldi makes its expectations clear from the start. However, some of those guidelines are so unusual that there are entire Reddit threads dedicated to dissecting them, and swapping stories. There, employees pull back the curtain, revealing the processes they are required to follow, and what that looks like behind the scenes. Widely accepted or not, rules are rules, and Aldi does not apologize for having them in place for the benefit of the store, employees, and customers. They are deeply woven into Aldi culture, and part of every facet of the store dynamic.

If you are greeted by a seated cashier when you get to the checkout line, don't be alarmed. The cashier isn't being lazy; this is simply the Aldi way. Aldi employees are actually instructed to sit instead of stand while they work the register for a few reasons. For one, after conducting some tests, the company found that allowing its employees to take a load off while they empty customer carts, and scan the items, conserves more energy for other tasks that are necessary during their shift.

Aldi employees are known for being scanning virtuosos, operating with equal parts skill, and remarkable speed. Sitting in a chair has been proven to increase that speed, and make the entire checkout process run more smoothly, and efficiently. Efficiency is Aldi's thing, and as a bonus, the ability to sit while working makes the employees happier. There is not an abundance of retail jobs inviting you to sit on the job, and that makes working at Aldi desirable.

Not having to be on your feet while working is much easier on your body, especially when the seat in question is one of Aldi's ergonomic chairs. While a retail job inherently comes with a lot of physical labor, Aldi keeps the needs of its employees top of mind, which positively impacts the quality of their work. A comfortable cashier is a happier cashier, and happiness is contagious. Aldi might be onto something.

When Aldi employees discuss their jobs online, one polarizing topic inevitably comes up: scanning times. Cashiers are timed while they scan, and have specific goals they are required to meet. When you see your Aldi cashier scanning items at lightning speed, it's by design. They are trained to move things from cart to scanner at a rapid pace, with ease, like they were born to do it. 

Employees compare speeds with a bit of showboating, like gym buddies going back and forth about how much they bench. The metrics they are held to are precise, and an integral part of their job performance.  Managers look at numbers such as the quantity of items scanned per minute, the average time it takes for a customer to pay, and the time between customers. To set their employees up for success, they make sure the chairs at the registers are at the same level as the shopping cart, which helps them move every item through the checkout rapidly.

With the passion of gamers sharing cheat codes back in the day, Aldi employees swap tips and tricks for increasing their scanning times in Reddit threads. Cashiers who slay the scanning game are often the ones selected to shop for delivery orders, as they're preferred over those struggling to hit their metrics. Customers appreciate the speedy service because they get in and out of the store in a flash, while also enjoying the best deals at Aldi.

If your memorization skills are top notch, you might want to consider joining the team at your local Aldi. Sticking to the theme of speed, and efficiency, Aldi employees seemingly have their own brand of sorcery that helps them sail through checkout while making it look effortless. What's their trick? They actively memorize portions of the barcodes. That's it; that's the secret sauce. The more they see the codes, the more ingrained they become in their brain. 

Management suggests employees work to commit a significant number of barcodes to memory. The more codes stick, the quicker the cashier can enter them into the register, and the more seamless the checkout experience becomes. Once they develop a solid mental rolodex of codes, their scanning can be almost robotic, or second nature. It wouldn't be shocking if they could recall specific Aldi items quicker than any of their own passwords. 

Aldi's supersized barcodes don't hurt, either. Giant numbers right there in your face make for an effective way to imprint them into your subconscious. Think about the deluge of seconds wasted by other grocers while their cashiers squint, and manipulate the package to make out the numbers. Aldi would never. There's nothing arbitrary about the speed expectations. They are all part of Aldi's grand efficiency plan, and there's quantifiable proof that it's working. The discount grocery chain credits its hardline performance metrics for trimming 40% off its checkout times compared to other major grocery store chains.

Across corporate organizations everywhere, "teamwork" is an overused buzzword. But when Aldi says it, it means it. At all of its stores, there's an all-hands-on-deck dynamic. Regardless of your title, if you work at Aldi, there's a pretty good chance that you'll be expected to pitch in for responsibilities not explicitly listed in your job description. The culture at Aldi is one where everyone does everything. When necessary, employees are expected to be able to float between different roles in the store with ease, even alternating between checking out customers, and stocking shelves.

Aldi's in-store staffing is just as lean as its prices. It's not uncommon to have a store with only four employees working a shift. Regardless of the specific headcount, when you compare what the floor looks like at Aldi versus at other grocery stores, you'll see a noticeable difference. So, the idea of teamwork seems particularly crucial in an Aldi. Collaboration is the key, and the more agile, and adaptable employees are, the more they embody the true Aldi style. 

Some of the roles are more physically demanding. If you don't already feel like you are in great shape, working at Aldi could change that. When employees are not seated at the register, the motion and momentum are constant. There is a lot of running, lifting, and building, making a shift at Aldi feel like a CrossFit class. Employees who thrive while multitasking, this is your time to shine.

Aldi has a dress code from head-to-toe. If you're going to be an employee, you'd better clear some space in your closet — for the required clothing, sure, but also for some new footwear. More specifically, steel-toed boots are what you'll be wearing to work. You'll don those boots the same way people rocked Doc Martens in the '90s, with the grunge energy that made them feel invincible. But it's not just a vibe; it's for safety. Steel-toed boots are part of the required employee uniform at Aldi, and there are no exceptions, so you may as well lean into it. 

Aldi isn't trying to be extra by insisting on steel-toed boots. The shoes add an additional layer of safety to the non-slip footwear required by other retailers. Aldi employees often put in hours of physical labor, lifting boxes, and even working with heavy machinery at times. The more physical the work, the higher the stakes around accidents that might involve something falling on your feet. Nobody wants banged-up toes from unintentionally dropping a box, so the company is serious about taking safety precautions beyond the norm, hence the steel-toed boots. Better safe than sorry.

The good news is that Aldi employees do not gate keep, and they regularly share the affordable spots from where they buy the required boots. The even better news is that your new steel-toed boots can be expensed, so they're essentially paid for by Aldi.

Aldi customers can return absolutely anything. Hard stop. The store policy makes it clear that employees have to accept every return, no matter what. The low prices of everyday essentials, and beloved novelties like the famous Aldi aisle of shame, might get customers in the door. However, it's Aldi's ultra customer-forward approaches, like its return policy, that keep them coming back.

Did you take a bite of a muffin, and decide it tasted off, or you just weren't feeling it? They'll take it back. Did you actually eat the whole muffin before deciding it wasn't up to par? No problem, they'll accept the empty container. Literally any purchase can be brought back for a refund without an issue. Even if you threw away the receipt, you can still get the full refund in the form of a merchandise credit.

If you do have the receipt handy, it's your extra lucky day because you can tap into Aldi's Twice as Nice Guarantee. In addition to the refund, the guarantee gets gives you a replacement item for free. Aldi employees are trained to process returns without making it painful for the customer, so there's no arguing, or needing to speak with a manager. If a customer is not satisfied for any reason, and wants to return an item, they are not challenged by staff. That is elite customer service right there.

You already know that Aldi has the need for speed. But while lightning-fast checkout times are impressive, they are not the only performance numbers held under a microscope at Aldi stores. There are specific, and just as rigid, metrics that store stockers are required to meet during their shifts.

Employees frequently trade stories about their stocking performance, and how they stack up against one another, with many commiserating about the ultra-fast-paced working environment. Along with the usual Reddit fodder, some have shared the actual expectations for performance metrics. They are elaborate, and precise, and they shed some light on just how much importance the company places on operational efficiency.

It's not just cashiers who are working while a clock ticks away, counting each and every second. All positions at Aldi have a timing element tied to their performance, including stockers. While Aldi cashiers work seated toward perfecting their scanning speed, stockers have their own set of duties that involve much more movement, and laborious physical labor. On average, managers expect them to stock a pallet in 30 to 35 minutes, so if you are picked to stock the shelves at Aldi, you'd better come prepared with stamina, and hustle. The bottom line is, Aldi does not mess around when it comes to time management, and it doesn't expect its staff to, either. Time is money, especially to Aldi.

One of the more tangible differences between walking into an Aldi versus a conventional grocery store is that the former charges to use a shopping cart. There's no way around it. If you want a cart, you need a quarter — but you'll get it back when you return your cart. 

This little quirk plays into Aldi's penchant for keeping costs super low. When Aldi saves money, its customers save, too. The quarters Aldi charges enable it to conserve costs on overhead, since they don't have to pay the staff to constantly collect abandoned carts. And let's be real, way too many shoppers leave their carts for others to put back. 

So, what happens if you find yourself quarter-less? Aldi policy states that an employee must provide one if a customer doesn't have it. This rule has been known to create a whole domino effect of kindness among customers, and while the whole exchange is meant to be a motivator for shoppers to properly return carts, it doesn't always succeed. There's a special etiquette that Aldi shoppers subscribe to regarding what happens when someone does, in fact, abandon a cart with the quarter not returned. If you are not blessed enough to get a visit from the quarter fairy (a customer who purposely leaves it there to pay it forward), don't hesitate to ask an employee. It's totally allowed. Aldi may pinch pennies, but it pitches in quarters.

Aldi regulars understand the assignment, and know to move through the checkout process as swiftly as possible. Add to that the superpowers of the cashiers expertly scanning items at record speed, and you've basically got a choreographed dance in the aisle, with everyone playing their part. 

In an effort to maintain its famous speed, Aldi trains its employees on how to encourage shoppers to pay by card early by inserting it into the card reader for payment prior to completing the checkout. They must master the gentle balance between maintaining the snappy pace, and making customers feel rushed. It's a small detail, but by tapping, swiping, or inserting their credit cards early, instead of waiting for everything to be scanned first, shoppers help to ensure an accelerated transaction process for everyone. If the customers can match the energy of the cashiers, they can easily shave time off the clock — and that's just one of the low-effort timesaving tactics put into place at Aldi, allowing the cashiers to work their magic. 

By the way, respectfully, Aldi cashiers don't want your small talk slowing things down, and please refrain from bagging while items are still being scanned. Learn the system, and you'll get an education on working smarter, not harder.

Bagging groceries prematurely, and trying to chat up the cashier while they are deep in scanning mode are just a couple of the many unspoken faux pas at Aldi. There is a running list out there of the quickest ways to frustrate an Aldi cashier, and it's worth reading if you want to be a regular. A customer might think they are doing something polite or helpful, when really, they're making the cashier's job more challenging. One of the biggest things Aldi employees complain about is when a customer starts to unload their groceries while the cashier is still scanning someone else's groceries. 

Aldi is a beacon of swiftness, and efficiency. It hold its employees to high standards, and expects them to constantly boost their job performance. It's why the stores have very few employees on the floor, and instead rely heavily on those employees' ability to multitask. These are measures the company takes for the greater good, to maintain a smooth process at every touchpoint.

As Aldi is committed to streamlining anything it can, its cashiers have the green light to politely ask a customer to stop unloading their cart before the appropriate time. If you think it's beneficial to the cashiers to get things going by emptying your cart, it's not. If anything, you are muddying the very smooth waters, and tampering with the Aldi machine. Just chill, take a moment, and avoid messing with the process.

Are the employees at Aldi also official loss management security guards? No, they are not. But as the prevalence of self-checkout at the grocery store unfortunately opens the door to dishonest shoppers trying to sneak a little something extra into their bags, Aldi upholds the following policy: Its employees are allowed, and even encouraged, to ask to check customers' bags.

As yet another cost-cutting tactic, Aldi customers are encouraged to bring their own shopping bags. Given the resulting flurry of random bags coming in and out, it's only natural to want to make sure that nothing escapes without being paid for. Think about the mayhem that could ensue if bags were never checked, and if employees instead assumed everyone was properly participating in the honor system that is self-checkout. 

Theft happens in retail, and bag checks are often a necessary part of the shopping experience. The unfortunate truth is that people have become a little more brazen when stealing from stores, especially when it feels easy to go unnoticed. Aldi is on board with employees requesting to look into bags as customers leave, and it's part of their official policy. As a matter of fact, a condition of your entry is consenting to having your bag checked. If you are not into thievery, this is nothing to gripe about.