We Visited an Aldi Grand Opening. Here’s What We Saw.

The newest Aldi in our area. (Credit: Rachael Johnston)

Rachael also contributed to this post.

As one of the fastest-growing grocers in the United States, Aldi is always opening new stores. For that reason, the supermarket treats each opening as a big affair, with ribbon-cuttings and ceremony. Aldi’s biggest fans tend to show up, too, thanks to the freebies the grocer often gives away that day.

Back in 2019, we heard about a new store opening in our area. Unfortunately, for several reasons we weren’t able to go to that grand opening. When another store opened nearby in 2024, we decided to make the pilgrimage.

Here’s what we learned.

Aldi Makes a Big Deal Out of Openings

We already knew Aldi made much of its new stores, but it was still something to see everything that Aldi was doing leading up to the main event. Consider this teaser taken from Aldi’s landing page on the store’s opening:

Credit: Aldi

A sneak peak day. A ribbon-cutting ceremony. A sweepstakes for a $500 gift card. “Golden tickets” worth up to $100 and free goodie bags, both for the first 100 customers. And free shopping totes for a limited number of customers. Some of these were similar to the 2019 grand opening, some were not.

Aldi Ran a Soft Opening

The new store during the sneak preview day. (Credit: Rachael Johnston)

Our grand opening was scheduled on Leap Day — February 29, 2024. On that day, the ribbon cutting took place, and all the giveaways happened. But that wasn’t the first day the store was available for shopping: we were able to visit the store on February 28 as part of a preview day. The store’s preview day marked the first day the store was open to the public, and it was presumably a chance for the workers to iron the bugs out before the formal grand opening.

We Saw A Lot of Promise … And a Couple of Hiccups

The checkout lanes on preview day. (Credit: Rachael Johnston)

Our first impression of the store was one of smell — a new smell. The store had the scent of a new car. As you would expect, it was clean and shiny, with all the features you’d expect from a leading-edge Aldi store. The supermarket boasted a large produce section, wide aisles, and a spacious checkout space that included several self-checkout stations. Near the checkout we also spotted lockers that might have been refrigerated.

Lockers in a corner on preview day.(Credit: Rachael Johnston)

We did see a few things that we would chalk up to the store being new. During checkout on preview day, for example, the cashier struggled with the new receipt printer. We didn’t see quite as many Aldi Finds in the frozen section as in other stores. And it seemed to us the staff was still getting a handle on the new store. On the whole, though, things looked ready to go.

The Grand Opening Lived Up to the Hype

On the day of the big event, we arrived at 7:55 a.m. — 50 minutes before the ribbon cutting and 65 minutes before store opening. We were probably somewhere between customers 110 and 120, a little outside getting what the first 100 customers received. Other people standing in line reported that the first people in line had arrived around 5 a.m., many of them choosing to camp out in lawn chairs.

Some people in line near us compared the crowd to what you’d see on Black Friday at other retailers. By the time the ribbon cutting drew near, it seemed like there were as many customers behind us as there were in front of us. Some people who were left out of the major giveaways had things to say, including to Aldi VIPs on hand, but most people were upbeat and excited to be there. We enjoyed chatting with other people in line, and there was a sense of Aldi fandom camaraderie.

The early birds. (Credit: Rachael Johnston)

The inside of the store was as busy as we’ve seen an Aldi outside of early 2020, with people all over the store. Aldi staff members were everywhere — both inside and outside — far more than we would see on any normal day. Those staff members helped point shoppers where to go, including how to get freebies. We found all of the Aldi workers to be professional and positive.

Crowds around the checkout. (Credit: Rachael Johnston)

We did manage to get a little swag for our trouble. While the best stuff went to the first 100 customers, at least 100 more after that came away with both a free bag and a keychain holder. Aldi handed those out as people left the store.

Our consolation swag. (Credit: Rachael Johnston)

Closing Thoughts:

We found our first Aldi Grand Opening to be as festive and interesting as we would have hoped it to be. The preview day before the opening was a great time to get eyes on the store in a less hectic environment. The big day, meanwhile, brimmed with energy, from the excited Aldi fans lined up along the sidewalk to the many workers there to celebrate the day. We didn’t get the best freebies that day, but we did get a couple of nice mementos. Just as importantly, we got to see the launching of a new Aldi store.

If you’re an Aldi fan with a nearby grand opening and your schedule allows, it’s quite the experience to see.