Aldi is a great place to shop if you're looking for low prices on high-quality items. From produce, to snacks, and even home goods, Aldi has a great selection of products to choose from and is a favorite for many.
If you've ever been to an Aldi store, then you know that it "costs" a quarter to get a cart (which you will more than likely need as you keep grabbing great finds in every aisle). Aldi charges this 25-cent deposit to release its carts from the corral because it helps them keep their prices lower since they don't have to hire an employee to wrangle loose carts from the parking lot. The quarter is returned to the shopper after they take the cart back and lock it up again with all the others.
Now we all also know that there's nothing more annoying than going up to the carts, ready to shop, and realizing you forgot your Aldi quarter either all the way back in the car — or worse, at home (who has loose change these days?). This is when it gets interesting...According to one viral hack, if you don't have a quarter, you can use the back of a house key to unlock the cart.
Customers say that if you take your key off your key ring and stick the back of it into the lock, just like you would a quarter, the cart will release, and you can shop freely. However, Aldi has warned against customers trying out this trick.
Why You Should Skip the Aldi Key Hack
In theory, the key trick would work to release a cart, but problems can arise once you've finished shopping.
During checkout, Aldi switches out your carts. You unload the cart you brought in, then the cashier loads your purchased groceries into a new cart that was already at the checkout counter. Quick and easy.
Sure, you can ask the Aldi employee if you can use the cart that you shopped with to load the groceries back up — that is if you remember. It's pretty low stakes for the customer behind you to get the same 25 cents back that they deposited at the beginning of their shopping trip. But it's a whole different story if they end up with your house key.
Not to mention, if someone in the parking lot asks to trade you their quarter for your cart after you've finished loading the groceries into your car, you have to remember that it won't be a fair trade. You'll have to return the cart yourself and lock it back up to retrieve your key safe and sound.
This dilemma may not seem like a big problem so far to you if you think you'll remember to get your hardware back. However, there is another thing that should stop you from trying out this trick: your key may get stuck.
After this trick went viral on social media, it prompted Aldi to clarify that the deposit slips in their carts are only meant to fit coins and all other objects may get stuck in the slot or become damaged.
What To Do If You Don't Have a Quarter at Aldi
If you find yourself without a quarter at Aldi, that's ok! You can still shop at the fan-favorite German store without having to try and balance all the goods in your arms.
Start by checking the cart corral. Sometimes people will generously leave, or forget, their quarters in the carts for the next shoppers to use free of charge.
If there aren't any loose carts there, you can go inside the store and kindly ask the cashier to borrow a quarter. Usually, they will give you a coin to use and then you return it to the cashier after you're finished using the cart.
To prevent this from being an issue in the first place, there are even special accessories out there for storing your quarter on a keychain for convenience, sold online, and also at Aldi!
This way you're still following the system Aldi has set in place, and you won't be at risk of losing your house key (and paying to replace it). And of course, we don't want to end up seeing the cost of cart repairs from broken locks or new parking lot attendants reflected in the low prices we look forward to as we push our 25-cent cart down the aisles to find our favorite ingredients for dinner.
