We visited Aldi stores in the US and the UK for the first time and were surprised by how the grocery chain is both efficient and disorganized. Take a look.

Talia Lakritz,Maria NoyenMar 6, 2023, 23:06 IST

Shoppers are seen outside of an Aldi grocery store in Coal Township, Pennsylvania, on August 12, 2022.Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

We went grocery shopping at Aldi locations in New York City and London.
At the store we visited in New York, we had to insert a quarter to unlock a grocery cart.

We visited Aldi grocery stores in the US and the UK to see how they compare.

Insider reporters visited Aldi stores in the UK (L) and in the US (R).Maria Noyen/Insider, Talia Lakritz/Insider

In New York City, the Aldi store we visited was located in a shopping center in the Bronx.

Insider's Talia Lakritz visited this Aldi in New York City.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Meanwhile, the store we visited in the UK was near a residential neighborhood in west London.

Insider's Maria Noyen visited this Aldi in Maida Vale, London.Maria Noyen/Insider

At the store we visited in the US, Aldi shopping carts required a quarter to unlock.

An Aldi shopping cart in New York City.Talia Lakritz/Insider

At the Aldi we visited in the UK, there weren't any grocery carts available.

The grocery baskets had wheels at Aldi in the UK.Maria Noyen/Insider

Upon entering the US store, the shelves at the entrance stocked snacks like crackers and cookies.

The entrance to Aldi in New York City.Talia Lakritz/Insider

The branding on some of Aldi's generic items at the US location appeared to intentionally mimic that of name brands.

Some items at Aldi in New York City featured packaging similar to name brands.Talia Lakritz/Insider

In the UK, we were greeted by a large display of flower bouquets.

Bouquets of flowers at Aldi in the UK.Maria Noyen/Insider

After the flowers, the first type of food on the shelves by the entrance was a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables chosen for the store's "Super Six" discount.

Fresh fruit on display at Aldi in the UK.Maria Noyen/Insider

Unlike other US grocery stores that unbox items to display them on shelves, Aldi stocks them in their original cardboard packaging.

Produce at Aldi in New York City.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Likewise, many food items at the Aldi in the UK were left in their original cardboard boxes.

Items at Aldi in the UK were also left in boxes.Maria Noyen/Insider

In New York City, Aldi's aisle of housewares at the store we visited appeared messy and disorganized.

Housewares at Aldi in New York City.Talia Lakritz/Insider

There were some items in the New York store that appeared out of place, such as a box of rugs in the freezer section.

An aisle at Aldi in New York City.Talia Lakritz/Insider

There was also a level of disorganization at the Aldi in the UK, such as these randomly placed plant pots by the checkout area.

Some items appeared to be placed randomly throughout the Aldi in the UK.Maria Noyen/Insider

Elsewhere in the UK store, we spotted a bunch of leaky egg cartons on the shelves.

Broken eggs at the Aldi in the UK.Maria Noyen/Insider

The US Aldi stocked some locally sourced items, like SnapDragon apples that had been grown in New York.

Locally grown apples at Aldi in New York City.Talia Lakritz/Insider

In the UK, many items, like cheddar cheese, were branded with the Union Jack and advertised as locally sourced.

Cheddar cheese at the Aldi in the UK.Maria Noyen/Insider

In the US, Aldi featured unique products that we've never seen before, such as pineberries.

Berries at Aldi in New York City.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Although no Aldi store has a hot-food section, the UK grocery store did have a bakery that sold fancy pastries like Portuguese custard tarts.

The baked goods section at Aldi in the UK.Maria Noyen/Insider

The checkout line at Aldi in the US stretched all the way down the paper-goods aisle.

The checkout line at Aldi in New York City.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Similarly, the checkout line in the UK was much busier than expected for a workday.

The line to check out at Aldi in the UK.Maria Noyen/Insider

While our shopping experiences in both countries shared some similarities, grocery prices were much lower in the UK.

Eggs for sale at Aldi in the UK and in the US.Maria Noyen/Insider, Talia Lakritz/Insider

In the end, we both left our respective Aldis with mixed feelings about the grocery-store chain, but we wouldn't rule out coming back again.

Aldi UK was much cheaper overall.Maria Noyen/Insider

I ate at Chipotle for the first time in my life. Although I don't fully understand the hype, I would cross oceans for the chips and guacamole.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website