Why This Viral Aldi Shopping Cart Hack Is A Total Bust

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More stores are implementing controversial shopping cart policies to save money on paying someone to collect and return wayward wheeled contraptions. Aldi locks its shopping carts, and you need a quarter to unlock one, receiving the coin back when returning the cart to its proper location. This system effectively allows customers to "rent" the cart for the duration of the shopping trip, as they don't lose any money. The only flaw in this quarter-for-cart system is attributable to human error: People sometimes forget to bring a quarter with them.

It's certainly annoying to try to shop without being able to access a cart, and this desperation has left people to hack the system using their house keys. The backs of several house keys roughly align with the dimensions of a quarter, allowing some shoppers to use a key in place of the coin. This idea is clever in a pinch, but it comes with some serious drawbacks. For instance, you often have your cart swapped out with a different one at checkout as the Aldi cashiers quickly scan your groceries. You'd have to verbally request to get your initial cart back, which disrupts the flow of operations. There's also the possibility of your key getting stuck and damaging both itself and the coin slot.

After you've exhausted the options of digging around your car's seats and dashboard tray for spare change, the easiest and most economically efficient way to unlock the Aldi shopping carts is to ask an employee if you can borrow a quarter. This isn't a guarantee, but some cashiers help you out if it means you're able to get what you need and spend money at the store — just remember to give the quarter back when you're finished shopping.

For repeat offenders in the forgetting-to-bring-quarters department, it might be worth ordering a Maria Child Aldi quarter keychain holder. Coin pouches come in all sorts of colors, and they can add a little personality to your key ring; never be unprepared for vending machines, arcade games, or Aldi shopping carts again. Another workaround for the shopping cart dilemma at Aldi, or any other grocery chain, is to invest in a personal grocery carrier. Bring reusable totes or collapsible wagons, such as the Amazon Basics foldable shopping utility cart. Anything that's unobtrusive with a clear opening should be okay with most stores. You want to bring your own bags to Aldi anyway, so this isn't a huge stretch.