As one of the fastest-growing grocery chains in the US, Aldi has huge fans stateside, thanks to its no-frills shopping experience and ultra-low prices. But does its “just the basics” approach to groceries also apply to the employees?
Is Aldi a good place to work? What do most employees, past, and present, think about the company culture in Aldi stores? Here’s what you need to know!
Is Aldi A Good Place To Work In 2025?
On the whole, employees past and current find working for Aldi to be a generally positive experience as of 2025. While citing plenty of hard work during shifts and occasional management grievances, employees appreciate the good pay, which is well above minimum wage, and the excellent benefits, including healthcare, 401K, and holiday pay.
Let’s go more in-depth about what it’s like working for Aldi, how much you can expect to make (and just how generous those benefits are), plus much more!
Is Aldi Hard To Work For?
While the work itself can be physically demanding in Aldi stores, there are few requirements in terms of education or experience.
On this job description page, both a high school diploma and prior work experience in retail are preferred – but not required.
Physically, the job description says you must be able to regularly “sit, stand, bend, reach, push, pull, lift, carry, and walk about the store.”
That said, this is something of an understatement once you look at statements from past and current employees.
“I average 20,000 steps on even the shorter shifts, let alone the constant heavy lifting,” this Reddit commenter said.
Also, you shouldn’t be fooled by a job title like “Cashier” – at Aldi, there are usually only three to four people working at any given time.
So, instead of one person working the register their entire shift, everyone is cross-trained to do every job. That way, people can jump in where needed.
Still, another commenter and employee remarked that how smoothly your store and shifts run depends largely on management.
If the management is chaotic, the store will be, too.
Also, a lot of what you do, including unloading pallets and working the registers, is timed.
Therefore, you have to accustom yourself to learning how to do things with the utmost speed. While the management is understanding at first, they expect you to catch on quickly.
Moreover, another thing I found in my research is that in some stores, the work/life balance isn’t what it ought to be.
If there is one unifying message, it’s that from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave, there is very little downtime, and you are expected to keep moving.
So, if that isn’t a job description that you are familiar with or comfortable with, working at Aldi would be very difficult.
However, if you like more labor-intensive jobs where you are moving the entire time, working in Aldi could be worth a try.
What Are Shifts Like At Aldi?
Shifts at Aldi can be summed up in one word: Busy!
Per employees past and present, shifts can start as early as 6 AM, despite the stores not opening until 9 AM in most cases.
So what is going on during those three hours? Lots of pallet unpacking and stocking. If you’re not working up a sweat, you might be doing it wrong (i.e., too slow).
By the time you sit down to work the registers, you might think this will be a nice break.
But even sitting, you’re going to be hustling, with every swipe across the scanner timed. That said, your scanning metrics are a major part of your job performance.
Basically, when you walk into work at Aldi, you have to be prepared to move, whether you’re walking or sitting and scanning.
Time is of the essence, and it’s part of what makes Aldi so affordable for its customers.
Do Aldi Cashiers Sit?
Yes, Aldi cashiers do sit, but you shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that makes their job easy.
For one, Aldi has its cashiers sit because the company found it allows them to scan faster.
For another, while you might have signed on under the job title “cashier,” you will learn all the positions in the store, and you’ll be expected to fill them as needed.
How Much Does Aldi Pay?
In a world where offices are still hiring administrative assistants at $9 an hour, Aldi is a standout employer where pay is concerned.
For example, store employees can start making $15, Aldi’s new minimum wage as of August 2021. Moreover, warehouse employees can expect to start at $19 an hour!
Also, if you work hard and show much growth, you could work up to management, including a shift manager position or even a store manager.
Moreover, if you want to stick with Aldi, you could aim for a District Manager position – which comes with a company car (Audi or BMW!), company-paid phone, and three weeks’ vacation.
Do Aldi Employees Get Staff Discounts?
Aldi employees do not get staff discounts on store merchandise, as you might expect.
However, the company pays well right off the bat, and employees rave about the benefits, especially medical.
Additionally, Aldi provides paid holidays, generous vacation time, and employer matching 401(k) plans.
Does Aldi Give Breaks?
Aldi employees get paid and unpaid breaks, depending on how long their shifts are.
For example, shifts of four hours can expect one paid 15-minute break; shifts of six to seven hours, one paid 20-minute; and shifts of more than seven hours, a paid 30-minute break.
Also, there are unpaid breaks of 15 minutes, and you are entitled to one of these for any shift under seven hours.
And for shifts of seven hours or more, you can take two of these unpaid breaks.
However, employees mention that hardly anyone takes their unpaid breaks due to disruptions to workflow.
Is Aldi A Good First Job?
Aldi would be a good first job for someone who isn’t afraid of hard work.
As you can see, Aldi is a pretty intense place to work, and while the pay and benefits are good, employees really earn it.
Therefore, if you are someone who learns quickly and can keep up with a physically demanding position, then Aldi would be an excellent first job (and a great place to start a career).
To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Aldi drug test, Aldi dress code, and why do Aldi cashiers sit.
Conclusion
Working at Aldi is no sinecure, but a decent majority of people who have been employed there think it is a good place to work.
While employees past and present have their grievances, they almost always temper them with a statement like “But the pay is great,” or “The benefits are excellent.”