If you’ve ever stepped foot inside an Aldi, you know it’s not your average grocery store. It’s part treasure hunt, part speed race — and all about saving money. From its cart rental system (bring a quarter!) to its minimal staffing, Aldi strips away the fluff to give shoppers low prices. But now, one of its more modern conveniences — the self-checkout lane — is quietly disappearing from stores across the U.S.
So, what gives?
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Change
In recent weeks, Aldi shoppers across the country have been reporting a surprising change: self-checkout lanes are vanishing. While some stores still have them, others have removed the machines altogether, leaving only traditional cashier lanes.
Naturally, people took to Reddit to ask the same question: Why?
One user wrote, “It’s been about two weeks since I went to my local Aldi. Since then, the self-checkouts have all been removed. It’s back to waiting 10–15 minutes since there’s always only one lane open.”
This sparked a wave of discussion — and employees chimed in with a likely reason.
Theft
According to several Aldi employees on Reddit, the main reason for removing self-checkout lanes is simple: theft.
One user claiming to be a store manager said, “Too much theft!! The amount of loss the divisions take is too high. So no more self-checkout!”
Another Reddit thread focused on a Chicago-area store revealed that “some days they lost up to $7,000 in inventory.” That’s a big chunk of change for a discount grocery store — and not something Aldi is likely to overlook.
Self-checkout might be convenient for shoppers, but it opens the door to more “loss,” both intentional and accidental. Whether it’s people not scanning every item or mistakenly entering the wrong barcode, shrinkage (aka inventory loss) adds up quickly.
Speed
Some shoppers are actually happy to see self-checkouts go. Why? Aldi’s cashiers are lightning fast.
Aldi products feature oversized barcodes so staff can scan them with record-breaking speed. The checkout experience is designed to be as efficient as possible. You unload your items, they get scanned at warp speed, and you bag them yourself at a separate counter.
One shopper commented, “Those cashiers are so fast, I wouldn’t want to self-scan.”
Another added, “The cashiers are faster than I am. They should just stay at all stations as loss prevention.”
So while self-checkout offers control and convenience, Aldi’s traditional checkout may actually save time for most shoppers — especially when you factor in the learning curve and bagging time with self-checkout.
Frustration
Of course, not everyone is thrilled about the change.
Many shoppers prefer self-checkout precisely because it lets them go at their own pace. For some, having a cashier race through their groceries while they frantically bag them is more stress than it’s worth.
One Redditor said, “I always felt so rushed and stressed with the employee and having to bag everything in that bagging area was so annoying. Now I can take my time and bag things while I check out.”
Others mentioned that their local Aldi never had self-checkout, so the removal wasn’t even an option in the first place.
Clearly, opinions are split.
Future
It’s unclear if Aldi plans to remove self-checkouts from all stores or if it will vary by region. Some stores never had them. Others are still using them, at least for now. And a few might be testing updated systems with tighter loss prevention protocols.
Aldi hasn’t released any official statement about a company-wide rollback, but if the theft numbers are as bad as some employees claim, the decision may be a practical one.
For now, if you’re someone who loves self-checkout, it’s worth keeping an eye on your local store. Your next trip might look a little different — and a little more old-school.
FAQs
Why is Aldi removing self-checkout?
Due to high theft and inventory losses at many locations.
Is this change nationwide?
Not yet. Some stores still have self-checkout lanes.
How much inventory was lost?
Some stores reportedly lost up to $7,000 in a day.
Are Aldi cashiers faster than self-checkout?
Yes, they scan items quickly using large barcodes.
Can I still bag my own groceries?
Yes, Aldi still uses a separate bagging station.
