Aldi's cart system generally results in all carts being returned. It is free to use, but requires a quarter as insurance against the cart being left in the parking lot. If you have an emergency you can leave it, but it will cost you a quarter & someone else will have a small incentive to use your cart & return it. In practice, people also tend to be fairly generous & leave their carts in the stall with quarters still in them for the next person.
The goal is for society to be structured in such a way that good things are accomplished whether people are good or not.
Replies (6)
Their system is a great example of how the free market can regulate itself without the threat of violence. Unfortunately Aldi is the worst place to shop imo 😂
I love Aldi. Best steak both in quality & price. Takes no time to get in & out. I rarely shop anywhere at peak times though.
we have some inconsiderate people in the states 😅
Worth pointing out that this model solves more than just cart return issues. It also dramatically reduces the chances of you getting a bad cart. The flat spots & damaged wheels generally come from many carts being pushed back to the store in a long train that has to be steered by dragging carts sideways to bend the train.
Good fucking point I never thought of that. I’ve seen them literally turn the entire line of carts at once and hear the wheels and metals grind
Fix the incentives, fix the world.
