Discount Grocery Stores in Memphis

When money is tight (and even when its not), groceries can take a big bite out of the family budget. And while clipping coupons and tracking sales can be a great way to save money, you are missing out on serious savings if you aren't doing the majority of your grocery shopping at a discount grocery store.

Discount grocery stores -- also known as limited selection grocery stores -- are not the same as salvage or bent and dent stores. They do not sell damaged or nearly-expired products. Instead, they sell a limited selection of store-brand food. Though limited, the selection is wide enough that most people can get their basic groceries at these stores with an occassional stop elsewhere for specialty items.

There are two popular discount grocery stores in the Memphis area: Aldi and Save-A-Lot. Below is an overview of each of them:

Aldi (a.k.a. Aldi's)
• Aldi has nine locations in the Memphis area.
• Shopping carts require a 25 cent deposit that is refunded upon return.
• Aldi only accepts cash and debit cards -- no checks or credit cards.
• There are no baggers -- customers bag their own groceries.
• Shopping bags must be purchased for 10 cents each, or $1.99 for large canvas totes.
• Store hours are limited and vary by location with 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. being typical.
• Produce is fresh, but much of it is prepackaged.
• Meat is also fresh, but prepackaged -- there is no butcher on site.
• Aldi offers weekly "special purchases" which are non-grocery items at discounted prices. Examples of these items are cookware, pressure washers, and shelving units.
• As a personal note, I usually save 40% or more when shopping at Aldi instead of Kroger. I love the Aldi brands and in fact, find some of them preferable to the name brand.

Save-A-Lot
• Save-A-Lot has ten locations in the Memphis area.
• About 75% of Save-A-Lots nationwide are franchises. As a result, some store policies and specials can vary from one store to another.
• Most Save-A-Lot stores accept all forms of payment.
• Most require a 25 cent shopping cart deposit which is refunded upon return of the cart.
• There are no baggers -- customers bag their own groceries.
• Shopping bags must be purchased for a few cents each. Like Aldi, Save-A-Lot also sells reusable canvas totes.
• Store hours are limited and vary by location with 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. being typical.
• Produce is fresh and much of it is "loose," allowing customers to choose each individual item.
• Meat is fresh and most stores have a butcher on site.