Can You Tip Aldi Workers?

When you use national grocery delivery and in-store shopping services apps such as Instacart, UberEats, and DoorDash, it is customary to leave a tip for the individual bringing the groceries. But, how does it work at Aldi when you order grocery delivery or curbside grocery pickup? Can you tip the employees? The answer is both yes and no depending on the type of service being provided, though it is never required.

As a general rule, all in-store Aldi workers cannot accept tips. If you order curbside grocery pickup through Aldi, the workers are expected to not accept tips that are offered. As stated on the company's website, "We appreciate the gesture, but please do not tip Aldi curbside shoppers." Aldi grocery delivery is a different story. There is actually a default tip that is set to 10% when you place your order, but you can also customize it to the gratuity percentage of your choosing. Aldi offers pre-set amounts of 5, 10, and 15% that can be selected, as well.

However, tipping for grocery delivery is considered optional, and Aldi further notes that a default tip can be adjusted at checkout. The tips are to be paid directly to the delivery driver or personal shopper. 

Aldi workers commenting on the store's tipping policy on Reddit's Aldi forum noted that while they are not allowed to accept tips, there are exceptions to the rule among staff. One Aldi employee said that if a person absolutely insists on leaving a tip, they will accept the money and then use it to buy snacks for the break room so that everyone benefits. Even an Aldi management team member said that despite the storewide policy of not accepting tips for curbside pickup, their management, himself included, accept tips and allow staff to accept them as long as they "don't mention it to anyone above store level management." The bottom line is that whether tipping is technically allowed or not for a particular service at Aldi, the gesture itself, as Aldi's own policy states, will always be appreciated. And, some rules are meant to be broken — though we certainly can't endorse that.