The Real Reason Some People 'Caw Caw' In Aldi

Picture this: You're in your local Aldi picking up some cheap groceries on your way home from work. As you load a case of bottled water into your cart, you hear something beyond the sound of pop music over the speakers and squeaks of shopping cart wheels. It sounds like a... cawing? As in, the caw that a crow would make. At first, you assume you're just hearing things; maybe there's a flock of birds outside in the parking lot. But as you grab a jug of milk, you hear it again — and this time, it's as clear as a bell, and it sounds closer. 

You look over your shoulder, and there's a woman walking down the aisle, her shopping cart full of food, and she's cawing just like a crow. "Caw caw!" She says as she walks down the snack aisle, as if this is something to be expected in any run-of-the-mill Aldi.  "Caw caw!" another customer answers from somewhere else in the store.

Is this some surreal prank? Another TikTok trend you aren't aware of? The answer to this seemingly unexplainable phenomenon may be a bit more mundane than you would think, and it involves a group of dedicated fans who want to share their love of Aldi with another.

According to the Aisle of Shame, an Aldi fan blog consisting of deals, recipes, and reviews related to the grocery chain, the "caw caw" is simply a way for these blog users to identify each other in real life, using a sort of human bird call. Although there seems to be no one person that the idea can be linked to, the Aisle of Shame gives us a few ideas as to who may be behind these Aldi avian calls.

The earliest known mention of the "caw caw" idea appears to stem from a Facebook discussion between three blog users, who suggested that they should have a call to identify other users who may be shopping at the same store. As for why the birdlike call was chosen, one older woman said that she and her fellow "old crows" often used Aldi as a congregating spot, jokingly cawing at each other through the aisles. 

While it may be an unusual custom, especially if the person doing it is in a dinosaur costume (via Facebook), we're not here to poke fun. These crow calls are just a fun greeting for people who enjoy cheap prices and good friends at their local grocery store. And if you've ever experienced Aldi anxiety, a hearty "caw caw" could be a humorous way to soothe your stress.