What Is Aldi's Golden Ticket And How Do You Get One?

Aldi is home to some of the cheapest groceries around, so it's a major boon to have one of these supermarkets near you as food prices are on the rise. In addition to Aldi's low everyday prices and copycat Girl Scout cookies, you might have heard of Aldi's Golden Ticket. What is it, and how you could obtain one? Golden Tickets are actually gift cards that the store gives out to the guests at Grand Opening events. Seventy people will receive $10 cards, and 20 will receive the $25 cards, but only a lucky 10 guests will get $100 gift cards.

To get one, you have to attend an Aldi store grand opening and be among the first 100 guests to arrive at the store. That sounds easy enough, but Aldi store openings have become something of an occasion for fans who have been waiting for a location to open near them. Some people will actually start lining up hours before the store is due to open.

To get a Golden Ticket, you must find a Grand Opening near you or to which you're willing to travel — which isn't too difficult, considering the chain is growing. Aldi keeps an updated list of soon-to-open stores on its website, so you can check there for locations near (or near-ish) you. When a Grand Opening date has been set, the page for that store will update with all the necessary information. Plan to arrive for the Grand Opening event at least an hour early — but that still might not be early enough to nab one of those coveted first 100 spots.

While you're waiting in line, someone from the store will hand out laminated Entry Cards, each labeled with a number between one and 100. This is to recognize the first 100 people who qualify for the Golden Ticket (oh, can you imagine the horrible feeling of being 101?). Upon entry, you'll trade in your number card for what you've been waiting for — the Golden Ticket, your surprise-amount gift card. Open it up to reveal how much it's worth, and note that you don't have to buy anything in order to qualify for it. You can literally get your Golden Ticket and leave if you want.

There are even more freebies at Aldi store Grand Openings. In addition to the Golden Ticket, recipients of this prize may also receive a reusable bag with a variety of Aldi products — and these aren't samples, these are full-size items. Any person who attends may also get an (empty) shopping tote or quarter-keeper keychain, while supplies last. Also, anyone in the store during the Grand Opening may scan a QR code to enter to win a $500 Aldi gift card (no purchase necessary).

Finally, because Aldi's prices are already so low, it doesn't need to offer coupons to its customers, but it occasionally does in conjunction with Grand Openings. These coupons might be sent in the mail to people in the area where an event is taking place to encourage them to come out and shop. They could be available in an existing store if the location recently underwent renovations. All coupons are physically cut-out coupons on paper; Aldi never uses digital ones. 

Whether or not you have coupons and a Golden Ticket, knowing the best day of the week to shop at Aldi can help ensure you have a successful shopping trip. This Aldi foods guide can also lead you toward some of the store's best treats.