You Can't Buy Alcohol At Aldi In These 10 States

What started as a small German chain that opened its first American store in 1976 has since become a grocery powerhouse all over America. Aldi is known for its extremely affordable prices and small-town feel, offering produce, pantry staples, and frozen goods. While most stores are consistent in their inventory, there's one department that differs depending on which state you shop in: alcohol.

Alcohol laws are determined on a state level — some have stores dedicated specifically for hard liquor, while others offer any kind of alcohol under the same roof as produce and breakfast cereal. For example, you can't find alcohol at Costco in Maryland or Pennsylvania, but you can in Virginia. So, while Aldi is a nationwide grocer, it must abide by local liquor laws. Therefore, in the following ten states, you'll find no alcohol of any kind on Aldi's shelves (yes, including wine and beer): Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.

This is not to say you can't purchase alcohol at all in these states, but Aldi specifically won't carry any. In fact, if you're shopping online from a zip code in any of the listed states, the alcohol section will come up as empty or non-existent. While Aldi may be your one-stop shop for everything else, be sure to double check your state liquor laws before adding alcohol to your list.

But what if you live outside of the ten states that were listed above? The good news is, if your state has an Aldi — only 39 states have at least one of the popular grocer — then it will indeed serve alcohol. While the selection will vary by state, the alcohol selection at Aldi ranges from classic red and white wines, to cases of beer, and certain hard alcoholic beverages. Note that the hard alcoholic beverages are the closest you'll get to liquor at this German grocer, otherwise it does not sell any bottles of hard spirits. You'll also want to be sure and check that your Aldi sells wine by checking online or calling your local store, because some of the locations that feature alcohol will only offer beer.

In general, however, most Aldi's are a great place to stock up on beers for a barbecue, or a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for an intimate dinner. Your store might even have your favorite flavor of hard cider or ready-to-drink cocktail. Just be sure to shop on Wednesdays, which are known as the smartest day of the week to shop at Aldi for the best savings. You can also investigate online to find which kinds of alcohol are offered at your local Aldi, so you can make the most of your trip. Otherwise, you'll likely be making an unplanned stop at the liquor store.