Rules You Should Know For Buying Food At Ollie's

Grocery bills got you down? You're not alone. The cost of filling a grocery cart has risen by almost 30% since February 2020, and the list of groceries that are increasing in price seems to be longer each month. It's one thing to buy the fruit that's on sale at your local supermarket, and maybe clip a coupon or two. But sometimes, your bargain hunting needs to go to a whole new level.

If scouring stores like Trader Joe's and Costco for savings isn't cutting it anymore, and you're already an expert at grocery store hacks to save you money, perhaps it's time to try bargain hunting elsewhere. Ollie's Bargain Outlet is among the chains of discount stores where you can score some foods for much less than you'd typically find on other stores' shelves. Ollie's claims you can save up to 70% off regular "fancy store" prices — aka, any typical retailer — to keep the costs for home goods and food more affordable.

If you want to keep your grocery bills from inflating more than the Goodyear blimp, Ollie's might be worth a shot. But if you're new to the Ollie's experience, knowing a few rules will help you get the most bang for your buck, rather than having a disappointing experience.

If you've never been to Ollie's, you should not be picturing a supermarket with wide aisles, meticulously organized products, or even necessarily a layout that inherently makes sense. These would be the hallmarks of a "fancy store," in Ollie's lingo.

Ollie's aficionados say its stores normally have some semblance of organized chaos: Food tends to be in one section, household appliances in another, and so on. But after that, all bets are off — the only guarantee is the products' impossible-to-remove orange price stickers. Ollie's itself says that shoppers will thrive if they come for the "thrill of the find." Repeat shoppers who are self-proclaimed bargain hunters say that you can find some real deals at Ollie's — if you're willing to dig around for a bit.

Your treasure hunt for savings will also need to be in person, since Ollie's doesn't offer online ordering or curbside pickup. All that said, you need to be in the right headspace before walking into Ollie's. Do you have a doctor's appointment in 15 minutes? Not the day for Ollie's. Is your toddler approaching nap time? Not gonna fly. Trying to find a deal on your lunch break? Nope. You can occasionally strike gold, but it'll require some elbow grease and time on your hands. This is a deal-finding quest, not your autopilot Target pickup order. If you keep that in mind, you're likely to have a smoother shopping experience.

The messy truth about food expiration dates is that foods are often safe to consume after the labels printed on bags of chips and canned peaches. There's no hard and fast rule for how expiration dates are actually determined, either — it's up to manufacturers to put those dates on most foods, with exceptions for products like baby formula.

Refrigerated foods like meats, milk, and yogurt often have stricter dates that indicate when a food might no longer be safe to eat. But since Ollie's only carries "non-perishable" goods like candy, boxed cereal, and canned goods, you're unlikely to find foods with very many true expiration dates. Most of the labels you'll see on Ollie's shelves will be "best by," "sell by," and "use by" dates. These indicate when products will be at their optimal freshness and best flavor or texture.

Though it might go against your instincts, you don't have to pay attention to every expiration date. Some food you purchase will be just fine months after the date on the can or box — and that knowledge can help to avoid food waste. You can also save some serious cash, since Ollie's will sell close-dated items at a discount to get them out of the store and into your pantry. But you still want to know what you're getting. If eating food past its optimal date is a no-go for you, no problem; either way, you'll want to check labels at Ollie's closely.

While buying cereal that expires in a month is one thing, no one wants to bring home a bag of moldy food or stale chips. So while you're looking for that "best by" date, go ahead and examine the rest of the packaging, too. Among other reasons, Ollie's is able to sell its products at low prices because it purchases food and household goods from brands that made too much of a product. Ollie's might also pick up items from buyouts, when a supplier has leftovers after selling to its typical retailers. Alternatively, Ollie's can pick up extra inventory after special product promotions are over, or if a product flops in regular stores.

Long story short, the products you're seeing have already lived a long life before finding themselves on Ollie's shelves. They might have bounced from store to store more than your usual box of mac and cheese, or they might have languished in a warehouse for an undetermined amount of time before getting shipped off to the bargain market.

Bargain hunters on Reddit suspect that consumables might not always be stored at optimal temperatures in this long process, or might be flagged for having an "off" appearance or taste. Either way, you'll want to make sure the packages you're buying weren't damaged, and that the seals weren't loosened. If you can see the food inside, check to make sure that it looks like it should, too.

Shopping at Ollie's is not the time for in-depth analysis when it comes to scooping up great deals. If you see a product you like and you think it's a great deal, don't second-guess yourself. Get that box — or five boxes — of protein bars into your cart, stat.

Besides buying overstock, Ollie's will also purchase goods that are discontinued or items that won't be sold by regular retailers anymore. It also purchases items during liquidation sales, which happen when a company is going out of business and trying to recoup cash for what's left in the fallout. When that's the case, there won't be another opportunity to snag those deals you're eyeing.

If the scarcity model has you stressed, keep in mind that there is a constant cycle of new-to-Ollie's snacks and other food cycling into stores each week. In fact, Ollie's doesn't even commit to saying which days are restock days, since it gets multiple shipments on varying weekdays. Ollie's advises you to check out its weekly ad for what might be on shelves, but it also says your best bet is to literally call your local Ollie's store if you're curious about whether something is in stock. It's like you're back in 1995 — with the grocery prices to match.

There are no freshness guarantees when it comes to Ollie's stock, aside from checking those "best by" dates. Some of the soft drinks, candy, and other items might have come straight from the grocery store across town, while others could be sitting for quite a while in the abyss between the manufacturing plant and Ollie's shelves. Stores also vary in what they tend to carry: Some Redditors say their Ollie's rarely has soda, while others say you can find great deals on it. But almost every loyal Ollie's shopper says that you can always find a ton of candy for sale, normally for a great value.

Shoppers at Target and your local supermarket aren't looking to pick up Reese's Christmas trees and plastic candy canes full of M&Ms at the beginning of February, and that's where Ollie's comes in. It'll buy up the overstock from any recent holiday and find welcoming homes for those red-and-green-wrapped treats (or orange and black or pastel-shaded, depending on which holiday we're talking about).

One commenter on Reddit said that generic, seasonless candy sometimes tastes stale from their local Ollie's market, since it's difficult to tell how long those bags have actually been sitting on store shelves. But they said that you can often find fresh candy right after each major holiday, when normal "fancy" stores are trying to offload their unsold merchandise so they can reset for the next candy season.

One of the final ways Ollie's buyers stock the outlet stores is by purchasing items that have undergone some type of packaging change. Big brands will often update packaging to a new design, color scheme, or quantity. "Fancy" stores will want to keep their products looking the same — and probably update to the new packaging as soon as possible — so they'll aim to offload the older designs.

Several Reddit commenters have raved about finding products at Ollie's like the MrBeast Feastables chocolate bars, which one shopper found for as low as 79 cents per bar. The company made major updates to its chocolate recipes and packaging a couple of years ago, and fans loved the updates. (When we ranked the Feastables chocolate bars, there were several delicious options, so we get the hype.) But one Redditor warned that Ollie's was probably carrying the older recipe — and suggested the ones found elsewhere with the new recipe were much better. (From Ollie's promotions in 2024, it's clear that it was promoting the older style of packaging and recipe.) 

It's entirely possible you can find overstock of the newer Feastables bars at Ollie's, too, along with any number of popular brands sitting next to them. Just don't be surprised if the packaging looks a little dated ... because there's a very good chance that it is.

Using manufacturer's coupons can be another way to save money on your grocery bills — even if public opinion is divided when extreme couponers tie up the checkout lines. But unfortunately, if you take the time to clip coupons from local fliers, they won't be accepted at Ollie's.

Ollie's states pretty clearly that it doesn't participate in any sort of couponing. This makes sense: When you use a manufacturer's coupon at a grocery store, the store then sends those to manufacturers for reimbursement. But since the products at Ollie's are slashed in price, the manufacturers won't get the normal profits from anything sold at Ollie's in the first place — they're just hoping to recoup something from the losses. Using and redeeming coupons can be a surprisingly messy process for both shoppers and the stores where you use them, and there are plenty of reasons why a coupon might not be accepted. Ollie's has chosen to avoid the whole process with a clear, concise "we don't do that" policy.

Instead, shoppers looking to save extra cash for frequent Ollie's trips can join "Ollie's Army," a loyalty program that tracks your spending across any Ollie's store you visit. Signing up is free, and you earn one point for every dollar you spend. When you reach 250 points (or $250 spent), you'll receive a 10% off reward certificate. Spending more throughout the year can lead to greater discounts as well.

Ollie's is best known for having discounts on brands you already know. Snacks are from Welch's, Snyder's, and Pop-Tarts. You'll often find Lipton teas, Swanson broths, Russell Stover chocolates ... the list of recognizable brands goes on. However, it's also possible that you'll run into products you haven't seen before. If an unfamiliar bottle of olive oil suddenly seems like the deal of the day, it could pay off to do a quick internet search for reviews.

Will this add to your already long-ish venture at Ollie's? Maybe. But a good deal only stays a good deal if you use and enjoy the product. It'd be a shame to save 70% of the normal price on a bottle of cooking oil, only to throw away the money you did spend because it tastes rancid.

At its simplest, a quick Google search can save you from an unsavory snack. But from time to time, it can also help you avoid more problematic items. One Reddit user warned Ollie's shoppers in 2024 that they bought Natreve's Mooless protein packets for a great price, only to get home and realize there wasn't a legitimate company presence online anymore. User reviews showed that people who consumed the protein packets sometimes became violently ill. They also linked to a 2023 court document from California that showed an intent to sue Natreve's manufacturer, ArboryPharm Foods, for not disclosing the presence of lead in some Mooless products. Needless to say, they skipped eating the protein powder. 

Food assistance programs in the U.S. can help families afford basic groceries by allowing them to pay with EBT or SNAP (formerly called food stamps) benefits. Unfortunately, Ollie's does not participate in those programs, so you'll need to save those benefits for other stores if you typically use them to purchase food.

At the moment, Ollie's accepts a number of other payment methods. It takes cash — of course — along with personal checks and most major credit cards. It also accepts Apple Pay and Google Pay, if you prefer to go the digital route.

Though Ollie's doesn't accept SNAP benefits, it does support a number of charitable organizations through its corporately-organized Ollie's Cares initiatives. The chain donates annually to Toys for Tots and Feeding America, among others, and donates more than $3 million per year to its corporate sponsorships. It also accepts applications for one-time discounts for local nonprofits.

True to Ollie's quirky lingo, the chain refers to its return policy as a "30-day no hard time guarantee." In other words, you're not stuck with your Ollie's purchases if you get home and have immediate buyer's remorse for the 10 cases of close-dated Gatorade you just bought in a deal-hunting haze.

The fine print is pretty straightforward, but important: The product needs to be in its "original condition," you need your original receipt, and it really does need to be within those first 30 days of purchase. Ollie's also reserves the right to limit or decline returns. So while you can likely get your money back for ill-advised purchases of cartfuls of candy, you'll want to make those purchases wisely in the first place.

If for some reason you misplace your receipt, there's a chance a benevolent store manager can help you out. If you're an Ollie's Army member, they may be able to look up the transaction from your loyalty number, or from your credit card if you used one to pay. Ollie's is careful on its website to reserve the right to decline returns, but at least one commenter on Reddit said you might be able to at least get store credit if something goes awry.