I don't hate self checkouts, I hate the people who use self-checkouts. The mom with a cart filled with food to feed 4 people for a week, holding a baby in one hand and trying to scan and bag with the other. The guy apparently shopping for his whole apartment complex, scanning 4 items, paying for them, then scanning 6 different items, slowly working his way through an overloaded cart. The Gen-Z narrating each item into their phone for some reason, also struggling to bag items single-handed.

One of them isn't bad, but two of them will strangle the entire kiosk farm, and make it seem like everyone is a self-absorbed idiot. Never go grocery shopping on a weekend morning.

Self checkout is the greatest thing ever and I will never understand why so many people seem to prefer waiting in line for a few minutes instead of just using the self checkout.

No human interaction, usually faster because I don't have to wait. What's not to love? Sure occassionally you might get selected for a random check and have to wait a bit, but that still beats the line.

They used to be awful here 10-15 years ago, with a scale for your scanned items that would complain over nothing all the time, but now everywhere I've been has done away with that in favor of random controls and the receipt for opening the gate. I think my highlight so far was the clothing store where you didn't even have to scan, you just put your items in a box and it told you what you have to pay.

Ever since I saw that the grocery store near the train station in my city (which is famously one of the worst in the country in terms of crime) had self checkout without even a gate to scan your receipt for a while (they added it now) and has the handheld scanners, I've been assuming that the added theft from either really can't be that bad, or is a result of poor security. Clearly it's worth it for the higher customer throughput for that store, so I kinda doubt it could be that bad especially in safer areas.

Back in the day, I shopped at the one grocery store in a bit of a food desert. They'd have all...I don't remember 10? 12?...checkout lines open all day, and you're still guaranteed to spend half an hour in line. If they could have replaced 2 checkout lines with 6 self-check kiosks, or 4 & 12, it would have helped a lot, but they hadn't been invented yet.

Now, I shop in a better neighborhood where they have 6 kiosks, one staffed checkout, and 8 lanes closed. Start with a technical solution to a real problem, and some MBA is going to come in and figure out how to turn it back into a problem.

Maybe if all the cashier lanes are staffed. But if I have a cart full of groceries, the grocery store is full, and there's only two cashiers working (also, gotta bag your own groceries) then I'm considering switching stores at that point.

You people don't have self scanning? Pick a barcode scanner at the entrance, scan everything when you put it in your bags in the cart, and just pay at the exit and walk out (unless you get a semi-rare random check). One of the favorite features of the store I use is that I fill the shopping list at home in the app (that can be shared with other accounts) and then I see the list in my phone or the store scanner, sorted by the order of sections in the store, so eg. all fruit and vegetables will be next on the list when I get to that section. I also like that you see your total in real time and the scanner reminds you if there's a "3 for 2" or other offers.

I don’t use self check out because every one is a horrid user experience.

I always like to ask the fervently anti-self-checkout crowd around here whether or not they pump their own gas, and then why self pumping is okay, but self checkout is not okay. (Note, my community is hopelessly car dependent so most everyone around here drives).

I get that you are technically doing someone's job for free, but you can always collect your "pay" by giving yourself a "discount." Personally, I prefer to scan my avacados as potatoes so I can have my avocado toast every day and be able to save up for a house. I'm almost there, it's only gonna take 30 more years for a down payment!
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That sounds way better! Then they wouldn't keep rearranging the aisles so you shop for longer.

I'm shocked the cashier cared enough to stop you!

But if I did…

Silly take. The problem isn't having to move my own items around across a scanner. The problem is me doing more, the store doing less, and the prices just keep going up anyways. You'd rather just silently get less?

Oh, and also the ridiculous cameras they stick right in your face pre-accusing me of stealing in the checkout. And having to juggle a whole cart of groceries while the machine asks me to move the item off and on the bagging area.

Maybe if they had implemented the system better I wouldn't mind using it?

I don't think anyone pumps their own gas. I think you put the tube in the hole and a pump does it for you, and a computer counts how much you got. I would hate getting gas if I had to pump it like an old timey water spout.

Then after that the employee can slowly scan my items and pack them with cold stuff across all bags and fragile stuff under heavy stuff.

The key to getting in and out quick is to have them scan it and you bag it. Even if they start bagging it for you, "I got the bags" places things in bags.

Also Aldi, Aldi gets you in and out and they know how to pack a cart so things don't get squished. I believe it's because they actually pay their people and train them to get the line moving.

Edit: Another time-save: you can pay for your groceries by card before they are finished ringing them up.

That's genius

Try ordering ahead with curbside pickup if you haven't yet and it's an option for you.

If not ... Idk ... You'll be alright. I actually prefer self checkout and to bag my own stuff so do keep in mind people have the literal opposite feelings on this topic too.

Not to say anyone's right or wrong, but I do agree with the post you replied to, I bet so many people were mad they couldn't just make a list and hand it to the clerk. I wonder how many tried at first to give the cashiers or other employees a list to get for them and then were surprised when they said they had to go get it themselves.

Now we've gone full circle with the curbside pick up stuff! I really like it, but sometimes they do bag stuff nonsensically but no big deal.

what has me upset is that they spent all that time getting rid of cashiers, for self check out… THEN THEY CLOSE 3/4 OF THEM! they will have 2 rows with a person there, for cigarettes and such, then have a single person watching 6 self checkouts. if trader joes/aldi had name brand snacks i would cut out wall-mart wholesale from my routine. the whole shopping experience is terrible, and for some reason wall mart is more expensive and worse quality

I wish it were intended. I was just tired, mad, and disappointed and was not looking forward to going to the grocery store doing it all over again to make a point.

I am a divine being, you are an object. You have no right to speak in my holy tongue.

I'm split on this. On the one hand if they didn't have self checkout, they'd need more checkout people. On the other hand, before self checkout they didn't really give a fuck if you had to wait in line (especially Walmart holy shit that was one of the biggest reasons I never went there, the fucking checkout line).