Giant Food in the Washington metro area has this in a lot of their stores.
self checkout lanes
- Thread starter farmkid
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Giant Food in the Washington metro area has this in a lot of their stores.
Use 'em.
Love 'em.
My local store has 4 and there's hardly ever a line. Then again, I've converted to the European mode of buying enough food for a day or two instead of a week's worth in one trip on a Sunday...so I'm not really seeing it in it's natural environment.
Try shopping at a 7 on Tuesday.
Love 'em.
My local store has 4 and there's hardly ever a line. Then again, I've converted to the European mode of buying enough food for a day or two instead of a week's worth in one trip on a Sunday...so I'm not really seeing it in it's natural environment.
Try shopping at a 7 on Tuesday.
My local Ralphs supermarket and CVS drugstore have self-checkout and I use it nearly all the time. I rarely buy more than a dozen items at once, so it’s silly to have to wait in line.
One tip: Before you scan your items, look over everything and make sure there are no barcode labels that are torn, wrinkled or mangled. It’s a PITA when the scanner refuses to read a barcode and a store clerk has to come over and punch in the item’s code number.
One tip: Before you scan your items, look over everything and make sure there are no barcode labels that are torn, wrinkled or mangled. It’s a PITA when the scanner refuses to read a barcode and a store clerk has to come over and punch in the item’s code number.
They're terrific, especially if you have a small number of items to buy. The ones in my area are pretty good, and sophisticated. For instance, I punched in the wrong number for a particular bag of produce, and it knew from the weight and quantity I entered that it didn't match! Also, each station has a camera that ties into a computer at the cashier monitoring station. They can easily make corrections on the fly.
The only time I don't use it is if I have a lot of stuff and prefer the cashier to do the bagging (they're usually pretty good about arranging things so that fragile stuff doesn't break).
The only time I don't use it is if I have a lot of stuff and prefer the cashier to do the bagging (they're usually pretty good about arranging things so that fragile stuff doesn't break).
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I use them all the time, and I even use them with a full shopping cart. I didn't for a while when they started imposing a 15 item limit at the register, but since I shopped late at night (about 11:30), they'd let me use the U-Scans. I'm much faster on a U-Scan than the cashiers are through the line. I've done it enough that I know all the produce codes for what I buy, and don't even have to glance up to get it all done. I can clear out a large shopping cart in the time it takes most customers there to get through with a small handbasket. Well, I can when they've cleaned the damn scanner windows.
I much prefer them to cashiers, and it's rare that I need to get assistance, and that's usually when the U-Scan refuses to continue even when nothing has gone wrong on my end. That said, no major issues, they're fast, easy to use, and I figure they'll become more common. The only annoyance is other customers, who approach these things like they're magic boxes that may eat them if they get to close.
I much prefer them to cashiers, and it's rare that I need to get assistance, and that's usually when the U-Scan refuses to continue even when nothing has gone wrong on my end. That said, no major issues, they're fast, easy to use, and I figure they'll become more common. The only annoyance is other customers, who approach these things like they're magic boxes that may eat them if they get to close.
They're a godsend. The grocery run is not one of my favourite things, and I'm never in a chatty mood at that time, neither am I in the mood to exercise patience with that one clerk who has the top speed of a snail, or the other one who likes to ask a lot of personal questions, or the old guy trying to pick you up, nor the ones that bag your stuff without asking, causing this or that to be squashed or leak. 
I for one welcome the impersonal computerised future.
I for one welcome the impersonal computerised future.
^No kidding. There are a lot of people in my neighborhood from various countries in South Asia. The machines, however, only come in English or Spanish. But for some reason, these women stand in front of the machine, staring in horror, rather than use the cashier. I feel sorry for them, since they clearly can't understand a word of what's written on the screen, but I also get really annoyed, as I want to check my two or three items and go.
I once tried to help this middle-aged man and his son, as the poor guy didn't have a CLUE how to use it, the kids was screaming, and he was pissing off all the people behind us in a long line. When I leaned over to help him, he jumped back and made a face liked I'd just peed on his shoes.
The clerks, who are SUPPOSED to be there to help people out, were of course off gabbing in a corner and not paying attention at all.
Normally, the line moves quickly at the machines, but the stores seem to only have 4 at most, and there are rarely people around to keep an eye on things.
I once tried to help this middle-aged man and his son, as the poor guy didn't have a CLUE how to use it, the kids was screaming, and he was pissing off all the people behind us in a long line. When I leaned over to help him, he jumped back and made a face liked I'd just peed on his shoes.
The clerks, who are SUPPOSED to be there to help people out, were of course off gabbing in a corner and not paying attention at all.
Normally, the line moves quickly at the machines, but the stores seem to only have 4 at most, and there are rarely people around to keep an eye on things.
Stop and Shop is the chain that does this locally. I like it, although it's kinda a pain insofar as you have to bag the groceries while you're shopping. Although if you bring the canvas totes, works out well enough
I love Stop & Shop! Although there's a FoodBasics that's closer and usually less busy, and price-wise they aren't that far off.
I wish there was an Aldi near me.
I wish there was an Aldi near me.
Yeah, it's the same company. My friend from Baltimore pointed out that out when she was here. "Why do they use the same logo as Giant??" Heh.
I don't use them very often - I'm mostly in with my kids, and then it's better for me to get someone else to scan the shopping while I stop my kids "re-organising" the candy shelves (they often are actually tidying up, but I like to be careful!)
Any time I have tried, it's usually been slower than waiting in line - but that's most likely been because I'm inept
Any time I have tried, it's usually been slower than waiting in line - but that's most likely been because I'm inept
I love them when I can get right to them and only have a few things. It's the people buying enough food for Napoleon's army or are just plain stupid that clog up the works.
When I'm buying liquor, I try to go to a regular line, but even then I can't always guess the age of the cashier, cause they can't even ring up up the stuff unless they're 21.
When I'm buying liquor, I try to go to a regular line, but even then I can't always guess the age of the cashier, cause they can't even ring up up the stuff unless they're 21.
I like self-checkout. However, most of the time when I looking to pay and go, the self-checkout lanes are turned off.
The Fresh & Easy chain here uses the self service machines exclusively. They're usually fast and easy to use.
Fry's uses both types of machine, and which checkout option I'll use usually depends upon whether I'm buying alcohol, and how many items I'm purchasing.
I use self-checkout whenever I can. My only complaint is when I'm stuck behind people who are waaaaay too slow. A few weeks ago I ran down to Safeway during the half time of the Broncos/Bengals game and this one woman had checked out way too many items (like 40) and then seemed to have a coupon for every... single... item.
This particular store only had two self checkout lanes so she really slowed down the line. I'm sure she would have been out of there faster if she went to a checker. I also missed half of the third quarter.
This particular store only had two self checkout lanes so she really slowed down the line. I'm sure she would have been out of there faster if she went to a checker. I also missed half of the third quarter.
I'm a little surprised by that as well. I am pretty fast on the machines, but I still only use them for smaller purchases, less than 10 items for sure. For the large monthly grocery trip I go to the cashiers because they have all that space to set the groceries after scanning them, and the baggers are much quicker.
Hate 'em. Little Waitrose (the Waitrose convenience store) has them, and I've been forced into using them a few times during busy hours. Having to wait for someone to come and confirm that yes, I am indeed over 18 when I buy wine is intensely irritating as sometimes all the staff are busy, whereas if I go through the human checkout I have no such problem. If they're consigned to the scrapheap, I will be a happy man.
