September 12, 2009 1:00 AM

24 replies

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narc1

@GrenadeTestSubject:
I totally agree, if you pay with cheque it needs to be be a more sizeable purchase. I don't want to be seeing no cheques cut for $25

September 11, 2009 2:27 PM

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DragonThermo

@GrenadeTestSubject: I'm ashamed to say it but y'all are talking about my mom. She's one of those old ladies who pay for stuff with checks. It drives me nuts when I'm with her because there's the time writing the amount (numeric and again in text), signing the check, then giving the clerk her ID, the clerk writing stuff on the back/front of the check....zzzz... Sorry, I dozed off there.

It would take so much less time if she'd just use her check/debit card. Just swipe the card, and sign the CC slip or press PIN digits, and we'd be on our way.

Oh, and she's one of these people who insists on paying in exact change. Drives me nuts when she insists on digging for pocket change. I sigh in exasperation, roll my eyes, and go digging for pocket change myself to try to hurry up the process.

So, on behalf of my mom, I apologize to everyone, but I can empathize.

September 11, 2009 7:57 AM

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Benguin

@GrenadeTestSubject: Actually, at the grocery store I used to work at (a Ralphs in San Diego) the express lanes said \"15 items or less, cash/credit only.\" I thought that was common practice, but apparently not.

September 10, 2009 10:23 PM

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morlo

@GrenadeTestSubject: My store has registers that will print the checks for you...but of course people still sloooowly write them out anyway

September 10, 2009 9:59 PM

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alshultz

@GrenadeTestSubject:

I'm a cashier and checks are a world of trouble. At the speed cashiers are trying to get customers through the line there is just not enough real time to ensure the check is legit. We are supposed to have methods that ensure the check is real, but when you're busy things are missed.

Check writing should be canned at grocery stores. With all the fraudulent checks and bounced checks we get all the time it doesn't even seem worth the customers who write them.

People get PISSED when I tell them I need an in-state ID and that I don't accept temporary checks. What do they want? We don't even know if a check is real money.

September 11, 2009 4:40 PM

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TimeToChange2000

@alshultz: Where do you work? I'll be sure to keep my tainted check/money away and spend it where it's appreciated. Some people PREFER to pay by check instead of carrying cash, even in the express lane.

September 12, 2009 4:28 AM

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fgarvin

@TimeToChange2000:

Ummmm...I don't think the cashier minds so much, being paid by the hour and all. Your money ain't tainted...your method of payment is.

No matter the payment method, start working on it at some point BEFORE the last item goes across the scanner. No method of payment requires you to hold that start until all items have made it across the scanner.

Oh, and conversations with the checker...not a fan of those either. Just spent two minutes today while the customer in front of me was apparently not aware that there were three people in line behind her...then finally decided to gather her stuff up when she was finally done gabbing and asking questions.

September 10, 2009 10:06 PM

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justagigilo85

@alshultz: Amen, brother.

My company put out a memo about the company losing 2 million dollars a year due to fraudulent checks. I thought to myself, \"Hey! I know how I can save the company 2 million dollars a year!!\"

September 10, 2009 9:17 PM

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veronykah

@GrenadeTestSubject: Wow, people still use checks?
Couldn't tell you the last time I saw someone write one.
After living in NYC, I quit using change when I pay for anything as well...the faster the better.

September 10, 2009 10:25 PM

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unimus

@veronykah: I lived in central Pennsylvania and I attest check is still a common payment option in grocery stores. The \"smart\" ones will at least proactively fill out everything besides the total amount on the check, while the rest will start searching for the checkbook after the cashier announces the total.

Thank god for self-checkout.

September 11, 2009 4:17 AM

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TouchMyMonkey

@unimus: Self-checkout is wonderful when it works. At Lowes, they've finally figured out that an eight-foot 2x4 doesn't go in a bag and will let you skip bagging. That's a big help. Grocery stores, on the other hand, are still hung up on the weight of each item going into the bag, and if you have too much stuff to go in one bag, you've just negated the benefit of the self-checkout because now the supervisor has to clear the software for you before you can finish scanning the frozen food you hoped to get out the door before it thawed.

September 10, 2009 8:35 PM

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joshuadavis

@GrenadeTestSubject: Also no coupons in the express line. So many people using these things get in arguments with the cashier over the smallest details.

September 10, 2009 8:19 PM

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tbax929

@GrenadeTestSubject:
I can't remember the last time I wrote or saw someone write a check for groceries. But haven't they now started using a scanner that fills in the check for said check writer? Or have I just imagined that?

September 11, 2009 3:38 AM

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catastrophegirl chooses not to fly

@tbax929: several grocery stores near me have that option.
but the only place i ever write checks is goodwill when i am buying furniture and it's ALL manual and the only options are checks or cash

September 10, 2009 10:39 PM

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barty

@tbax929: I've been stuck out in Oklahoma City for the past four months and this place seems to be the check writing capital of the US. Every single time I have done my grocery run I have gotten stuck behind someone writing a check for their groceries. In addition, I have been to two or three other establishments and have gotten stuck behind someone writing a check. Back in Atlanta, it was just the older generation (70+ usually) that would be writing them. Here, there seems to be no one particular age group writing them all the time. I've seen people in their 20s and 30s writing checks here.

Some outfits had the printers that would fill in the check, but I don't think they ever became widespread because MOST people stopped using them entirely. Most places usually just scan the MICR strip on the bottom of the check and hand it back to you canceled.

When I switched banks after getting married, I had only written one and a half books of checks that I had ordered about 7 years before. Most of them were probably written when I still payed rent. I think I have written ONE check in the past 12 months.

September 10, 2009 7:37 PM

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davere

@GrenadeTestSubject: I do not just dislike check writers... what about the people who are not ready to pay? As if the fact that they will owe money comes as a total surprise. They stand there, watching every item get scanned, then they hear the total, and THEN they open their purse, find the wallet and pull out a card. WTF? Did they think it was going to be free?

September 10, 2009 7:34 PM

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Saboth

@GrenadeTestSubject:

I agree, no checks in the express lane.

That being said, I would just LOVE if the express lane cashiers would just ONCE say \"sorry ma'am, you are far over the 15 item limit, in fact I think you have about 50 items here, but perhaps you didn't see the sign. The lady on register 8 will be happy to assist you however.\"

September 10, 2009 9:26 PM

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wickedpixel

@Saboth: that actually happened to a person ahead of me in line once. she started to empty her cart onto the belt, clearly having more than 10 items, and the cashier told her she'd have to move to a different lane. The cashier became my hero that day.

September 10, 2009 7:22 PM

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pb5000

@GrenadeTestSubject: I was at a great clips when a woman was denied the privilege of paying with a check. It was wonderful

September 10, 2009 7:35 PM

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Keen314

@GrenadeTestSubject: What the hell is a 'check'?

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eccsame

@GrenadeTestSubject: Take it on the road, Tim Allen

September 10, 2009 7:03 PM

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Preyfar

@GrenadeTestSubject: I feel that way, too. I either get stuck behind the slow check writer *WITH* coupons (coupons add a whole other delay) or I get stuck behind the old lady who is pretty sure the canned peas were .82 cents, not .89 cents, and she needs a price check. Oh, and the corn is no doubt mislabeled as well. Then she spends five minutes at the register doublechecking every single item on the list to make sure that rapscallion young blooded hooligan ringing her up didn't overcharge her.

. . .

Yes, I get that second one a LOT.

September 10, 2009 7:00 PM

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Hooray4Zoidberg

@GrenadeTestSubject: I never really understood why they take checks, not many \"over the counter\" retail business accept checks, at least not latley. Try paying for that value meal with one sometime.

September 10, 2009 7:00 PM

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pecan 3.14159265

@GrenadeTestSubject: I think they should have cash only and credit only lanes, and the ones that don't say cash only or credit only should be for the slow pokes with checks. Ugh.

September 10, 2009 7:32 PM

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Trai_Dep

@pecan 3.14159265: I'll go one better: cash only for express lines.
Some dawdling ATM'rs are worse than check writers.

September 10, 2009 7:05 PM

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ihatephonecompanies

@pecan 3.14159265: There should also be a no-exact-change lane as well. Nothing like watching people trying to figure out how to make exactly 87 cents out of nickles and pennies.

September 11, 2009 1:12 AM

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Kogenta

@Ihatephonecompanies: Believe it or not, exact change can be incredibly fast. As long as the person has pre-calculated their approximate total, already has the cash ready and is paying with the least amount of coins possible. Exact change becomes slow when the person paying doesn't have any clue around how much they owe and insist on clearing as much change from their purse as possible on the transaction.

September 10, 2009 7:16 PM

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dip_cone

@Ihatephonecompanies: So true. The older ladies in my neighbourhood who hear the amount, put their purse down, pull out the change purse, unziiiiiiiip it and count the change one coin at a time while looking up to check the amount several times. It's excruciating.

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Ihaveasmartpuppy

@Ihatephonecompanies: I hate the people with checks! And, believe it or not, there are also people who stand there and DO THEIR FRIGGIN CHECKBOOK MATH BEFORE VACATING THE LANE. This is not your accounting desk. Please pay quickly and vacate the line...

September 10, 2009 6:54 PM

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idx

I've actually always followed the advice that Apu (I think) gave Homer (I think). Get in the line with the most men. They don't talk and hold everyone up. That worked really well for me until I moved to New Orleans where there is no such thing as a fast checkout.

September 10, 2009 11:45 PM

11 replies

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BytheSea

@idx: I do that too. :) Avoid kids and packs of teenagers. Individual teenagers are very quick, though, because they're embarrassed to be out in public.

September 10, 2009 10:55 PM

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Nicole

@idx: This rules does not seem to apply where I work - A hardware store - the guys are always the ones doing something to slow down the line: writing checks, trying to use someone else's credit card and then getting all surprised and upset when I tell them that's not okay, chit-chatting with other employee's nearby and blocking my line, insisting on using a $100 bill when I only have about $80 in fives and ones in my register because I just opened, being all nitpicky about pricing...

September 10, 2009 10:02 PM

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alshultz

@idx:

That's true as well. If the place is busy and express is backed up more than the other registers, it also helps to look at who the checker and baggers are. A fast checker and bagger can deal with any situation that comes up quicker than the 70 year old lady(that's if you're looking for speed, if you want a really nice conversation head over to the old lady)

September 10, 2009 8:02 PM

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)

@idx: On the flip side, if we're looking at cartloads of items, lines with women often move faster because they're used to doing more of the grocery shopping and so have a system to get check-out done fast.

@osiris73: Best line advice I ever got is to pick the cashier who looks the smartest. Sounds obnoxious, but it tends to work.

September 11, 2009 2:37 PM

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cordeliapotter

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): I do that, but then he/she is always promoted to manager and a stupid cashier takes their place.

September 11, 2009 3:43 AM

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catastrophegirl chooses not to fly

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): there's one grocery store near me, where if one particular cashier is working i always go to her line. i'll never tell her boss that 80% of the time i see her she's on some sort of illegal drug that makes her twitchy and jumpy, but DAMN she's speedy! and, for some reason, accurate.
the only problem i ever had was the day i also brought up some cans of soup i noticed that were bulging and distorted. she had so much trouble understanding that i didn't want to buy them and i didn't want her to put them back on the shelf, i was insisting she show them to the manager.

September 10, 2009 11:47 PM

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BytheSea

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): I aim for young women checkers. Old women forget what buttons to push and men over 30 get confused if there's more than five groceries to handle and men younger than that are annoyed their dads are making them work.

September 10, 2009 8:20 PM

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tbax929

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!):
I hate to say it, but I tend to avoid older cashiers. They usually are the chattiest of the lot. The young, miserable ones are at least fast.

September 10, 2009 11:14 PM

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floraposte

@tbax929: Around here it's the veterans who tend to be speedy. The young ones just don't have the mileage, and they're sometimes impaired by a need to seem too good for the job.

September 10, 2009 7:13 PM

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osiris73

@idx: That's brilliant! Most men want to get in an out with a minimum of waste and chatter. (Not me, I love shopping, especially grocery shopping.) I will try out this advice. Like others have said, whichever line I get in, 99 times out of 100, I manage to find the slowest lane. And as when I'm driving my car, when I drive my cart, I get road rage. Or aisle rage as the case may be.

September 10, 2009 9:44 PM

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j-o-h-n

@osiris73: Express Lane: MEN Only
-- there's a concept I could get behind

September 10, 2009 7:10 PM

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Yoko Broke Up The Beatles

@idx:

Apu gave the advice to Marge. They were 'pathetic single men.' Also, another point that you missed is that the men all paid cash.

Just goes to show that everything useful in life is learned from The Simpsons.

Sing it with me: WHO NEEDS THE KWIK-E-MART?!

September 10, 2009 6:54 PM

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floraposte

I've actually wondered about this very thing, because I am apparently a grocery geek. But it's always to me that the slowest bits are the human parts of the transaction and the quickest bits are the scanning parts. Now I have a figure to work with to maximize my grocerying potential, and I am truly empowered.

September 10, 2009 8:11 PM

7 replies

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Donathius

@floraposte: Unless you're talking about those self-checkout monstrosities. I will use those things when I'm only picking up a couple of things AND there is no one waiting in line for them. The worst part is that the grocery store near my apartment won't scan any more items until it registers the weight of the item you just scanned. So you have to: Scan...put in bag...wait for it to notice...scan next item...put in bag...

September 11, 2009 5:09 AM

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Sian

@Donathius: Oh yeah. The self-checkout is GREAT if you have a few items and nobody is in front of you. If there's anyone in front of you though, it's guaranteed they have no clue what they are doing and/or are buying a ton of produce.

September 11, 2009 5:13 PM

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cozynite

@Sian: See, I hate the self-checkouts. People tend to take forever. I tend to take forever and then I feel self-conscious because everyone behind you is staring you down because the scanner isn't reading your items correctly.

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Sunshine1970

@Donathius: I love the self-checkouts if I don't have any produce or more than 20 items. It's fast. Much faster than the express lines or regular lines.

Oh, and one cannot use a check at the self-checkout. (at least the ones around here)

Yay!

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wrjohnston19283

@Donathius:

As a former cashier, I find it extremely annoying - cashiers can scan things almost as fast as they can pass them accross the scanner, but self checkout requires a long pause between each one.

September 10, 2009 9:25 PM

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XTC46

@wrjohnston19283: The pause is becasue of the machine needing to register the weight of the item to be in the bag area.

September 10, 2009 7:36 PM

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Cant_stop_the_rock

@floraposte:

I've never tried to do the math, but I've recognized for a long time that being behind a single person in a regular line is preferable to being behind several people in the express lane. I usually start at the end farthest from the express lanes (because my shopping takes me to that end) and work my way down until I find a regular lane with a short line. If I get to the express lanes and they have a short line I'll get in line, otherwise I go back to the lane with the cutest cashier.

September 10, 2009 7:24 PM

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JennQPublic

@floraposte: I, too, want to maximize my grocerying potential..

But I can't figure out how to pronounce 'grocerying'. :-)

September 10, 2009 6:58 PM

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Ebriosa

@floraposte: Doing math in your head is a time honored tradition while standing in line at the grocery store. Now we have even MORE math to occupy ourselves with to keep from reading the trashy magazines. Hooray!

September 10, 2009 6:55 PM

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Ebriosa

What about two people together? I know if it's me and my husband buying groceries, we're faster than alone, because he's got the bags in the kart/in hand while I'm paying and we are outta there. But I avoid getting behind 2 people together in line because I find most everyone else is even slower.

Also, nothing is faster than self-checkout when there's no line and you know how to do it. Conversely, nothing is slower than self-checkout if you're waiting for one to open up.

September 10, 2009 9:04 PM

11 replies

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dham

@Ebriosa: I don't use self check-out because I see it as allowing the store to get away with under-staffing, which becomes painfully obvious if any issues come up during the process.

That said, I only grocery shop when I have time to accept the wait, and I just get in whatever line normally.

September 11, 2009 7:34 AM

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Trai_Dep

@dham: Yup. Pay me $20 per trip and I'll ring up my own goods. Or be a person and hire someone, already.

September 10, 2009 8:43 PM

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babyruthless

@Ebriosa: Ooh, I have a self-checkout horror story. A few Fridays ago, I went to the grocery store to get a sixer to have with some pizza, and there are only the U-Scans and one overloaded \"real\" cashier with a couple of people with overflowing carts. I head to the U-Scan. There is an old lady (75? 80?) who is demanding the sole U-Scan monitor person scan each. and. every. item. while she stands there and watches. Meanwhile, turns out all the other U-Scan shoppers are boozehounds like myself, queueing up patiently with our drivers licenses out to be examined by her so she can send us on our merry, alcoholic ways. And the old lady kept giving us dirty looks for interrupting \"her\" cashier.

September 10, 2009 8:34 PM

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Sunshine1970

@Ebriosa: I had to double check this post to see if I wrote it because husband and I do the exact same thing. We're fast because he bags if there's no bagger available, but then he has been known to also help bag even if there is a bagger there so we can get in and out faster.

If he's not with me, and there's no bagger I'll rush down to the end and start bagging. I always get a grateful look or thanks from the cashier, especially if it's a very busy day and I know the person behind me appreciates it too.

Drives me bonkers when one doesn't take the initiative to bag their own stuff(unless they're very old or disabled).

September 10, 2009 7:40 PM

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madanthony

@Ebriosa:

Self checkout would be fast, except I either end up behind the person who has a bunch of fruits/veggies and can't figure out how to use the \"lookup item number\" feature, or I try using a coupon, crash the checkout machine, and have to wait for a manager to come over and fix it.

As a result, I generally avoid self-checkout if I have coupons. Especially coupons for free stuff.

September 10, 2009 7:32 PM

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DoubleBaconVeggieBurger

@Ebriosa: Couples seem to be about the same as single people, but sometimes there will be two people sharing a cart, but they're checking out separately. Then there's the whole, whose item is whose discussion that takes forever. Last time I got in line between two college girls who managed to buy 5 items in 3 separate transactions. Sigh...

September 10, 2009 7:04 PM

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hoi-polloi

@Ebriosa:

Self-checkout when there isn't a line is my preferred method. That's even the case when I'm by myself if I don't have too many items. My store has a divider to keep orders from running together, and I bag as quickly as employees.

In the worst self-check instance, there will be an issue that requires an employee's involvement. Since there aren't many staff responsible to clear problems, you can be stuck for a long time.

I've actually started tutoring people on self-checkout due to my impatience. Most people get scanning, but lose traction with produce or payment. They're usually slightly embarrassed, but appreciative. Am I the only one that does this?

September 10, 2009 7:36 PM

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Ebriosa

@Michael Belisle: Oh god, what's a bagger? We bring our own bags and bag our own stuff. It's Canada.

@hoi-polloi: I've done that, as nicely as possible. Some people don't like help at all, though. Again, Canada? Ha.

September 10, 2009 7:42 PM

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pecan 3.14159265

@Ebriosa: A bagger is someone who puts your groceries into bags...

September 10, 2009 8:23 PM

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tbax929

@pecan 3.14159265:
Someone needs a sarcasm sign :-)

September 10, 2009 7:26 PM

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JennQPublic

@hoi-polloi: No, I do the same thing, and get the same vaguely-embarrased-yet-grateful reaction.

I always hit the self-checkout. I can check myself out faster than my grocery store's cashiers. They hire idiots, but they pass the savings on to me. :-p

September 10, 2009 7:04 PM

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Michael Belisle

@Ebriosa: we're faster than alone, because he's got the bags in the kart/in hand while I'm paying and we are outta there.

You must not shop at a store with baggers, where customers bag their own? I have heard of such places. (OK, I used to shop at Cub Foods in Minnesota, the second-best grocery store in the country.)

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pecan 3.14159265

@Michael Belisle: I haven't been to a store in which there are enough baggers to hit every check out lane. I usually bag my own groceries, which I don't mind doing because I can usually do it better than the baggers.

September 10, 2009 8:23 PM

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tbax929

@pecan 3.14159265:
All the stores in my area of baggers (who will also take the bags out to your car). However, I don't think they train them the way they used to. I try to put my stuff on the belt the way I want it bagged, and they still end up putting bread with canned goods. I usually try to get my card swiped early so I can bag it myself.

September 10, 2009 6:57 PM

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ihatephonecompanies

It's all well and good until someone decides their total grocery bill is over budget and starts removing things one... at... a... time....

September 10, 2009 8:24 PM

2 replies

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tbax929

@Ihatephonecompanies:
OMG. I hate that!

September 10, 2009 7:28 PM

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Laines

@Ihatephonecompanies: \"Why do you have to be so god damn nasty? I mean it's not gonna help anything. We're both people, y'know?\"

September 10, 2009 6:57 PM

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Hooray4Zoidberg

This is all well and good but it doesn't help me explain why I seemingly have a precognitive ability to pick whichever line is guaranteed to move the slowest. I swear even if there is only one person with 6 items in front of me something always happens and the lanes on either side with 3 or 4 people in them end up moving faster. It's really uncanny.

September 11, 2009 5:22 AM

3 replies

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Cybrczch

@Hooray4Zoidberg: I have that same ability, combined with the correlated ability that, if I should get into a line that is moving fast, something happens to slow it to a crawl. I'm not even up to the checkout yet, but the scanner will stop scanning, the ribbon will run out in the cash register, or even cause the register to shut off.

September 11, 2009 3:28 AM

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greyb1

@Hooray4Zoidberg: I know the feeling well, but it is just a trick that our minds play on us. It's called memory bias and basically it just means that sometimes we pick the fast lane, sometimes we pick the slow lane. The times that we choose the slow lane, though, make us angry and are thus more memorable. Later, in hindsight, we can recall all the times we chose poorly, but very few of the times that we chose well.

September 10, 2009 9:18 PM

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veronykah

@Hooray4Zoidberg: Me too! When I go to the store with someone else I make them pick since I ALWAYS pick the line with the person that needs a price check, can't figure out the ATM and just has to run and get one more thing...always.

September 10, 2009 6:59 PM

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CFinWV

Also, beware the express lane with one person in line. They usually have 5 different orders that need to be rung up individually. Or maybe that's a special little corner of grocery store hell that only I get to experience.

September 10, 2009 8:39 PM

2 replies

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Shoelace

@CFinWV: I've been in that corner. The one person with 5 orders also has coupons to riffle through for each order while my 2 frozen items are melting or I'm in a hurry to get to a doctor's appointment after shopping.

September 10, 2009 7:19 PM

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rdclark

@CFinWV:

So apparently if you and I got in the same line we'd still be there. :)

September 10, 2009 7:03 PM

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CFinWV

@GrenadeTestSubject: Word. To be clear, they begin writing out the check when their total is ready (because they were watching the price monitor closely, of course!) and then they act surprised to find out the cashier needs to see their ID!

September 10, 2009 7:03 PM

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GitEmSteveDave_IsPyroclastic

This reminds me of when I worked in a grocery store in the Courtesy Booth. We would occasionally open up our register and take some Express overflow, but we had limited counter space, so I always got to yell, \"Next Express, 5 items less.\" After about 2 months, people got sick of hearing it. But I had an onion on my belt, which was in produce at the time...

September 10, 2009 7:37 PM

3 replies

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treimel

@GitEmSteveDave_IsPyroclastic:

The year was nineteen-dickety-seven ...

September 11, 2009 4:10 AM

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GitEmSteveDave_IsPyroclastic

@treimel: No, it was Dickery-0-deuce.

September 11, 2009 2:46 AM

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RecordStoreToughGuy_starcommandseries.com

@treimel: I remember that! We had to say dickety because the Kaiser had stolen our word for twenty. I chased that rascal dickety-six miles before I had to give up.

September 10, 2009 7:08 PM

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dip_cone

Whuh-oh. I already have an unhealthy obsession with grocery lines and slow people. Now I have something to count.

September 11, 2009 6:57 AM

1 replies

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INsano

@dip_cone: Lol, more fuel for the fire. Consumerist had something last year mentioning that it was more about the # of people in line than their items. I've tried employing it and have been successful. It is really, really hard to get in line behind someone with 40 items, but it is true. Also, when you factor in the number of people who have difficulty for one reason or another(idiocy is common), one of the three people in the \"express\" lane will f**k up your speed, while that variable is greatly diminished in a line with one person and a big cart.

September 10, 2009 7:10 PM

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redx

If everyone was accurately able to guage how long each line is aka how long the wait is, then no line should have a big advantage over any other line because as soon as one line gets a little shorter, someone would get on.

September 11, 2009 3:31 AM

2 replies

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greyb1

@redx: But if that were the case, then all the lines would be equal. Then there would be no reason to take the time to carefully choose a line. So people would stop choosing them so carefully. That would cause there to be lines of different lengths, giving people a reason to care again.

Repeat.

September 10, 2009 11:21 PM

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floraposte

@redx: Yes, it's sort of like sniping on eBay--if people were rational and informed actors, there'd be no advantage. But we're not.

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samurailynn

There is one worker at a particular grocery store that is always the slowest option. If she has one person in line (with less than five items even!), and every other line has three or more people in line, any of the other lines will still beat being in her line. I think it's a special power that she has.

September 10, 2009 8:16 PM

1 replies

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Shadowman615

@samurailynn: Along those lines, I've found sometimes it helps to pick the lane with the most (apparently) competent checker.

September 10, 2009 7:13 PM

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ckaught78

You can apply the same math to which lane to drive in during rush hour traffic. From my experience the right (slow) lanes tend to move faster than the left (fast) lanes.

September 10, 2009 7:18 PM

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Yurei

Many stores also put their slowest cashiers on the express lanes, while the cashiers with the highest IPH scores (items per hour) are put on the big registers to move them through faster. Most of the time, these are the things that slow down the lines and you should avoid if in a hurry:

1. items with no price tag/upc or were put up with incorrect signage and people demand price checks (not that i blame them)

2. credit cards- cash is always faster, especially when people can't figure out which way to swipe, remember their pin, get the machine to accept their signature (they are crappy machines usually i find), grabbed the wrong card out of the collection in their wallet, or are past their balance

3. coupons. especially people with incorrect/expired/wrong store coupons

4. WIC. usually this is the under trained cashier's fault, but lots of people grab the wrong WIC items unknowingly.

5. people on their cell phones. pay. freaking. ATTENTION.

6. people with unruly children. so many times as a cashier I had to wait for parents to come back from chasing their child who was 4 aisles over, or whining for something and they were arguing with them over it.

7. people with lots of over sized or difficult to ring items/lots of cases of soda, etc. These things are easy to ring if you have a working price gun (you rarely do in my experience) but turn out very slow when people rebel against loading them onto the register when the gun doesn't work. I'm sorry, unloading your cart is not my job. And no, I can't ring in 4 cases of different sodas as all the same thing even if the price is the same, they have different UPCs and count towards inventory. If I tell the machine you bought 6 cases of coca cola and you bought a mix of stuff, next time when you come in to buy your usual mix, it might not be available because inventory was wrong and they didn't order it as they should have, as an example.

September 11, 2009 3:11 PM

5 replies

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tomok97

@Yurei: As a former grocery store checker and front end supervisor I can vouch for the slowest checker going on express. While it wasn't mandated by the company, I quickly determined this same thing. Collecting the money is the slow part and, typically, it's the part that the checker has no control over. So if I had a superfast checker (of which I was one) and a slow checker, the slow checker went to express. That line was going to be slow anyway and low IPM (items per minute) doesn't matter as much when they're only scanning 5 - 8 (on average) items at per order. Give that checker a customer with a cart full of groceries and the world will come to a screeching halt. In order to be effective, the fastest checkers need to have access to the greatest number of items NOT the greatest number of customers.

September 10, 2009 10:28 PM

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morlo

@Yurei: Wow, I thought it was just my distorted perception that made the express lane cashiers seem slower than normal.

September 10, 2009 9:05 PM

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mbz32190

@Yurei: At the grocery store where I work, I would always scan a \"Coke\" 12 pack x amount of times even if they had Sprite, other coke things, etc. Pepsi and Coca-Cola came in and did their own inventory every few days, if not every day.

September 10, 2009 7:23 PM

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samurailynn

@Yurei: Cash may be faster for some people, but I definitely wouldn't say it's always faster. If the credit card swiper works, then all you have to do is swipe once and maybe sign a receipt or enter a PIN. (If it's under $25, a lot of places don't even require you to do that.) With cash, you have to wait for the total, then get out the cash, the cashier has to count it, then count back your change, then you have to put the cash away.

September 10, 2009 7:52 PM

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pecan 3.14159265

@samurailynn: And you have to assume the cashier can actually count! One time, I paid cash, and the cashier handed me the wrong change twice.

September 10, 2009 7:19 PM

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ovalseven

I'll go through any line as long as the cashier isn't licking her fingers before counting money or opening a plastic bag. Don't wipe your spit on my money, and don't handle my food after you've done so.

I'll take hygiene over speed any day.

September 10, 2009 9:07 PM

3 replies

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dham

@BathroomDuck: In that situation I would be more concerned for the cashier's health than mine. I, for one, am not going to lick the money when I get home.

September 10, 2009 11:47 PM

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ovalseven

@dham: Sure, that makes the cashier a walking petri dish for just about anything. I'd rather just stay away from her.

September 10, 2009 8:25 PM

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tbax929

@BathroomDuck:
Yeah, that is really disgusting.

September 10, 2009 7:22 PM

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ilves

For some reason US stores have not picked up on the tiny little invention of a plank on a swivel that separates the bagging area into two lanes. it can swivel to close off either side if someone is bagging and already paid so you can start scanning the next items even before the last person is done.
| | | |
| | | | /|
| | | | / |
|__|___| |__/__| It's magic!

September 10, 2009 8:44 PM

9 replies

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Sunshine1970

@ilves: Those are awesome. Super Saver in Lincoln, NE had these, and I loved 'em. We bagged our own groceries, and the checker could whip through people very fast.

When I moved to Texas, it was a new experience to have actual baggers. I hate it. I kind of like it when there's no bagger for myself since I can scurry down to the end, bag my own groceries faster than a bagger anyway, pay and be on my way. With other customers it's another thing altogether...I always seem to pick the one lane where the people ahead of me have tons and tons of items, the bagger just left the lane, and the customer doesn't take the initiative to bag their own stuff (unless they're very old or disabled--then a bagger is called back over to help), and wait for the cashier to do it, then get irritated because it's taking the cashier too long to do so. Oh, and then the customer just stands there waiting for the cashier to run around the lane and put the groceries in the cart for them.

September 11, 2009 5:27 AM

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Cybrczch

@Sunshine1970: Hey Sunshine, just to let you know the checkers at Super Saver are still fast (well, faster than Hy-Vee and Russ's IGA), at least until I get in the line...

September 10, 2009 8:40 PM

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joshuadavis

@ilves: Shoppers Food Warehouse (mid-Atlantic region, and parts of the South) have this.

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West Coast Secessionist

@ilves: Dude, you've obviously never been to a Food 4 Less then! They have had that swiveling plank there for a long time, at least 10 years. It's a \"bag your own stuff\" store. Oh, and on the west coast the stores got sold a few years ago to the Save Mart chain and are now called \"Food Maxx.\"

September 11, 2009 2:06 PM

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veg-o-matic

@West Coast Secessionist: @Sunshine1970: Food4Less and Super Saver love. Big, and yellow and horrible and wonderful all at the same time.

Too bad some of Lincoln's best Food4Less-es got eaten by Russ's-es.. where everything costs a little extra so some 16 year old can carry a single sack to my car for me.

September 10, 2009 8:12 PM

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nybiker

@ilves: The Waldbaum's here in Queens, New York has 'em. Works good so long as the people in front of me move out of my way so I can get down to the end to do my bagging.

Boy do I hate food shopping (but I like eating, so I put up with it)).

September 10, 2009 7:40 PM

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lannister80

@ilves: I know our local \"Schnucks\" grocery store (big chain) here in IL, USA has the \"2 lane\" bagging area. Makes a ton of sense.

September 10, 2009 7:25 PM

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pecan 3.14159265

@ilves: Shoppers Food Warehouse does this! But they're the only grocery store I've seen that does it.

September 10, 2009 7:22 PM

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ilves

@ilves:

oh it deletes spaces, my drawing didn't quite work.. lol

September 10, 2009 7:25 PM

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CompyPaq

I always thought that the purpose of an item limit in an express lane was to limit the people who use it, thereby making the line shorter.

September 10, 2009 7:27 PM

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bizzz

Give me a grocery store that has a \"5 coupons or less\" sign above it and I'll shop there forever.

I got stuck behind an uber coupon user the other day in what I thought would be the quickest line.....then the coupons came out (at least 50 of them). At least six of the items were either the wrong size or some thing and the checker had to call a stock boy to come (six different times) to go retrieve the correct item. And of course all my groceries were piled on the treadmill already so I was stuck.

The only thing worse than coupons are places that sell groceries/hardware/clothes (fred meyer). If you get behind someone with a bunch of clothing, RUN! They are always mis-priced, which entails another call, plus the time to remove the security tag, then they have to fold the clothes. Gets me riled up just typing about it.

Now I just try to hit the grocery store at dead times, late at night on the weekdays. Stay far away from sundays when the coupons drop. Blech.

September 10, 2009 8:30 PM

3 replies

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Scoobatz

@bizzz: That's a very anti-consumer thing to say.

Everyone likes to criticize using coupons, but you're essentially throwing money away by not using them. My wife will spend $300 on groceries and save over $100 using coupons sometimes.

It's sucks that you have to run through hoops to get a better price on something, but a little effort and organization can go a long way and put a considerable amount of money back into your pocket. And, no, my wife does not spend a lot of time organizing and collecting coupons. Once you get the hang of it, and stay organized, it's not that big of a deal.

September 10, 2009 9:09 PM

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dham

@Scoobatz: If it's such an easy, convenient process, why does it sounds like your wife is the only one in the family taking the time to do it?

September 11, 2009 1:25 AM

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Scoobatz

@dham: That's a good point. I guess I figured it was a bit too much to ask my 4 year old son to take care of cutting coupons. As for my wife, she doesn't mind giving up bathroom cleaning duties to take care of the groceries.

When you get a chance, please feel free to offer some more of your expert advice and criticism.

September 10, 2009 11:27 PM

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floraposte

@dham: What do the two things have to do with one another? Division of labor is one of the key advantages of shared living. It's no reflection on the particular labor, whether it be cleaning the gutters, dusting the knickknacks, or arranging the coupons.

September 10, 2009 8:13 PM

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JulesNoctambule

@bizzz: I put my coupons in the cart with my items as I shop, then when I check out at a register that isn't a self-checkout, I put the coupons on top of the items as I place them on the belt. More than one cashier has thanked me for it, much to my surprise.

September 10, 2009 7:30 PM

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Trai_Dep

I'm a social guy, but I want to start strangling puppies when I'm in the line with a chatty cashier.

September 10, 2009 7:47 PM

2 replies

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madanthony

@Trai_Dep:

unless she's hot!

September 10, 2009 8:13 PM

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nybiker

@madanthony: Right!

September 16, 2009 8:00 AM

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god_forbids

@nybiker: Then you can hope this happens to you. Good luck!

September 10, 2009 7:32 PM

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Magspie

There's a lot of impatience and anger in grocery store lines. I'm not slow, but I don't let it get to me when someone else in the line is slow. So what if the old lady wants to pay with change or someone has a bunch of coupons? Life is much more enjoyable if you just relax and not worry about every wasted minute. I usually let people go ahead of me if they only have a few things and a few times I've let a harried and stressed looking mom go ahead of me even with a full cart, rather than rolling my eyes and glaring at her 'unruly children'. Try it, it makes the day better.

September 11, 2009 3:08 AM

4 replies

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Nakko

@Magspie: Absolutely true. Patience is a virtue, after all. Americans need to shed more of this hurry-up-and-wait attitude. Rush! Rush to the next red light! Why? Are you gonna brag to your buddies that you saved 7.02 seconds by being grumpy and mad in the grocery store?

What does that really get you?

September 10, 2009 11:30 PM

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floraposte

@Magspie: I'm in agreement. I admit, I like to get in and out, and I'm fortunate that I usually can. But it's not an entitlement, and people taking longer aren't actually stealing time that somehow belonged to me.

September 10, 2009 8:45 PM

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Sunshine1970

@Magspie: I always bring my MP3 player with me so if/when I get behind someone like that I have soothing music to take my mind off of the wait

September 10, 2009 7:41 PM

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lannister80

@Magspie: As my aunt says, people who seethe in line like that \"have a lot of sharp edges still to be worn off\".

September 10, 2009 7:33 PM

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RobertBaron

I try to find the line with less people, regardless of how many items they have. All that being equal, I move on to age. The less old people the better. Then lines with women and children, I try to avoid those. Frankly, they really need a line for Men Age 40 and Below. That's the quickest line if it exists.

September 10, 2009 11:15 PM

4 replies

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Posthaus

@RobertBaron: The best I can do is just avoid shoppers with grey hair all together. That or the cart with more than two adults by it at a Walmart.

September 10, 2009 9:03 PM

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calliope_woman

@RobertBaron: Hey you age-est a-hole, I am 53 and i use coupons. My kids have moved out, I shop for one. I dont want to get behind someone with a family, or some self proclaimed Romeo yacking it up with the hot cashier. Im just saying...

September 10, 2009 7:38 PM

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Magspie

@RobertBaron: Over 40 is old?

September 10, 2009 7:50 PM

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RobertBaron

@Magspie: I consider it old in the grocery store line sense. More likely to use checks, fumble around for cash or futz around with the machinery.

September 10, 2009 8:15 PM

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nybiker

@RobertBaron: I don't write out checks, never pay with cash (always a credit card), and I know how to swipe my credit card too.

September 10, 2009 8:28 PM

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RobertBaron

@nybiker: good for you

September 10, 2009 7:38 PM

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eelmonger

While it's true that paying for stuff at express takes pretty much the same amount of time as at a regular lane, I'd much rather be behind three people in an express lane than one family with two carts of groceries and three screaming kids. Both for speed and sanity's sake.

Also I disagree with the credit slower than cash conclusion. Maybe in optimal conditions like the item costs exactly $1, cash will be faster, but I imagine the average case leans more towards credit, since it doesn't involve two parties counting out money. Also, the blog mentions that some people don't know how to work the credit machine, but I'd wager those people take just as long as the people that feel they have to dig in their purse/pocket for exact change.

September 10, 2009 7:39 PM

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NeverLetMeDown

Or, you could go the route of Whole Foods in NYC, and just have one line, with a computer telling the person at the front of the line \"register 23...register 12...register 11.\"

They still have express and non-express lines (so technically, they have 2 lines), but they seem to move at almost the exact same pace.

September 10, 2009 9:27 PM

3 replies

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Princess Leela

@NeverLetMeDown: My local Trader Joe's usually has a \"line wrangler\" during busy times. Works like a charm.

September 10, 2009 7:43 PM

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pecan 3.14159265

@NeverLetMeDown: Whole Foods is actually very good about lines.

Not groceries, I know, but during the holidays, Best Buy will put one person at the front of the line and have that person direct people to the different lanes as soon as they open so there isn't cluttering.

September 10, 2009 8:47 PM

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Sunshine1970

@pecan 3.14159265: Not just during holidays. The Best Buys around here do this year round. As does Fry's Electronics.

September 10, 2009 7:45 PM

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aswearengen

You need to factor in the \"old woman writing a check\" time as well. That's easily another 10 minutes wait right there.

September 10, 2009 7:45 PM

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Vandelay Import Export

The fastest checkout is the one you are not in.

September 10, 2009 8:15 PM

1 replies

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nybiker

@Vandelay Import Export: +1.

September 10, 2009 7:48 PM

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Razor512

express lines would be quicker if they put a timer on the machine and if they they did not complete everything within the time limit, they would be charges a $1 being slow fee.

I have been on those express or self service lines and you always get a few idiots who go slow for no reason, there on their cellphone talking instead of scanning the crap or doing other time wasting crap, holding the line up.

PS for these machines pay be cash and not by credit cards as most are systems connected to the internet running windows and no security software or any security updates (because updates can sometime break software compatibility to they disable updates) there many articles about this and how many of the machines can easily be infected, (use cash and get the cash ready before your turn on line)

September 10, 2009 9:15 PM

1 replies

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dham

@Razor512: No. There should not be more timers, anywhere, at all. The cashier already has a stressful, often low-paid, repetitive job dealing with people whose seconds are so important that they apparently find it necessary to document just how many of them they lost. They already likely use a system that, when clocking in, rounds up to the latest 15 minutes, and when clocking out, rounds down the earliest 15 minute increment.

They could instead implement a \"Pay $5 for our fastest employee if your time is genuinely so valuable that you are worried about which line you're in\" fee. Or, you could demand the store pay employees enough to be able to keep good, fast workers employed.

September 10, 2009 7:51 PM

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Dragonis

Makes sense when you think about it. What takes longer: scanning an item or counting change/waiting for a transaction to approve?

September 10, 2009 8:12 PM

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teke367

To me, I viewed the express lane as the lane with less people, not less items. Usually when I got, there is nobody in that line, or perhaps 1 person, as opposed to a couple in the regular lines (its a big store, with 20 lanes, so usually there isnt more than 3 in a lane).

I also feel you run into special breeds of morons in grocery stores, so I always look for the line with less people, I don't focus on the amount of the stuff in the cart.

I suppose if you think about it, you shouldn't be surprised that more people in line means more chances for somebody to cause a delay.

September 10, 2009 8:21 PM

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formatc

I used to work at a grocery store, both as a cashier and front end monitor. I can wholeheartedly back up the article with real-world experience. Cashiers are (read: should be) fast at scanning lots of items. Customers aren't fast at paying.

September 10, 2009 8:23 PM

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nybiker

With regards to express lanes, I was told by my parents years ago that the item count is a function of the price points. That is, a pricing scheme that says \"2 cans for $1\" is one item; clearly a 6-pack of a beverage is one item since it's wrapped as such.

What do people think when they look in a shopping cart and see what looks like more than 10 (or 15 or 20 or whatever the limit is)? Do you assume they have more than the limit? And if so, what do you as another consumer do?

Maybe as others have suggested in other posts, the shopper is charged an 'exceeded the line limit' fee - just like Bank of America does when you go over your limit?

September 10, 2009 10:36 PM

1 replies

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TheKuudere

@nybiker: I would count the number of barcodes that need to be scanned. As a cashier, if something is bundled together with just one barcode, that essentially costs me no more time to scan than an individual item.

If the items are separate, and are just suggested as \"buy one get one\" by a sale we're having, then yes, those are two items. It takes longer to scan and bag these two items.

I don't work with groceries, but I'd assume the cashiers there would feel the same.

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vladthepaler

The biggest factor in the speed of the line is the cashier. Is the cashier ringing up groceries or chatting with someone? Does the cashier have basic math skills, or will tendering $11.25 on a $6.18 bill get you a prolonged blank stare? Presence of a bagger is good if he's bagging, bad if he's talking. Etc.

September 10, 2009 8:28 PM

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Haggie1

I'm passive-aggressive, so I prefer to pick the slow lane and stand there sighing loudly, rolling my eyes, and muttering under my breath like Yosemite Same...

September 10, 2009 9:09 PM

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LogicalOne

I'm waiting for some store to come up with the \"One Item Or Less\" line.

What does it matter if there are express lines? Invariably, I get stuck behind someone who can't count or believes they're privileged and has a zillion things in their cart, not the 15 that it says on the sign. And I've never seen a store clerk order that person to move to a regular line.

Oh, and for the record, \"xx items or less\" is grammatically incorrect. It should be \"xx items or fewer.\" \"Less\" is the adjective for quantities measured in bulk. \"Fewer\" is the adjective for distinct things that are counted.

The fewer commenters who rag on my post, the better.

September 10, 2009 9:31 PM

2 replies

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dham

@LogicalOne:

Re: the grammar:

On one hand, I attempted to teach the SATs to 16 year old kids who are largely unable to grasp the appropriate use of less and fewer. All will try to remember the rule by referencing these signs, which just makes it harder.

On the other hand, Whole Foods' signs actually read \"10 items or fewer\", and it looks pretty pretentious to me.

I would guess that within another generation, the rule won't even exist, as common usage dictates grammar.

September 10, 2009 9:22 PM

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Princess Leela

@LogicalOne: Having worked as a cashier back in the day, those people drove me nuts too. But I will say this: As often as not, the cashier is busy with the current customer and has not noticed that the full-cart-in-the-express-line idiot is there until he/she has unloaded half his/her items onto the belt. At that point, if you're a 19-year-old minimum-wage-makin' cashier, you are probably going to be leery of making a big thing out of asking a customer (who, considering he/she has barged into the express lane, is probably not the reasonable type) to reload his cart.

September 10, 2009 9:48 PM

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Damocles57

As one of the group of males aged 50+, it was good to read all of the things that irritate the young, impatient shoppers who will now be behind me in line. I will split the purchase between cash and check (when I find my checkbook). I'll carry lots of pennies so I can make exact change for any purchase. I'll carry my change in at least two pockets so I can use up more time trying to remember which pocket has the appropriate combination of change. I'll make sure to have an interesting item in each pocket so I can share a long touching story with the cashier about how I found it or who gave it to me or what I will do with it later.

I'll use expired coupons and then demand to have the product returned when I don't they won't honor the coupon. I'll ask to borrow the cashier's calculator to readjust the balance in my check book register before leaving the line. I'll wait for the total and then \"remember\" that bag of ice I need. I'll check the expiration date of every item and then demand a discount if any are close to expiration or actually expired.

I may need to start a club so we old slow folks can congregate around the cashiers to see which club member can cause the most line jumpers or the best eye-rolls. There may be some side-betting going on too as we try to predict which youngster who is running into the store will be the most irritated when they get to the line in front of one of us.

I'll keep you posted. Or, even better, we may meet some afternoon in a grocery store near you....

September 11, 2009 1:58 AM

1 replies

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nybiker

@Damocles57: Thank you for saying that. I might even start driving at the speed limit now too (ok, no I won't; this is NYC remember and we're not a patient folk, no matter how many times the subway conductors ask us to be when the train is stopped between stations).

September 10, 2009 9:48 PM

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HogwartsAlum

Yay! This is in Santa Cruz. I miss that town. :'(

I have never tried the self-scanner so I can't say that it's any faster. At Walmart, the express lanes seem faster. I hardly ever go through them at the regular grocery so I don't have much basis for comparison. The only store where I have to wait in very long lines is ALDI. They usually hit the \"help\" buzzer as soon as the line starts to go around the store and their checkers are extremely fast. It helpst that they don't bag the food, you do it yourself. Otherwise some people would never get out of line.

September 10, 2009 10:10 PM

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alshultz

Tips from a grocery store manager:

* If you get to choose when you shop, do it early in the morning - everything is in stock and there's no one else in the store

* Do small things to help the grocery store and they'll be more efficient - Put your cart or red basket up, maybe throw out the trash. I can't tell you how much of my day is spent collecting baskets people throw around instead of helping customers.

* If lines are long find the manager up front, ask them to open up. They DO have tills up front and if you're not shopping at walmart or target the manager will normally get on a register just for you.

* God there are so many tips I could write a book

September 10, 2009 11:34 PM

1 replies

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floraposte

@alshultz: In my experience, the manager then opens up a new checklane and first takes the people who run over to it before I get there, so I end up waiting just as long. So never mind that.

September 10, 2009 10:25 PM

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MooseOfReason

[Rant]

I don't like people who sign the receipt, leave it on the counter, put the pen on top of it, and then reach their hand out for me to hand them their receipt.

That doesn't happen anymore, because my store switched to the electronic signing pads, but damn was that frustrating.

Or people or block the entrance to the lane with a loaded shopping cart while they chat with their friend.

Or people who suddenly realize they \"forgot\" something, and walk off for ten minutes, meanwhile I've scanned half of their order.

People who have the loudest, most obnoxious ringtone on their phone, and when it rings, they let it ring six times without answering the phone or shutting it off.

Or the whole counter space is covered in groceries, and the customer stands there with their arms folded while I bag everything. And when I put the bag down, they immediately take it and put it in their cart, before resuming the arm-folded laziness.

[/rant]

Without customers, supermarkets wouldn't be so bad.

September 10, 2009 11:34 PM

1 replies

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floraposte

@MooseOfReason: Pay'd be a lot worse, though.

September 10, 2009 10:26 PM

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Sakura77

To all you coupon-user-haters: I use them. A lot. And NEVER in the expres lane. I usually manage to cover at least 1/3 to 1/2 my bill with coupons. What irritates me is when I'm in the REGULAR checkout line with a full basket of groceries and a handful of coupons and someone behind me with around 6 items gets ugly and impatient because they think I'm taking too long.

September 10, 2009 10:34 PM

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morlo

I advocate adopting a scowl of despair like you just were release from the federal pen where you were raped daily with a distant gaze like you are preparing a shooting-massacre. This often persuades the floor manager to open another register just for you.

September 11, 2009 12:47 AM

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TownMarkFromHell

I saw a express checkout person at Meijer here in Michigan the other day redirect a person with a full cart from the 12 or fewer lane to an unlimited lane. He was giving her crap about it, but she stood firm and in the end he moved. I almost wanted to buy her a beer for that!

The other thing that pisses me off about stores in general are the people who PULL their cart by the front corner standing to the side of it while chatting on a cellphone. They tend to take up most of the aisle space and are oblivious to those around them. Those are the people who I hope die in a fiery car crash on the way home.

September 11, 2009 2:24 AM

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Ben_Q2

I was by far the fast checker in the store. This was 24 years ago. There was no scanner but prices. I was also stock the store (I was the main person) where others would have to look at the prices I would just look at the item and type it in. Knowing how to use a key pad help also.

September 11, 2009 3:04 AM

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Nakko

Some of the best cashiers can get through fifty items in a minute flat, but what holds up the line is the customer being on the phone, or deciding how to pay or not paying attention when someone is trying to hand them the receipt.

September 11, 2009 3:12 AM

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soapdish

This is why I got married. Now I rarely have to deal with grocery shopping. I get the wife to do it.

September 11, 2009 3:25 AM

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greyb1

Not only does this stuff fascinate me, but I love the word \"anecdata.\" Also, if you think this is interesting, drop everything you are doing, go to Amazon, and order \"Why We Buy.\" Especially if you have anything to do with retail. Or really, even if you have anything to do with business. It is an excellent and crazy-interesting book to read.

Like Freakonomics, but for retail.

September 11, 2009 3:41 PM

1 replies

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BarkingLeopard

@greyb1: +1 on that. People have no freaking CLUE how much of their buying behavior is influenced/caused/predicted by store design and basic psychology (what, my behavior? NEVER!). Great book, and one that I need to read again...

September 11, 2009 3:35 AM

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greyb1

This begs the question why don't grocery stores have queues like banks do? Just one queue and the person in front gets to go to whichever register opens next. This blog post discusses some of the virtues of the more efficient single queue.

[mat.tepper.cmu.edu]

September 11, 2009 3:37 PM

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Chip Skylark of Space

What's really faster is using COBORNS DELIVERS to bag up and deliver our groceries. No lines, no waits, no messing around. We come home, and our groceries are sitting in the green tubs on our porch, waiting for us to put them away.
[www.cobornsdelivers.com]

September 11, 2009 3:55 PM

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SigmundTheSeaMonster

I've found the Express Lane usually has the greenhorn/slowest clerk. Where as the Regular lanes are more seasoned clerks.

My tests at a Wegmans confirmed this as I was able to talk with the manager. His point was this was how a clerk learns.

I agree with most here against check writers but I also get mad when I see ignorance (more than 15 items in that lane, digging for exact change, waiting for total before even taking out checkbook, ...).

EZPass lane?

September 12, 2009 12:55 AM

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Carlee

I love self-checkout, when it works. There's a Ralphs next to where I work that works like a breeze. It's all self-checkout on the north entrance. The south entrance has traditional cashiers.

None of that \"unexpected item in the bagging area\" or \"please wait for assistance\".

A couple of weeks ago, I was at Walmart (which I rarely go to) and in the self-checkout line. It was killing me. There was just 1 line for 2 machines, but it wasn't clear to some people that it was just one line. I had to tell some people who were trying to line up behind on of the machines.

Also, one family kept getting error messages.

I didn't know what was worse - waiting for self-checkout, going in the speedy checkout line (which probably was a better bet), or waiting in the massive regular lines.

I do see people still paying with checks, but I never do. I also rarely carry cash, so it's usually just credit cards. My mom is fast with her cash - she pulls out coins for specific change (like a nickel or quarter) with ease. I can never calculate how much loose change I should give so I don't end up with a million pennies. It confuses the cashiers, though - so my mom has to tell them to just enter in the amount.