I saw a first the other day at the local Safeway.
No, not the self-service scanner technology. It’s been in place for several years and was recently expanded. But for the first time, I saw a line-up to use the machines while, at the same, the clerk at the express line was waiting for customers.
Now, maybe people didn’t realize she was free. But maybe, more and more, people prefer to use the machines and scan for themselves. Maybe we’re being that well trained.
Maybe people are becoming increasingly anti-social?
Or maybe some were wanting to sneak / shoplift a few items.
I will not use the self checkout. Mostly because they are obvious job killers. They are also the most irritating machines – even worse than the ticket vending machines at Italian railway stations – hopelessly unreliable and always needing an attendant. I would rather have a pleasant conversation with the person on the regular checkout than have to deal with the very harassed attendant trying to cope with multiple self checkouts that are all acting up.