If you have the option, do you use the cashier or the self checkout line at the grocery store? What about other types if store like hardware stores?

Just walk out the door.

I try to use cashier aisles whenever possible. In every type of store. Partly because I want to be contributing in a tiny way to someone being employed, and partly because of bad experiences in the past with self-checkout systems.

It depends. If i only have one or two things and there's one open, I'll use the self checkout so I can get out as fast as I can.

If I have a cart full of shit, multiple coupons, loyalty card, there's no way I'm doing all that myself. At that point, I'm stuck for a while no matter what, so I'll wait for someone else to do it; I'm not getting paid, they are.

If I'm not in a rush (and no line) and no cashier is open I always ask the bored (usually elderly) person for help

Fuck it, they're bored and I know the machines have cameras that track how much that person is needed. If no one asks them for help, they stop having a job.

I always prefer self checkout where I live because the machines are reliable and they have someone hanging out to help if there are any issues. It is faster and I get to pack stuff the way I want for unloading at home.

On travel I tend to use a cashier because of bad experiences with self checkout outside where I live.

Only for alcohol

I also had some bad experiences with the self checkout. I rather spend a bit more time going through the cashier line then the self checkout if I can get a better experience. I do find the self checkout at hardware stores with those scan guns to work well most of the time.

I generally prefer self-checkout because it's faster, but I will also use cashier if that is faster. I used to absolutely hate the cashiers, because you have to talk to them. But I've gotten better at the mandatory "hello," "how are you?" "have a good day"s as I've gotten older.

The original self-checkout!

depends entirely on how much I have to check out and how simple the items are. 8 2-ltrs and I will do self chex. any veg without a barcode or a cart full of stuff. cashier. oh and also the length of lines will cause me to call a mulligan on the usual call.

Good call on the cashier convo. It's basically automatically at this point, in a good way.

No. I caved. Self-checkout is much faster, even than before there were any self-checkouts. The reason is that they're all always open, whereas the cashiers were always throttled to match the number of customers, ensuring the line was at least three deep. Also, because they want you to go to the self-checkout, I think they purposely don't require the cashiers to be fast or efficient anymore. The one time last year when I went through the cashier line, it was fucking ridiculous. The cashier was chatting up the customers, and taking their sweet time, way worse than they used to.

I do my grocery shopping early in the morning and there is never a line, I just roll right up to the machine and start.

At Lowe's, I use the self-checkout for small things, but when I'm also getting sheets of plywood, etc. I go to the cashier in the "pro" section. I think that's pretty typical.

Depends. Generally I prefer self checkout but it depends on the store and what self checkout options are available. It's sometimes quicker and often easier on my social anxiety.

Some self checkouts have scales in the bagging area though that means you have to wait over a second between scanning an item and placing it in a bag and scanning the next. It doesn't sound like a lot but it adds up and becomes infuriating, I spend maybe a quarter to a third of the time in those self checkouts just waiting for it to register so I can scan the next item.

Then there's those ones with the cameras that use AI to detect whether you have tried to steal something, usually I shop at 2-3 different stores in the shopping center so I can get everything at the lowest price so I always have stuff from other stores that triggers those systems, so I need a worker to come over anyway to enter their code and say I didn't steal anything which defeats both the time saving and the social interaction saving of the self checkout.

Generally I make a judgement about if I think I can get through the self checkout without it complaining about other items in my cart, or if I have to wait for the scale to detect that I've put a can of beans in the bag before scanning the next can of beans. If I don't think I can get through the self checkout with either of those things happening, it's usually far easier to just go to the cashier. Plus the cashiers are usually far nicer than the one person they have running between all of the self-checkouts to deal with the inevitable issues everyone faces. Often it's quicker too as sometimes it can take a while for a staff member to come punch in the code to clear the warnings.

I like Aldi's system where they scan and you bag, no bullshit just there to scan your items. It annoys me though that my local Aldi rarely has someone on the checkouts anymore so I have to use their annoying self checkout (they're one of the ones that weighs your bags and won't let you scan a couple things at a time before bagging).

Depends on the store. For big chains, the best discounts are always at the self checkout.

I don’t like being screamed at by a computer voice/speaker. I can read. I would do it more often if it was silent like at IKEA. Also at Whole Foods I usually have one of their 50% today only deals which requires a cashier. And it’s stupid you can’t buy beer. Basically I only use self checkout as a last resort, or if I have like 2 or 3 items.

I always use a cashier, since that means a normal person gets paid. Self-checkout just makes the rich richer.

If there's a cashier who has no line, 100% cashier. After that I make a judgment call on which will take longer.

Most of the places I shop don't even have automated checkout so yes.

I do self checkout because I want to bag my own groceries. I bike with a trailer, and I want to be able to make sure all the crushable items are in one place so I can load them on top.

My children like them so as long as they want to play cashier, I usually will. Alone, never.

This is kind of the way I look at leaving carts out; everyone has this righteous outlook on putting your cart away as it's judge of character. Obviously you haven't worked in retail before; I would jump to oh you need help taking this outside? Or, hey there's some carts out there can I go get them. Because you know what, standing in a square (register) all day long is like prison.

Whreeti live, a lot of stores hire cashiers with disabilities (there are tax benefits etc.) So I always go to the cashiers to support those programs.

Mostly, I use a cashier and cash.

I've been car free for several years now, and it's such a decent savings that I just get groceries delivered. £45 for 6 months of free deliveries, no sweat.

I used to fill up a shopper and drag it home every week, but now the only place close enough for that is Asda, and their produce is pretty disappointing.

Not quite the question you asked, but "secret third option" is kind of a family tradition for us, sorry. When I do find myself shopping, I prefer not to use self checkout. The machines are too chatty.

My twin is a cashier at a grocery, so does texting them a grocery list count as using them??

When we shop together on their days off, we use the self checkout though cause we're only buying a little generally.

I'm surprised more people don't know about the huge discounts you can get for using the self checkout, but only at big chain stores. 🏴‍☠️

I really don't want to do that but my family does not know how to use these machines.

I use the cashier when the line isn't clearly much shorter for the self-checkout. When I have to use the self-checkout, the store comps me a little treat as a thank you for running the register for them.

Always. The times I went to a self check out there was still a cashier looking over shoulders, fuck that.
Around here most store chains have tried them, few remain.

Self checkout takes at least twice the time as going past the cashier. I have to do both our jobs but don't magically have more hands. I only use it if I have 5 items tops or there is a very long line.

I never use self checkout. I stopped buying at two retailers who installed self checkout on more than half the lanes.

Self checkout is a job killer, and worse, is making customers do the job of paid employees for free.

Do you use horse-drawn carriages? No? What about the horse breeders and cartwrights?

[...] is making customers do the job of paid employees for free.

So if everyone used self-checkout, groceries would be cheaper...

yes, but most grocery stores, chain stores have eliminated or reduced its usage, because of the shoplifting you can do with the self checkout.

So if everyone used self-checkout, groceries would be cheaper...

That's not how capitalism works.

I use the cashier because I don't work for the store, they do (it's not the best job, but they obviously need it). Corporations would love it if we stocked the shelves and mopped the floors, too. Maybe they could turn the lights out and we could use our phones' flashlights to save on electricity, as well. They could give rewards points for snitching on people who don't scan all their items ("Help keep prices down by joining our Volunteer Loss Prevention Program!").

I always use the self checkout. I prefer to do it all myself in my own time, in my own way, without needing to interact with someone. I hate being rushed to shove stuff into my bags (looking at you Lidl).

I appreciate the argument that it might allow stores to reduce staff but I does create jobs for mechanics to fix these things and for people to design and manufacture them. Maybe it does work out to the same number added as removed but it does offset that somewhat. Until they can get robots to stack the shelves there will always be people working in supermarkets

Cashier virtually every time. Self-checkout when I only have few items which is almost never.

You’re looking at it wrong: it’s not taking away jobs, it’s saving on work that needs to be done.

The goal should be 0 jobs. Nobody should have to work. The fewer things that need to be done by humans the more time we all have to spend on things that actually matter.

You are confusing the need for an income with having a job. People need an income to live, they don’t have a need to be scanning groceries at Lidl all day.

Really depends on how good the self checkout is. Usually local chains have great self checkout and the foreign chains I've tried were terrible and annoying. If I use a shopping cart I always use the cashier as you're supposed to. In convenience stores I prefer the cashier but I use the self checkout when there's already someone else at the cashier (usually everyone else avoids the self checkout in convenience stores in my experience, so it's always free immediately even when there's long queues at the cashier).

I haven't really encountered self checkout in other stores than grocery and a single convenience store chain though, so can't comment on other types of stores.

Whenever an employee offers me to use the self checkout, I reply "Thanks, but I don't work here"

And that's exactly why I'll start using self-checkout the day UBI is implemented (and not a day sooner).

No because it's not like the price of the groceries would be any lower if you subsidized the store's labor costs. I've also had annoying experiences having my cart more thoroughly checked in Costco's exits because self checkouts produce special blue receipts that flag you as a potential shoplifter.

I think it's a temporary thing. Scanning won't be necessary at all when more products get RFID tags.

It will come, because stores will love it, since it also makes shop lifting more difficult.

Chicken/egg problem. As long as they can convince people to be wage slaves there won’t be a need for UBI.

Self-checkout, every time, anywhere it's available. It's faster and I don't have to talk to anyone.

Fair. But I'm not sure widespread poverty will do the trick this time. The wealth extraction by the richest is historically unprecedented, but the poorest blame the immigrants instead of revolting. Manipulation of public opinion has become easier than ever before, the same as surveillance. I don't see the people rising up anytime soon and my neighborhood cashier has to eat this month.

It's actually one of the reasons why I'm starting to hate using these. I guess it's to prevent theft but all the newer models have a camera very visibility pointing directly at your face and some are also showing it to you.

I'm under no illusion and know my grocery store was already filming me, but practically bumping my head in the camera makes me want to go back to a cashier.

So if everyone used self-checkout, groceries would be cheaper...

lol. lmao even.

I hate being rushed to shove stuff into my bags (looking at you Lidl)

You're not supposed to bag at the checkout at Lidl (or Aldi or any of those operating on a similar European model).

I'll repeat that: You're not supposed to bag at the checkout.

You're supposed to pile all the stuff back into your trolley / cart as fast as they scan it, then you head to the shelf at the back to bag the shopping at your leisure.

That's why that shelf is there.

This can get awkward if the shelf is already fully occupied, in which case you'll have to wait for a spot to open up, but since most people don't know how this works, the shelf has always been free whenever I've needed it, so you might have the same experience. (Anyone in a big rush would be keeping up with the cashier anyway.)

The only real problem with this system is making sure that soft and breakable items that were likely on top don't end up getting squashed or broken as you hurriedly put everything back into the cart in the wrong order.

I make errors. I look like someone who might shoplift. I rather stay safe at the cashier.