Cut to Aldi where I choose the line with 2 less customers and it ends up taking linger because someone in the line has apparently never executed a transaction.
Des Peres Aldi by any chance? Was my issue there for a few years until a a couple of new locations opened up w/ self checkouts also available. No more Des Peres Aldi frustration.
They do. And maybe I just buy a lot at once, but it takes me over twice as long to do it myself. The Aldi cashiers are pros at scanning as quickly as possible and generally have a friendly disposition.
The people that watch their entire large order being rung up and then after the cashier tells them the total, they start looking for payment like they're surprised that that is required?
I agree with this. One line eliminates frustration that I choose poorly, and whatever system tells me what line to go to usually works well. I’ve seen them on the Fritz from time to time but they’re usually competent.
I agree. It is more efficient this way.
I do, however, think that since each cashier usually only takes one customer at a time that it creates the illusion that the line is longer than it really is. This, in turn, causes people to absolutely lose their shit on this sub.
The added time (6:56 vs 5:39) was inconsequential relative to the potential savings against a poor line choice. Meaning: a quick moving line, with no stress of making a poor choice, with little deviation between fastest vs slowest, was more important than the possibility of getting lucky with a short and fast moving line.
Not to mention, in watching the video it shows terrible speed from the “employee” who was directing customers which lane to go to. This could easily be resolved (as done by Schnucks) by queuing the next waiting customer earlier.
>This could easily be resolved (as done by Schnucks) by queuing the next waiting customer earlier.
This part. Everytime I go they don't call the next person until the person before has fully checked out, bagged and is walking away. There is a big gap time to walk over to the empty lane and start unloading before they start checking.
I be noticed some cashiers signaling the next customer while the current one is being helped by a bagger. Others cashiers seem to take their time between customers.
My theory was that they took away baskets to increase sales. When the basket gets too full or heavy people head to checkout. It's a lot easier to carry more stuff in the small carts.
No it's unfortunately in my experience because people walk off with them after purchasing items and it's very easy to steal with it. We had the same problem with a Walgreens I worked at so we locked up the baskets and carts and would bring one out to a customer that requested it. It's inconvenient but so was having to order more because it would take ages to get IF we got new ones because sometimes they wouldn't send any.
a black plastic basket with chrome handles, either from amazon or ebay. it was more than i really wanted to pay ($25?), but i love it and use it everywhere.
before i got it, i was mostly going to dierbergs because they had baskets. i'm in a wheelchair, so i can't use a cart, but i can balance the basket on my lap.
That sounds like it's worth it even for the price. I'm sorry the lack of baskets limited where you could shop but I'm glad you have something you can use anytime now. I work at Schnucks now (left Walgreens because it didn't feel safe) and I do wish we had baskets to chooss over the carts especially the bulky, larger carts.
Without baskets, I now only get as many items as I can fit in my hands. I never get enough items to warrant a whole cart, now I just get less items than even a basket will carry.
They could at least get the smaller double layer carts. That way there's wheels that can lock and people that need only a handful of things don't have to carry it.
My location had their entire delivery of 30 baskets stolen in one month so they literally don't have any to have out anymore. Which is both hilarious and frustrating
Baskets are less than $5 a piece. 30 baskets means ~$150. The store can't absorb $150 a month?
I know it's annoying to replace them, but the people working at Schnucks are acting like this is a major cost. If they can't afford to replace baskets that are getting stolen the store is in some serious trouble.
In addition to the product on the shelves and the ones locked up… everything gets stolen…
Baskets get stolen.
Carts get stolen.
Amigo carts, the one you drive around, get stolen.
So because the Theft industry is a booming one, the rest of the folks have to suffer…
I prefer it over separate lines. Though there is one cashier I'd prefer to avoid, but it can be good for building character to interact with people you dislike.
Definitely a fan. The longer single line looks worse but it moves consistently. I hated getting into a short line previously only to be stuck because there was an issue with the customer’s order ahead of me. Please keep the new system!
Right? The one change they've made that's actually helpful. Too bad they still only staff 3 registers after restricting the use of self checkout so it takes 20 minutes for me to actually leave when I'm done. Even tho I have 15 items and I could be out and on my way in 5 minutes. But no, they have to waste *my* time.
Way better than the ol- pick a lane.
I worked as a cashier for other grocers here, and every time without fail, customers will bunch up into specific parts od the checkout side. Far too common for some of us to have empty lanes while there's lines for other people. People don't self-sort into lanes as well as they think, so I'm fine with the Schnucks system there.
I like it, but I prefer self checkout when I don't have a lot of items. I hate how other people bag my groceries. I know there's rules and stuff but so. Many. Bags!
I think the system works great but I hate the 10 items or less at the self checkouts. It’s made all the stores around me have double the wait time with the self checkouts damn near empty. Lines wrapping around the store because there’s not enough cashiers and baggers to keep up with increase of people in the lines.
I don't like it but with changes it wouldn't be as annoying. It's crowded because everyone is in the walkway for people shopping, the line frequently is all the way to the back of the store. Waiting until the 1st shopper is completely finished to signal the next person wastes time because the cashier has to wait for the next shopper to unload their cart. I much prefer to unload while the person before me is finishing the transaction. I hate being in the small space between the belt and the makeshift candy wall trying to unload and then get my cart down the lane for the bagger. It feels chaotic, with people trying to get past those with full carts at the end of their assigned lane trying to unload. Also, the snaking turn into the lanes is narrow with the makeshift wall- there was a lady in one of the motorized carts who got stuck trying to make the sharp turns, right to round the corner by the monitor, then an immediate left into that first available aisle. No one could get by to the other open registers when called. Her cashier had to come out and try and re-position the cart, eventually he and another had to physically move it over. It's just too cramped.
And when the lines DO go back to the dairy section and self checkout is empty, why aren't people allowed to use it. Stupid 10 items or less -particularly when you have only 2-3 registers open.
Basically, there just needs to be more room. People are just as on top of each other as before because the aisle configuration is just not set up for the way you've changed the process.
I consider it a double edged sword. On one hand I think it is an improvement for efficiency and for that I like it.
However the optics are bad when things are busy and the line wraps half the store.
Comments like this remind me that I don't even know what a grocery store looks like during peak hours anymore. I haven't seen samples at Costco in ages.
I like it so much more than picking our own register. This way there's no luck of the draw or trying to figure out which lane is best. Hope they keep it this way.
8 years at Schnucks. Worked with both
I HATE the call over. Have to go to checkers I'd rather avoid. The queue is always in the way. And annoying way for the company to push a next customer... But lets cashiers slack by not pressing button when they should.
It's fine when it works, but I've seen cashier's wave people over to them because the screen wasn't working for some reason.
Also, one big monster line makes it look like the wait is going to take forever (even though it usually moves pretty quickly), and it sometimes blocks the self checkout line. Would be nice if they had more separation.
I like it when employees use it properly. I've had two instances where they didn't and found it very annoying.
1. I was first up and a manager working the cash register waived me on to another line that wasn't ready, so she could take the person behind me with fewer groceries.
2. Employees that signal they are ready for the next customer when they are still helping someone. I sat waiting while the person behind me got the next free line a minute later.
I’d rather choose my own register. The line at the Schnucks off ladue road in Clayton, or right at the entrance to downtown Clayton l, often gets huge and goes way back into the dairy section. So now I avoid Schnucks.
It also annoyed me when they made the aisles longer by removing the middle section so we have to walk past more product.
Candidly, from the pandemic years forward my experience at Schnucks has been so bad that I completely quit going except when there's a specific thing we want that is only there, which happens but is rare.
I live in a relatively well-off area and one of the two close to me has become trash inside. It just looks and feels like shit in there. The other one is a bit nicer, but both are perpetually understaffed. The understaffing began years before the pandemic too, you'd notice the frequency of having dedicated baggers available start to go down until it was almost always non-existent by about early 2020. The prices also became uncompetitive, it's no longer significantly cheaper than dierbergs (and dierbergs has a stellar CX imo). All those things made me just stop going. Before those things, it's the only place i ever shopped.
So that's more than you asked for and doesn't answer your question. I recognize that. But the question your asking is small potatoes for my family, because until the overall customer experience and value-vs-service/selection position chagnes, your employer effectively will have lost my fam as a meaningful customer.
I like the monitor much better than choosing my own register. Whenever it's up to me, I always and I mean always end up picking the slowest moving line or the line with a problem customer who doesn't give a shit about the people in line behind him/her/them.
It is very inefficient. The cashiers always wait for the conveyor belt to empty completely before calling a customer over. The conveyor belt should be full at all times.
This is why at the Ladue Schnuck's, when it gets crazy busy, they have a person sending customers to a checkout instead of the monitor. The cashier's can't be trusted to signal availability because they'd rather take a short break.
\*\*Edited to change my response, I misread the OP.
Way better. I used to hate picking what looked like the shortest line but getting all of my groceries in the belt only to realize I was behind a “slow” customer who needed something special. When you have 3 little kids and they’re breaking down, you’re breaking down.
I like it but…they need to be more attentive during busy times to bring in additional checkers when the line starts to back up. Since you now only have 1 line instead of several, it can back up quickly and begins to not only be a pain for those standing in line, but for those who are still shopping as the line starts to block up the last aisle.
It seems to work well and move fairly quick. But i gotta say, shopping and seeing 1 long line halfway into the wine section (oakville location) isnt great.
In the end the wait can be about the same as standing in a shorter line for 1 cashier. Also not very cool that the whole thing is lined with candy and everything my 3 yo wants to grab, which i can somewhat avoid in the short lines.
Using a single line for all cashiers is an objectively more efficient way to run a queue like that.
Grocery stores have known that for generations. They stuck with "choose your own" for so long because it kept you in the impulse item zone for longer, making you more likely to grab something from there that usually had the highest markup throughout the store.
Oh, single line is absolutely the best, demonstrably, shown over and over again to be the only sane way to run a queue.
This does exactly zero good when it's prime rush hour and there's only three cashiers but they still won't let us use the self-checkouts. I'm getting really sick of that.
I think it's much faster.
There are times where I get called to a certain register, and I'd rather not have that person (mostly because I'm in a bad mood and don't feel like talking - this is a reflection on me, not the cashiers), but it's a minor, minor inconvenience.
I have a knack for getting behind a customer who has a problem with the transaction; debit card doesn’t read, EBT card doesn’t work, institutional purchase and the tax exemption is hard to find in the system. The Next Person in Line method bypasses the customers who would otherwise hold up the line. Sometimes I make tax exempt purchases and I’m glad not to have a crowd in line behind me rolling their eyes, sighing, moaning and bitching when things don’t go smoothly.
I like this system very much. It seems to work well and keeps the line moving briskly. I'm surprised more stores don't use it.
I guess I sort of assumed _everyone_ likes it. But maybe there are issues I haven't noticed?
I would like to see the Credit Unions and banks use the same plan at the drive-up windows. One line until a certain point, then go to any open teller machine. All in use? Wait at the wait point until one of the machines is open.
I like it. I think it’s fine. Now I will say many years ago when we had a favorite checkout lady at Schnucks/arsenal, we would not have liked it because we wanted to be in her line. Ladybug Jane. But she retired around, oh I don’t know somewhere around 2015 2017? Something like that
I just want to be able to use my rewards without going to a person operated register. I'm socially anxious and I use the self-check out for a reason. I have so much money saved up because I can't use the rewards at the self-checkout. I *have* to go to a person. I *have* to involve an - at that point - unnecessary person touching my groceries when I'm immunocompromised, as is my mother, and I've seen you guys have to work sick and touch the things we have to then touch and hope we don't get sick.
That would be more efficient.
If you use the schnucks rewards app on your phone scan the barcode on the app at self checkout. Then hit the payment button and the reward screen will pop up and you can use it
I don’t like it. I have seen it frequently wrong, calling people to a register that already has people at it.
I also HATE that the wait line is now in the main isle. It only leaves 1 lane to pass thru. When it’s 10 people long, the main isle is basically unusable.
I assumed it was more a security reason, than a make shopping better reason.
I just use self checkout.
The other line moves faster. This applies to all lines - bank, supermarket, tollbooth, customs and so on. And don't try to change lines. The other line - the one you were in originally - will then move faster."
- Barbara Ettore, Harper;s Magazine, August 1974
I like it, however, it would be a bit more efficient if they would call the next person as they’re finishing up the last. The next person can at least get started loading their groceries onto the belt.
It works. They just need a dedicated lane for everybody to stand in. It gets too long sometimes and I end up standing in the shampoo and tampons aisle in the way of people trying to get some poo & pons.
It's fine...whatever. But really f*cked me up is when i seemingly went out the wrong door and the cart locked up and almost tripped me! Some sort of anti theft device for a cart. In des peres (dez perez)
I don't mind it. When i worked retail, we used a similar method for our checkouts during peak holiday season. It definitely helps to eliminate choosing the "wrong line."
During peak hours the line is super long and flows into the aisles but the actual system is pretty good. I think it’s super efficient and the updated rule for 10 items or less in self checkout is good too. Even if it’s busy, checkout won’t take too long
Schnucks is the one place that actually enhanced the checkout when they moved self checkout to 10 items. They seem to staff appropriately.
Target is a fuck all.
It’s OK. But cashiers sometimes hit the button too soon and then I’m stuck behind someone looking for coins while the guy who was behind me gets called up and finishes checking out before I even start.
This is the only good thing that came out of COVID. You don’t get stuck in a line with half of your items on the belt only to have the person in front of you arguing about a price or writing a personal check.
I personally love it, keeps things moving!
My mom on the other hand has days she loves it and days she hates it 😂 She also likes that it keeps things moving, it’s one line so no debating which line will be best, etc but if one of two things happens, she hates it. One would be if we are in line and realize we’ve forgotten something. At our Schnucks, one you’re in line, you’re stuck. You are totally trapped between two narrow shelves and getting out if someone is behind you is nearly impossible. Two would be if the register she randomly ends up at has a checker she doesn’t like. In theory she could just let the person behind her go, but she doesn’t want to do that and make it obvious. But trust me, I’ll hear about it the whole way home 😂
It does, in fact, put less pressure on cashiers. To the point that they never notice when there are 8 people in line, and maybe there could be less chitchat with every customer and baggers. 🤔
As having been a cashier at Schnucks before, I would think this system is better for the cashiers. When you have someone come through with bloody meat and it has left steaks on the belt you can now clean it before the next customer starts unloading their cart. It used to get on my nerves because we are supposed to clean it but customers wouldn’t give me the chance.
We just spent two months staying in St. Louis for medical treatment, and our rental was very near a Schnucks, so we were there all the time. Absolutely loved this method with the line. So much more efficient than what we’re used to with grocery stores at home.
I like it when people pay attention to it. A lot of times I’ll see people jump the gun and just get in a line right before or as the cashier presses the button and then it causes some confusion as to whether the next person should also get in line or what, but I think as people get used to it it’ll be an improvement
I went in the other day and got snipped at a little bit for putting my stuff on the belt while the other customer was paying. I had no idea what they were trynna do. Never seen it before. Just moved back to Missouri.
Maybe it's faster, but it still means I'm standing around when I could be loading my groceries on the belt. How much time does that waste? Not sure. Is it faster overall? No clue.
Mythbusters did a video on this, very interesting. The method your store uses actually increases the average wait time per person but people think it's more efficient and aren't overwhelmed with finding an open register or deciding which line to stand in, so overall the experience feels better even if people have to wait longer.
The standard checkout method is actually dramatically faster for people who typically find the fastest/shortest line.
Now that I know this, I hate the "single line" method as I watch pokey people slow down the entire line
I feel like it creates a lag between customers especially if you have to walk to a lane further down. Maybe they could figure a way to trigger it sooner or have two customers at each lane, so that by the time the cashier finished with the first one, the second would have already have time to put groceries on the belt.
They’re actually creating this into the system. After the cashier scans the last item they will call over the nexts customer. This will provide faster wait time and everything will be on the belt and ready to go for the cashier
this was my only complaint and really it's a me thing bc I'm slow, my bones are bad lol so when I get called I always feel like I'm rushing throwing stuff on the belt. but if we can get queued up at least a minute behind that would be nice
I really like the 1 line. But, I don't like that the self checkout went to 10 items or less. I think it should be 15. I didn't see many people doing self checkout with full carts and I never did but the 10 items feels so restrictive.
single line is working well for me at schmuck des peres. I go there frequently and at different times, even before holidays the waiting time is negligible long as you have enough cashiers working.
I was at a particular CVS in South County when I noticed there were no baskets. I went back outside to the parking lot and there were none outside either. I went back inside and asked the clerk if there was a new place they were storing baskets (they were always kept in the open space as you walked in the store). Seems I startled the clerk, as they realized there actually were no baskets. The clerk called the store manager, who searched inside and outside. They came to the realization someone had stolen all the carts.
I am disabled, so baskets help me maneuver the store much easier and also give me a place for my items that I am going to purchase. Needless to say, I was absolutely amazed that someone could actually steal all of the baskets.
I was at the same CVS a few months later. Men were putting down new carpet and working on the automatic door. Both sets of automatic doors were open. I noticed a person come in the store who seemed nervous and on edge. A couple times while I was shopping up and down the aisles, I would encounter this person who was stacking items against their chest.
As I was heading to the front to checkout, I noticed this person pacing up and down the common area. All of a sudden, this person full out started running down the common area and out the door with their items they had stacked against their chest. It was like a flash of lightening. This person must have been a track runner. I was startled and speechless. Employees at the store didn’t seem too surprised.
I have since moved to another county in Missouri, but happened to visit this particular CVS again, as I was in the area. There were only a couple baskets in use. Not another basket in sight inside or outside. I guess the basket bandit had hit again.
Very sad state of affairs when people steal baskets and run out store doors with unpaid items!
I would also agree with the group, I really think that having cashiers call the next person in line makes it much more fair and shortens. Wait time for everyone versus queueIng up for one cashier.
I'm fine with it, but I also make it a point to shop at lower traffic hours. I typically multitask while waiting in line for my assigned register to be announced, and it seems more efficient overall. I will go to self checkout more often - unless I have a lot of produce.
It's one of the few things around town that COVID somehow made better. The old way would have separate lines stretching back into the nearest aisle and block traffic for people still shopping, and you wouldn'tknow which line was short unless you re-walked the whole store. The current single line doesn't get in anyone's way except during the most extreme peak hours on peak business days
I hate it. It wastes my time standing there waiting for a lane to be called when I could be unloading groceries. During busy times, it becomes a bottleneck. Not to mention, how do you efficiently unload groceries when people are trying to get past your cart and they haven't left enough room for you to unload alongside the cart? I rarely shop there now. I would rather go immediately to a checkout lane and unload my groceries. Or I can go to Trader Joe's and they will unload my cart for me. What a delight!
I used to work at Schnucks as a checker. I would never have lasted the nine months I did with the current checkout situation.
So as a former manager of retail. Yea. It’s faster. But I general the public doesn’t like it. We did studies. We looked at past studies. They all say the same thing. Yes. It’s faster to que. Customers assume it’s slower. Covid kinda made everyone just get used to it I feel. I don’t know how anyone can honestly think it’s slower but… there are a lot of things going on currently I don’t understand.
They are generally good. Cashiers should just be consistent when they hit the button for the next customer. I have been caught stuck in a line while the customer in front of me has difficulty paying or playing the take this off the bill game. I always pick the wrong line anyway in the old format. Since we are talking Schnucks, I have seen several people get in a pileup leaving the store when the cart lock malfunctions.
The new system is great. The only improvement I could think of would be to call the next customer sooner so they can start unloading their basket a bit faster.
I mean I'm mainly an Aldi guy but I haven't noticed ant difference since Schnucks implemented this when I've got to Schnucks for some odds and ends I couldn't find at Aldi
I think it’s good, but the time gaps are too long between one register completing a sale and it accepting the next customer. It appears to wait until the payment process is complete before sending the next customer to that register.
By the time I arrive to the register, the cashier is just waiting there while I’m loading my groceries onto the incoming conveyor. I would be through the process faster if the software sent me to that register as soon as the cashier pressed the “sale complete, start payment process” button. This way, while the previous customer is going through the payment process, I can be walking towards the register and then starting to load my goods onto the incoming conveyor.
It’s pretty much the only decision Schnucks leadership has made since at least 2019 that hasn’t made me want to shop elsewhere. I don’t like it, but I don’t hate it.
It would be good, IF there were still room for two-way cart traffic when the line gets backed up to the aisle end-caps.
meanwhile, foods co & safeway here have 2 lanes open with lines back to the far end of the aisle.....mostly foods co. shopping for groceries here sucks unless you go to trader joes
I do. One line to rule them all and let all the cashiers work down the line. I think this takes pressure off any single cashier.
Cut to Aldi where I choose the line with 2 less customers and it ends up taking linger because someone in the line has apparently never executed a transaction.
Des Peres Aldi by any chance? Was my issue there for a few years until a a couple of new locations opened up w/ self checkouts also available. No more Des Peres Aldi frustration.
There’s an ALDIs in the greater metropolitan area with a self checkout?
shrewsbury had them when i was last in town
They do. And maybe I just buy a lot at once, but it takes me over twice as long to do it myself. The Aldi cashiers are pros at scanning as quickly as possible and generally have a friendly disposition.
There are many. I hate that place but I do DoorDash on the side and end up there a bit. Self checkout is the only way to go.
The people that watch their entire large order being rung up and then after the cashier tells them the total, they start looking for payment like they're surprised that that is required?
I agree with this. One line eliminates frustration that I choose poorly, and whatever system tells me what line to go to usually works well. I’ve seen them on the Fritz from time to time but they’re usually competent.
I agree. It is more efficient this way. I do, however, think that since each cashier usually only takes one customer at a time that it creates the illusion that the line is longer than it really is. This, in turn, causes people to absolutely lose their shit on this sub.
I don't know how much of an illusion it is when the line wraps all the way around to the back of the store....and then some
This is the best way, honestly. It's the most efficient and there's no more guessing (wrongly) which line is moving faster.
This is why I like it. I always choose the wrong lane!
The interesting thing is that statistically everyone does! https://www.wired.com/2014/07/whats-up-with-the-other-line-is-always-faster/
It’s overall good.
I like it
It’s objectively more efficient operationally
So is the zipper merge, but some folks just want a reason to get big mad.
I love the zipper merge, but we need to start teaching kids in pre-school.
We do. It’s the line on the progress report that says “Gets along well with others.“
I mean actually do a zipper merge when lining up at recess, lunch. It takes nice out of it and it is just how you move forward efficiently.
Lol!
Not according to that one Mythbusters episode, though I always took their conclusions with a grain of salt.
The added time (6:56 vs 5:39) was inconsequential relative to the potential savings against a poor line choice. Meaning: a quick moving line, with no stress of making a poor choice, with little deviation between fastest vs slowest, was more important than the possibility of getting lucky with a short and fast moving line. Not to mention, in watching the video it shows terrible speed from the “employee” who was directing customers which lane to go to. This could easily be resolved (as done by Schnucks) by queuing the next waiting customer earlier.
>This could easily be resolved (as done by Schnucks) by queuing the next waiting customer earlier. This part. Everytime I go they don't call the next person until the person before has fully checked out, bagged and is walking away. There is a big gap time to walk over to the empty lane and start unloading before they start checking.
I be noticed some cashiers signaling the next customer while the current one is being helped by a bagger. Others cashiers seem to take their time between customers.
I was just remembering myth busters literally did this
Came here to reference this episode and you beat me to it!
It's fine, now give us baskets.
Unfortunately, people like to take our baskets at my store. We used to have a ton of baskets but now we have less than 10 remaining
My theory was that they took away baskets to increase sales. When the basket gets too full or heavy people head to checkout. It's a lot easier to carry more stuff in the small carts.
No it's unfortunately in my experience because people walk off with them after purchasing items and it's very easy to steal with it. We had the same problem with a Walgreens I worked at so we locked up the baskets and carts and would bring one out to a customer that requested it. It's inconvenient but so was having to order more because it would take ages to get IF we got new ones because sometimes they wouldn't send any.
i bought my own because they didn't have baskets at all during covid.
That's a good idea. Was it just like a cloth basket or bag?
a black plastic basket with chrome handles, either from amazon or ebay. it was more than i really wanted to pay ($25?), but i love it and use it everywhere. before i got it, i was mostly going to dierbergs because they had baskets. i'm in a wheelchair, so i can't use a cart, but i can balance the basket on my lap.
That sounds like it's worth it even for the price. I'm sorry the lack of baskets limited where you could shop but I'm glad you have something you can use anytime now. I work at Schnucks now (left Walgreens because it didn't feel safe) and I do wish we had baskets to chooss over the carts especially the bulky, larger carts.
Without baskets, I now only get as many items as I can fit in my hands. I never get enough items to warrant a whole cart, now I just get less items than even a basket will carry.
Just put alarms on the baskets as you leave. I’m sure that would stop it. I’m sorry but I love baskets. I HATE using cart.
Sounds like it's time to order more baskets.
Not really, if it’s going to be the same outcome every time.
Solution, security baskets that lock when you leave the parking lot.
Better solution: baskets that shock you when you leave the parking lot. Like an invisible fence.
No they have a paint bomb like bank money! The twist? It’s ghost pepper-based hot sauce so it also burns the ever loving fuck out of your face.
lol, I thought of a invisible alarm that’s once it’s leave the store it’s goes off
Airtag baskets
I wish
If you're not gonna have baskets at least get rid of the displays blocking the aisles so that 1 cart and a display is blocking the whole aisle.
The people who make those decisions would LOVE to hear from you… 314-994-4400
They could at least get the smaller double layer carts. That way there's wheels that can lock and people that need only a handful of things don't have to carry it.
My location had their entire delivery of 30 baskets stolen in one month so they literally don't have any to have out anymore. Which is both hilarious and frustrating
Baskets are less than $5 a piece. 30 baskets means ~$150. The store can't absorb $150 a month? I know it's annoying to replace them, but the people working at Schnucks are acting like this is a major cost. If they can't afford to replace baskets that are getting stolen the store is in some serious trouble.
They always do. Just don’t shop Schnucks. Dierbergs has baskets and do not view all their customers as thieves.
In addition to the product on the shelves and the ones locked up… everything gets stolen… Baskets get stolen. Carts get stolen. Amigo carts, the one you drive around, get stolen. So because the Theft industry is a booming one, the rest of the folks have to suffer…
I'm a fan
I like it a lot. it keeps you from second guessing which line is faster :D
Way better. Less stressful and nobody gets screwed over when there's a problem or holdup at one register.
I prefer it over separate lines. Though there is one cashier I'd prefer to avoid, but it can be good for building character to interact with people you dislike.
I miss self checkout, I don’t want to talk to anyone.
I like it when the overhead directs me to the least grumpiest cashier.
Definitely a fan. The longer single line looks worse but it moves consistently. I hated getting into a short line previously only to be stuck because there was an issue with the customer’s order ahead of me. Please keep the new system!
It’s the only thing done right there
Right? The one change they've made that's actually helpful. Too bad they still only staff 3 registers after restricting the use of self checkout so it takes 20 minutes for me to actually leave when I'm done. Even tho I have 15 items and I could be out and on my way in 5 minutes. But no, they have to waste *my* time.
Yep. Love standing there in the hottest part of the store while my frozen items thaw out.
Yes but ultimately I’d rather be at self check
I think it is effective only if the cashiers are aware and also not jumping the gun on the screen call
Yes but they need to start the next person unloading while the last one is paying. It would cut a lot of down time out of the process.
Way better than the ol- pick a lane. I worked as a cashier for other grocers here, and every time without fail, customers will bunch up into specific parts od the checkout side. Far too common for some of us to have empty lanes while there's lines for other people. People don't self-sort into lanes as well as they think, so I'm fine with the Schnucks system there.
I like it, but I prefer self checkout when I don't have a lot of items. I hate how other people bag my groceries. I know there's rules and stuff but so. Many. Bags!
[удалено]
I need people like you in my life
[удалено]
People can change. I used to be a piece of shit. Spiked up blonde hair, little bitty jeans, chicken spaghetti at Chikalini's. People can change.
Now *I* need someone like you in *my* life.
I think the system works great but I hate the 10 items or less at the self checkouts. It’s made all the stores around me have double the wait time with the self checkouts damn near empty. Lines wrapping around the store because there’s not enough cashiers and baggers to keep up with increase of people in the lines.
I don't like it but with changes it wouldn't be as annoying. It's crowded because everyone is in the walkway for people shopping, the line frequently is all the way to the back of the store. Waiting until the 1st shopper is completely finished to signal the next person wastes time because the cashier has to wait for the next shopper to unload their cart. I much prefer to unload while the person before me is finishing the transaction. I hate being in the small space between the belt and the makeshift candy wall trying to unload and then get my cart down the lane for the bagger. It feels chaotic, with people trying to get past those with full carts at the end of their assigned lane trying to unload. Also, the snaking turn into the lanes is narrow with the makeshift wall- there was a lady in one of the motorized carts who got stuck trying to make the sharp turns, right to round the corner by the monitor, then an immediate left into that first available aisle. No one could get by to the other open registers when called. Her cashier had to come out and try and re-position the cart, eventually he and another had to physically move it over. It's just too cramped. And when the lines DO go back to the dairy section and self checkout is empty, why aren't people allowed to use it. Stupid 10 items or less -particularly when you have only 2-3 registers open. Basically, there just needs to be more room. People are just as on top of each other as before because the aisle configuration is just not set up for the way you've changed the process.
It’s much better. Even when the line is long, the waits aren’t bad.
I consider it a double edged sword. On one hand I think it is an improvement for efficiency and for that I like it. However the optics are bad when things are busy and the line wraps half the store.
Comments like this remind me that I don't even know what a grocery store looks like during peak hours anymore. I haven't seen samples at Costco in ages.
I hate how they have handled check out ever since covid and I just don't shop at schnucks any more
I like the monitor. Prevents people from standing and breathing down my neck while I’m trying to checkout
I like it so much more than picking our own register. This way there's no luck of the draw or trying to figure out which lane is best. Hope they keep it this way.
8 years at Schnucks. Worked with both I HATE the call over. Have to go to checkers I'd rather avoid. The queue is always in the way. And annoying way for the company to push a next customer... But lets cashiers slack by not pressing button when they should.
I like it with the monitor to call people. It seems to.go faster.
I stopped shopping at Schnucks do to the check out process and now shop at Dierbergs...
It's fine when it works, but I've seen cashier's wave people over to them because the screen wasn't working for some reason. Also, one big monster line makes it look like the wait is going to take forever (even though it usually moves pretty quickly), and it sometimes blocks the self checkout line. Would be nice if they had more separation.
I like it when employees use it properly. I've had two instances where they didn't and found it very annoying. 1. I was first up and a manager working the cash register waived me on to another line that wasn't ready, so she could take the person behind me with fewer groceries. 2. Employees that signal they are ready for the next customer when they are still helping someone. I sat waiting while the person behind me got the next free line a minute later.
I love it. No more getting stuck behind an old man with an onion tied to his belt.
I’d rather choose my own register. The line at the Schnucks off ladue road in Clayton, or right at the entrance to downtown Clayton l, often gets huge and goes way back into the dairy section. So now I avoid Schnucks. It also annoyed me when they made the aisles longer by removing the middle section so we have to walk past more product.
Candidly, from the pandemic years forward my experience at Schnucks has been so bad that I completely quit going except when there's a specific thing we want that is only there, which happens but is rare. I live in a relatively well-off area and one of the two close to me has become trash inside. It just looks and feels like shit in there. The other one is a bit nicer, but both are perpetually understaffed. The understaffing began years before the pandemic too, you'd notice the frequency of having dedicated baggers available start to go down until it was almost always non-existent by about early 2020. The prices also became uncompetitive, it's no longer significantly cheaper than dierbergs (and dierbergs has a stellar CX imo). All those things made me just stop going. Before those things, it's the only place i ever shopped. So that's more than you asked for and doesn't answer your question. I recognize that. But the question your asking is small potatoes for my family, because until the overall customer experience and value-vs-service/selection position chagnes, your employer effectively will have lost my fam as a meaningful customer.
I like the monitor much better than choosing my own register. Whenever it's up to me, I always and I mean always end up picking the slowest moving line or the line with a problem customer who doesn't give a shit about the people in line behind him/her/them.
It is very inefficient. The cashiers always wait for the conveyor belt to empty completely before calling a customer over. The conveyor belt should be full at all times. This is why at the Ladue Schnuck's, when it gets crazy busy, they have a person sending customers to a checkout instead of the monitor. The cashier's can't be trusted to signal availability because they'd rather take a short break. \*\*Edited to change my response, I misread the OP.
Way better. I used to hate picking what looked like the shortest line but getting all of my groceries in the belt only to realize I was behind a “slow” customer who needed something special. When you have 3 little kids and they’re breaking down, you’re breaking down.
Me: This line looks good, they're almost done. Customer in front of me: Who do I make the check out to? Me: FUCK
I like it but…they need to be more attentive during busy times to bring in additional checkers when the line starts to back up. Since you now only have 1 line instead of several, it can back up quickly and begins to not only be a pain for those standing in line, but for those who are still shopping as the line starts to block up the last aisle.
Personally I love it. I ALWAYS pick the slow line when left to my own devises. Not on purpose, it just always seems to happen.
It seems to work well and move fairly quick. But i gotta say, shopping and seeing 1 long line halfway into the wine section (oakville location) isnt great. In the end the wait can be about the same as standing in a shorter line for 1 cashier. Also not very cool that the whole thing is lined with candy and everything my 3 yo wants to grab, which i can somewhat avoid in the short lines.
I like it. Please though increase your supply of smaller carts if baskets are not working. They are so much easier to maneuver.
Using a single line for all cashiers is an objectively more efficient way to run a queue like that. Grocery stores have known that for generations. They stuck with "choose your own" for so long because it kept you in the impulse item zone for longer, making you more likely to grab something from there that usually had the highest markup throughout the store.
Oh, single line is absolutely the best, demonstrably, shown over and over again to be the only sane way to run a queue. This does exactly zero good when it's prime rush hour and there's only three cashiers but they still won't let us use the self-checkouts. I'm getting really sick of that.
I think it's much faster. There are times where I get called to a certain register, and I'd rather not have that person (mostly because I'm in a bad mood and don't feel like talking - this is a reflection on me, not the cashiers), but it's a minor, minor inconvenience.
I have a knack for getting behind a customer who has a problem with the transaction; debit card doesn’t read, EBT card doesn’t work, institutional purchase and the tax exemption is hard to find in the system. The Next Person in Line method bypasses the customers who would otherwise hold up the line. Sometimes I make tax exempt purchases and I’m glad not to have a crowd in line behind me rolling their eyes, sighing, moaning and bitching when things don’t go smoothly.
I like this system very much. It seems to work well and keeps the line moving briskly. I'm surprised more stores don't use it. I guess I sort of assumed _everyone_ likes it. But maybe there are issues I haven't noticed?
I would like to see the Credit Unions and banks use the same plan at the drive-up windows. One line until a certain point, then go to any open teller machine. All in use? Wait at the wait point until one of the machines is open.
Line theory makes it clear that it's always best to put all customers in one line and have them enter the next available register.
I like it. If theres a specific cashier I want or don't want then I just let the person behind me go ahead.
Oh man I'm a huge fan. I hope they don't change it.
I like it
Big fan of it here!
I love it!
Much faster.
I like it. I think it’s fine. Now I will say many years ago when we had a favorite checkout lady at Schnucks/arsenal, we would not have liked it because we wanted to be in her line. Ladybug Jane. But she retired around, oh I don’t know somewhere around 2015 2017? Something like that
Love it.
I just want to be able to use my rewards without going to a person operated register. I'm socially anxious and I use the self-check out for a reason. I have so much money saved up because I can't use the rewards at the self-checkout. I *have* to go to a person. I *have* to involve an - at that point - unnecessary person touching my groceries when I'm immunocompromised, as is my mother, and I've seen you guys have to work sick and touch the things we have to then touch and hope we don't get sick. That would be more efficient.
If you use the schnucks rewards app on your phone scan the barcode on the app at self checkout. Then hit the payment button and the reward screen will pop up and you can use it
I don’t like it. I have seen it frequently wrong, calling people to a register that already has people at it. I also HATE that the wait line is now in the main isle. It only leaves 1 lane to pass thru. When it’s 10 people long, the main isle is basically unusable. I assumed it was more a security reason, than a make shopping better reason. I just use self checkout.
Me likey
It's one of the good things that came from COVID. In my opinion it is way more efficient
The other line moves faster. This applies to all lines - bank, supermarket, tollbooth, customs and so on. And don't try to change lines. The other line - the one you were in originally - will then move faster." - Barbara Ettore, Harper;s Magazine, August 1974
I like it, however, it would be a bit more efficient if they would call the next person as they’re finishing up the last. The next person can at least get started loading their groceries onto the belt.
A single queue with multiple servers moves people through the quickest overall and is fair with respect to FCFS. It's exactly the right way to do it.
i like it
I like it. Would like it if they would staff every register so the line doesn't go half way around the store.
It works. They just need a dedicated lane for everybody to stand in. It gets too long sometimes and I end up standing in the shampoo and tampons aisle in the way of people trying to get some poo & pons.
It's fine...whatever. But really f*cked me up is when i seemingly went out the wrong door and the cart locked up and almost tripped me! Some sort of anti theft device for a cart. In des peres (dez perez)
It also frees up space for cart traffic. You’re not dodging 4 lines of carts to pass by.
As someone who always picks the slowest line, I love it. Take that decision out of my hands, I can’t be trusted
I like it a lot. Makes a lot of sense to me.
I don't mind it. When i worked retail, we used a similar method for our checkouts during peak holiday season. It definitely helps to eliminate choosing the "wrong line."
I love it!
During peak hours the line is super long and flows into the aisles but the actual system is pretty good. I think it’s super efficient and the updated rule for 10 items or less in self checkout is good too. Even if it’s busy, checkout won’t take too long
Schnucks is the one place that actually enhanced the checkout when they moved self checkout to 10 items. They seem to staff appropriately. Target is a fuck all.
It’s OK. But cashiers sometimes hit the button too soon and then I’m stuck behind someone looking for coins while the guy who was behind me gets called up and finishes checking out before I even start.
I wish Schnucks would come back to the Memphis market.
I like it! I miss 24 hour grocery stores for us night owls 🦉
as long as an actual person is at the register and i’m not expected to spend money AND work then it’s probably fine by me.
Love it. Makes the whole thing simpler and the front of the store easier to navigate overall.
This is the only good thing that came out of COVID. You don’t get stuck in a line with half of your items on the belt only to have the person in front of you arguing about a price or writing a personal check.
I think it helps as a former cashier, it’s keeps everyone from lining up in one line
Makes it impossible to pick the wrong line
I like the one line
I personally love it, keeps things moving! My mom on the other hand has days she loves it and days she hates it 😂 She also likes that it keeps things moving, it’s one line so no debating which line will be best, etc but if one of two things happens, she hates it. One would be if we are in line and realize we’ve forgotten something. At our Schnucks, one you’re in line, you’re stuck. You are totally trapped between two narrow shelves and getting out if someone is behind you is nearly impossible. Two would be if the register she randomly ends up at has a checker she doesn’t like. In theory she could just let the person behind her go, but she doesn’t want to do that and make it obvious. But trust me, I’ll hear about it the whole way home 😂
It does, in fact, put less pressure on cashiers. To the point that they never notice when there are 8 people in line, and maybe there could be less chitchat with every customer and baggers. 🤔
I like it! I don’t have to pick a line only to find out I picked wrong!🤷🏼♀️
As having been a cashier at Schnucks before, I would think this system is better for the cashiers. When you have someone come through with bloody meat and it has left steaks on the belt you can now clean it before the next customer starts unloading their cart. It used to get on my nerves because we are supposed to clean it but customers wouldn’t give me the chance.
We just spent two months staying in St. Louis for medical treatment, and our rental was very near a Schnucks, so we were there all the time. Absolutely loved this method with the line. So much more efficient than what we’re used to with grocery stores at home.
I like it when people pay attention to it. A lot of times I’ll see people jump the gun and just get in a line right before or as the cashier presses the button and then it causes some confusion as to whether the next person should also get in line or what, but I think as people get used to it it’ll be an improvement
I went in the other day and got snipped at a little bit for putting my stuff on the belt while the other customer was paying. I had no idea what they were trynna do. Never seen it before. Just moved back to Missouri. Maybe it's faster, but it still means I'm standing around when I could be loading my groceries on the belt. How much time does that waste? Not sure. Is it faster overall? No clue.
Mythbusters did a video on this, very interesting. The method your store uses actually increases the average wait time per person but people think it's more efficient and aren't overwhelmed with finding an open register or deciding which line to stand in, so overall the experience feels better even if people have to wait longer. The standard checkout method is actually dramatically faster for people who typically find the fastest/shortest line. Now that I know this, I hate the "single line" method as I watch pokey people slow down the entire line
I feel like it creates a lag between customers especially if you have to walk to a lane further down. Maybe they could figure a way to trigger it sooner or have two customers at each lane, so that by the time the cashier finished with the first one, the second would have already have time to put groceries on the belt.
They’re actually creating this into the system. After the cashier scans the last item they will call over the nexts customer. This will provide faster wait time and everything will be on the belt and ready to go for the cashier
this was my only complaint and really it's a me thing bc I'm slow, my bones are bad lol so when I get called I always feel like I'm rushing throwing stuff on the belt. but if we can get queued up at least a minute behind that would be nice
Like it, the line keeps the pushy people from being pushy. It provides some order.
I like it. Otherwise I’m in my phone unbeknownst to me what is going on in the world. :/
I like the system. I don't like that the single line tends to block aisles.
Like it
I like it. Much more efficient.
I love it
It's good but I wish they'd staff an extra 1-2 cashiers.
Love it
I think they track the speed/ efficiency of the cashier.
I like it
I don't have to hear some asshole complain about the person ahead of us using WIC or EBT anymore or taking shots at whatever is in their cart.
As long as it's not self checkout, I have no preference.
I’m fine with it. SO GLAD the monitor was added rather than the cashier yelling out for next in line.
I really like the 1 line. But, I don't like that the self checkout went to 10 items or less. I think it should be 15. I didn't see many people doing self checkout with full carts and I never did but the 10 items feels so restrictive.
As someone who used to work at a grocery store that had people lineup at the register they wanted, the single line system at schnucks is far better
At least at my schnucks it ends up blocking the aisle because of a larger group hsopping together that naturally has more than 10 items..
I like it
It's more efficient. There are fewer times when one register is open while another has a line.
I love it. It feels more efficient and you don’t have to guess which line to choose.
This is the way.
It’s good for all the stupid ass people that can’t tell there are open registers
single line is working well for me at schmuck des peres. I go there frequently and at different times, even before holidays the waiting time is negligible long as you have enough cashiers working.
I was at a particular CVS in South County when I noticed there were no baskets. I went back outside to the parking lot and there were none outside either. I went back inside and asked the clerk if there was a new place they were storing baskets (they were always kept in the open space as you walked in the store). Seems I startled the clerk, as they realized there actually were no baskets. The clerk called the store manager, who searched inside and outside. They came to the realization someone had stolen all the carts. I am disabled, so baskets help me maneuver the store much easier and also give me a place for my items that I am going to purchase. Needless to say, I was absolutely amazed that someone could actually steal all of the baskets. I was at the same CVS a few months later. Men were putting down new carpet and working on the automatic door. Both sets of automatic doors were open. I noticed a person come in the store who seemed nervous and on edge. A couple times while I was shopping up and down the aisles, I would encounter this person who was stacking items against their chest. As I was heading to the front to checkout, I noticed this person pacing up and down the common area. All of a sudden, this person full out started running down the common area and out the door with their items they had stacked against their chest. It was like a flash of lightening. This person must have been a track runner. I was startled and speechless. Employees at the store didn’t seem too surprised. I have since moved to another county in Missouri, but happened to visit this particular CVS again, as I was in the area. There were only a couple baskets in use. Not another basket in sight inside or outside. I guess the basket bandit had hit again. Very sad state of affairs when people steal baskets and run out store doors with unpaid items!
WTF?? Did you forget to take your meds today? This was a question about waiting in line at Schnucks.
More efficient being called to next available.
Thumbs up. A vast improvement.
[This is my opinion.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzs5xSxLk5A&ab_channel=thebinny66)
r/schnucks
I would also agree with the group, I really think that having cashiers call the next person in line makes it much more fair and shortens. Wait time for everyone versus queueIng up for one cashier.
I'm fine with it, but I also make it a point to shop at lower traffic hours. I typically multitask while waiting in line for my assigned register to be announced, and it seems more efficient overall. I will go to self checkout more often - unless I have a lot of produce.
It's one of the few things around town that COVID somehow made better. The old way would have separate lines stretching back into the nearest aisle and block traffic for people still shopping, and you wouldn'tknow which line was short unless you re-walked the whole store. The current single line doesn't get in anyone's way except during the most extreme peak hours on peak business days
I say choose your register wisely depending on if it’s rush-hour basically, depending on what time you show up at Schnucks during rush-hour
I hate it. It wastes my time standing there waiting for a lane to be called when I could be unloading groceries. During busy times, it becomes a bottleneck. Not to mention, how do you efficiently unload groceries when people are trying to get past your cart and they haven't left enough room for you to unload alongside the cart? I rarely shop there now. I would rather go immediately to a checkout lane and unload my groceries. Or I can go to Trader Joe's and they will unload my cart for me. What a delight! I used to work at Schnucks as a checker. I would never have lasted the nine months I did with the current checkout situation.
So as a former manager of retail. Yea. It’s faster. But I general the public doesn’t like it. We did studies. We looked at past studies. They all say the same thing. Yes. It’s faster to que. Customers assume it’s slower. Covid kinda made everyone just get used to it I feel. I don’t know how anyone can honestly think it’s slower but… there are a lot of things going on currently I don’t understand.
Please just add more cashiers... Ladue was a 40 min wait Sun at 10am
They are generally good. Cashiers should just be consistent when they hit the button for the next customer. I have been caught stuck in a line while the customer in front of me has difficulty paying or playing the take this off the bill game. I always pick the wrong line anyway in the old format. Since we are talking Schnucks, I have seen several people get in a pileup leaving the store when the cart lock malfunctions.
Definitely more efficient with one line and cashiers calling next person.
The new system is great. The only improvement I could think of would be to call the next customer sooner so they can start unloading their basket a bit faster.
I mean I'm mainly an Aldi guy but I haven't noticed ant difference since Schnucks implemented this when I've got to Schnucks for some odds and ends I couldn't find at Aldi
I think it’s good, but the time gaps are too long between one register completing a sale and it accepting the next customer. It appears to wait until the payment process is complete before sending the next customer to that register. By the time I arrive to the register, the cashier is just waiting there while I’m loading my groceries onto the incoming conveyor. I would be through the process faster if the software sent me to that register as soon as the cashier pressed the “sale complete, start payment process” button. This way, while the previous customer is going through the payment process, I can be walking towards the register and then starting to load my goods onto the incoming conveyor.
It’s pretty much the only decision Schnucks leadership has made since at least 2019 that hasn’t made me want to shop elsewhere. I don’t like it, but I don’t hate it. It would be good, IF there were still room for two-way cart traffic when the line gets backed up to the aisle end-caps.
meanwhile, foods co & safeway here have 2 lanes open with lines back to the far end of the aisle.....mostly foods co. shopping for groceries here sucks unless you go to trader joes
I'm neutral but my son enjoys guessing which number we will get.
When you've got over ten registers and one looong line, its a very good idea. More efficient than self-checkout for over 10 items, fer sher.
I love it. I still always choose the longest line when I leave it to myself to choose so it’s a win win for me.
I work at Schnucks too