The "self check out hours" sign in front is a bit odd, and I haven't seen anything like it in other stores around here, though it may have been a COVID thing that just hung around a bit longer, judging by the fine print on the sign. It does bring up an interesting difference between Albertsons-owned and Kroger-owned stores, at least in the Northwest: At slow times, Kroger sends everyone through self checkout, whereas Albertsons will close self checkout during those times and send everyone through a regular lane. (Or at least that's how it has historically been -- it's been years since I've been to any store quite that late at night!)
Ha, sometimes Kroger will start routing everyone through the self-checkouts at around 8pm! I can't say for sure how other grocers do things. Randall's stores only started getting self-checkouts again in the last 3-4 years after they were taken out of stores for a few years. Fiesta Mart and Food Town has only received self-checkouts recently. That said, given that these stores, and HEB too, puts some restrictions on the self-checkouts, I think Kroger is the only one here who only keeps self-checkouts open rather than manned registers at times when only one is open. It makes sense to use the manned checkouts because, in my experience at Kroger, a lot of people late a night are buying alcohol and need an ID check anyway.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about the alcohol issue, but that makes sense! Most stores around here don't have restrictions on what you can buy through self checkout, except the ones that require alcohol to be bought at a designated liquor-store checkout or from customer service (which is becoming more common lately).
Delete8:15ish sounds about like the time I get to work every morning 😅
ReplyDelete8:15ish sounds like about the time I get up every morning! 😉
DeleteLOL, I'm not the only one @NWRetail!
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