The only unusual checkout feature is the dedicated Walmart+ lane, for people who have a paid subscription and used their mobile scan feature. I have no idea how this works since I don't have a subscription and have never seen anyone actually using it (very few stores around here have this... or at least that was the case back when I actually bothered shopping at Walmarts around here). These sort of scan-as-you-go systems have always seemed cool, but none seem to have stuck around very long, and the only one I've ever used (at QFC) was a complete disaster -- I would hope the Walmart one is better since they actually make you pay for it, but I have my doubts. (And if you're already scanning everything on your phone, why do they make you go to a checkout to pay instead of just paying through the app?)
There is nothing like unused manned registers to indicate that you're at a Walmart! Ok, that could describe a lot of retailers these days, but the amount of unused registers at Walmart always seemed excessive even compared to other stores. The last time I was at a Walmart, they had ditched this type of setup completely for two queues on each end of the front end and people would be directed to either a manned or self-checkout from the queue. I don't know if it was brand new, but several shoppers looked confused and the line was very long on both ends. Just add it to the list of reasons to avoid Walmart these days!
ReplyDeleteI would say the presence of a Domino's is strange at a Walmart, but I read that some Texas Walmarts will be getting a Mr. Gatti's Pizza (a Texas chain) in their fast food spots. Maybe they already have them by now. Of course, when I think of discount stores and pizza, Kmart and Little Caesars are what come to mind so maybe that's fitting at this store at least.
On a completely unrelated note, I've mentioned the SMU Jones Film archive of Dallas news clips before. They have an upload from a few days ago from 1971 talking about DFW's plans to implement the Airtrans system. You might like this even if the first couple of minutes has footage of a freeway on-ramp rather than anything relevant to what they are discussing. Eventually, you will see something of relevance. There is actual footage of the Airtrans system in action in the SMU Jones Film archive if you search for DFW on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW61MePT6VM
Around here, Fred Meyer is the king of unopened registers, since most of their stores still have the same number as they would have in the pre-self-checkout days, but with Kroger staffing levels! I've been to a Walmart with that sort of setup (years ago), and it had insanely long lines too... really not sure what Walmart was thinking with that design.
Delete