Sounding Off on Self-Checkouts
Before I was old enough to drive, self-serve gas stations became popular. The days of attendants filling up your tank, checking your oil, and cleaning your windshield were fading into history. One summer, I briefly worked at a gas station that wasn’t self-serve. Despite being by the freeway, few customers stopped for gas because the prices were higher than at convenience stores. Full-service stations are now almost non-existent. Oregon recently lifted a ban on self-service stations. New Jersey is now the only state where customers cannot pump fuel for themself. It wouldn’t surprise me if similar laws get passed concerning self-checkouts at stores like Walmart. They have become more common during the last few years. As a result, I regularly see complaints about them on social media. Many gripe, “I don’t work there!” So? Didn’t these customers put their groceries in the shopping cart instead of an employee doing that? Whether or not a human cashier is available, they still have to take ...