january 30

the closest safeway to my house is a few blocks away, in a more, umm... diverse... part of town. keith and i have affectionately renamed this safeway "the ghettoway".

the ghettoway has recently been updated and remodeled which is a huge plus, but they have added amenities such as organic produce, a starbucks, a bank, and these here self-service check out machines that have left many of the local patrons confused and a bit over-whelmed.

the self service check out consists of 6 mini lanes where customers scan in their basket, then bag, pay and carry out their groceries.

it is meant to move people, with a few items, in and out of the store quickly and efficiently. unfortunately, it ended up taking twice as long because people were trying to skip the scanning part and enter items straight into their bags, which then requires a store clerk to come over, recheck all the items and educate people on the proper process... it was truly amazing to watch... for 25 minutes as i stood their kinda patiently awaiting my turn.

i expect this process to get better, but was left wondering just how long it will take for the ghettoway to realize they are moving more inventory then is actually being paid for.