Why do all the other supermarket checkout queues always move faster than yours?

Telegraph United Kingdom ^ | 08 November 2015 | Victoria Ward

[sparklite2]

How to choose the best queue:

•     Pick a queue that is mostly men they are less patient than women and more likely to give up
•     Veer to the left most people are right-handed so we have a natural inclination to turn right. Do the opposite, queues on the left may be emptier
•     Avoid the supermarket express lane what dictates speed is the number of people in front of you, not the number of items they are buying
•     Select a cash-only queuestudies show cash is quickest
•     Don't overthink it sometimes you are best off just joining the queue with fewest people in it

[Godebert]

I’ve never seen a man write a check for groceries. It’s always older women. Same goes for coupons.

[Paladin2]

Never get behind people buying clothes.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

“If you live anywhere near an NFL team, the best time to shop is while the game is on. Supermarkets are practically deserted. “

I recall the best time to go to the bar was during hunting season.

[Grampa Dave]

“If you live anywhere near an NFL team, the best time to shop is while the game is on. Supermarkets are practically deserted.”

In our area, it is the SF Giants and Oakland Raiders that impact the checkout lines.

Never go shopping the hour or so before their game telecasts. Go during the games.

The former 49ers besides not filling up Levi stadium aren’t impacting shopping like the SF Giants and Raiders.

Warrior mania is having an impact like the SF Giants and Raiders.

[smalltownslick]

The rules of life.....

[Drew68]

Select a cash-only queue. Studies show cash is quickest

I don't know if this is true anymore. I swipe my card, enter the pin number and hit OK before they're even done ringing up my groceries while the person paying cash in front of me always seems to have to dig around for exact change.

[Cementjungle]

I like it when the checker says to the customer in front of me “Oh, I think some of your items may have coupons in one of this week’s flyers, let me look” and proceeds to fumble through a stack of flyers, page by painful page.

[lefty-lie-spy]

Are checks still common. I think its an old American hangover like fear of the metric system. Checks are so 19th century.

[Grampa Dave]

“Veer to the left most people are right-handed so we have a natural inclination to turn right. Do the opposite, queues on the left may be emptier.”

Works some times.

[Fast Ed97]

Here in Chicago I do not find them common. But they are prevalent in Illinois small towns for some reason. I guess it goes to a stereotype of rural folks not liking “change” too much.

[Mastador1]

How sad is this? Just last night flipping channels, I ran across an Archies cartoon (college era I think) and in the minute or so I watched it was Reggie trashing Archie for having done a news story on wait for it..........Why is it the checkout line you choose always seems to go slower than the others. Nice to know where the Telegraph gets it’s story ideas.

[Grampa Dave]

My wife is a lucky woman except for picking the faster lane to drive in, the fast checkout lane and picking a lottery ticket or drawing at our church. With those choices she is the picture lady for your post.

[jennings2004]

I was taught in higher education is that this is a great example of Smith’s Postulate to Murphy’s Law, simply stated: Murphy was an optimist! :)

[sparklite2]

I used to each lunch at a cafeteria style bar-b-que place in Dallas. I noticed that if you ordered the sandwiches open face, they’d put a portion of meat on the two buns and, with you looking on, they’d see that not all that much of the buns was covered, so they’d put on some more. If you ordered just a sandwich, they’d put all the portion on just one bun, close it, and that was what you got. Once I realized that, I always ordered open face.

[annieokie]

Isn't that the truth........

I put my hubby in one line as a holder while I get another one.

[FredZarguna]

Except for pizza delivery places.

[Sacajaweau]

That’s not fair. We speak badly about people like you. :-)

[FredZarguna]

Avoid the supermarket express lane what dictates speed is the number of people in front of you, not the number of items they are buying

This really isn't true AT ALL, as anyone behind a single cart belonging to an Amishman and his wife buying for the whole community can ruefully verify.

HOWEVER, the reason to avoid express lanes is a dirty little secret well known to all those who've ever worked in a supermarket or high-volume retail outlet: Managers always assign their fastest checkers to the high volume lanes, and their slowest ones to "express" lanes, knowing the slow clerks -- who are usually, paradoxically, the least accurate clerks as well -- will be far less annoying when they only have a few items per customer.

[Baynative]

"...it's funny how they don't write anything until they know the amount"

That's a HUGE gripe of mine. It is right there with the ones who keep their purse closed until they get the full run of scans and then have to find the debit card they were always planning to use. I can't imagine what people have going through their mind that makes them function as if they are half conscious.

Another one is the people who get done pumping gas, get back in their car ...and then sit there seemingly unable to start the freaking car and move the hell out of the lane. What could they possibly be doing? Women seem to be the worst at this. Do they need to rearrange their purse, straighten out the glove box and balance their checkbook before they can turn the damn key ...or are they just so self absorbed that no one else matters?

[sparklite2]

But since the limit for the fast lane at WalMart is twenty items, chances are if you go through the regular checkout, the baskets will be Loooooooaded!