A Simple Plan To Improve Any Grocery Store In Rockford

I don't have a favorite grocery store in town. I know some stores have stronger departments than others, but no store in town is head and shoulders above the rest. 

That could all change with one little modification that would rocket it up to the number one position.

Before I get into it let's take a look at a scenario.

NOTE: Like my previous blogs I have done all the artwork myself in MS Paint. This isn't a brag, but at the same time, it kind of is.

Let's pretend that this is the checkout at your local grocery store. There are 5 lanes, lane 3 happens to be closed. There are 2 people waiting in line in lanes 1 and 4, 1 person waiting in lanes 2 and 5. What lane should you pick?

Now needless to say, there are a TON of variables at play here. 2 and 5 have fewer people but maybe they have overflowing carts. Maybe lane 4 has the checkout person that you know is fast. Lane 5 might be the best option until you realize they have a case of beer and the checkout person is under 21. What if lane 3 all of a sudden opens up? Who gets it? What if someone wants to write a check!?!?!

All this calculus makes the checkout line selection process very stressful. You think you're cruising along then all of a sudden there's an argument about whether the can of soup is 99 cents or $1.19 and you want to throw a quarter at someone just to get out of the place.

Folks, this antiquated system of queuing up for grocery check out has to be altered. And guys I'm not just here to complain, I have a solution. Banks have been doing it for years and I have no idea why it hasn't bled over to our grocery stores.

Here's an illustration:

If I'm being honest here it makes too much sense. One long line and you just go to the next available register. Why is this not the norm?

I've only seen this before at Target and Best Buy, and that's only during the holidays. Let's expand it to all our stores.

So I'm publicly calling out to Schnucks, Valli Produce, Meijer, Woodman's, and any other grocer to please adopt this system.

Please do it before there's an incident involving me and someone who thinks they're an extreme couponer. I can only bite my tongue for so long.