Here’s Why There Are No Self-Checkout Lanes at Market Basket Stores in Maine

Whether you want to blame it on everyone's fast paced life or America's growing impatience with just about everything, self-checkout lanes at busy stores across the country almost seem like a necessity these days.

That's why it's so incredibly strange you won't find any self-checkout lanes at one of New England's largest grocery store chains. Market Basket, which continues to grow across Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, doesn't have a single self-checkout lane in any of their stores. Why?

The answer lies at the heart of a pledge store founder Arthur Demoulas made years ago. That a good grocery store involves "a human being waiting on another human being". Less technology and more human interaction.

That belief system is obvious when stepping into a Market Basket store. In every department of the grocery giant, you'll find human beings ready and willing to help customers. That includes checkout, which typically has many more staffed lanes open than other competitors. But is it enough?

There's room to question that. The lack of self-checkout lanes hasn't affected how busy Market Basket stores are. Depending on the time of day, lines can be long, and Market Basket stores can be a headache to visit for just a handful of items. That still hasn't stopped customers from piling in the doors. Spend a little extra time, but save a whole lot more money.

Market Basket doesn't seem to have any plans to shift from their current model. In fact, other grocery giants like Walmart are considering rolling back self-checkout options in favor of a human being helping another human being. Perhaps that was the way grocery shopping was always intended to be.