How to Get Through the Checkout Line at the Supermarket Quickly
Write your check in advance., Pay cash or use a debit card whenever possible., Avoid lengthy transactions If you are in the USA, try to avoid getting in line behind someone who is using coupons., Observe the express lane item limits, Express Lanes...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Write your check in advance.
If you know you are writing a check, have everything but the amount filled out while you are waiting in line.
Waiting until you have the total amount to start writing the check is ridiculous.
Approximate Time Saved
- 15 to 20 seconds. -
Step 2: Pay cash or use a debit card whenever possible.
These are by far the fastest options.
Approximate Time Saved: 15 to 20 seconds. , These take longer to process than other transactions (sometimes up to 5-10 minutes).
Approximate Time Saved: 5 to 10 minutes. , As a result, if you take three carts into a "10 items or less" express lane, even if the cashier does ring up your order, it will take two to three times longer than if you went through a normal checkout.
Theoretically, express checkouts are designed to handle a slightly higher capacity of the posted item limit, so you might be able to get away with taking a few extra items.
Plus you are likely to incite an incident among people within the limits who are on very short time frames.
Approximate Time Saved: 2 to 5 minutes (and potentially loads of bad karma saved) , Don't assume the cashier or bagger automatically knows because you come in all the time.
They deal with hundreds, even thousands, of customers every day and cannot possibly be asked to remember every moot little detail.
Can you memorize 5,000 different habits on short notice? Approximate Time Saved
- 10 seconds to 60 seconds, depending on if re-bagging becomes necessary. , If you are using a hand basket instead of a cart, unload it.
Merely hefting the basket up on the belt with the contents still inside is not only a major pet peeve of cashiers, it is a waste of time for you.
When the cashier has to unload the items out of the basket (some do it all at once, others one at a time), it slows down the checkout process.
Approximate Time Saved: 45 seconds to 2 minutes. , Checkout number light on means the lane is open.
Light off means closed.
Period.
If you enter a closed checkout lane where a checker has already taken a till out, 9 times out of 10 a new till has to be counted and inserted, all because you failed to pay attention.
At the minimum, there is a 30 second delay.
You may even be informed that the lane is closed and sent to an open lane anyway, in which case two people have already gotten in line ahead of you.
Avoid the confrontation
- stick to lanes with the light on only unless directed to another register by an employee.
Approximate Time Saved: 1 to 5 minutes. , Don't fish around for the exact change.
This holds up the line for other people and delays you.
Approximate Time Saved: 20-45 seconds (for you), 1-2 minutes (for people in line behind you). , Avoid shopping during the rushed hours between 3PM and 7PM if at all possible.
Also avoid hours that appear to be shift changes for most stores.
In states with "blue laws" (laws restricting the hours during which alcoholic beverages can be sold) such as Ohio, where liquor cannot be sold after 10 p.m., and beer and wine can't be sold past 1 a.m., don't shop within 30 minutes of the cutoff hour, especially in large cities, or you will find yourself in a mad rush.
Approximate Time Saved: 2 to 10 minutes. , If you know the line is going to be 5 minutes each time, and you shop every day, you are losing 35 minutes every week.
Start shopping every week and you save half an hour every week.
If you can restrict grocery shopping to every other week, even better! Approximate Time Saved: 10 to 60 minutes. , Become familiar with and use the self-checkout wherever possible.
It's really not as hard as it looks.
Once you get the hang of it, it will become much faster for you.
Approximate Time Saved: 1 to 3 minutes.
If an error or prompt appears that asks for attendant attention, clear it yourself if the attendant is busy with another customer.
Approximate Time Saved: 30 seconds to several minutes. , Don't lay it down, physically give it to them in their hand.
Actually, this is true just about anywhere except banks and casinos.
Approximate Time Saved: 5 to 15 Seconds. , If you are using WIC coupons, have each item (or set of items) ready to be processed, and keep orders separate.
Approximate Time Saved: 60 seconds to 5 minutes. -
Step 3: Avoid lengthy transactions If you are in the USA
-
Step 4: try to avoid getting in line behind someone who is using coupons.
-
Step 5: Observe the express lane item limits
-
Step 6: Express Lanes are not designed to handle three carts with 50 items each.
-
Step 7: Specify whether you want paper or plastic bags before being asked.
-
Step 8: Unload your hand basket.
-
Step 9: Never enter a closed checkout line
-
Step 10: no matter how much shorter the "line" is.
-
Step 11: Have exact change.
-
Step 12: Shop during off-hours.
-
Step 13: Shop for the week.
-
Step 14: Use the self-checkout.
-
Step 15: Hand the money to the cashier.
-
Step 16: Plan ahead.
Detailed Guide
If you know you are writing a check, have everything but the amount filled out while you are waiting in line.
Waiting until you have the total amount to start writing the check is ridiculous.
Approximate Time Saved
- 15 to 20 seconds.
These are by far the fastest options.
Approximate Time Saved: 15 to 20 seconds. , These take longer to process than other transactions (sometimes up to 5-10 minutes).
Approximate Time Saved: 5 to 10 minutes. , As a result, if you take three carts into a "10 items or less" express lane, even if the cashier does ring up your order, it will take two to three times longer than if you went through a normal checkout.
Theoretically, express checkouts are designed to handle a slightly higher capacity of the posted item limit, so you might be able to get away with taking a few extra items.
Plus you are likely to incite an incident among people within the limits who are on very short time frames.
Approximate Time Saved: 2 to 5 minutes (and potentially loads of bad karma saved) , Don't assume the cashier or bagger automatically knows because you come in all the time.
They deal with hundreds, even thousands, of customers every day and cannot possibly be asked to remember every moot little detail.
Can you memorize 5,000 different habits on short notice? Approximate Time Saved
- 10 seconds to 60 seconds, depending on if re-bagging becomes necessary. , If you are using a hand basket instead of a cart, unload it.
Merely hefting the basket up on the belt with the contents still inside is not only a major pet peeve of cashiers, it is a waste of time for you.
When the cashier has to unload the items out of the basket (some do it all at once, others one at a time), it slows down the checkout process.
Approximate Time Saved: 45 seconds to 2 minutes. , Checkout number light on means the lane is open.
Light off means closed.
Period.
If you enter a closed checkout lane where a checker has already taken a till out, 9 times out of 10 a new till has to be counted and inserted, all because you failed to pay attention.
At the minimum, there is a 30 second delay.
You may even be informed that the lane is closed and sent to an open lane anyway, in which case two people have already gotten in line ahead of you.
Avoid the confrontation
- stick to lanes with the light on only unless directed to another register by an employee.
Approximate Time Saved: 1 to 5 minutes. , Don't fish around for the exact change.
This holds up the line for other people and delays you.
Approximate Time Saved: 20-45 seconds (for you), 1-2 minutes (for people in line behind you). , Avoid shopping during the rushed hours between 3PM and 7PM if at all possible.
Also avoid hours that appear to be shift changes for most stores.
In states with "blue laws" (laws restricting the hours during which alcoholic beverages can be sold) such as Ohio, where liquor cannot be sold after 10 p.m., and beer and wine can't be sold past 1 a.m., don't shop within 30 minutes of the cutoff hour, especially in large cities, or you will find yourself in a mad rush.
Approximate Time Saved: 2 to 10 minutes. , If you know the line is going to be 5 minutes each time, and you shop every day, you are losing 35 minutes every week.
Start shopping every week and you save half an hour every week.
If you can restrict grocery shopping to every other week, even better! Approximate Time Saved: 10 to 60 minutes. , Become familiar with and use the self-checkout wherever possible.
It's really not as hard as it looks.
Once you get the hang of it, it will become much faster for you.
Approximate Time Saved: 1 to 3 minutes.
If an error or prompt appears that asks for attendant attention, clear it yourself if the attendant is busy with another customer.
Approximate Time Saved: 30 seconds to several minutes. , Don't lay it down, physically give it to them in their hand.
Actually, this is true just about anywhere except banks and casinos.
Approximate Time Saved: 5 to 15 Seconds. , If you are using WIC coupons, have each item (or set of items) ready to be processed, and keep orders separate.
Approximate Time Saved: 60 seconds to 5 minutes.
About the Author
Sandra Gutierrez
Committed to making DIY projects accessible and understandable for everyone.
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