...to think 'self-service' checkouts are the work of the Devil?

[Terpsichore]

I bloody hate them.

Have just gone into a (big) M & S food hall and had to use the self-service checkout in desperation because of huge lunchtime queues at the 3 tills that were open. 'Do you want to use your own bag?' asks the robot-woman (actually, she shrieks it at the top of her smug robot voice)
Me (thinks): Yes, I do
Robot: 'Please put your bag in the bagging area'.
Me (thinks) I've just done it, you stupid woman
Robot (shrieks even louder): 'Unauthorised object in bagging area. Please confirm you are using your own bag'
Me (thinks):
Robot: 'Please press button to confirm you are using your own bag...!!' etc etc
So it goes on, with robot insisting that my bag is an unauthorised object and me pressing button again and again. Finally manage to pay and get out in state of great discombobulation.

Go into bank to pay in cheques. Have to use 'self service paying-in' machine which takes delight in spitting cheque back out again so you have to enlist hovering member of staff to help. No real people behind counter any more.

Go into Boots. No real people at cash-desks but row of hideous 'self-service' machines plus obligatory hovering staff-member. Wait behind queue of people to pay real money to a real person instead.

Gaaaaaah! I know there's a credit-crunch but how I detest the way big chains are making US into their unofficial (and, naturally, unpaid) staff!

Oh I love them.

Totally negates the need for idle chatter when doing a late-night run.

It seems to be more and more self service even at the tills at our local Tesco now. It recently had scanners put in for the clubcard as well as payment and if you proffer your cards to the till operator they wave at the scanners and tell you to scan the cards yourself.

I'm intrigued as they seem to have taken the self-service scanners out of our big Tescos.

Mind you folk round here are thick as *** (except us, of course), so I think they caused more trouble than they were worth.

I love them

they are fun

you seem to have to use stupid ones
mine are cool

and I snigger at bagging area too

I hate them. They are Evil.

love them.yes all the Luddite's queue refusing to use them

cant say I particularly value checkout as high level social interaction so prefer to loiter at bagging area

My DD (age 4) loves them - especially the ones that are set up as full size tills with the conveyor belt. She instructs me to stand at the bottom to pack the bag whilst she scans all the items - I am only allowed to help when we need to use the screen for something.

I used to hate them but I've now learned to use them because it was too shaming that my elderly mother could use them like a dream.

My favourite thing is the childish pleasure I get out of feeding small change into the slot and watching the amount go down in pennies.

This probably infuriates people behind me but I don't care because they're behind me.

I'm also thrilled if someone has left their change behind. I've never found a note yet but my mum has.

I did once steal a four-pack of tinned tomatoes that wouldn't scan. But I passed it over the scanner three times which I believe allows you to take the item free of charge. Or probably should...

I love 'em
Our little high street tesco run's them really well with a member of staff always on hand to help or make sure enough bags.

They bought them in at our small Sainsbury and never had anyone to help and when you could get someone they hadn't been trained properly (she tried to tell that the till weighed the basket before you put the stuff through[hmmm]
Needless to say selfservice didn't last long there. It's a very badly designed store anyway.

I refuse to use them on the grounds that they are replacing people and mean loss of employment. I must have socialist tendencies ... I get funny looks from the woman who tries to usher me into the queue to use them when I say no I'd rather wait.

poor man in morrisons didn't know quite what to say when i asked if i got a discount for using the self service one- "umm.... no madam, its just a checkout",
me: "but you aren't paying someone to work on the checkout- there's one of you to four checkouts- thus saving wages costs"
him: "oh.. no i still don't think you do"
me: well then i'll get my value for money and have someone else get RSI"

oh I love the ones in our local supermarket .

They never have all the tills open anyhow, and can only be used for a couple of items, so the tills spaces they've taken haven't exactly "lost" anything from the normal aisles

MRZ presumably you always go into the bank and queue for the cashier at the counter to support their continued employment too rather than use a cashpoint?

Actually Casserole I don't use cashpoints now I think about it. On those rare occasions I need cash I usually do cash back in the supermarket ... twice this year if I remember correctly.

YANBU, how come the bagging area can recognise my sons little finger as an unexpected item, but I have to hurl toilet roll or four slices of meat from the deli with the force of an olympic shot putter in order for it to notice them? [grr]