Since 1950, grocery stores have a long history of not having self-checkout, as their main goal has been to focus on customer service.
Market Basket has 95 stores nationwide, and none of them have a single self-checkout system, but they plan to maintain this status going forward.
The grocer has locations throughout New England in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island.
It is highly regarded as a store that promotes experiences and connections between people.
The company’s reputation began in 1950 when founders Athanasios and Efrosin Demoulas began selling raw lamb on credit, Herald News reported in 2017.
The Market Basket chain was passed on to Telemachus’ two sons, known as George and Mike.
Read more about self-checkout
The current president, Arthur T. Demoulas, is Mike’s son and is now dedicated to ensuring this tradition continues.
Arthur said a good grocery store contains “human beings waiting for human beings.”
Market Basket has multiple staffed checkout lanes open at one time to assist customers.
According to a report from local radio station WCYY, the lack of self-checkout lanes has not affected Market Basket operations.
Shoppers are willing to wait in line to shop at Market Basket because customer service outweighs wait time.
As revealed in a 2022 analysis conducted by Boston Consumer Checkbook, a consumer nonprofit, Market Basket lives up to its mantra of “more for your money.”
Market Basket’s prices were about 18% lower than its Boston-area competitors, according to the data.
This significant price difference translates into significant savings for families.
For example, a family spending $250 a week on groceries could save $2,300 a year by choosing to shop at Market Basket instead of other stores.
NPR affiliate WBUR reports that Market Basket has a loyal fan base that rave about the great shopping experience across multiple review platforms.
loved by shoppers
One customer posted on Reddit that the marketplace offers great service at surprisingly low prices.
“It was fun when Market Basket opened in my neck of the woods. It felt like stepping into a 90’s time capsule,” one user said.
“Multiple cashiers and cashiers, suspiciously low prices, tile floors reminiscent of a ’90s grocery store, etc.”
Latest changes to self-checkout
Retailers are evolving self-checkout strategies to speed up checkout times and reduce theft.
Walmart shoppers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at various locations were made available only to Walmart+ members.
Other customers reported that the self-checkout was closed during certain hours and was replaced by more cashiers.
While shoppers fear shoplifting may have been the impetus for the update, a Walmart spokesperson said store managers are simply experimenting with ways to improve checkout performance. It revealed that.
One bizarre experiment involved RFID-equipped self-checkout kiosks that thwarted aggressive receipt checks.
However, that test run has been phased out.
Target is restricting items at self-checkout.
Last fall, the brand explored new express self-checkout lanes across 200 stores with 10 or fewer items to increase convenience.
As of March 2024, this policy has expanded to 2,000 stores in the United States.
Another customer reviewed this grocery store on Yelp and said:
“Turns out they weren’t kidding, and this place is completely chaotic, but it’s hard to avoid constant traffic and at the same time endure feeling like a fish swimming upstream. If you can do that, it’s worth it.”
One shopper described Market Basket in a Google review as “a demolition derby crossed by a grocery store.”
