See this happy couple? You know why they're so happy? It's because there is somebody, a person, on the other side of the register checking their groceries, making silly small talk and helping them with their purchase.

If you came to this blog for cheerful blah, blah, blah...I'm sorry, but I just got home from the store with a rant in my head.

Perhaps 9:30 pm is too late for a 24 hour grocery store to have at least one inactive/active check stand ready for assisting customers...you know, like they used to before self check-out came. I know they can do it because they've done it before.

Geoff loves self check-out. I think it is the end of customer service. Yes, there is someone helping customers at self check-out. Self check-out was very busy this evening with two people helping customers. Couldn't one of those people open a register for crying out loud?!

I don't even get a discount for checking and bagging my groceries. Not that the discount would be enough for me to choose self check-out over customer service.

At least this time I didn't have two screaming children in my cart while I checked out a massive cart of food, inexperienced in doing so, by myself. That was the worst time ever! It was humiliating because it took me so long which lengthened the time my screaming children were in the store.

I should mention that I cannot stand buffet lunches. It's not the people scarfing down massive amounts of food and then getting back up for more (although that is a draw back to my appetite!)--no, it's the fact that I pay money to have someone not only prepare my meal, but to bring it to me whilst I enjoy the company at my table. If I go out to eat, I want to relax and digest.

Self check out groceries. Self feed restaurant. Self pump gas. What is next? Self dentistry and self physical examinations?