Exactly my point. If I have a single item, and the lines for full service checkout are backed up, it's easier for me to just grit my teeth and run through the self checkout. I hate it, but standing in line for just one item inconveniences other shoppers, and that's just not fair to them. Like I said earlier, I don't go to an establishment to spend my money to do the job of their employees.

Consider the store's side of this.

It's hard to find employees because Gen Z doesn't want to work.
Self-service lanes also helps cut the store's operating costs--which helps them keep prices lower than they would have been if they used a lot more checkout people.

As far as early-morning self service only, that's the calculus they make as far as shopper volume. I'm sure if you had a load of groceries and asked nicely for assistance (esp. for visually or physically impaired people), they would be happy to oblige.

But hey, if you want to raise your blood pressure with being outraged over trivialities, go for it.

You got that right. Our local restaurants can't even properly man a full staff. We get the menu's and sit at the table. When we decide what we want, we have to stand in line at the bar to order. Fortunately, they also sell adult beverages at said bar. "Incentive".

Our world draastically changed when COVID-19 swept the planet. Now online ordering and pickup or delivery is a thing. My older son is picking groceries at a big grocery store chain. He tells me that the delivery services (door dash, uber eats) periodically take the food and don't deliver it ! No really, and there are surveillance cameras at the pickup zone, so we are not talking about the brightest bulbs in the chandelier.

In his case, they have to clear substitutions with the client, which often holds up the process (response time). My son is pretty careful about packaging and selection, but there is only so much he can do. Stuff sits around, some orders have to be reshelved (can't reshelve deli packaged things like meat-shows up in the break room fridge). The groceries go into grey plastic totes on rolling carts, and they have a special freezer in the back with the frozen stuff held temporarily and separately. He has learned to avoid eye contact because customers are always asking where the mayonnaise is, or are there any more fritos in the back (the ones that are on sale, and probably ran out!), etc! Then there are the customers that say that they are nearly run over by one of the kids pushing the rolling rack! Or they DO get hit!

My guess is that the reason that you sometimes are forced to go through the self service line is that the grocer can't find enough employees these days.

Everyone thinks they should be paid $20 per hour since they have a high school diploma, or not even that. And they believe that they should be able to afford to have children and raise a family on minimum wage. That has NEVER been the case, going back to the 50s!

Comedian Woody Alan said that half of success is just showing up. Genius. My wife works nights in a lab at a hospital, and people are always calling in sick. There is a dearth of nurses and medical lab techs, and it is seriously impacting health care in the US (no where near as badly as the insurance industry though!). The amazing thing is that if you are honest, and actually show up, you can be kind of dumb, but you will be the one that gets the promotion!!

Grocery store managers are looking for us dumb guys that actually show up. We are like gold! Not me, but my son keeps getting offered extra shifts... but only up to 39 hours. Full time employees get health insurance, and that is COSTLY.

Ah, you have discovered my life plan for success.....