They work fine for me. The only time I’ve had to ask for assistance is for an age check or once when I double scanned something. But then I’m not a blithering idiot and I know to look at the PLU sticker on produce and that you can usually just punch in the UPC code if an item won’t scan correctly. I’d much rather do it myself than have to make awkward small talk with a cashier. And standing in lines? You’d be standing in line waiting for a cashier too.

On the retailer side, they’re either going to have to accept the increased theft rate or they’re going to have to go back to paying cashiers. That’s just the way it is – they can’t have their cake and eat it too in that regard.