Major Retail Chains Like Walmart Are Reducing Self-Checkouts for Better Customer Service

Since a slew of major retail chains adopted self-checkouts, many customers have hated the move for a variety of reasons, including being upset about cashiers losing their jobs. For those who wish self-checkouts were a thing of the past, there is good news, as several of the biggest retail companies are starting to move away from them.

Several Retail Chains Are Pulling Back on Self-Checkout

The New York Post has reported on a new trend in the retail space that is the opposite of what customers have been seeing over the last several years. After stores and companies have been investing a lot of money replacing traditional cashier lanes with self-checkouts, some chains are reversing the trend.

Most notably, the outlet reported that Walmart is actively eliminating self-checkouts in several of its locations. Citing a report from the Philadelphia Inquirer, The New York Post detailed a recent example of a location in South Philadelphia that had recently removed its self-checkouts. There has been some conjecture that chains may be making these shifts due to self-checkouts making theft easier. However, a Walmart spokesperson told the outlet that they have been bringing back traditional checkout lanes to make shopping better for the company's customers.

"These changes are guided by feedback from associates and customers, local shopping patterns, and the needs of the business in each community. [They are intended to] improve the checkout experience and enable associates to provide more personalized customer service."

The New York Post's article went on to detail that Walmart isn't the only chain that is moving away from self-checkout. It stated that in 2024, Dollar General removed them from 12,000 stores in America. In other cases, self-checkouts have been phased out, but traditional checkout lanes weren't brought back.

When Sam's Club began moving away from self-checkout, the company introduced AI-powered "scan and go" technology. Costco shoppers may already be aware of the tech. It involves a staff member scanning your cart in full as you wait in line, and everything loading onscreen once your card is scanned by the cashier. It allows the checkout process to run very smoothly, as all that is left to do is pay.

Next: Walmart's Major Storewide Pricing Overhaul Has Shoppers Sounding the Alarm

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 7:12 AM.