Probably just different grocery stores with different patterns and workflows.

My experience is a normal checkout line is usually a reasonable wait so unless someone bought three carts of groceries they’ll get through before too long.

In contrast the self checkout is a clusterfuck of idiots who don’t know how to use it, people not sure where to stand while they wait because there aren’t really lines, and 1 frazzled attendant trying to cover 6-8 people simultaneously screwing up their self-checkout.

I fucking hate going to the grocery store though.

On this we agree!