Special Sobeys till slows down the checkout experience
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A Sobeys in northeast Edmonton has a checkout lane that is backing up with customers on purpose.
A Sobeys in northeast Edmonton has a checkout lane that is backing up with customers on purpose.
As many grocery stores move toward self-checkout or express lanes to help people speed through the process, the Belmont Sobeys has a dedicated line to create a sense of community through conversation.
Customers don't have to rush or have a discussion, explained store owner and operator Jerry MacLachlan.
While the idea was flagged to him by a friend who saw a store in Europe implement a similar idea, MacLachlan said the inspiration came from cashier Jason Rutledge.
MacLachlan said there would be times were customers lined up to speak with the "super outgoing cashier," and some would just want to have their items scanned as quickly as possible.
"We [would] speak with the others and say, oh, there's other tills open, and they were adamant they get Jason," MacLachlan shared.
"At that moment, I said, we need to slow this down," he added. "These folks aren't just here for groceries, they're here to sort of get their soul filled as well."
