Times have changed.
Backing up a bit, most 24 hour businesses, except for some mini marts, gave up the all night stuff when the pandemic hit. One of the notable exceptions is one store in Scranton that it part of a big drug store chain. I'm in there ALL THE TIME.
On my last nocturnal visit, I picked up a couple of prescriptions in the back. It was then to the front of the store so I could get some soda and burn off a coupon. No clerk at the register. No problem. I'd just use the self service checkout.
Backing up again. I hate those things. I like to see people employed. On the other hand, those self service checkouts do save some time, and time is always an issue for me.
New problem. The self service terminals, both of them, were down.
I searched around the store looking for a body. One finally appeared from the outside. He was on break. I explained that I normally would hit the self serves, but they were down. I'm going to get him in trouble, but the clerk explained that the self serve terminals are now permanently off-line.
I immediately knew the reason. I said to the clerk "Theft?" He said yes and added most of the store's shrinkage comes from people grabbing things in the aisles and running out, not from the self service check outs.
Be that as it may, a time saving convenience is gone. I'll really be upset if the store cuts back on its around the clock operation.
