I have no problems with self checkout, kinda nice to have an option. Never seen anyone forced to is them.
I went to a Kroger once at about 2AM and the only checkouts were self-checkouts. Manager said from midnight to 6AM it's self-checkout only.
I don't much like effectively working for the store for free, performing functions that a paid cashier would do (scanning items, bagging items, transacting). I wouldn't mind it if there was a 5-10 percent discount or something, because that's what shelf-checkout saves the store. At least in theory. In reality, theft, either intentional or unintentional, is five times higher in places with self-checkout. You can scan your Starbucks as bananas, leave items in the cart or reusable bag instead of scanning them, and overload the bagging area so that un-scanned merchandise can be piled on without being sensed.
Of course, newer and better and much more expensive self-checkout machines are coming out that will reduce theft. One kind has a conveyor belt that scans everything automatically, even unmarked produce. That machine has a cost recovery of about 40 years versus the cost of a paid cashier, though.
Giant Eagle's self-checkout lanes can
only be used by customers who have a Giant Eagle Loyalty Card. If you're stealing, they want to know who you are, so swiping your loyalty card before stealing is a must.
Albertsons has stopped using self-checkout. They say it's because of the reduced customer experience, as most people say interaction with the human being cashier enhances the customer experience, but it's also to reduce theft. Plus, they noted that self-checkout is basically a high-maintenance money pit that transfers jobs from cashiers to higher cost maintenance and repair companies.
Plus, despite the increased prevalence of self-checkout opportunities, self-checkout transactions are down to 16% from 22% just three years ago. Some people really like it. Most don't. Especially if you get behind someone with hundreds of dollars worth of groceries, where confusion over coupons, items that don't scan, "unexpected item in bag" and "please wait for help" is a regular occurrence.
Don't do self-checkout and ask for cash back. You'll probably get it just fine, but if you don't get it, the only witness to the failed transaction is the cashier. Good luck with that.
I rarely use self-checkout, just on principle, but the only place I don't mind using it is at a Fresh and Easy Market (that is about to go out of business) because they opened up from the start with self-checkout, specifically to keep prices lower (and they are lower), and they have two self-checkout lanes per one employee to ensure things go smoothly (and they do). I just wish Fresh and Easy Markets were someplace besides Phoenix, Vegas and LA.