Omnivore - Kroger further eliminates necessity for human interaction ... thank you, Kroger!

Despite any misgivings that might exist following my “review” of its “bistro”, I did my weekly grocery shopping at the Edgewood Kroger on Sunday — and caught a glimpse of the future.

The grocery chain is already big on self-checkout lanes — particularly at Murder Kroger, where they employ roughly one person after 10 p.m. — and now they’ve introduced touch-screen machines at the deli. It’s like this, see: you touch the screen, pick the meats and cheeses you want, specify the weight and how you want it sliced, and submit your order. Then you go away from the deli and do the rest of your shopping, and when you come back 10-or-so minutes later, your cold cuts are waiting for you in a refrigerated case.

WHY DIDN’T ANYONE THINK OF THIS SOONER?

It’s seriously so smart. But you know when you go to the movie theater and there’s a line of people at the box office, but no one at the automated kiosk things? Likewise, lots of people at Kroger’s deli appeared to be eschewing the newfangled machines and ordering from the flesh-and-blood deli folks instead. Creatures of habit, I suppose.

The only problem I can imagine with the new system is not being able to see if the lunchmeat is cut to your satisfaction before there’s an entire pound of it. But, I can’t imagine they wouldn’t fix your order if it isn’t right.