> In Europe the self-check outs are optional. That varies. A current trend in the Netherlands is to remove all normal checkouts and replace them with nothing b

> In Europe the self-check outs are optional. That varies. A current trend in the Netherlands is to remove all normal checkouts and replace them with nothing but self-scan checkouts in the train station 'to-go' formula (essentially convenience stores) of one of the largest retailers. The same retailer (AH) is also pushing for self-scan checkouts in certain normal supermarkets (often mid-size ones) by reducing the number of normal checkouts to one or two, creating nigh permanent queues. Because self-scan checkouts don't accept cash, you are stuck using these if you do wish to pay with bills and coins (which is probably why the retailer does this; i.e., the war on cash). At a train station, if you have a few minutes to spare to grab a coffee and some snacks, you can pretty accurately guess how long it will take with a human cashier and any potential queues. With a self-scan checkout, the machine invariably has a bunch of failure modes that take an unguessable amount of time to correct — either by you following the instructions, or by an attendant overriding some error state. I just go to the kiosks that do have human cashiers instead.