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posted by martyb on Sunday September 18 2016, @04:56PM   Printer-friendly
from the slowest-line-is-the-one-I'm-in dept.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reports on a former math teacher who claims to solved the question "Which checkout line up will be fastest?"

In a nutshell he has concluded that the number of people in the lineup is more important than the number of items a person has in their cart.

The critical factor, he says, is the average of 41 seconds that it takes a shopper to pay the cashier and engage in idle chit chat.

So a long line of people in the Express line, with two or three items each, will actual move slower than the checkout with one guy with a full shopping cart.

YMMV.


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  • (Score: 2) by Hyperturtle on Sunday September 18 2016, @08:07PM

    by Hyperturtle (2824) on Sunday September 18 2016, @08:07PM (#403500)

    A single line? That sure cuts down on the math as to which line is the quickest... I don't even think they need to do a calculation...

    I thought that was how it was done in Soviet Russia? And Disney World and Apple stores? Just one long, snaking line, waiting for something good, like an iphone, a ride, or vodka.

    Of course, one person fumbling with their wallet when it is finally their turn then ruins it for everyone... so I guess in that case, In Soviet Russia (or the small world ride), Supermarket line waits on YOU!

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 19 2016, @12:22AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 19 2016, @12:22AM (#403554)

    In Soviet Disney World, they've found it's most efficient to line the customers against a wall. Of course, one person fumbling with their bullet when it is finally their turn then ruins it for everyone.