Is Walmart Really Going To Charge For Self-Checkout In Texas?

Could Walmart be planning to charge a premium to use self-checkouts in Texas? That's what some people have been saying on social media. According to the latest "conspiracy theory" regarding Walmart, it will be a nationwide change. So, is it true? Is Walmart planning on charging us a fee to use self-checkout?

There's A Lot Of Hype Around Self-Checkouts And Walmart Right Now. Why?

There's been a lot of news recently about Walmart rolling back on its commitment to self-checkout lanes. Some locations are getting rid of them. Others are just scaling back and going to more staffed checkout lanes.

This latest tidbit about Walmart charging to use self-checkout is a little misleading. They won't be charging us for self-checkout. It just becomes a perk. Some locations may reserve them for Spark drivers and Walmart+ members, which means you're paying for the Walmart+ subscription and get self-checkout as a perk.

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One key thing to keep in mind is that this is possible at some locations. Today, I learned a very interesting fact about Walmart.

Not All Walmarts Are The Same When It Comes To Self-Checkout

According to a recent story in Business Insider, it's revealed that managers have a lot of say in how their stores operate when it comes to staffed checkouts and self-checkouts. Some stores rely heavily on one instead of the other. So these sweeping changes that people on TikTok have been posting about aren't happening.

Instead, some stores are experimenting with different ways of handling self-checkout vs. staffed checkout lanes. Some may cut back on one in favor of another, or restrict self-checkout. It's up to the individual store to figure out what works for them. Also, Walmart+ member-only lanes aren't anything new. We've seen those in different places at different times for a while now. I've walked into one of those lanes by accident. That's how I found out Walmart+ exists.

For now, the definitive answer is no, Walmart is not going to charge you a fee for using self-checkout. Depending on the store you go to, you may see more staffed checkouts or restricted self-checkouts. You might even see a combination of both. If you have a Walmart+ subscription and those "Walmart+ Only" lanes pop up, congrats, it's there for you to use. If you want to use the Spark lane, become a delivery driver.

Honestly, who cares what happens to self-checkouts? We all have the same complaints about them that we used to have about staffed checkout lanes.