30 Check Out Booths In Wal-Mart And 6 VERY LONG Lines (Save Money, Waste Time)

I'm standing in the check out line at my local Wal-Mart, its the height of the Christmas shopping season, we are all in a big rush to get out of the store and on with our evening. My wife and I have a cart with a few thing in it and now we are looking for a check out stand with as little wait as possible. As we walk past the few cues of people waiting for their cashier, I notice that there are 30 check out stations and only 6 were being used! All with lines of at least 7 people. This phenomenon has always puzzled me, I would frequently ask my self "why is it that they build 30 register stations when there will never be a time where all 30 are in use at any one time?" I have speculated that each of those register stations must cost the company at least $10,000 to build. That's $300,000 in equipment and space that is never fully utilized.

So in my frustration, I dial 411 on my cell phone while I am cued up in an line. I get the operator to connect me to the very Wal-Mart which I am standing in. The clerk in the Wal-Mart answers the phone and I immediately ask for a manager. The manager gets on the phone and I ask him why is it that they have 30 registers and only 6 are in use? He responded that they are doing the best they can. I asked if there is anytime where all 30 registers are in use at once? He said well, during Christmas and on the weekdays. I told him well its Christmas and a weekday, so what's going on? "Well, we're doing our best" he says. So I ended the call with "well just mark this down as another pissed off customer."

Moments later, over the PA system, they announced for all associates to go to their registers. Too little, too late, the lines were already out of control.

So I pose this question to anyone in retail such as Wal-Mart and Target, where the stores are enormous, and there are a minimum of 30 check out stations. Are there times when ALL 30 check out stations are in use? If so, when and how often?

In the mean time, I'll keep that Wal-Mart's phone number on speed dial so that I can help the managers "earn their money" while I waste my time in their under-utilized check out system.