Random Act Of Sport: A Grocery Cashier Moves At Superhuman Speed

Standing in the checkout line at a grocery store is almost never a noteworthy experience. When it is, it’s usually due to delays caused by difficult customers or slow-as-molasses cashiers. So when you witness a worker at the other end of the spectrum, flying through scanned items like a programmed robot, you tend to take notice.

Such was the case when Jewell Thomas, an 18-year-old and a cashier herself, witnessed this Aldi cashier scanning items faster than most any checkout clerk you’ve ever seen. Catching the talent on video, she shared the clip via Twitter. Judging by the overwhelming response, Jewel wasn’t the only one impressed by the demonstration in efficiency.

Given the cynical nature of just about every internet denizen, the amazement seemed to stem more from “Why is she doing that?” than “Wow. That’s impressive.”

Speaking to BuzzFeed, Thomas said she recognized the behavior as someone eager to get through their pile of work—the checkout line in this case—and to go on break or wrap up for the day.

Isn’t it at least possible that she just does her job really well and doesn’t have some self-serving endgame?

The fact that her lane light was off while moving prompted the internet to respond with a resounding “no.” Cashiers everywhere weighed in to identify this phenomenon.

But, there’s a wrinkle in this story. Others observed that while she may be an outlier, Aldi cashiers have a reputation for moving through their lines faster than those of most other grocery stores.

This tweet sheds some light on Aldi’s systematic approach to monitoring checkout efficiency. It’s a German company after all, so the approach shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, stemming from the process-oriented culture:

If you’re happen to find yourself in Queens, New York, and low on groceries, swing by the local Aldi in the hopes that you can witness this majesty firsthand.