Bristol Farm Has Shortest Wait Time: Study

CARSON, Calif. -- Upscale grocer Bristol Farm here had the shortest wait time at the checkout among grocers in a study conducted by the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, with customers waiting just 1:06 minutes on average.

The Dallas-based MSPA said its study also showed Bristol Farms has a "return ratio" of 100 percent, indicating the high likelihood that respondents would return to the location, based only on wait time.

Rounding out the top five grocers with short wait times in the MSPA study were Trader Joe's, with an average wait time of 2:21 minutes and a return ratio of 96.30 percent; Hannaford Bros., with a 2:24 wait time and a 95.65 percent return ratio; Piggly Wiggly, with a 2:30 wait time and a 100.00 percent return ratio; and Tom Thumb, with a 3:20 wait time and a 80.00 percent wait time.

Coming in at the bottom among grocers were Vons, with a wait time of 4:15 and a return ratio of 82.76 percent; Food 4 Less, with a 5:13 wait time and a 100.00 percent return ration; and A&P, with a 7:23 wait time and a 57.14 percent return ratio, MSPA said.

Grocery store shoppers wait an average of 3:39 minutes, the study found.

Across all retail channels, meanwhile, St. Louis emerged as the fastest city in the United States, with an average wait time of 2:09 minutes across 10 consumer industries, including grocery stores, quick-service restaurants, drug stores, banks, and department stores. Missouri was the fastest state, with an average wait time of 2:52 across 10 industries.

Across the country, customers receive service in grocery stores 4:02 minutes faster than in wireless communications stores, the study indicated.
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