If You Hate the Long Checkout Lines at Costco, You’re Going to Love the New ‘Scan-and-Go’ Test

Costco has so many benefits for its members, but it may be finally doing something about one of its biggest drawbacks: the massive lines to check out. Last week, Costco’s leaders teased a new breakthrough that could end the long lines, and let you walk out with your favorite Costco finds even faster—without having to pop that 20-pound bag of rice up on the conveyor belt.

They’ve started testing scan-and-go technology at Costco, which would help speed up lines or even eliminate them altogether. A guide to the tech on Costco’s website offers a sneak peek—and seems to indicate that it’s using technology from Instacart to make this happen. You’ll have to look for a Scan and Pay QR code at the entrance to the store to sign up, and then scan each item’s barcode as you place it into your cart. Note that you’ll still need to use the checkout for certain items, including alcohol, tobacco, prepaid cards, and hazardous items.

When you’re done, you check out on the app, then head to the dedicated Scan & Pay checkout to scan your QR code and let the store associates double-check your Costco haul.

Some Costco shoppers may have already encountered another version of what the CEO calls “scan and go done by Costco”—where the store has pre-scanned their purchases while they’re waiting in line.

“Went to my warehouse a couple weeks back and an employee came up to me offering to use his tablet-connect scanner to pre-scan my cart,” says Redditor Tallryn_Sorrowyn. “Was honestly pretty nifty because it basically queued up my entire cart and I didn’t have to unload my cart—just handed the checker my membership card for her to bring up the order, tapped my debit card to pay and went straight to the exit with a receipt.”

Either way, anything that’ll speed up the lines and make it easier to get home faster will definitely be welcomed. “I would love to see this at Costco,” says Redditor alkemist80. “Being able to avoid the chaotic mob at the front would be a dream.”