Self-Checkout’s Final Form? Testing Walmart’s Mobile Scan & Go

We all have stated preferences and revealed preferences. Case in point: we might claim that self-checkout is unpaid labor — shouldn’t we at least get a discount? — but our actions say otherwise. Most Americans now scan and bag their own groceries to save time.

(Plus, no awkward glances from the cashier while bagging our hygiene products. Jock itch and toe fungus are perfectly natural, OK?)

For Walmart+ members, the process could move faster with Scan & Go, a mobile app feature that lets you log items as you shop. But is it the Cadillac of self-checkout or more like a lemon for buying lemons?

We’ll walk you through how it works, how much time it actually saves, and what drawbacks to watch for — so you can get home and apply that fungicide, stat.

How to Use Scan & Go

Scan & Go is a barcode-scanning feature in the Walmart mobile app exclusively for Walmart+ members. It activates when you’re inside a physical Walmart store, so you’ll first need to enable the location access setting.

By scanning items as you shop, you can simply show a QR code at the kiosk, pay with your account’s default method, and leave — no pressure from impatient fellow customers behind you in line.

On a recent Walmart run, we tried Scan & Go with two very different purchases: RYSE Loaded Pre Workout Powder (a horrifying 400 mg of caffeine per scoop) and Special Kitty Mixed Grill Dinner Paté (for our “Consumer Repurrts" taste test).

Both products scanned easily on the first try:

We then tapped “Check out"...

…and confirmed the quantity:

We took our items to the self-checkout register

…and scanned the QR code on the screen:

Which took us to “Confirm payment" on our phone (even giving us the option to pay with accrued Walmart Cash):

In California, we pay extra for single-use bags — and everything else besides oxygen — so you might see that option:

An “exit pass" receipt appeared for us to show to the Walmart associate at the door:

And just like that, we walked out with our haul of vasodilating stimulants and cat pâté.

(These two tastes might not pair like peanut butter and jelly?)

What Slows Down Scan & Go

The biggest speedbump with Walmart’s Scan & Go is you still have to stand in the self-checkout line to pay — whereas app users at Sam’s Club can skip the line entirely — so you probably won’t save tons of time over traditional self-checkout. Here was the line during our visit:

A few other considerations:

• A viral TikTok video in 2025 suggested that Scan & Go defaults to Walmart’s online price, which was higher than the local in-store price.
• You’ll need to weigh produce items before checking out, as your Android or iPhone is not technically a scale.
• Scan & Go won’t let you buy alcohol because a human cashier is required to check your ID.  Sorry, rebellious teenage hellraisers — but don’t worry, you can still enjoy the powerful mind-altering effects of RYSE Loaded Pre Workout Powder.