>(In my computer science studies, I learned that the bank-style is actually better; although you can't "hit it lucky" with bank-style and find a register with a short line, the AVERAGE time it takes for someone to maneuver through the line and get service is SHORTER than it is with grocery-style lines. So I was perfectly happy with this bank-style line scheme.)

I'm having trouble seeing how the average would be different, presuming that the two styles are able to handle the same amount of customers in the same amount of time. That is, presuming the employees' serving of customers isn't slowed down by line style. If there are practical reasons why grocery-style is slower, that's another story.

Trav"inquisitive math mind"holt.