COLUMBIA (WHNS, AP) -- A growing number of supermarket chains are bagging their self-serve checkout lanes, saying they can offer better customer service when clerks help shoppers directly.

Self-serve checkouts were quite popular when they first arrived a few years ago. In 2007 the Food Marketing Institute says 22 percent of shoppers used the checkouts, compared with only 16 percent of supermarket checkouts in 2010.

Kroger says it's keeping the self-service option because customers like it, but are also looking at other ways to provide quick service for their shoppers.

Some other national and regional chains are also reducing or removing unstaffed lanes and adding more clerks to traditional lanes.

It's disappointing news to some shoppers, who say they like the convenience of quickly ringing up their own goods and heading on their way.

But studies find they're in the minority.

Do you prefer full-service or self-service checkout lanes when you grocery shop? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

(The Associated Press, WHNS and FoxCarolina.com contributed to this report.)