Target and Walmart are going to look eerily empty beginning tomorrow; both stores have announced plans to limit the number of customers shopping at any one moment.
Target’s announcement is a little vague, leaving it up to each individual store to make the decision as to when to limit customers. When they do, they will form a line at the front of the store.
Walmart’s procedure is based on square footage – five customers will be allowed in the store for every 1,000 square feet of shopping space. A line will form at the door (likely the grocery side) and employees will count and monitor the number of customers inside the store at any one time. When the store reaches capacity, a line will form outside (every 6 feet) and move to a “one-in, one-out” situation. After checking out, you will exit the store through the other doors, limiting the number of people you will “pass by.”
Another procedure Walmart announced is one-way shopping isles. In an effort to reduce congestion in the isle, customers will only shop in one-direction. Want pickles? You might have to go down the ketchup isle in order to come back up the pickle isle. Also, Walmart says they will limit the sale of “non-essential” items.
Both stores are also going to make masks and gloves available to their employees.