Self-service means doing something for yourself instead of having someone else do it for you. At a self-service gas station, you pump your own gas rather than having an attendant do it. At a self-service buffet, you fill your own plate instead of waiting for a server to bring you food.

Self-service became popular in the early 1900s when grocery stores realized customers could pick their own items off shelves instead of asking a clerk to fetch everything from behind a counter. This made shopping faster and cheaper. Today, self-service is everywhere: you might check out your own library books, scan your own groceries, or order food from a touch screen.

The approach works because it gives people control and speed. You don't have to wait for help or explain what you want. You just grab what you need and go. Businesses like self-service because it costs less to run a store when customers do some of the work themselves. You might notice that self-service options can come with lower prices, like how it's cheaper to pump your own gas than to have someone pump it for you.