Why is going to the pharmacy so miserable these days?

IF YOU'VE BEEN TO A PHARMACY TO PICK UP A PRESCRIPtion lately, you might have wanted to bang your head against the wall.

- ALANA SEMUELS

Chains and independent pharmacies alike are shortstaffed, leading to long lines. Customers are finding empty shelves and chaotic operations. Satisfaction with brick-andmortar pharmacies in the U.S. dropped 10 points in 2024 alone, a study by J.D. Power found.

Running the businesses is getting harder too. "Without a doubt, this is the worst it's ever been," says Enrique Reynoso, who has been a pharmacist since 1991 and owns Beacon Wellness Pharmacy, a small shop in upstate New York. Reynoso has tried to do everything he can to stay afloatputting drugs in smaller bottles to save costs, asking customers to pay by Venmo since creditcard fees are so high, diversifying the merchandise he sells in the front of his stores.