I've never even been inside a brach of any bank I actually bank at. I've been in a bank to actually do banking like twice in my life, both times to get large bill withdrawals for in person cash vehicle purchases. And I'd just prefer there to be ATMs near me that support bills larger than 20s, why wait until the bank opens and stand in line.

I truly don't understand why a regular person would bother going in to a bank in-person. It just seems like a worse experience compared to doing your banking whenever, wherever.

I understand business banking and what not gets more complicated and it can be helpful having a team to talk to, but a normal person banking is almost always pretty dang basic.

HSBC experience in a smaller UK city - the staff in branch have to call the same phone number as one would call from home. They do have some ability to authorise actions, but barely. Perhaps they checked ID, I don't recall.

The company line is "you don't need to visit the branch ever" which is strange as they keep having to ask us to do things at the branch.

There's no counter service, no business staff, nothing except people to intermediate using the machines or using phone banking.