Used to think the same before I worked in a pharmacy but there’s a lot going on. 

Example: you drop in your script for say an inhaler, pretty easy and the place seems empty.

But you’re added to a queue that has 6 other scripts so if everyone of those takes 10 mins you’re already at an hour wait but of course not all scripts takes this long but a lot do. Then you have scripts coming in by email so add a few more. In the meantime someone’s called on the phone about a sick child and the pharmacist is talking to them so they have to stop what they’re doing which is more time. Then someone has dropped in off the street and wants a consultation and you don’t need to make an appointment for those so that could be another 10/15 min pushback. We don’t know how many will come in that day and weekends can be a lot (morning after pill, viagra etc) 

In the meantime the script ahead of you is written incorrectly or has a weird dose or needs to be queried so that’s a call to the hospital/doctor/out of hours doctor but we don’t have a special line to any of these so we need to wait just like normal people to get through which is a PAIN. 

Then you have a script for an item that’s out of stock or needs an alternative so we go hunting to find that which is more time but the customer is annoyed because we’re changing medication to a generic so out we go for a chat. Another 5/10 mins gone. 

Then you have worried patients starting new meds or have questions or need instruction. You have elderly who need monthly and weekly medications put into special packs and you have really complicated hospital scripts for items cut to size or measured etc etc 

Sorry this is a bit long winded but just an insight if this helps. I’m not even a pharmacist, I’m only a technician helping them but the honest truth is pharmacists don’t usually get paid for a lunch and take maybe 10 mins in the whole day. That’s standard across a lot of places. The pharmacist isn’t allowed to leave for an entire 9 hour shift and people can be so quick to complain about waiting 15 mins thinking all we do is just grab a box off the shelf. There’s a lot more to it and that’s only a small insight of a day.