I know just how you feel! I too had to ask that very same question and after some research discovered that places like kinkos, walmart, costco, etc. offer less than great flatbed scans. What's even worse is that most of the online processing sites offer low prices but poor quality and like you I wanted to have photos scanned correctly...
So I learned that there was an amazing alternative to flatbed scanning called virtual drum scanning that was super high quality and normally very expensive, to cater to industries and pro photographers. Almost discouraged away from $40-80 a scan, I found a website that has focused on making them available to families like us and the prices are totally affordable. They are called Pro Film Archiving.
I've had work done by them and the quality was incredible, so deserving of our family photos, plus they had such excellent service. I've been passing the word along as much as possible and am glad to have seen your post.
Anyways I wish you the best of luck with your project and take care!
