Yay for technology and all. . . . .but now we can't even make change!

Simply Fated · August 2014

mysticl said:

Simply Fated said:

Seriously, I worked at a restaurant/ ice cream window when I was 16 and the very first thing they taught me on day one was counting up to give change. Your method of 3 dollars, 4 dollars, 5 dollars, 10, 20.
But I'll admit whenever I sign a credit card bill for a restaurant, I do not have time for math so I just give an even tip of $8 or whatever. I don't try to do $8.27 so that my bill comes to $40.00. It drives FI nuts.
When I was a waitress that was a huge pet peeve of mine. Sometimes guests would round down their tips so the total is to their liking. You know, so if a 15% tip makes the total $42, the guest will give less than 15% to make the total an even $40. Rarely will the guest round up to $45.
That's an extreme case, though. Usually it's just the change. But, some restaurants round down. So, at the end of a shift, if a server's total credit card tips come out to, say, $50.75, the server actually only gets $50. So it's not that big of a deal, I guess?

So, the house keeps the $0.75? It's not that much for one day, but it could add up it if was every shift for a year. Plus the principle that the customer intended that money to go to the server.

You bet your bippy it added up. And of course that money was meant for the server, not the house. It sucked. When guests asked if we preferred our tip on credit or cash, we were honest that we preferred it in cash, but never said why.

ETA:
When I worked register I always gave back exact change, even if it was 99 cents. If I saw the total was going to result in a shitload of change, I'd ask the customer if they had the penny or two, first. If they didn't, too bad, so sad... a shitload of change back it was.
Like pp, I also have a math disability, so I had to be thorough and meticulous. My drawers were always perfect... or very close to it. I once went to open a roll of change and it exploded everywhere lol.

Kahlyla · August 2014

We've done away with pennies here now, and there are policies in place for rounding up or down. There was tons of warning and everyone knows about it, so at least it's not left to the discretion of the individual cashier or anything. I just kept all the ones I had and am going to use them to make little copper roofs for birdhouses and shit.

You know, I've got a bit of a head for advanced math, physics, etc. but I actually suck at making change. I just have a hard time doing that in my head, always have. I can never be one of those people that gives a nice clever amount of cash to make giving change easier on the cashier, because that just doesn't compute for me. Please don't hate!

mysticl · August 2014

Kahlyla said:

We've done away with pennies here now, and there are policies in place for rounding up or down. There was tons of warning and everyone knows about it, so at least it's not left to the discretion of the individual cashier or anything. I just kept all the ones I had and am going to use them to make little copper roofs for birdhouses and shit.

You know, I've got a bit of a head for advanced math, physics, etc. but I actually suck at making change. I just have a hard time doing that in my head, always have. I can never be one of those people that gives a nice clever amount of cash to make giving change easier on the cashier, because that just doesn't compute for me. Please don't hate!

Many years ago there was a penny shortage because of people hoarding them at home. Any business that dealt in cash was desperate for them because they were rounding everyone's change up to the nearest nickel. Places had signs at their registers saying "we buy pennies".

JennyColada · August 2014

mysticl said:

JennyColada said:

lyndausvi said:

JennyColada said:

I work retail and am guilty of not always giving people their penny with their change. I mainly just do this to compensate for the person that I gave $1 instead of 99cents so that my drawer won't be under.

Umm, wouldn't it just be easier to give the right people the correct change?

Not being able to count change is a big pet peeve of mine. i'm able to count change in my head. I can also figure out percentages in my head.

Well most people would prefer to have a dollar bill than to get 99cents. I know that I'd personally rather get one cent less in change to get the dollar bill more often than not.

Should I do it? Probably not. But I do, because it's easier and quicker.

But it doesn't work that way. There is no guarantee that if I get shorted a penny this time I'll get a dollar next time. I could just end up being shorted every single time.

Don't you get questioned for your drawer being off?

My drawer isn't off. That's the point.

JennyColada · August 2014

lolo883 said:

JennyColada said:

lyndausvi said:

JennyColada said:

I work retail and am guilty of not always giving people their penny with their change. I mainly just do this to compensate for the person that I gave $1 instead of 99cents so that my drawer won't be under.

Umm, wouldn't it just be easier to give the right people the correct change?

Not being able to count change is a big pet peeve of mine. i'm able to count change in my head. I can also figure out percentages in my head.

Well most people would prefer to have a dollar bill than to get 99cents. I know that I'd personally rather get one cent less in change to get the dollar bill more often than not.

Should I do it? Probably not. But I do, because it's easier and quicker.

Isn't that what "take a penny, leave a penny" is for? I always kept those on top of my register so I didn't have to keep track of how many over or under I was for the day. Always offered people their penny though so nobody ever felt cheated.

And we're not allowed to have a slush fund. If my drawer is over or under by less than $5 then I don't need any paperwork. But if I have a penny hanging around the cash area then I could get written up.

Kind of silly how the whole thing works honestly.

JennyColada · August 2014

I hate quotes on mobile.

mysticl · August 2014

JennyColada said:

JennyColada said:

lyndausvi said:

JennyColada said:

I work retail and am guilty of not always giving people their penny with their change. I mainly just do this to compensate for the person that I gave $1 instead of 99cents so that my drawer won't be under.

Umm, wouldn't it just be easier to give the right people the correct change?

Not being able to count change is a big pet peeve of mine. i'm able to count change in my head. I can also figure out percentages in my head.

Well most people would prefer to have a dollar bill than to get 99cents. I know that I'd personally rather get one cent less in change to get the dollar bill more often than not.

Should I do it? Probably not. But I do, because it's easier and quicker.

But it doesn't work that way. There is no guarantee that if I get shorted a penny this time I'll get a dollar next time. I could just end up being shorted every single time.

Don't you get questioned for your drawer being off?
My drawer isn't off. That's the point.

But isn't it more complicated to keep track of the number of people you shorted and the number of people you overpaid to make it come out even? I would think you would need to keep a running tally as opposed to just giving people the right change.

JennyColada · August 2014

Nah. The 1-2 times this happens to me a day really isn't that hard to keep track of. Anyway, I was mainly just adding my input to give an answer to the "lol everyone does this because they're dumb and don't know how to count change" idea. I fully know how to count correct change, it's not always something done out of ignorance or lack of understanding.

lyndausvi · August 2014

This afternoon I worked the golf course. I was reminded of this thread. The CaddyMaster has a tough time with the younger caddies being able to do math.

They are expected to tell the golfer the appx distance to the pin. There are markers around the fairway and they need to count out the steps from the marker to the ball and then either add or subject to get the appx. distance. Many of them can't do the math in their heads and they are not allowed any phones or calculators. They are able to use distant finders if they own one. They can be an expensive item for a 13 year old to buy.

Kahlyla · August 2014

mysticl said:

Kahlyla said:

We've done away with pennies here now, and there are policies in place for rounding up or down. There was tons of warning and everyone knows about it, so at least it's not left to the discretion of the individual cashier or anything. I just kept all the ones I had and am going to use them to make little copper roofs for birdhouses and shit.

You know, I've got a bit of a head for advanced math, physics, etc. but I actually suck at making change. I just have a hard time doing that in my head, always have. I can never be one of those people that gives a nice clever amount of cash to make giving change easier on the cashier, because that just doesn't compute for me. Please don't hate!

Many years ago there was a penny shortage because of people hoarding them at home. Any business that dealt in cash was desperate for them because they were rounding everyone's change up to the nearest nickel. Places had signs at their registers saying "we buy pennies".

Hehe, that's funny! I only had maybe a hundred or so. I wish I had more, actually. I've seen people make flooring and backsplashes out of them... I wonder if they're actually saving any money over buying tile...

cupcait927 · August 2014

Kahlyla said:

mysticl said:

Kahlyla said:

We've done away with pennies here now, and there are policies in place for rounding up or down. There was tons of warning and everyone knows about it, so at least it's not left to the discretion of the individual cashier or anything. I just kept all the ones I had and am going to use them to make little copper roofs for birdhouses and shit.

You know, I've got a bit of a head for advanced math, physics, etc. but I actually suck at making change. I just have a hard time doing that in my head, always have. I can never be one of those people that gives a nice clever amount of cash to make giving change easier on the cashier, because that just doesn't compute for me. Please don't hate!

Many years ago there was a penny shortage because of people hoarding them at home. Any business that dealt in cash was desperate for them because they were rounding everyone's change up to the nearest nickel. Places had signs at their registers saying "we buy pennies".

Hehe, that's funny! I only had maybe a hundred or so. I wish I had more, actually. I've seen people make flooring and backsplashes out of them... I wonder if they're actually saving any money over buying tile...

There's a bar in my town that covered a giant table for one of their booths out of pennies. It looks really cool!

theartistformerlyknownas · August 2014

My total at Panera came to 12-something. I had a twenty, a five and two ones. Didn't feel like digging for the change. Gave her that and the five so I could get a ten and two ones back - unnecessary, sure, but I spend smaller bills quicker than larger ones, so a ten will last me longer than two fives will. She stared at both bills, asked "out of... twenty five?" Yes. Then she gave me back the same five I gave her, and another five, and the two ones. Hokay then. No ten for me. I just loved how confused her face looked at giving her more than twenty dollars when twenty was enough.

stephisawes0me · August 2014

"Two fives for you... and one for my pocket"

Yay for technology and all. . . . .but now we can't even make change!

Re: Yay for technology and all. . . . .but now we can't even make change!

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