OT Counting change- is it so hard?
We are at the amusement park with SD and her 2 friends to finish off her birthday festivities. The refillable lemonade cups were the best deal so I bought one to share with DH. It cost $11.86.
I gave the clerk $12 and before I could hand him a penny to get $0.15 back, the register was open. I still offered him the penny and asked for even change back. Bewildered, he looks at the register, back to me, then back. After a good 30 seconds, he decides that for some reason a penny for a penny isn't equal and said he had to give me $0.14 back. Annoyed and shocked, I accepted it and told him to have a good day.
I remember one time my dad and I were at Whataburger when I was a kid and something similar happened at the register and the clerk couldn't count the change down from $20. Is it too much to expect kids to have basic math skills to operate a register? Back in my food service days, I counted the change in my head without even using the register but I'm "good" at math.
Note: I'm not putting him down and DH said I can't expect much from a kid at a lemonade stand. But come on!
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Welcome to Idiocracy. Frankly
Welcome to Idiocracy. Frankly, I find it pathetic that people can no longer do basic math. I suppose we should feel fortunate that they are able to give back accurate change...
Exactly. Now I'll go pay for
Exactly. Now I'll go pay for my $3 refill lol
This kind of... inadequacy is
This kind of... inadequacy is why I never hand over any money until I have my change ready to go with it. Many times, I've had to tell the cashier, "Just ring in what I gave you." I cannot begin to tell you how often they look at register for long moments, trying to figure out how I knew enough to give them those particular coins to get back change with no pennies or all quarters or... you know what I mean.
I realize it was my fault. He
I realize it was my fault. He's just doing his job. I just saw I had a million pennies in my wallet and that I'd burn a few. Joke was on me because I got 4 back.
Meh, I don't see it that way,
Meh, I don't see it that way, hon. The lack of basic skills saddens me.
Is there anywhere you can take those pennies and exchange them for paper money? Or get some paper rolls from the bank and fill them up?
The cash register does all
The cash register does all the calculation, so cashiers don't have to use their brains. It's too bad, but I understand the business reason.
My first job included running a cash register. I didn't know how to figure out change and I was scared to death for my first day. My dad, usually the most impatient man on the planet, spent an hour with me going through different scenarios to practice. I aced that job.
I worry for the future.
I also worry for the future
I also worry for the future and believe it's closer than we think.
The basic subjects
are no longer covered in school. Too busy with all this extra crap stuff and disciplining feral kids that the parents should discipline but don't.
I used to work the drive thru where the cash register was ringing up the fourth after order that you had taken so it was imperative to be able to count back change in your head. I could do it in my sleep; in fact I made my own little system!
What is this "discipline" of
What is this "discipline" of which you speak??
Yes, I was a drive-through
Yes, I was a drive-through girl in high school too. Primarily because I could count change back without using the register. It's based on 100s so it's not hard at all. And I'm not a math person (says the woman who now checks budgets and monitors expenses for her living).
Decades ago, I had to let my
Decades ago, I had to let my boss know that the new girl could NOT count back change. Total of $4.32 and she gave back $1.78 to the customer.
For me, It's simply the same way I figure out how to get back a quarter instead of two dimes (yes, TAKE the nickel!).
The prize goes to management
The same happened to me with a cashier. After looking for the calculator( !!)provided at all cash registers(!!!) For 10 min(!!!!) He called his supervisor to do the math. The supervisor proceeded to look for the calculator for another 10 min. Finally the mexican man behind me told both of them what the correct change was( I was just being entertained by how long it was taking...). It was a quarter.
I got back 1 dime 2nickles and 4 pennies. Didnt say a word and just walked away feeling disapointed in the world around me.