Oops - Half Dollar = Dollar mistake

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by Magman, Mar 24, 2008.

  1. Magman

    Magman U.S. Money Collector

    So I went to Wendys the other night and my meal came to $5.05
    I gave the lady $5.50 (5$ and a Half Dollar)
    and she gave me back 0.95 - I didnt even realize the mistake until I pulled out of there... because I typically pay with 6 dollars.

    oye, oh well.
    I know the girl though, I'll tell her her mistake next time, when I pay with a half dollar again. lol
    Kinda works out though, since I said to her "Dont I get a discount?" lol
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. mark_h

    mark_h Somewhere over the rainbow

    Honesty is the best policy. :) I actually got cussed at because I noticed the cashier about to give the "thing" in front of me too much change. All I said was - thats $10 too much, double check the change.
     
  4. PSC120

    PSC120 New Member

    My sister-in-law brought me a 1/2 dollar from the convience store she works for (she knows I collect coins) and said I could have it for a dollar. . . beautiful piece dated 1919. : ) and yes . . . . I told her thank you. I gave it to my father who was born in 1919. CHECK YOUR CHANGE, people today will give the farm away because they dont know what they are spending.
     
  5. walterallen

    walterallen Coin Collector

    Not Your Fault

    Society has changed in a way that facilitates this problem. First we create legal tender that most people don't use, the dollar and half dollar coins. So much so that young people, and old, can't distinguish what they are, even those in retail.
    But the REAL problem is this, no one counts back change correctly. If you are old enough to remember how this is done it goes like this: Your purchase total is 14.45, you give a 20.00, your change is then given back to you like this, the clerk says the total 14.45 then gives you a five dollar bills , says 19.45, then gives you a quarter and says 19.70, gives you another quarter, says 19.95, gives you a nickel, says 20.00. This way everything is crystal clear as to what was owed and what was given in change totaling the amount given for payment.
    Seems we count on calculators and computerized registers to tell the casher what change to give. No one wants to be forced to think.
     
  6. Magman

    Magman U.S. Money Collector

    Well pardon me sir for glancing at my change... lol
     
  7. Hobo

    Hobo Squirrel Hater

    The way we learned it in school (to use your example) is . . .

    $14.45 . . . (hand them a nickel) 50 (short for $14.50) . . . (hand them a quarter) 75 . . . (another quarter) $15 . . . (hand them a $5 bill) $20

    Now it is the complete opposite (except cashiers do not count out the change to you any more). They place the receipt and currency in your palm and dump the change on top (where it will fall off if you don't grab it first).
     
  8. Thender

    Thender Senior Member

    You are exactly right, Hobo!
     
  9. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    I'm with Hobo, when I ran the cash register at the resturant I worked at I always counted the change up to the next dollar, then dolars by ones fives tens etc to whatever the amount tendered was. (And I could handle it if they gave me the odd amount of change to reduce the number of coins they gat back as well.)

    I had real problem though when they changed registers for the ones that told you how much change to give back. I kept trying o make change from THAT figure For the example above the register shows $5.55, I want to count back "two dimes is $5.75, a quarter is $6, $4 is $10, and $10 makes $20. Have a nice day."
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page