Dear clerk: I don't mean to be a bother, but next time you give me change, don't put it atop the dollar bills in my hand, resulting in the coins possibly slipping off the paper and onto the floor, th

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I mean, fuck. Come on. Use your head.

― Gear! (Gear!), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:00 (twenty-one years ago)

It's ok. He/she doesn't mean to be a bother either.

― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey dumbass, you can bend your fingers, you know? The opposable thumb is there for a reason.

― NA (Nick A.), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG BIGGEST PET PEEVE IN THE WORLD

― JaXoN (JasonD), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

HOLLA!

― JaXoN (JasonD), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:02 (twenty-one years ago)

CHANGE FIRST BITCHES!!!!

― JaXoN (JasonD), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:02 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah no shit, I hate this, everyone does it these days, they never used to. They don't even count the change back most of the time. Now, okay, I admit, I don't understand it when they DO count it back. But still. I just stick the fucking change in my wallet now and sort it when I leave the store.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:05 (twenty-one years ago)

YES... I just came from the supermarket after facing the same particular dilemma; even worse when also handling shopping bags.

― Francis Watlington (Francis Watlington), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

But this way your hand doesn't actually touch the change. < /germophobe>

― Vitamin Leee (Leee), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

like dolla dolla bills are clean?!

― JaXoN (JasonD), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:10 (twenty-one years ago)

saw somewhere that more than 50% of dolla dolla bills actually have cocaine particles on them

― JaXoN (JasonD), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:11 (twenty-one years ago)

There's no way that I'll be able to avoid touching the bills, so at least I can avoid the coinage.

― Vitamin Leee (Leee), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:34 (twenty-one years ago)

yah this annoys me too for sure

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I too hate this, esp when it's done at a drive-thru window and the change either falls to the pavement or to the netherland between your doorsill and seat.

I'm not understanding NA's post.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, this bothers me immensely. Well, you know, right after the President killing people in the name of my country. But, the change thing is definitely a close second.

― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:47 (twenty-one years ago)

B-but it looks neater.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

those words are responsible for the downfall of modern civilization. possibly ancient rome too

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:58 (twenty-one years ago)

This is one of those times where I feel kinda happy about carrying around a purse; I just let the coins slide right into the coin compartment and stick all the papers where the paper money would go. Of course, if I do the self checkout thing (I love self-checkout to death, BTW), I don't have to worry about such things as I can grab the coin change first if I elect to do so.

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 3 April 2004 00:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I do this to people when they look like they have horrible dirty hands and I don't want to touch them. I hope it isn't too obvious that that's why. It ought to be better than touching their hands and visibly shuddering, which is sometimes the alternative.

― Cathy (Cathy), Saturday, 3 April 2004 00:30 (twenty-one years ago)

haha, it could be worse- they could do bills -> RECEIPT -> change! FUCKERS! STOP IT!

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Saturday, 3 April 2004 01:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay you all are just about the most anal people on earth.

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Saturday, 3 April 2004 01:46 (twenty-one years ago)

self-checkout does rock

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Saturday, 3 April 2004 01:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Of course there's the wild card of the outdoor vendor on a windy day, in which the change would serve as a miniature paperweight of sorts.

― Gear! (Gear!), Saturday, 3 April 2004 01:57 (twenty-one years ago)

All the cashiers locally do the bills -> receipt -> change thing, regardless of who you are or what you look like. I guess they figure it's easier on them to do things that way.

Okay you all are just about the most anal people on earth.

Not true; it's not as though I say anything to the cashiers. IRL, I just deal and move on. Right now is "ok, let's get this off my chest" time, though, so ta-da.

Donna, thank you. :)

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 3 April 2004 02:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Bills then coins is a way of "counting" out the change visibly (blahblah dollars... and blahblah cents for you thanks have a great day) without necessarily having to say the numbers out loud. I used to hand the customer their bills first, then if they went for the wallet to stow it away I'd give them a moment to do so before they held out their hand again for the coins. A lot of clerks around here seem to do similar. We had large invoices so that was all separate, but I do like the bills-receipt-[possible pause]-coins method when I shop, since I usually put the receipt in my wallet anyway.

― Poppy (poppy), Saturday, 3 April 2004 02:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Wait I completely lied, most of the transactions I've made recently have been coins-bills-receipt. This I don't like because it's hard for me to get my wallet open to put the paper away without dropping some of the coins.

― Poppy (poppy), Saturday, 3 April 2004 02:33 (twenty-one years ago)

...Of course, what do I do when the coins are on top? Drop them all. I've never thought about this much until now, but I've changed my mind - Gear! is correct.

― Poppy (poppy), Saturday, 3 April 2004 02:37 (twenty-one years ago)

i think about this everytime i give someone change back at work....but sometimes i give it back to them awkwardly just to see them squirm a bit. you know..like, hand them their CDs, then the quarters, then their receipt, and then the rest of the change. but only if they're jerks. usually, i think, i do change, then bills on top and last receipt (unless they want a bag and then the receipt goes in there). blam.

― stolenbus (stolenbus), Saturday, 3 April 2004 03:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Dear Customer: I don't mean to be a bother but I've been standing up all day earning my $8.50 an hour and my feet are killing me. ISorry about not handing over your change in the manner in which you deem appropriate but it's all I can manage at this time to not jump the counter and slash your throat in an orgy of bloodletting..er, by that I mean 'Have a nice day'.

regards,

REB

― Rik E Boy (Rik E Boy), Saturday, 3 April 2004 07:41 (twenty-one years ago)

dear person who's serving me: if i've bought more than say three items, give me a bag to put them in. when you don't, and i ask for a bag, please don't just hand me a bag and watch me as i put everything in it while the customer behind me waits unpatiently to be served. when i say 'can i have those in a bag?', please PUT them in a bag for me, thanks.

― David-Graham Steans, Saturday, 3 April 2004 10:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Dear Pret A Manger: stop telling your staff to give me great big plastic bag for a sandwich and a drink without even asking if I want one.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 3 April 2004 12:22 (twenty-one years ago)

-> in one of our local shops they will ask you if you need a bag... even if you have bought more than five items.

"uh no thanks, i can manage; i'll just glue it on my body."

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Saturday, 3 April 2004 12:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I've bought five things in the health food shop and refused a bag before. I live over the road, though.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 3 April 2004 12:54 (twenty-one years ago)

God, you are all spazzes! You have to do the paperweight thing or the notes will just fal off your palm. Do you all have Parkinsons or something??

― Markelby (Mark C), Saturday, 3 April 2004 12:58 (twenty-one years ago)

who are you talking to?

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 3 April 2004 13:32 (twenty-one years ago)

The spazzes.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 3 April 2004 13:36 (twenty-one years ago)

everyone, then.

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 3 April 2004 13:37 (twenty-one years ago)

N. you'd love New York. If you buy a can of Coke in a corner store you get: 1) a paper napkin 2) a straw 3) a plastic bag and occasionally 4) a small paper bag to put the can in, before putting all of the above in the plastic one. It's like four extra things for free.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 3 April 2004 14:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, I mean *hate* New York.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 3 April 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Damn, y'all! I thought I had hang-ups!

― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Saturday, 3 April 2004 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)

We have to pay for plastic bags. I always buy them cos I hate the peasantesque idea of carrying a bag around with me, in case it "comes in handy", ah ye never know when ye might need a plastic bag now do you???

Is this odd?

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 3 April 2004 17:18 (twenty-one years ago)

it isn't 'peasantesque', it's 'continental'.

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 3 April 2004 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

This is one of my number one pet peeves. I never make a fuss about it to the clerk, but I must do some fair amount of bitching on the subject as my boyfriend always turns to me with a sharp intake of breath/look of abject terror when someone gives me my change in said fashion.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Saturday, 3 April 2004 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I am a supermarket peon. I usually give them the notes and the receipt with one hand and the coins in the other.

Re 'put it in a bag for me' and that - yes, it is far more efficient for me to put it in a bag while you watch me instead of the other way round. Because you do not, in fact, have hands, and I like working here very much. Also, what's the deal with cretins/cute, impractical old Irish guys who find it incredibly difficult to open carrier bags because 'the sides always stick together'?

Alllllso stop remembering you've got a reward card .3 seconds after it's too late to swipe it you motherfuckers.

― ferg (Ferg), Saturday, 3 April 2004 17:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I have been thinking about this a lot recently.

I think it is worse than Hitler, probably.

― Ally C (Ally C), Saturday, 3 April 2004 18:00 (twenty-one years ago)

"dear person who's serving me: if i've bought more than say three items, give me a bag to put them in. when you don't, and i ask for a bag, please don't just hand me a bag and watch me as i put everything in it while the customer behind me waits unpatiently to be served." Are your fucking arms broken? It's condescending fucks like you that make cashiers have attitudes!

"when i say 'can i have those in a bag?', please PUT them in a bag for me, thanks." Asshat

― I Hate Customers, Sunday, 4 April 2004 21:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Ronan, is it in case the pig gets squirmy?

― Ricardo (RickyT), Sunday, 4 April 2004 21:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I had a clerk give me my change coins-first today, and now I realize how much better it is and how you guys are not all crazy and obsessive.

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Sunday, 4 April 2004 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Please to kiss my grits then, yah?

― oops (Oops), Monday, 5 April 2004 04:02 (twenty-one years ago)

no i was serious

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Monday, 5 April 2004 04:05 (twenty-one years ago)

i thought you were. somehow that was supposed to mean "told you so!".

― oops (Oops), Monday, 5 April 2004 04:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I am now going to be all paranoid about germy money. Thanks you bastards.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 5 April 2004 04:09 (twenty-one years ago)

If I ever have to ring any of y'all up I'm gonna just straight up throw the change in your face.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I am also going to start licking dollar bills.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

You Americans are scary. If you put your own shopping in a bag (rather than standing there like Lord Muck waiting to be attended to) then the cashier will be able to get to the next customer more quickly. But what's astonishing is you somehow think it's your birthright.

(the coins/notes thing - I'd rather drop coins (which, you may have noticed, weigh a bit a sit nice in a slightly cupped hand) than have my nots fall off or blow away. You menkos)

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:57 (twenty-one years ago)

is there a peeve small enough that Metro hasn't had reader letters about it before ILX starts a thread on it? I know this one has been Metro-d b4

― Jaunty Alan (Alan), Monday, 5 April 2004 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

If you put your own shopping in a bag (rather than standing there like Lord Muck waiting to be attended to) then the cashier will be able to get to the next customer more quickly.

No, no, no. They're not allowed to move onto the next customer until you've removed all your bags from the end of the conveyer belt, otherwise you might get your shopping muddled up with the next person's shopping and there would be LEGAL ACTION or something.

If they give you notes then change, you curl your hand up and use the notes as a kind of slide to get the coins into the change compartment of your purse. Then you can tuck the notes away in the notes section. It doesn't take much coordination. Honestly.

However, on the subject of plastic bags, AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH! If I have one thing left to pack, I DO NOT want a fresh carrier bag. These things are spilling out all over my kitchen as it is. I want all my shopping equally balanced between two bags because I can negotiate the bus and the walk home more easily. Also, I do not need my yoghurts in a little plastic bag before they go in the big plastic bag. And I don't want a plastic bag for my bananas or my garlic or any other veg that has a fairly tough skin and I'm only buying one of. Thank you.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 5 April 2004 13:14 (twenty-one years ago)

If you put your own shopping in a bag (rather than standing there like Lord Muck waiting to be attended to) then the cashier will be able to get to the next customer more quickly.

> No, no, no. They're not allowed to move onto the next customer
> until you've removed all your bags from the end of the conveyer
> belt

Err.. hello? You pack while they are ringing up the prices. This means you do get away more quickly and they can start serving the next customer.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 5 April 2004 13:39 (twenty-one years ago)

N. and Bazza - together they're unstoppable!

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 5 April 2004 14:03 (twenty-one years ago)

But that has no relevance at a convenient store, where you're only buying one or two things.

Ronan, pack a REAL bag i.e. something fabric or something. That doesn't help with the peasant thing though, does it.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 5 April 2004 14:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Er hello, that is what I am saying...

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 5 April 2004 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)

My no, no, no related to moving on to the next customer, not waiting for them to pack your bags. But if you're not fast enough, they have to sit and wait for you to finish the packing before starting the next lot of swipes. I have worked in a Sainsbury's you know.

― Madchen (Madchen), Monday, 5 April 2004 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)

madchen otm wrt change-sliding and note-tucking. I tried to describe this manouevre, to cook, recently, but he could not come to grips. he is worse than stalin.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 5 April 2004 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

You win because I don't even understand anymore.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 5 April 2004 14:52 (twenty-one years ago)

come to blows? get to grips.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 5 April 2004 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh come on, Mark. I know you're smart enough to know that one post does not represent the attitude of an entire country.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 5 April 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, but Mark likes to play cunty.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 5 April 2004 15:23 (twenty-one years ago)

you people are mental

― kephm, Monday, 5 April 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

in a good way

― kephm, Monday, 5 April 2004 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)

get a grip.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 5 April 2004 16:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Dear customer,
Please do not toss your crumpled dollar bills one at a time onto the counter in front of me, then dig around in your coin purse and carelessly drop a handful of change onto the counter. If you do this, do not think for a second that you have any reason to huff and/or roll your eyes when it takes a few extra seconds of your time (which, I'm sure, is more valuable than I could ever hope to understand) for me to pick up and re-count all the coins and to smooth out the dollar bills so they fit properly in the register. Furthermore, your behavior has entirely negated any chance that I will give a fuck about how I hand your change back to you. The coins may very well be on top of the bills, and you very well may drop them, and I, for one, do not care. If I do not intentionally drop your damn coins on the floor myself, you should count yourself among the fortunate.
Sincerly,
Kirsten

― kirsten (kirsten), Monday, 5 April 2004 16:28 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.disco-disco.com/images/pb-tocoan-12.jpg

― Dada, Monday, 5 April 2004 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

no no you're all wrong about using the dollar bills as a slide for the coins, because oftentimes in the confusion of dealing with coins atop paper, the dollar bills will give you a paper cut or two and you'll cry out, slip on the floor, and knock your head against the counter in front of you. This WILL NOT happen if you put the coins in the hand first!

― Gear! (Gear!), Monday, 5 April 2004 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

unless the coins are red hot.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 5 April 2004 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

So true. What if they've been sitting in the sun or recently laundered?

― Gear! (Gear!), Monday, 5 April 2004 18:53 (twenty-one years ago)

kirsten is so otm.
and let me just add, that frankly, when you put your credit card down flat on the counter instead of handing it to me politely so that you can watch as i try to pick the damn thing up for 5 minutes (i don't have nail tips or whatever else you may need to scrape your thin plastic card up), it makes me want to rip your head off. Don't think for a second that I won't then run your card, with your cds, overtop of the desensitizing magnet, rendering your card useless at the next atm you try to use.

― stolenbus (stolenbus), Monday, 5 April 2004 19:08 (twenty-one years ago)

1) Self-service checkouts rock.
1a) Self-service checkouts WITH BAGGERS are like sex (which says more about me than about sex) (I would hope!)
2) If you don't use a self-serve checkout, and there isn't a bagger present, you should bag yr stuff yr damn self (or have yr kids do it), if only to save yourself from reprising the "DAMN THOSE STUPID BAGGERS" speech that's bound to be exhumed once you get home and realize that nasty Johnny Shop Class bagged the ice cream in with the rotisserie chicken.
2a) People that wait for baggers to come and bag their groceries are a pox on society and should just pay someone to grocery shop for them if they can't be bothered to do a li'l manual labor & move the line along.
3) Merchants that allow shoppers to scan their credit cards themselves without involving the cashier have all of my love.
4) To me, as a former fast food cashier, it makes blatant obvious sense to count back a customer's change by first handing back the change (to round up the total money) and then count out the bills (small ones first).
4a) I wish drive-thru cashiers did this more often.
4b) I have been known to nearly throw things (soft drink cups, soft tacos, withering stares) at customers with little or no prevaracation on their part, so maybe I shouldn't talk about the respectful treatment of customers.
4c) I should've knifed the senior citizen that read me the riot act because his refrigerated cole slaw wasn't cold enough. There's a gas station across the street, SIR, go buy some ice and SHUT THE F*** UP.
4d) And have a nice day.
5) Stolenbus, please tell me where you work so I don't go there and risk earning your wrath.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 5 April 2004 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

wahey!
the wrath only comes out when i'm provoked!
anyways, i'm the one who should be scared to go to work, what with all these crazies running about with precise demands about the order in which i hand them back their change!

― stolenbus (stolenbus), Monday, 5 April 2004 19:34 (twenty-one years ago)

SATISFY ME, MENEAL WAGE SLAVE!

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 5 April 2004 19:38 (twenty-one years ago)

re. mark's comment 'you americans are so scary...'

if you're referring to my original post about not wnating to put my shopping in a bag myself, you most definitely cant judge all Americans on that comment, especially since im BRITISH

― David-Graham Steans, Monday, 5 April 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I see this as a problem too as it points to lazy training in the age of computers.

handing back change as coins then bills means you are counting back the change in a way that easily lets you and the customer know the change is correct:

"total is 5.82, 18 cents makes 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10" (the last bit being the single bills being counted out)

When a cashier just plops 4 bills and 18 cents in the customer's hand some quick calculations and counting of dumped change must be done to verify the accuracy.

This is a case of the old way being the best way.

― Ask For Samantha (thatgirl), Monday, 5 April 2004 19:45 (twenty-one years ago)

stolenbus, couldn't you slide the credit card off the counter? or is there some type of fence around the counter?

― oops (Oops), Monday, 5 April 2004 21:10 (twenty-one years ago)

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