too much back

[sarasquirrel]

im not sure if this is the right thread to post in, so if it needs moving, by all means!

a couple weeks ago i went to barnes and noble to get a book...(no really?) so i get my awesome snowflake book, (its actually really neat) and my total comes to $21 and some change. i give her $21, and some change. but she gives me $4 back....as im walking away from the register im confuzzled and look over the receipt. i KNOW i only gave her $21 and change because i asked my mom for the single. so i go back and tell her, and she was mistaken saying she thought i gave her a 5 and not a 1, easy fix and im on my way, i did my good deed for the day. i know there are people out there who would've kept it.

another time i was at target and all i bought was a bag of chips and some other item. when i noticed the total was very small, i realized the cashier didnt scan the chips and i told her that, she noticed and scanned them. another good deed

this ever happen to you? you guys seem to be very honest

[Midnight_Angel]

Actually, a couple of weeks ago, I was to a small restaurant with a couple of friends. All was well (well, the new waitress was a tad slow, can't blame her though as the place was pretty packed); we asked to pay separately (which was no problem)...

W: Waitress
Me:

W: "Let me see, you had... One XXX, one YYY, two ZZZ-Colas..."
Me: "...three of them, actually."
W: "Thank you. That'll be...." *scribbles on her block, adding up the numbers* "15.80, then."
Me: "Hmm... (my own calculation suggested 16.80, so I re-calculate the whole affair; yes: 16.80 it is) excuse me, was there a price change I wasn't aware of?"
W: "No, our prices are as listed in the menu, no specials today."
Me: "I think you might have mis-calculated the sum, then."
W: "Oops!" *scribbles again, frowns, scribbles yet again* "I'm so sorry, your total is only 14.60, of course."
Me: "Ummm... might I see what you were adding up, please?"
W: (shows me the column of numbers; the prices are correct, everything is right there)
Me: "I don't mean to step on your toes, but I think I might actually owe you more than what you summed up."
W: *tries to add the numbers up one more time* "Nope, 14.60 it is."
Me: *leSigh* "Very well then." *give her a 20* "Thank you very much for your friendly service; please keep the change."

Hmm... did I cross into SC territory when I doubted her calculation?

(BTW: 16.80 was the correct amount I owed. I triple-checked once again afterwards)

[Samaliel]

That happened to me some times. Generally, I look up to the cashier from the change they just gave me, looking somewhat confused. Then I shake my head and say "That's not right. Here, this is yours." and give them back whatever they gave me that was too much.

[Andrew B.]

Indeed, Always double check the recipts and/or scans and make sure you're not undercharged or (heaven forbid) overcharged durong a transaction. If it does happen, always be polite when pointing it out.

PS: Samaliel, PM me about how that drink experiment goes. My grandfather might like it if it goes well.

[Yurimaru]

Happened to me... and I returned the $4, too. Young cute cashier-girl was super nice, but she was seriously flirting with the guy packing the bags, so she was not paying any attention to money received or change returned. I wonder how off her drawer was at the end of the night...

[wagegoth]

It happens quite a bit. I think it happens more now that electronic registers are the standard, because the cashiers often don't think about what they're doing, they just give back the change the machine tells them to. If they enter the wrong amount for the money tendered, they're going to give the wrong change. Also, unless they work in a small restaurant or coffee shop or similar, people don't pay with cash very often, so they don't have to think about the transaction beyond how to run the card.

[seigus]

I can't even count the number of times I've done something similar. Isn't it stealing otherwise, regardless of whether or not they've made a mistake?

[ralerin]

It happens quite a bit. I think it happens more now that electronic registers are the standard, because the cashiers often don't think about what they're doing, they just give back the change the machine tells them to. If they enter the wrong amount for the money tendered, they're going to give the wrong change...

Which is why I keep a calculator near my register in case that does happen.

[Misanthropical]

The manager at the Dunkin Donuts knows my friend and I stop in before work every day and order the same thing every day, so he put my sandwich in front of the register where the cashier couldn't see it before I got up there.

The cashier was only going to charge me for the coffee, till I told her I got the combo. I know less than honest people would have just paid for the coffee and left.

[Broomjockey]

I Isn't it stealing otherwise, regardless of whether or not they've made a mistake?

Unsure of US law, but I think if neither party notices, it's not criminal until someone points it out and makes someone aware of it, since most crimes require intent. Once it's been pointed out, if the person refuses to return the overage, then it's theft.

[Jack7957]

Been on both sides of the register...

Before I worked any retail, I was given $5 more back than I should have recieved. Didn't say anything cause it was the first time it ever happened, and I was a poor teenager.

Accidently gave someone back $30 more than they should have recieved because I wasn't paying attention. Two visitors to our little town came through my register. The first paid with a $50 travelers check. The second was paying with a travelers check also, and since it looked similar to the first one, I assumed it was for $50 also. Found out the next day when I saw the cashier report that my drawer was short $30.