Ninety-Eight Reasons To Read The Signs

A couple of years ago, I was in college, and I worked at a convenience store. The rule was that you could only take a $100 bill when someone gassed up for at least $50 or bought at least $50 of merchandise, as a register only had ten bucks in change and getting larger amounts out of the timed safe could take twenty minutes.

I was talking to the manager about the graveyard shift I was about to finish when this new cashier came up with a $100 bill.

Cashier: “I need $98 in change.”

Since she had already taken the money, she wasn’t allowed to give it back, as that was a rule. The manager was about to give her twenties and tens.

Me: “Get one of the hundred-stacks of ones.”

When the girl walked back to the register and I was right behind her, the guy already changed his smile. His face really started to change when I was counting out $98 in one-dollar bills and the girl behind me just watched his smile going away. She wasn’t to blame, as she was new. He was to blame, and he wasn’t very happy when I was finished.

I also reminded him (and the cashier) about the policy of at least buying items for $50 in order to get change for a $100, referring them to our signs stating said policy.

I still don’t know why people get cash in $100 bills when they know most stores can’t give change.