The Dollar Menu
I’m on a cruise to New Zealand. I’m browsing at one of the stalls on the ship when I overhear a group berating the stall holder selling some of her homemade crafts.
Customer: “What do you mean you don’t accept US dollars?!”
Stall Holder: “This ship is based in New Zealand, and that’s where we’re bound, sir, so we only accept New Zea—”
Customer: “Australia and New Zealand both use dollars! I looked it up!”
Stall Holder: “New Zealand dollars, and Australian dollars, sir. It’s our own dollars, not US dollars.”
Customer: “The US dollar is the only dollar, so you have to accept it if your country accepts dollars!”
Stall Holder: “Okay, sir. This item is a hundred New Zealand dollars, so—”
Customer: *Throws a hundred-dollar US bill her way.* “Finally! You get it!”
The customer takes the item and walks away. I walk over and start a conversation.
Me: “So, that item was a hundred… New Zealand?”
Stall Holder: “Yup.”
Me: “Which in USD would make it…”
Stall Holder: “Maybe sixty?”
Me: “So he just—”
Stall Holder: “—tipped me forty. That’s what we’re calling it.”
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