Why do cashiers balance the coins on top of dollar bills when making change now?

Question

It seems that not that long ago, the protocol for getting change back from cashiers in stores, restaurants, etc, where they hand it to you was to first hand the coins in your hand, then hand the bills.

I notice more and more, that cashiers pull out the bills first, then carefully balance all the coins on top, and then you have this delicate balancing act when it goes from their hand to yours. Worst in drive thrus, because of the angle.

Once in a while, the coins fall to the floor...does anyone find it strange that this has become an accepted practice?

Answer 1

It's laziness, thoughtlessness or a lack of training.  Customer service is not what it used to be.

Answer 2

I was taught in customer service years ago to count out the money onto the little check writing shelf and never into the customers hand....later on customers demanded that it be counted into their hands...

I prefer it for myself to be placed on the shelf where I can pick it up and put it away...I dislike standing there with a fistful of change that I have not had a chance to put away and the checker is already ringing up and bagging the next person before I have had a chance to move out of the way...

Answer 3

When I was a cashier I used to be polite and hand the coins over then the dollar bills. Of course that wasn't fast enough and several times I wound up getting cussed at or things thrown at me for being to *slow*. It's just easier to hand peopel all their money at once so I don't get accused of shorting them before I've even had a chance to finish the transaction.

Answer 4

Because nobody counts back the change.  The electronic register displays the change, and they count out the change bills first, coins last -- then put it in the palm of our hands.

If cashiers still counted back change, the coins would be in the palm first, counting up to the next dollar amount, then the bills to complete the total amount due back.

I don't like it because I always drop the coins.  Very frustrating.

Answer 5

I'm with you on this one. There's nothing worse than trying to get your coins, bills, and the receipt separated to put back in the wallet, all the while holding up the line at the register, and God forbid you should drop something. Everyone dives for it or nobody will move to let you pick it up. It would be so nice if the cashiers would just hand you your coins, then the bills, then put the receipt in the bag or hand it to you last......I think this is Walmart's fault. That's the first place  I noticed this happening.........

Answer 6

It's easier and quicker just to give the money all at once. and change under bills gives a better chance of the bills falling and no one wants to lose a five dollar bill but a couple of pennies isn't a big deal for most people.

Answer 7

i am not sure why,

i always assumed it was in order to be fast.

Answer 8

In fairness, many of them are probably just not told that many customers prefer to have the coins handed to them first.  Most stores nowadays do not train cashiers and other sales clerks very extensively.  They usually just stick them behind the register, and once they know how to operate the register, they have them work on their own.  

Most of the time, they are probably not doing it deliberately just to ruin the customer's day.  Back in my cashier days, I (admittedly) used to put the coins on top of the bills.  It wasn't that I was trying to be rude.  I just hadn't been told that many customers prefer to have it the other way.  

This is why I never want to work in public service again.  People are almost never happy.

Answer 9

I work in a retail pharmacy.  I pull the receipt, count the bills, then count the coins.  Yeah, I put the coins on top.  This is the second time I have read this here, but it is still a habit.  I think it depends on how you want your change handed back to you.  Personally, I don't care.  When I receive it in that manner, I'll slide my change off into one hand and fold the rest up into the other.  Wish we had more of those registers where the coins just come out into a tray.  Then no one would complain about their coins anymore.

Answer 10

i think its rude to give the coins on top of the notes, so when im at work i pass the coins, & then hand over the notes.

i hate it when people do it the other way round with me!!!

Answer 11

I see the dollar amount on the screen first, so that's what I focus on...and like someone said, customers (in my experience) don't count the change, but they do pay attention to the bills so I hand that to them first....but there's no tricky balancing act involved, and I don't work fast food!

Answer 12

You people need to get over it.  They do it that way because it's faster and customers don't have patience to wait for you to sit there counting the change back.  If you have such a problem with it, use a debit or a credit card and stop your whining.

Answer 13

Yeah, I noticed that when I was waitressing. Customers used to get really miffed when newbie servers did that. I'm not sure why- maybe because the coins are lesser value = lesser importance? Cash is more valuable, so they work with that first, coins less so, so they're saved for last?

Plus, it's just not taught.