# I inadvertently scammed McDonald's **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 8, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723 "2013-10-08T21:52:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/1 "2013-10-08T21:52:50Z")
I went through the drive through at McD’s and handed them a $20 bill. My charge was $6 and change. I looked down at the change in my hand and I had 3 ones and change. I called over the teenager and told her that I had given her a 20 and was $10 short. She said that she had given me the correct change. I showed her the 3 ones. She called over her manager who listened to the story, opened the register and gave me a ten. I put it away in my wallet. 3 days later I was getting something out of the pocket in the driver’s door and there was a $10 bill which obviously had slipped down when I got my change. Now I’m trying to figure out what to do. Here are what I see as my options: 1)Keep the money 1. Go back to the drive-through, give the money and tell them I overpaid the last time (risk of worker just pocketing the money) 2. Go into the store, find the manager and explain the whole thing to make sure the girl who was working the window doesn’t get blamed (a hassle and they may think I’m crazy) 3. Donate $10 to Ronald McDonald House and call it even I’m leaning toward #3 because I don’t want anybody to get into trouble for my mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/2 "2013-10-08T21:58:16Z")
I’d do #3… Go to the same location at the same time of the week/day. Might make you sound crazy, but will clear your conscience. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/3 "2013-10-08T22:00:06Z")
I say go back to the drive through quick or it will haunt you. Don’t delay! ---
**Author:** ![want2befree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@want2befree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2befree)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/4 "2013-10-08T22:29:11Z")
Count up all the times they forgot your fries or didn’t give you the extra tomatoes you paid for, or gave you regular Coke when you asked for diet and if it amounts to more than $10, which I bet it will, keep on truckin’. I don’t see that anyone would get into trouble, they would probably think you scammed them purposely and just move on. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/5 "2013-10-08T22:39:39Z")
Look into your heart. You already know the answer: Pull the same scam on purpose every time you’re at McDonald’s, since it obviously works. OK, not really. Just do #3. You’ll feel better about yourself. Also, if you don’t, karma will get you. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/6 "2013-10-08T23:16:33Z")
I vote #3 The girl behind the register likely had to pay the $10 out of her pocket plus it will clear your conscience. **Capt** ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/7 "2013-10-08T23:27:09Z")
I’d give the $10 to Ronald McDonald House and call it even. You can’t unring the bell. McDonalds has already written this off their books. Somebody will just pocket the money if you give it back. Best you can do is give the money to charity. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/8 "2013-10-08T23:31:21Z")
#3 is the obvious choice. I’d make an effort to find the same manager AND employee if possible. Who knows what conversation went on after you left before? I know I’d appreciate it if it happened to me, and someone came back later to say they discovered it wasn’t my fault later on. Make someone’s day. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/9 "2013-10-08T23:39:14Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > The girl behind the register likely had to pay the $10 out of her pocket I somehow doubt that’s the case. Is that really how it works? I’ve worked several jobs where I was at the register (coffeeshop and Jimmy John’s in particular), and I was never fiscally responsible for the register being short or high at the end of a shift. Is this standard procedure elsewhere? Besides that, I’d go #3. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/10 "2013-10-08T23:43:26Z")
I agree with #3. The manager, if it’s the same guy, would appreciate it. Who knows, he might even give you a gift certificate for being honest. And the cashier would appreciate knowing she didn’t make a mistake. Good cashiers make it a point of pride out of being accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/11 "2013-10-08T23:48:01Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I somehow doubt that’s the case. Is that really how it works? I’ve worked several jobs where I was at the register (coffeeshop and Jimmy John’s in particular), and I was never fiscally responsible for the register being short or high at the end of a shift. Is this standard procedure elsewhere? Pay out of pocket no, but everywhere I worked a register after so many imbalanced tills, you get fired. I would go in and explain to the manager because the girl at the till doesn’t deserve the blemish on her character. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/12 "2013-10-08T23:50:42Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Pay out of pocket no, but everywhere I worked a register after so many imbalanced tills, you get fired. > > I would go in and explain to the manager because the girl at the till doesn’t deserve the blemish on her character. She won’t have one. The manager is the one who paid out the extra $10. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/13 "2013-10-08T23:54:29Z")
Number 4. The people with dying children deserve it much more than the manager. He should have believed and supported his employee. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/14 "2013-10-08T23:57:12Z")
For anyone who may work a register in the future, one way around this problem is to place larger bills on the register (not straight in the drawer) while you count the change. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/15 "2013-10-09T00:00:03Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > She won’t have one. The manager is the one who paid out the extra $10. From where? The magic money spout? The amount the till thinks it had and the amount actually in it are off by ten. It’s possible that when she counted out at the end of her shift, they figured it out but it’s not a guarantee. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/16 "2013-10-09T00:00:29Z")
Definitely do three. Not only is it the right thing to do, you’ll make everyone’s day there, as it’ll be a rare occupancy that they have someone be so honest. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/17 "2013-10-09T00:02:55Z")
Number three is the honest thing to do, and will clear your conscience. Need I say more? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/18 "2013-10-09T00:03:28Z")
BTW, this needs to be in IMHO, with a poll. Just because I like voting in polls. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/19 "2013-10-09T00:08:49Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > From where? The magic money spout? The amount the till thinks it had and the amount actually in it are off by ten. It’s possible that when she counted out at the end of her shift, they figured it out but it’s not a guarantee. No, not from a magic money spout, from the fucking till. A till that the manager fucked with without counting first. Which part of my post confused you so badly that you resorted to posting gibberish? And yes, it is a guarantee that she’ll remember at the end of the shift. If he’s a decent manager, he’ll have written it down. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/20 "2013-10-09T00:14:51Z")
Return the money. I am, however, certain that when her till came up short ten dollars that day she told her manager “I told you so! That customer was lying!” If you return the money saying you made a mistake they will have break-room tales to tell for months. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723.md?page=2)