# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/41 "2013-10-09T01:50:45Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Your argument is beyond silly. For $10, it would be much easier just to turn in a short till. You have a wonderful imagination, though. For Pete’s sake, we’re talking about a manager who is trusting enough to fork over a 10 without taking 20 seconds to count the register. Err - when I used to manage a service station, it was a good thirty minutes work to balance a till, it would have involved swapping out the drawer with another float, “closing” the shift, counting the money ---- Really really not worth the effort over a $10 - like that I would rather have made up the difference even if out of my own pocket than create so much extra work ---
**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, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/42 "2013-10-09T01:52:24Z")
Now you push a button that tells you how much cash is in the register at any given time. He likely didn’t want to add a minute wait to 7 cars in line, which would screw up his metrics. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/43 "2013-10-09T01:57:50Z")
What kind of magical place is this where managers shoulder the blame for anything? #3 obviously. I imagine they may not have a mechanism for taking cash out of the blue and will just tell you to keep it, at which point you should give it to the girl if possible. At the very least you’ll still be giving a teenager a lesson in honesty. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/44 "2013-10-09T01:58:55Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean. Of course she takes money out during a transaction, if that’s what she wanted to do. > > You really should stop arguing the point since you clearly know nothing at all about the subject. The girl on the drive-through register is the best employee they have. She has experience and is trusted by the manager. It’s a $10 non-issue, but you’re clearly invested in making a sport out of creating the worst possible scenario. I know it’s an SDMB tradition, but it’s absurd. This is bizarre. I worked with cash registers for the first 5 or 6 years of my working life, as a teenager and into my 20s. All I am saying, and all I’ve ever said, is that it’s possible for the cashier to have pocketed the $10. You can’t dispute this fact. And I’m also saying that the OP should return the money with an explanation so that the manager doesn’t think he has a potentially corrupt employee. It’s not a difficult scenario to follow. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/45 "2013-10-09T01:59:11Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Now you push a button that tells you how much cash is in the register at any given time. Really? How does it count everything, and how long does it take? ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/46 "2013-10-09T02:00:07Z")
> [@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. Exactly this - We used to record how much each till (we called it a float) was out at the end of each shift (UP or DOWN). If you weren’t within a certain variance (if I recall it was $2) then it would be noted against you - nothing specific done at the time, but it would form part of your 6 monthly review. It wouldn’t be unheard of for a cashier to kick in a couple of dollars to bring it back within an acceptable range to avoid the black mark. And further - let’s say that on this particular shift, by coincidence the float was over by say $3 - that means at the end of the shift she would be down by $7 - that’s not close enough to $10 to vindicate her - particularly if she has had a couple of “bad floats” lately ---
**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, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/47 "2013-10-09T02:01:24Z")
One second. The beginning till is entered, and every subsequent transaction maintains a tally of cash and credit card transactions. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/48 "2013-10-09T02:04:31Z")
I’m pretty sure the manager just gave the money to satisfy the customer. Further I’m sure everyone working there heard the story the day it happened. Possibly with follow up a day later when the till was short - but I doubt it. Likely only the manager knows the till was, in fact, $10 short. I’d wager you could walk in there, talk to the manager, ask him to apologize to the cashier for you, give him the tenner, and be out the door in mere minutes if you choose a time that’s not too busy. You will be something of a hero at McD’s for a brief time. But mostly they’ll all feel good. How’s that too much for you to do again? That young cashier knew she was right, and watched her manager pay out to a customer who was effectively questioning her accuracy, the cornerstone of her job. You’re a grown ass man, she’s a young girl possibly on her first job. Sack up and go return the money, with an apology, like a grown ass man ought to. That’s my opinion anyway. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/49 "2013-10-09T02:06:55Z")
Counting a till won’t tell you dick about any individual transaction. The till could’ve been short for hours. Absence of any other evidence you would be basically calling a customer a liar and stealing their money. ---
**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, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/50 "2013-10-09T02:07:54Z")
I think he should return it because it isn’t his money. Hope whoever hears his story doesn’t pocket it before telling the cashier. ---
**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, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/51 "2013-10-09T02:08:55Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Counting a till won’t tell you dick about any individual transaction. The till could’ve been short for hours. Absence of any other evidence you would be basically calling a customer a liar and stealing their money. I didn’t say it would tell you about an individual transaction. But the till wouldn’t be short (much) if the customer was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/52 "2013-10-09T02:15:19Z")
Yeah, the reason to do this is that it is not your money, and you got the money under false pretenses, albeit accidentally. What happens to the cashier shouldn’t even enter into the calculations. Number 3 is the only option because it’s the only one that makes sure the money gets back to the proper owner. ---
**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 9, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/53 "2013-10-09T02:20:34Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Tills only generally open when a cash transaction is in progress. If she was going to short the till it would need to be when the till was open, like when she was providing change. Ya know? I can’t say anything about McDonald’s with any certainty, but every cash register I’ve ever worked has a No Sale key that lets you open the drawer at any time without ringing up a sale. Of course, the register records it every time the drawer is opened, and I’m sure a manager can disable the No Sale key, but it isn’t automatic that a drawer can only be opened while a transaction is taking place. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/54 "2013-10-09T02:29:35Z")
#3 It will make the manager and the cashier feel better about human kind, however briefly. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/55 "2013-10-09T02:40:48Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I can’t say anything about McDonald’s with any certainty, but every cash register I’ve ever worked has a No Sale key that lets you open the drawer at any time without ringing up a sale. Of course, the register records it every time the drawer is opened, and I’m sure a manager can disable the No Sale key, but it isn’t automatic that a drawer can only be opened while a transaction is taking place. Nowadays, in my experience, some tills can only be opened for a cash transaction. I’ve requested change, for example, at certain places, and the cashier informed me that she would be glad to help, but I would need to wait until the next time the cash drawer opened. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/56 "2013-10-09T03:24:30Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Nowadays, in my experience, some tills can only be opened for a cash transaction. > > I’ve requested change, for example, at certain places, and the cashier informed me that she would be glad to help, but I would need to wait until the next time the cash drawer opened. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s impossible to open the drawer; it may just mean it’s against policy to open the drawer merely to make change. Where I work, we don’t make change unless it’s during a transaction, but I can open the drawer any time I want. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/57 "2013-10-09T03:35:51Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > … > And I’m also saying that the OP should return the money with an explanation so that the manager doesn’t think he has a potentially corrupt employee. > … +1 > [@elbows](#): > > I’m pretty sure the manager just gave the money to satisfy the customer. … > Likely only the manager knows the till was, in fact, $10 short. > > I’d wager you could walk in there, talk to the manager, ask him to apologize to the cashier for you, give him the tenner, and be out the door in mere minutes if you choose a time that’s not too busy. You will be something of a hero at McD’s for a brief time. But mostly they’ll all feel good. How’s that too much for you to do again? > > That young cashier knew she was right, and watched her manager pay out to a customer who was effectively questioning her accuracy, the cornerstone of her job. > > You’re a grown ass man, she’s a young girl possibly on her first job. Sack up and go return the money, with an apology, like a grown ass man ought to. That’s my opinion anyway. Seconded. > [@Eliahna](#): > > #3 > It will make the manager and the cashier feel better about human kind, however briefly. A+ Agreed. And #3 for me. (And I’ll have fries with that, thank you.) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/58 "2013-10-09T04:21:29Z")
> [@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? > > Besides that, I’d go #3. I’ve had jobs where they took it out of my pay, or they expected me to make my register balance at the end of a shift, and other places where they’d just give me a good fussing at if I was short. I would talk to any manager. They’d sort it out, hopefully. If nothing else it would ease my mind. Donating it to RM house is pointless unless you’re (the OP) just looking to ease your guilt. If you’re looking to rectify the situation, it needs to get back to the store itself. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/59 "2013-10-09T05:18:06Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I think you need to reread the OP actually. 😕 Really? > [@psychobunny](#): > > She called over her manager who listened to the story, opened the register and gave me a ten. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723/60 "2013-10-09T08:07:50Z")
So did you give the money back? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-inadvertently-scammed-mcdonalds/670723.md?page=4)