During my high school days working at the local cineplex, we used to do the following:
Mass items like popcorn, drinks and nachos were inventoried by the bucket, cup or tray. Countable items such as hot dogs and pretzels were, of course, counted.
As employees, we were allowed to consume popcorn and drinks (providing our own container) for free, but things like hot dogs were available at a discount price (usually 10%). A co-worker thought of a way to get “free” hot dogs.
If a customer ordered popcorn ($3.00), a drink ($2.50) and some candy ($1.50). We’d ring it up as a HOT DOG ($2.50), drink ($2.50) and candy ($1.50). The customer would be charged $6.50 and given the popcorn, drink and candy. They usually wouldn’t mention or notice the $0.50 discount.
With this sale, the inventory would show one HOT DOG sold but still in the warmer. And we would be one popcorn bucket short in the stands. So, what would we do?
We’d wait until one of the films ended and customers would leave their trash behind. We’d pick up a used but clean (non-butter stained) popcorn bucket and give it a quick wipe. We’d place that bucket within the stacks of unused ones inside the concession stand, then we’d grab a hot dog whenever the supervisor or manager wasn’t around. Both hot dogs and popcorn inventory are back in line.
I saw a similar sign at a place where I got my hair cut. I didn’t get a receipt (pretty sure it was just an oversight), but didn’t say anything because I had a feeling that the “free” haircut actually came out of the stylists pocket.
If I hand a cashier paper money larger than a five dollar bill, it seems pretty standard practice that they set the bill aside until the transaction is concluded and the change has been made, only then do they put the bill in the cash drawer.
And I have always figured that they do this just in case of a challenge.
Yes, cashiers are SUPPOSED to put the tendered payment (bills or money orders) on the little shelf on top of the drawer. Some don’t, because they are not really good cashiers, even if they have honest intentions. And some don’t do this because they have dishonest intentions, and plan to try to scam customers.
And the reason cashiers are supposed to do this is indeed in case of a challenge.
Dishonest cashiers are going to have to work a bit harder these days, because I see most people paying with a card.
Old time mechanical registers had a shelf just above the cash drawer for exactly that purpose. It is rare that I see an electronic register with such.
Dishonest cashier anecdote: In college I worked in the paint department of a Montgomery Ward department store. The register was forever coming up short. There was no correlation between the shortages, and to who was working. Loss prevention conducted interviews with the staff. A camera was installed over the register, and no cashiers were ever caught stealing, but the register was still coming up short. There was even a big shortage once when a relief cashier was assigned for the day. (to allow us to mix more paint when we were short handed)
Eventually that register quit working. The NCR repairman (this was the 80’s, before they became “field service technicians”) found dozens of checks inside the case, so many that they had finally jammed up the printer. Apparently part of the case was badly fitted, leaving a small gap just above the slot where we slid checks into the drawer. (as a security measure, the cash drawer did not open when payment was by check or store credit card) Many were too old to deposit, but there was still great relief that the staff was no longer suspect.