# Is dropping change on the ground at drive-thrus an urban myth? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 1, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682 "2015-01-01T15:59:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/21 "2015-01-01T20:05:32Z")
I was at the drive-thru a few days ago and a homeless man walked through and picked up the change on the ground in front of the window. Couldn’t have been more than a couple dimes from what I saw… ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/22 "2015-01-01T21:22:43Z")
**GusnSpot** nailed it. Dropped change most often occurs when the cashier lays the coins on top of the bills. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/23 "2015-01-01T21:30:28Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > A similar urban story is people throwing change in the trash. I find that equally unbelievable. Especially with Coinstar machines in stores. Turning change into bills is so easy. > > But, the shift in economy has drastically shifted people’s concept of money. Minimum wage in 1974 was $1.60 an hour. Allowances were a buck a week. That buck could buy 4 candy bars. Compare that to a kid born in 1995. A buck didn’t even buy a candy bar after sales tax is added. I understand why a quarter seems like nothing in todays world. It doesn’t buy anything any more. Can I ask where you’ve heard these stories? Because not one other person in this thread, including a few fast food workers (former), have ever heard of them happening. Ever. They defy common sense. Perhaps you could provide a link of some kind that tells a similar story? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/24 "2015-01-01T22:05:54Z")
The poll left out “I never heard of this.” ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/25 "2015-01-01T22:08:06Z")
I never heard of this. 😃 (I voted for urban legend.) ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/26 "2015-01-01T22:16:45Z")
I have a change throwing story. Back when I was HS Jack in the Box was a fairly new chain. They had an actual box with Jack popping out as the menu/speaker for the drive thru. A buddy of mine was working the late shift on Sat night. A very drunk gentleman pulled up to the speaker and ordered a cup of coffee (less than $1). My buddy repeated the order and gave him the total. As he went to turn the mike off he hears a pling pling noise. He sticks his head out the window and sees the drunk is throwing change at the speaker. He clicks on his mike and says “if you don’t stop that and pick up all that change I’m going to climb out of this box and beat you up” The drunk apologizes and gets out and picks up the change. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/27 "2015-01-01T22:28:42Z")
The more I think about this, how many people nowadays are going to try to scam 45 cents from McDonalds? There’s probably more profit to be made in going inside and taking a few packets of sugar and ketchup. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/28 "2015-01-02T00:13:06Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > A similar urban story is people throwing change in the trash. I find that equally unbelievable. Especially with Coinstar machines in stores. Turning change into bills is so easy. I’ve done both of these things my entire adult life, although admittedly I keep quarters if I’m going immediately back to the car. It’s amusing to think that anybody would suspect that I’m an urban legend. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/29 "2015-01-02T00:18:39Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > I’ve done both of these things my entire adult life, although admittedly I keep quarters if I’m going immediately back to the car. It’s amusing to think that anybody would suspect that I’m an urban legend. You throw money in a trash bag and put it on the curb?!:eek: You know you could give it to a panhandler or homeless person at least. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/30 "2015-01-02T00:19:13Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > That buck could buy 4 candy bars. Compare that to a kid born in 1995. A buck didn’t even buy a candy bar after sales tax is added. I didn’t buy candy bars in the mid 90s, but now I occasionally do, having eliminated Mountain Dew I now want sugar once in awhile. Candy bars in the vending machines at work are exactly a dollar. And that’s after 20 years of inflation, in a vending machine. ---
**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:** [January 2, 2015, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/31 "2015-01-02T00:21:54Z")
Snopes has a 3 page thread on thrown out pennies. [http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=33802](http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=33802) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/32 "2015-01-02T00:33:23Z")
Fuckin’ … People these days. Amirite? ---
**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:** [January 2, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/33 "2015-01-02T00:55:31Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Can I ask where you’ve heard these stories? Because not one other person in this thread, including a few fast food workers (former), have ever heard of them happening. Ever. They defy common sense. Perhaps you could provide a link of some kind that tells a similar story? At least once a year the news runs stories suggesting pennies be eliminated. They point out that they end up in jars, dropped on the ground, or even thrown out. I can’t find it now, but I’m sure one of those stories mentioned discarded coins at drive-thrus. It was such a WTF item that it stuck in my mind. A new round of news stories claiming pennies are a waste will eventually circulate in 2015. They show up like clockwork every year. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/34 "2015-01-02T01:00:30Z")
They’re right. With inflation, pennies are now one of the least-valuable coins ever minted by any country. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/35 "2015-01-02T01:03:53Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > At least once a year the news runs stories suggesting pennies be eliminated. They point out that they end up in jars, dropped on the ground, or even thrown out. I can’t find it now, but I’m sure one of those stories mentioned discarded coins at drive-thrus. It was such a WTF item that it stuck in my mind. > > A new round of news stories claiming pennies are a waste will eventually circulate in 2015. They show up like clockwork every year. In your OP and subsequent posts, you referred to people purposefully throwing/dropping _change_ in the drivethru window. It is not until much, much later, when pressed for any sort of evidence that this behavior exists anywhere but inside your head that you backpedal to claims of people discarding _pennies_. That’s not quite the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/36 "2015-01-02T01:07:52Z")
> [@grude](#): > > You throw money in a trash bag and put it on the curb?!:eek: > > You know you could give it to a panhandler or homeless person at least. I agree it’s dumb to just throw out change and all, but if you have bums or winos hanging out anywhere where you might possibly get change, you should probably move. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/37 "2015-01-02T01:10:29Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > At least once a year the news runs stories suggesting pennies be eliminated. They point out that they end up in jars, dropped on the ground, or even thrown out. I can’t find it now, but I’m sure one of those stories mentioned discarded coins at drive-thrus. It was such a WTF item that it stuck in my mind. > > A new round of news stories claiming pennies are a waste will eventually circulate in 2015. They show up like clockwork every year. The move to eliminate pennies is really different from your initial OP about people routinely and purposely dropping change (of all kinds presumably) at drive thrus. Is there really all these stories of people doing that? ---
**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:** [January 2, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/38 "2015-01-02T01:12:13Z")
The poll was to gather opinions on this. I thought it was BS or very rarely done. I voted happens rarely. I’m older and still remember collecting soda bottles for a nickle each. I walked along the highway collecting them. I’d come home with 20 bottles on a good day. I thought maybe younger people here do discard coins or have seen it done. Quite a few people have voted that it does happen occasionally. Its not easy keeping up with what the younger generation does these days. Will never know if I don’t ask. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/39 "2015-01-02T01:17:34Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The poll was to gather opinions on this. I thought it was BS or very rarely done. I voted happens rarely. > > I’m older and still remember collecting soda bottles for a nickle each. I walked along the highway collecting them. I thought maybe younger people here do discard coins or have seen it done. Quite a few people have voted that it does happen occasionally. > > Its not easy keeping up with what the younger generation does these days. Will never know if I don’t ask. I understand how you voted, what I would like to know is what was the original source for you hearing/reading about such stories? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682/40 "2015-01-02T01:20:46Z")
Canada got rid of pennies. No cataclysm was apparent. Same as when we legalized abortion and gay marriage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-dropping-change-on-the-ground-at-drive-thrus-an-urban-myth/708682.md?page=3)