interesting experience at fuel/convenience station

[thescreensavers]

I would have walked out as well, you did the correct thing and they lost out. Not your problem.

They probraly get kickbacks at the ATM too.

I've ordered food in the past when it got time to pay. Same thing cash only, we have an ATM! too bad they didn't tell me, no signs, so I walked away.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Go to Walmart and buy gas cards. I actually do this when I am traveling multiple states and going to unknown stations. However I give WM my card, but there happy to take cash.

 

[Patman]

Go to Walmart and buy gas cards. I actually do this when I am traveling multiple states and going to unknown stations. However I give WM my card, but there happy to take cash.

The problem with gift cards is that you can often run into times when they don’t work because a scammer has compromised them

 

[D60]

Legal tender for all debts public and private.

I would have encouraged them to call law enforcement. You had intent to pay and ability to pay.

If they think your hundred is a fake, they SHOULD call the cops anyway. And yeah, I completely ignore signs about no large bills if I'm spending most of that large bill. There's no difference between change for $70 on $100 and breaking a $20 for $2 candy bar.

I understand why our coffee drive through doesn't want hundreds. But a gas station is laughable if you're filling your tank.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Walked into a gas station with the intent of getting gas,snacks and some change

Got about $10 worth of snacks, fountain drinks with the intent to pay and told the cashier I wanted $60 on pump #14 and my change from my $100.00 bill after paying for the snacks. Would have been Around $30 in change.

She said she can only take the exact change or debit. I told her that $100 bill is all I have. She then said she could take debit.

Ida paid with debit if I had any $$$ in the bank.

I then said well do you want me to pour the soda out,put the hot dog back on the roller etc. she said no I had to pay for those as I had already filled the cup and put the hot dog on a plate. I told her all I had was that $100, and she countered with the debit thing again. Even pointed to an ATM.

But a few seconds before she said exact change only. I told her I can't use the ATM.

I offered again to put things back. She said I had to pay for the hot dog and fountain drink.

I saw this was going no where fast so I walked off. She was saying something as I left empty handed. Probably put my pic on the wall or something. It's not like I stole stuff. I left it on the counter and had full intentions of paying for it, but it was the business that refused legal tender... Not me.

Thoughts.

It probably has something to do with robberies which acts as an incentive to keep as little cash on hand as possible and a few large bills can wipe out their ability to make change.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Legal tender for all debts public and private.

I would have encouraged them to call law enforcement. You had intent to pay and ability to pay.

If they think your hundred is a fake, they SHOULD call the cops anyway. And yeah, I completely ignore signs about no large bills if I'm spending most of that large bill. There's no difference between change for $70 on $100 and breaking a $20 for $2 candy bar.

I understand why our coffee drive through doesn't want hundreds. But a gas station is laughable if you're filling your tank.

Businesses are not required by law to accept cash as payment.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Most banks do not check for counterfeit's either. They don't want to be holding the bag (they would be obligated to turn it in, no compensation). Another dirty little secret of our banking system.

Retailers not taking cash are just being lazy - they don't want to handle it. I won't shed a tear when they go under. Maybe they could invest in one of these.

View attachment 280546

They check. Tellers can usually tell and they'll run bills through a counter which can detect counterfeits or use the pen. They also fill out a report on any counterfeit bill(s).

 

[Hall]

Legal tender for all debts public and private.

Businesses are not required by law to accept cash as payment.

Correct, they can accept it as legal tender. They don't have to though.

 

[Hall]

They don't want to be holding the bag (they would be obligated to turn it in, no compensation). Another dirty little secret of our banking system.

Scan it before crediting the customer's account and if the machine kicks it back, just exclude it from the deposit or payment. Give it back to the customer. They could call authorities, but I don't think local police get involved, it would be the Secret Service. It's just easier for the bank to hand it back.

 

[Tdbo]

Did they take plastic?
Not advocating going on a spending spree here, but always prudent to have a back up form of payment for such an emergency.
Then, let them pay the swipe fee.
I can understand on some level why they don't wish to take large bills, but if they don't, that should be displayed prominently on the door of the store, as well as the register.

 

[Chris142]

Did they take plastic?
Not advocating going on a spending spree here, but always prudent to have a back up form of payment for such an emergency.
Then, let them pay the swipe fee.
I can understand on some level why they don't wish to take large bills, but if they don't, that should be displayed prominently on the door of the store, as well as the register.

We are seriously trying to get out of CC debt. I do not carry a cc around town for that reason. It's for emergencies only.

 

[97prizm]

Don’t some gas stations in the US already have a different price for gas if paying cash vs paying credit?

Yeah and in Colorado some gas stations want $1 more per gallon for using a credit card vs the .10 or so.

 

[Nukeman7]

...
I've ordered food in the past when it got time to pay. Same thing cash only, we have an ATM! too bad they didn't tell me, no signs, so I walked away.

This reminds me of a frustrating experience that I had at a local Chipotle restaurant during the pandemic. I stood socially distanced in line and had them make up a customized bowl order before moving over to the cashier to pay. The order was approximately $9.40 after tax. I handed the cashier a $10 bill and was told "exact change only". I told her to keep the change or put it in the tip jar next to the register. She said their store Manager instructed them exact change only...no exceptions. Since I did not have my CC with me, I reiterated that they can keep the change. She took the bowl off the counter and threw it in the garbage can and said "next in line"!!!

I haven't gone back after I e-mailed a complaint to Chipotle's corporate office and received no response.

 

[Kruse]

Businesses are not required by law to accept cash as payment.

Yea, unfortunately, that's true, despite what it says on your legal tender.
I'm sure others here know all about this, but a couple of years ago my wife and I won tickets to see a Kansas City Chiefs football game.
We don't see professional sports in person, but after failing to sell the tickets, we decided to go in person. Buying refreshments meant using a credit card, as they would not take cash. And I can see their point. You don't have to worry about employee theft or having the armored car services take care of your stash. I don't agree with an all-plastic society, however.

 

[D60]

Correct, they can accept it as legal tender. They don't have to though.

OP indicates the cashier motioned to an ATM as a solution. In California maybe the ATMs spit out magic beans. The only ones I've encountered dispense cash. This would suggest to me the location does indeed accept cash, but I could be wrong.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

During an epidemic buying lunch at the Burger king drive-up, I was instructed to put change into a plastic box. I think they said they were bleaching it or something.

When I Asst Managed an ARCO station in Chelmsford, Ma, I usually had to start the day with 100 ones in the till to be able to make change during the morning run. This was in the Late 70's before widespread use of C.C. It was also Full Service station only.

I switched from cash to CC exclusively decades ago when I was encountering lines of shmoes buying scratch tickets and snacks when I was trying to do a fast splash and go during morning commute - or even that slow fill up and crawl on the way home.

Most everything I buy is on a cash back C.C. Gets paid off every month. Not an issue. Lunch out with friends every couple months requires cash.

Wife has her own fully segregated accounts and gets to do her own budgeting and "overspending" Lol.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Was this purchase attempt made during late or very early hours? I am surprised you dont know the clerk. Then again, If you never go there, I wonder why were you there this time.
I aways used to ask the clerk they can break a Benjamin or a Fiddy before a purchase, if that's all I have.

edited 22MAY25_1243hrs

 

[Dave Hess]

I switched from cash to CC exclusively decades ago when I was encountering lines of shmoes buying scratch tickets and snacks when I was trying to do a fast splash and go during morning commute - or even that slow fill up and crawl on the way home.

Yep.

Idiots taking their time at the front of line because the store doesn’t have the Newports they like, or buying scratch tickets, getting carded for beer purchase when the customer is like 55 years old, AM buying bbq pork skins and soda, etc…

I leave my car running when I pay and pump gas up.

I want a NASCAR style gas and go, not be waiting in line for 10 minutes.

 

[02SE]

$14.66 gallons

I know one thing, this is wrong. What exactly are you trying to say?

14.66 gallons ?

$14.66 dollars ?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I know one thing, this is wrong. What exactly are you trying to say?

14.66 gallons ?

$14.66 dollars ?

Easy math: $4.09 per gallon.

Some poster thought he would only get 10 gallons for 60 smackers out in the high desert