Coin Change Issues

Where I work we are given a bank of $15 to start our shift. This is usually one $5 bill and ten $1 bills. We are not given any coin change to start the night unless we specifically request it. I don't ask for it, and I don't know of any other drivers that do.

For the first 2 1/2 years that I delivered, our delivery charge was $1.25. Most of our items were priced at $x.99. A medium was $8.99 and a large was $11.99 (with 1 topping each). This made most orders $x.24 or $x.23. For example, a large was $13.24 (with delivery).

If the customer handed me a $20 bill for their $13.24 order, I would hand them back six $1 bills as change. Usually they would either hand me back a tip, or walk away, either way I kept the $0.76. If they gave me back $2, my tip would actually be $2.76. If they didn't tip, at least I had the $0.76.

Sometimes breadsticks, sodas, extra toppings, extra sauce cups, or other side items would change the price, but usually not.

Of course, if the customer just stood there, obviously waiting for their coin change, and I had some coins in my pocket that a customer had paid with on a previous delivery, I would dig in my pocket and give them their change. This happenned very rarely.

Also, if they specifically asked for the rest of their change, I would give it to them. I only remember this happening twice in 2 1/2 years. If I didn't have the coins, I would give them an extra $1, and let them know that I would cover it out of my tips.

Now sometimes, when I knew the customer would not tip, and I had coins, I would be ready with the exact coin change. For example, we have a customer that would consistently pay their $20.23 order with a $20 and a quarter. I would try to have 2 pennies in my hand as I walked to the door. In my mind, anything less than $1 is not a tip, it's an insult, and handing them back those insignificant 2 cents gave me a small bit of satisfaction.

Coming tomorrow, 2 related stories about how giving a customer back their change resulted in a complaint call to my manager.