When I occasionally have a winner, I like to collect my money and then buy my tickets. A couple of weeks ago when I won $106, the clerk counted out the money first. I prefer that way of doing business. Here's why.
I went to Publix the other night to play my daily Fantasy-5 numbers. I also had a MegaMoney ticket from an earlier drawing worth $2.50. I knew I won $2.50 because I check my tickets every night.
He ran the MM ticket and then the card for Fantasy-5. The terminal showed $1.50 due of course. He told me to keep my dollar and took 50 cents out of the register. I very calmly reviewed what just took place. "Okay, I won $2.50 and I spent $1.00. What do you owe me?" He said "But you didn't spend the dollar. I told you to keep it." I said "Sure, but you still owe me another dollar. Let's say I took $2.50 and came back in a few hours to buy a ticket for a dollar. I'd be ahead by $1.50, not 50 cents." He only knew what he saw on the screen which was $1.50, not thinking that I won $2.50 in the first place, so he had a "don't confuse me with the facts" type of attitude. In his mind, I won $1.50, purchased a ticket, so he owed me 50 cents. (hope this is making sense, but maybe you had to be there)
I've worked in many retail stores and was often so busy that I got distracted, which is why I always used a calculator, even if it meant getting those "she's a dumb blonde" stares from clients. So I have compassion for people who multi-task. But honestly folks, people don't belong behind a counter (selling lottery tickets, stamps or whatever) until they know basic math without needing a cash register figure it out for them. He said emphatically "If you keep your dollar, we're even." Sorry, but I don't need a calculator to know that's wrong, but he was called away to bag some groceries (Publix is apparently cutting back on help)
Anyway, the clerk from the other end of the counter walked into the middle of all of this and it turns out she was helping someone else with lottery tickets, so I patiently waited and she finally just handed me a dollar, although she wasn't smiling.
As petty as this sounds, if you were charged $3.99 for a box of cereal that cost $2.99 you would want the price adjusted. In fact, if something scans incorrectly, Publix policy states that the customer gets the item for free. (This obviously doesn't apply to Lotto! LOL) It wasn't the dollar that I was annoyed about as much as being a victim of someone else's confusion.
Please share your comments & similar experiences!