Store employee refuses to give kid her money back after she is 5 cents short on her purchase, resulting in a dispute with observing customers: ‘Give her the money’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 18, 2024 7:00 AM EDT

When you are a kid, everything feels like much more of a big deal than what it actually is. For example, accidentally leaving a store without paying for something, and then setting off the alarm can make kids feel like their lives are over. Most of the time, everything turns out fine, but it can still be a rather traumatizing experience for a little kid.

That is why I really felt for the 10-year-old kid in this Reddit story, especially because all that went down was not even her fault. After trying to buy a few items in a local grocery store, the kid realized she was 5 cents short, so she asked another customer if they could help her out. The problem was, that the machine would not accept the customer's card for 5 cents, and they didn't have any cash. The employee at the store refused to help and proceeded to take the items the little kid was trying to buy while also refusing to give her the money back. Luckily, the other customer was ready to fight for the kid's rights.

Scroll down to read the full story. After that, click here for a story of an employee who stood up to their micromanager by using their methods against him.

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  • 01
    5 FB07891009 C 82 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FB 07891009 C DOLLARS
    via Canva
  • 02
    Self Checkout would take card for 5c
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 03
    I'm in a store yesterday buying a few things from a self checkout. Kid next to me probably 10 maybe a tiny bit older asks me if I have 5c.
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 04
    She's bought a couple of chocolate bars and soda, and is 5c short on the machine. I don't have any cash but I say I'll just pay it on card. Click alternative payment on card and it keeps cancelling.
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 05
    I call the shopkeeper over, he says "no card for 5c". I say, ok fine I'll just pay the whole thing on card" <EDIT just addition info that he was fine for this to happen.>, but then I notice that
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 06
    the girls $3 i still in the machine so I ask him to cancel the machine so the kid can get her $3 back. "I can't cancel it". I say, you're not getting paid twice for it. Either give her the money
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 07
    back, or let me pay the 5c. He picks up her chocolate bars and soda, and walks away saying he can't do that. Poor kid is apologizing to me now, really upset and stressed out. I tell her it's ok and I'll deal
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 08
    with it. I go back to him tell him give her the money out your own register or take out 5c and finish the self checkout for her. But I'm not leaving until she leaves with either her money back or what she's 99% paid for.
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 09
    He finally caves and takes the 5c out and lets her leave. If I wasn't there, he would have exploited this poor kid EDIT This blew up so adding some additional info.
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 10
    Fully understand that merchants pay transaction fees for card payments. That being said, it was a $3.05 total transaction. Doesn't matter whether it's part cash or card. Depending on his set up he might of saved money but having more on cash.
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 11
    There was some more dialogue when I said id pay all on card but I didn't feel the need to go into that level of detail. He was fine with me paying the full balance on card, it was when I said what about the $3 she has in the
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 12
    machine and he said “I can't cancel it" was when things just got weird and I also believe that's . IMO I think he was hoping I wouldn't think about it and once I left he would just cancel and have the coins returned
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 13
    Marrsvolta 2 days ago This • was really going to take the money and not let the kid have the goods? You are absolutely correct that they need to give the money back, that's straight up theft.
    via u/Marrsvolta
  • 14
    Thejustinset OP. 1 day ago Correct. Basically, he didn't want to incur the visa fees. Sure I missed out on some back and forth where he basically said find the 5c in cash.
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 15
    He took the chocolate and soda and walked off until I went and asked him to find a way to give her the $3 back.
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 16
    • straightupgong · 1 day ago that's crazy. i worked self checkout and i would've gone to my own purse to get 5¢ for the kid. i likely wouldn't have been able to void out the transaction, but i wouldn't have said "tough luck kid" and robbed her of a few bucks. that's so
    via u/straightupgong
  • 17
    Thejustinset OP . 1 day ago He did do this eventually. It just took a long winded discussion to get there
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 18
    Sunny_Sammie_517 · 2 days ago Most places won't take a card for 5 cents due to merchant fees, but that doesn't excuse his behavior. Great job stepping up for that kid!
    via u/Sunny_Sammie_517
  • 19
    • GoldBluejay7749 · 1 day ago I'd pull a valid Karen and ask to speak with his manager. I'm sure he was fully in the wrong.
    via u/GoldBluejay7749
  • 20
    Thejustinset OP. 1 day ago I frequent the store often. The guy was the owner sadly
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 21
    aubaub 1 day ago You should have had the attendant take an item off her order and you scan it with your items.
    via u/aubaub
  • 22
    Thejustinset OP . 1 day ago I had just paid up when this happened. But I did tell him I'd pay the whole amount on card which he was fine with until I pointed out that the girls money was still in the machine
    via u/Thejustinset
  • 23
    Smart-Stupid666 · 1 day ago They certainly can cancel it. They just didn't want to bother. I need to start carrying a couple of dollars of cash on me.
    via u/Smart-Stupid666

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customer service workplace-stories clerk employee drama customers reddit story purchase mildly infuriating Reddit money store entitled people grocery store
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