If you’ve ever worked in retail, you’re familiar with a certain type of person who always pays in large bills. No matter how small the total, some people will decide to address their total with a $50 or $100 bill, emptying your register before the day’s even started.
Now, a user on TikTok has sparked discussion after calling out customers who do this. In a clip with over 214,000 views as of Friday, TikTok user Jay (@pressed_possum) simply asks, “Why do old people treat businesses like banks?”
“Ma’am it is 9:30 am,” they add in the text overlay. “I do not have change for a $100 in my till for your $7 order.”
@pressed_possum Be so fr #papajohns #managment #foodservice #customerservice #mytillisnotabank #gotoarealbank ♬ Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) – Daniel Pemberton
In the comments section, users shared their own stories of customers paying with large bills.
“One time my FIRST THREE customers paid with 100s,” a user recalled. “I was giving back change in ones at that point.”
“I had to break a $100 bill for a 97 cent seltzer once,” another shared.
“One time I busted out a $5 and a stack of $1’s and somehow they magically said ‘nvm I have a $20,’” shared a third.
“This lady screamed at me to GET BIGGER CHANGE at 7am the other day & this guy called me a horrible person for not having change for $100???” added an additional TikToker.
While numerous users cited the experience as mostly an annoyance, a few complained that such large bills make it so they cannot easily make change for other customers, which can lead to further issues down the line.
“We were so low on change one time I was like I’ll have to give you rolls of quarters and they looked at me like I was nuts,” a commenter explained.
As a result, some TikTokers claim their workplaces have stopped accepting large bills altogether.
“Nah at this point I just tell them no we don’t have enough in the register, we just opened,” a user stated. “I’m not an atm ma’am.”
“So many fast food places near me don’t take anything over $20 for this reason,” said a second.
“The McDonald’s I’m a regular at has a sticker on the kiosks that says ‘WE NO LONGER ACCEPT BILLS OVER $50’ and i am CONFIDENT this is the reason,” another TikToker wrote.
We’ve reached out to Jay via Instagram direct message.
