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A coffee shop and the penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 12:02 pm
by livewire
Here's one for you just for fun. Went to a drive through and ordered a coffee. It was $1.78. I got 20 cents change. It's only 2 cents and that's not my point.....but let's just do some math. How many cups of coffee per day does any one drive through nationwide sell, multiplied by 2 cents. (I would rather them have told me it was $1.80...never would have thought about it)

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 12:07 pm
by Nebula
On the flip side, if it had worked out to $1.82, you still would have got 20 cents back. I think it all works out in the wash.

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 1:07 pm
by ToddT
I doubt that. I bet he would have got 15 cents back.

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 2:11 pm
by twobits
Here's a rub. Say a vendor adjusts all item prices so that when tax is applied to that single item, the final price will always be rounded up? Easy enough to do and of course would not work if a person purchased two items but for volume vendors that often have one item sales, that extra 2 or 3 points could really add up in time. Timmies coffee is a really good example. Or how bout the fast food joints pricing combo meals so the final price is always rounded up?

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 4:12 pm
by Bsuds
livewire wrote: (I would rather them have told me it was $1.80...never would have thought about it)


I'm sure it will be that way eventually. In the interim the did what the Gov't has told them to do.

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 4:15 pm
by GoStumpy
If ya'll are worried about pennies being rounded up...

Pick up a couple pop cans & bottles & you'll be ahead :sillygrin:

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 4:33 pm
by GordonH
2¢ is round down, 3¢ is round up to 5¢.

i.e customer charged $1.02.......... change from a toonie a loonie, if it was $1.03......... change .95¢

Customers are going have to live with change, or use debit then you're not charged that extra 2¢. :smt102

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 4:39 pm
by samsquench07
Nebula wrote:On the flip side, if it had worked out to $1.82, you still would have got 20 cents back. I think it all works out in the wash.


It boils down to what nebula says. Think about it, sometimes the business loses 2 cents, sometimes the gain. Im sure it equals out in the end. But.... if somebody is so excited about this, they should start doing a study on if there is any money to be made out of this. haha :coffeecanuck:

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 4:40 pm
by samsquench07
and yes, if it overly excites you, just use debit. The problem is solved.

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 5:00 pm
by rustled
My grandmother told me that in New Zealand, when they did away with the penny AND the nickel, some folk were actually planning their grocery shopping to make sure it ended up to their advantage. She said they pretty quickly realized it wasn't worth the effort. It all evens out in the end.

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 5:03 pm
by French Castanut
Yesterday I went to A & W, cost was $5.04... I gave 5$ and 4 pennies... no I was asked to pay 5.05$

is that alright?

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 6:30 pm
by ToddT
meh, I use debit for everything anyways. Would be nice to see some of the concessions at events centres (not ours exclusively) to start taking debit instead of just credit or cash.

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 8:55 pm
by livewire
I sensed y'all would miss the point.

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 8:59 pm
by GoStumpy
livewire wrote:I sensed y'all would miss the point.


Sorry, I think we rounded down your two cents ;)

Re: A coffe shop and the Penny

Posted: Feb 21st, 2013, 9:04 pm
by my5cents
I purchased some coffees etc at the Tim Hortons in Summerland and was asked for the extra 2 cents. I didn't really care . The clerk said "we're helping out getting rid of pennies". ? *bleep* ?