canyonwalker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
canyonwalker) wrote2024-03-09 07:57 am
canyonwalker) wrote2024-03-09 07:57 am
Fifties Are the New Twenties
"Fifties are the new twenties." That's a quip I heard from a FOH employee at one of my favorite local restaurants.
The context was I was asking to get change for a $50 bill. I've been carrying it around in my wallet for months now, not spending it since most businesses refuse bills larger than $20. But I've observed that this restaurant does lots of cash business, and even though it's an inexpensive restaurant the reality of $20 lunches means that families/groups that order together are often paying with a $100 note... or multiple $100s. Plus, they know me as a regular at the restaurant, so I figured they'd trust me not to be passing a counterfeit bill.
One of the cashiers opened the till to see what kind of change he had. Inside there was only one $20 bill. "Lots of people pay with $50s and $100s," he explained. "I need $20s to make change."
"Thanks for checking," I said, "Though I'm impressed that you don't treat people like suspected criminals for trying to pass $50s and $100s."
"We'd lose a lot of business if we did," he said. "$50s are the new $20s."
The context was I was asking to get change for a $50 bill. I've been carrying it around in my wallet for months now, not spending it since most businesses refuse bills larger than $20. But I've observed that this restaurant does lots of cash business, and even though it's an inexpensive restaurant the reality of $20 lunches means that families/groups that order together are often paying with a $100 note... or multiple $100s. Plus, they know me as a regular at the restaurant, so I figured they'd trust me not to be passing a counterfeit bill.
One of the cashiers opened the till to see what kind of change he had. Inside there was only one $20 bill. "Lots of people pay with $50s and $100s," he explained. "I need $20s to make change."
"Thanks for checking," I said, "Though I'm impressed that you don't treat people like suspected criminals for trying to pass $50s and $100s."
"We'd lose a lot of business if we did," he said. "$50s are the new $20s."