1088

submitted 10 months ago by spujb@lemmy.cafe to c/196@lemmy.blahaj.zone

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[-] morgunkorn@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 10 months ago

It's surprising to me US carts don't have to be unlocked by a coin (which you get back when you lock your cart again), it's like that in every supermarket I know in France and Germany and probably many other European countries.

You can misbehave but it costs you a little bit, and if you do someone has the opportunity to make a buck off you by cleaning after you.

[-] MudMan@kbin.social 15 points 10 months ago

In fairness, that's been phased out in many places.

I suspect less out of faith in humanity and more out of the reality that many people don't carry cash, much less change, anymore and they kept annoying the cashiers.

[-] morgunkorn@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 10 months ago

Yeah it's hard to justify carrying coins around, they're not worth much, whereas euro coins still carry some value (1€/2€).

When I arrived in NYC a few years ago, I got cash from the ATM and then tried to take a bus to our airbnb in Brooklyn, it was $2.75 per ticket, only payable in coins... like we'd have 44 quarters in our pockets :-)

[-] Neato@ttrpg.network 3 points 10 months ago

I keep a few quarters in my car for ALDI specifically. If I forget: I don't get a cart and put the groceries in my reusable bags. Or nab those giant cardboard containers ALDI employees stock with and leave around.

[-] glomag@kbin.social 2 points 10 months ago

The busses don't take metro card? I've only ever ridden the subway in NYC.

[-] morgunkorn@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 10 months ago

They probably do (it was 10 years ago) but we had just arrived from the airport and had no idea how it all worked

[-] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago

They do now, that whole OMNY system

[-] HowManyNimons@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

I think it's because Americans don't have dollar coins.

[-] Entertainmeonly@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 10 months ago

The USA has like 26 various prints of dollar coins. Only two of witch are not a standard weight and size. Those two also being the oldest and more rare of all the versions. We could absolutely start using them as they are still minted on a regular bases. For the life of me I still don't understand why they are so rarely used.