Yahoo Finance Australian shop rejects mum with too many coins
An Adelaide business’ rejection of a customer trying to pay $10 entirely with 50 cent coins has triggered a heated debate on social media.
Local woman Amy Dee complained this week on Facebook that her small grocery purchase at the drive-through cashier of the OTR convenience store was declined, as first reported by The Advertiser.
“$10 worth of .50c pieces to get 2x 2ltr Milks and 2x Breads for my kids at OTR so I didnt have to lug my 2yr old and 11month old through the shops and have the car out in the heat just for a simple OTR job,” she said.
Dee claimed that her car was the only one in the queue so she was not holding up other customers.
“Shameful OTR!! So much for convenience shopping. So, drive back home, (15mins) to get shoes for my toddler so we can go back to shops again.”
Technically the OTR staff member was correct in declining the transaction, as payments exceeding $5 with any combination of 5c, 10c, 20c and 50c coins are not legal tender in Australia.
But opinion on social media is divided between the business’ right to reject the customer and its “heartless” attitude towards a mother in need.
“You should have thrown it in her [sic] face and taken your bread and milk. You paid for it. Bad customer service OTR,” said one social media commenter.
OTR first responded to Dee’s complaint by pointing out the legal tender rules, but after a backlash on social media it softened its stance.
“An OTR representative by the name of Louise called me yesterday 3/1/19 at around 2pm and was very sympathetic and even said she thinks the employee should have just taken the money,” said Dee in an update.
“This situation was easy counting and due to not being busy, he should have accepted it.
She did offer me a $10 voucher for bread and milk… I’m glad they called me with a sincere apology, I just wish this could have happened 1st rather than a Currency Law lesson from 1965 lol.”
Make your money work with Yahoo Finance’s daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news.
Read next: How to land that dream job using a LinkedIn trick
Read next: Yahoo Finance’s morning wrap for Friday
Read next: Spotted – $618 return flights from Australia to Europe
