Here in the SF Bay Area we have a chain of grocery stores, Whole Foods. They have a great grill where you can get a gourmet sandwich. Turns out they don't accept cash there at all. The reason? Money is "dirty" so it's debit or credit only. That's probably an "only in California" thing.

Many, Many years ago when i was in college and I was in between pay days and I was really broke. I found 50 cents in pennies to buy my pet bunny some food and went to a local pet store that sold food in bulk. I had rolled the pennies before going. when I tried to pay, the clerk and manager treated me so bad. Like I was a criminal and insisted on inspecting the the pennies to make sure there were no canadians in there. Living in seatttle we always get canadian money. I got snotty with them and dumped my coins out and said go ahead and count them then. I have never gone back in that store. They are gone now and I can not even say I am sorry for it.

Many years ago I was a cashier in a department store. I can't imagine why any store wouldn't accept US currency or why a chain like Michaels would risk alienating many customers. I would say a large portion of their clientele is moms who do crafts and buys materials at Michaels.

Also, most customers would probably applaud this precious little girl for wanting to buy a birthday gift for her mom. If I were in the line, I'd have given her the $4.00 in bill, in exchange or maybe in addition, to her change, just to show the clerk my approval orf the kid, not the clerk.

In addition, most cashiers need change. I don't get their reasoning on this one, and I would think twice about shopping at a store that has such a ludicrous policy!

I think that may well be a "California thing" as the Whole Foods near me also has a grill and they accept any form of payment. There's a dedicated cashier who touches the cash and a grill master working the grills. When the cashier isn't there, I've seen the grill master change his gloves after touching the cash.

I agree with Jamie.

I was a cashier for many years and I was really thorough and really fast. However, one of the things that slowed me down the most (especially during lunch rush) was having to take the time to open a roll of coins. What was worse? Having to call back to the office to have needed rolls delivered to the front of the store during extended holiday rushes, especially when I was the only working cashier.

These people need to get a life. I can understand if there was a long line and the kid wanted to pay with pennies or nickles. But $4.00 worth of quarters? The coin that always seems to run out the fastest???? PLEASE! Getting a surge of quarters that I didn't have to pry out of those tight plastic rolls would be a blessing. And really....how long would it take to count out 16 quarters? Thirty seconds?

Either this cashier was being hateful or just plain lazy, but whichever it was, it wasn't worth stressing out a poor little kid just trying to do something nice for his mother. Coins are still legal tender. If the government issues it, it should be usable for purchases. If the coins are going to cause a hold up, the cashier should ask the person to step aside while they count out their coins and when there is a break in the customers, the kid could step back to have their purchase completed. Simple as that and most people (kids included) would understand.

I totally agree. First of all, it was FOUR dollars in QUARTERS. Not pennies and not ten dollars. It was a child. Your right, again, how rude is that? There is a Michaels by my home in Florida, I don't go there anymore, bad experience also. No wonder they are having financial difficulties. My feelings? She should be placed in the stockroom where she won't have to deal with the public, a child, or get so easily aggravated. Wonder how she would feel if this was her son....

I also agree with Jamie. I feel for that child. It was rude and uncaring to embarrass a child who was probable feeling grown up by paying for a gift for her mother with her own money. When I was a cashier I also loved it when the kids wanted to hand the money over. It was great to see their huge smiles. They loved feeling grown up and special and I would never tunr them away. If that really is a policy of this stroe than it needs to change. I have never heard of such a horrible policy. Yes I understand that if there's evough soinage to roll you must roll the coins but $4 worth of quarters come on, this employee needs a repremand.

What other story would there be? How would anyone have a reasonable explanation for not accepting 16 quarters, from a child no less? Gimme a break.

CLIFF..... read the article before you write. You just sound dumb

Read the article it is LEGAL................... Stupid but legal