What would you do if you tried to pay for your coffee at Starbucks with a $100 bill and they refused? In this article, we will take a look at the store policy when it comes to accepting large bills at Starbucks and what happens when people try to pay with them.
So, whether you are looking to buy a venti latte or just want to know more about how Starbucks handles large payments, keep reading!
Does Starbucks Accept $100 Bills? (What’s The Policy?)
There is no official policy from Starbucks when it comes to accepting $100 bills. However, most stores will generally not accept them due to the high risk of counterfeit bills, as well as the store not having enough smaller bill to give back as change. This is not always the case, as some stores may accept them at the manager’s discretion.
Let us take a more detailed look at why most Starbucks won’t accept $100 bills.
1. The Risk of Counterfeit Bills
One reason is that large bills can be counterfeit. While it’s not as common as fake $20 bills, there have been instances of people trying to use fake $100 bills at Starbucks. By not accepting them, Starbucks is able to avoid any potential losses.
2. Not Enough Change
Another reason why most Starbucks stores often don’t have enough change on hand to break a $100 bill is because they don’t generally keep a lot of available cash on hand. This helps to reduce the risk of theft, both for employees and customers.
A Reddit thread on “The Policy on Breaking $100s”, goes into detail why most stores won’t break a $100 bill. Throughout the thread, the users explain that customer don’t understand that they don’t have enough change and if they do, the customer would be getting rolls of quarters and dimes.
What Are Some Alternatives to Paying With a $100 Bill?
There are a few options you can consider if you find yourself in a situation where you need to pay with a large bill:
1. Try another form of payment
Starbucks accepts credit and debit cards, as well as mobile payments through apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
2. Mix Your Payments
If you have a smaller bill, you can try to pay for part of your purchase with cash and the rest with another form of payment. For example, if your total is $11.50, you could pay $4 in cash and the remaining $7.50 with a credit or debit card.
3. Go To a Grocery/Convenience Store
You can also try to find a nearby store that does have enough change to break a $100 bill. Many grocery stores and convenience stores will be able to do this for you.
Conclusion
Most Starbucks stores will not accept $100 bills for a variety of reason.
- The risk of counterfeit bills is real.
- There is often a lack of smaller bills on hand to give back as change, and it not being worth the hassle are some of those reasons.
If you find yourself needing to pay with a $100 bill, there are some alternatives you can try.
- You can use another form of payment.
- You can try to pay for part of your purchase with cash and the rest with another form of payment.
- Or you can find a nearby store that does have enough change to break a $100 bill.
So, next time you’re at Starbucks and want to pay with cash, make sure you bring smaller bills with you to avoid any potential issues.
