[Athena E.]

Old-School Cash Register​

Remember the days before digital registers took over? These old cash registers were once the backbone of every bustling shop. It wasn’t always smooth sailing (cashiers had to always count the change!), but they had character!

Source: Memory Lane - Growing up in Australia / Facebook

Do you have any memorable stories with these old-school machines? Share them with us here!

 

[tereseh]

They ran on electricity but had a cranking handle which could be used during outages.
The 'packing boys' would crank the handle while the 'checkout chicks' continue to ringing up the groceries.
Business as usual (kind of )

 

[Mikev]

Yes I remember the old-school cash registers. I miss the sound that they made. The sound of the buttons being pressed and then the ka-Ching sound when the cash register draw opened and all the coins rattled.

 

[Southmelbswans]

Come on, that is not an old one, in fact to me is quite new!!! Probably last type before electric ones appeared!!!

 

[Gunpark]

I remember the old fancy silver ones with the fancy scrolling etc. They are worth big money these days especially if they still work.

 

[Colette 3799]

I used one of these when I had a Saturday job while still at school. If you had multiple of the same item you would keep the heal of your hand on the bar and your fingers on the buttons as to the cost of the item. You could get through the shopping really quickly. I remember one customer demand the supervisor check her docket as she thought I’d put it through too fast. When the supervisor told her it was spot on she then demanded they get a calculator (one of those with the roll of paper) and check again - still spot on! Gee it felt good lol

 

[starrysnan]

This reminded me of the cash register in the tv show Open All Hours with Ronnie Barker and David Jason except they had the version that closed very quickly and often jammed their fingers in it! Great old comedy show.

 

[Wendy]

I was a comptometer operator way back in the 1950's

This was the electric one, but I originally learned on an old 1913 one with a handle on the side.

The last time I saw a comptometer was in a museum, that made me feel really old.

 

[Suepermunn]

I remember working in a pub where they had these cash registers, and one weekend the great Australian bike ride came into town. We had people lined up @4 deep ordering drinks. I had to calculate a few drinks in my head at a time and then put it into the cash register. We had to try to work as fast as possible. I'm sure there was a few times when the price of drinks did not add up correctly, due to working under stress, but fortunately nobody seemed to complain. It sure was a long night, but a good memory.