Moral dilemma - what would you have done ?

[BucksBugsy]

I was in a queue to buy a coffee this morning and one person was serving

The lady at the front of the queue had ordered a couple of coffees and pastries and then went to pay

Every bank card she had was declined (I think she tried 3) and she has no money on her

The queue behind was growing and because the transaction was still active on the till no one else could be served

Would you have helped / interfered in any way ?

[shirley]

No, I always have some cash as well as cc, so wouldn't expect anyone else to bale me out too pricey anyway!
What was the outcome?

[Gill H]

If I could have afforded it and I was next in the queue, I would quietly have said to the barista "I'll get these, thanks" and paid. No harm in spreading a little pixie dust.

If my own money was tight, as it often is, I don't think I would have done anything, but then maybe I shouldn't have been in there anyway if I was that hard up (but I still do - naughty me!)

[Juliemack]

If she was buying just a coffee on her way to work I'd have added it to my bill...however, 2 coffees and 2 pastries would be well over £10, so no!

[BucksBugsy]

Originally Posted by shirley

No, I always have some cash as well as cc, so wouldn't expect anyone else to bale me out too pricey anyway!
What was the outcome?

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Last I saw (my train was due so had to leave the queue) she was calling up her mobile banking app on her phone with that "oh s! t expression on her face

[BucksBugsy]

Originally Posted by Gill H

If I could have afforded it and I was next in the queue, I would quietly have said to the barista "I'll get these, thanks" and paid. No harm in spreading a little pixie dust.

If my own money was tight, as it often is, I don't think I would have done anything, but then maybe I shouldn't have been in there anyway if I was that hard up (but I still do - naughty me!)

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What a refreshingly honest comment - thank you !

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Life is hard, no I wouldn't have paid for her.
I am a cynic by nature and would be thinking does she do this regularly at multifarious places? Easy to keep old cards for defunct accounts.

If she was a regular I would suspect the shop would allow her to pay the next time as the coffee is destined for the bin otherwise.

[Guest]

Surely the Barrista could have cancelled the sale. Yes they would have wasted the coffee but they are sold at greatly inflated prices so the wastage wouldn't break the bank. I wouldn't bale her out. Different if you were in a supermarket where someone was deciding which goods they had to leave behind through lack of money, then I might help out.

[novocastrian]

assuming this was in a high street coffee chain then the drinks would have been north of £10 easily

so im afraid if she hasnt got the money , tough

im guessing it wasnt a total suprise to her to not have @£10 across 3 cards*

old lady in a local tea shop / cafe , probably would have

* although do contactless cards just get approved on the spot under £30? as happens way to quickly for a check imo

[THE WIZARD]

Originally Posted by anna-marie

Surely the Barrista could have cancelled the sale. Yes they would have wasted the coffee but they are sold at greatly inflated prices so the wastage wouldn't break the bank. I wouldn't bale her out. Different if you were in a supermarket where someone was deciding which goods they had to leave behind through lack of money, then I might help out.

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Ditto...