I have always appreciated the customer service department/area at WinCo—and not just because they helped me deal with rotten macaroni and cheese. Tucked away in its own dedicated space at the front of the store, the employees are usually always eager to assist with the abundance of services offered. Whether you need a refund, money order, lottery tickets, a bottle of your favorite liquor, or anything else that you can think of, this section of the grocery store is ready to serve you.

The Customer Service area at WinCo can be pretty helpful.

Unless it is making change.

On Saturday, I stopped by WinCo after finishing another errand partly because I wanted to receive change for a $100 bill. I also figured that I could pick up a few items needed at home.

The line, per usual, was long. That gave me time to look at all the signs and notices sprinkled and taped around the counter. I noticed the sign about returning 300 pennies to the customer service area for $3 and a WinCo bag. With pennies in seemingly high demand, I wondered whether those who had intentionally stockpiled them would actually give up such a high quantity in turn for a measly store-banded bag.

WinCo is offering an “opportunity” for shoppers to trade in 300 pennies in exchange for $3 and a WinCo bag.

But that is beside the point. I went to customer service to get change, not to scrutinize the signs. Okay, here’s the deal: I needed two $50 bills in exchange for my $100 bill. The reason isn’t important for this story but I wasn’t looking to clean WinCo out of a bunch of $5 and $1 bills they probably really needed in the cash register. I just needed two other relatively large bills.

When I advanced to the front of the line and asked for the change, the WinCo employee denied my request. She told me her manager forbade it because “We aren’t a bank.”

To be honest, I totally understood. I remember people asking me for change at my family’s yard sale and it was like do you really think I am equipped to do this? But I did feel that asking for just two bills in exchange for the $100 bill could be something that WinCo might be able to accommodate.

I then did something that wasn’t meant to clap back at WinCo or the store employee. In fact, I even asked the woman if it would be okay before I stepped out of the service line. When she told me it was, I walked about 20 feet out of the customer service nook and went to an animal cookie display. I reached into the tall cardboard container and picked out one of the many 88 cent bags of Franz animal cookies.

I re-entered the customer service area and waited for the lone person in front of me to conclude their business. When the person departed, I stepped up to the counter and playfully said, “I’m back.” I placed the animal cookies on the counter right next to the crisp $100 bill.

Me holding my bag of Franz animal cookies and a $100 bill right before I reached the customer service counter at WinCo.

The WinCo employee didn’t object at all and gave me my $99.12 in change. Of course, I didn’t get exactly what I wanted. Not only did I leave the transaction with less than $100 but I also never got the two $50 bills that I wanted. However, the change I did receive—even if it wasn’t the denominations nor the value I wanted—still sufficed for my purposes.

I totally understood WinCo’s stance that they “weren’t a bank.” Instead, I gladly paid the 88 cent “service charge” for the change I needed. And those animal cookies were actually really good! Don’t Blink.