4 ms·

I dont think I've seen a mechanical recorder since the late 90s and even then it was rare.

• schwarrrtz 10y ago
  They're still kept around as a fallback in case the POS system goes down. At least, that was the case when I worked as a grocery store clerk 7-8 years ago.
  • sdwisely 10y ago
    EFT used to go down at the store I worked at weekly midnight Monday morning for maintenance for a few hours. Processing them manually was the only option.
• roel_v 10y ago
  It's rare but I've seen them < 5 years ago in remote locations where electricity isn't everywhere (like rural tourist destinations). I love them - makes me feel like I'm leading the travel high life in the 1970's. (same feeling I had when landing in Tunis national airport - cash exchange registers, competing with each other on rates! Actual coin operated pay phones! Loved it)
• Leynos 10y ago
  The taxi drivers in Edinburgh used them until about 8 years ago. Then they were replaced with mobile phone based payment, then finally with chip and pin. When they used the mechanical impression machines, they wouldn't accept card payment from on-street pickups due to the risk of fraud (as perceived by the driver). The other place I saw one used c2008 was when buying a ticket from a guard on the platform at Kings Cross after I missed my train. Then the ticket price didn't show up on my online card statement for about a month.
• pandler 10y ago
  The only time I've seen one (actually the first time I learned about them) was at an outdoor market where I bought some handmade jewelry. The woman kept it around as a novelty alternative to her phone-dongle card reader.