On this day in 1879, James Jacob Ritty patented the first cash register. Ritty, a Dayton, Ohio bar owner, invented what he called the “Incorruptible Cashier” because he suspected his bartenders were stealing him blind. It reportedly served its purpose right up until the barkeeps figured out how to circumvent the device, which probably took about 15 minutes. Personally, I like a bartender who’s willing to work around the edges, as they say, because it incentivizes me into giving them larger tips, which in turn leads to stiffer drinks, and around and around that beautiful wheel goes. It’s a golden circle. It’s the cycle of life.
