Point-of-Sale systems and iPads have been steadily replacing cash registers over the past few years. Yes, those bulky, clunky machines are nearly extinct. But guess what? You can still spot one of these relics at your local cash-only artisanal cocktail bar where nostalgia comes with a twist of lime.

Let’s rewind a bit to the early days of mechanical registers. Back then, these machines were entirely mechanical and didn’t even print receipts. Employees had to manually input every transaction, and pushing the total key would not only open the cash drawer but also ring a bell. That’s right, it was a literal cha-ching moment! And that sound was music to the manager’s ears, signaling that a sale was made. In essence, those early registers were nothing more than glorified adding machines.