Credit Card Swipe Dance

Why is it that every time I purchase something with a credit card at most stores I end up having to do the credit card swipe dance.  And how did this ever replace the good ol’ “cashier single swipes the card and here’s the receipt” days?  Technology sucks sometimes…

Me: Swipe now? oh not yet. ok now? YES ok…

Cashier: “Press the yellow button, and… wait – need to add your special member discount to the amount.  Canceling the transaction.”

Me: So… Now swipe again? oh not yet…. ok now? YES. ok…

Cashier: “Press the yellow button and it should say credit or debit, press 7 for credit… It’s not saying anything?”

Me: It says – “wait for cashier”.

Cashier: “Ok – now it should say credit, …”

Me: Ok, pressing credit.  whoops, pressed cancel.

Cashier: “Um… ok I’ll restart the process. Press the yellow button….”

Call me crazy but this whole process just seems stupid.  Stores should never trust that I could do something better than their own staff.