I live in the Netherlands, only a few kilometers from Germany, but I've never seen any. Is it everywhere in Germany, or only certain regions?
The only similar thing I've ever seen is at things like amusement parks or where ferry tickets are sold: the cashier is behind glass and talks to you through a microphone (and you to them). Exchange of tickets and money goes through a rotating tray sort of thing that is below the glass and is moved by the person behind the glass. I find it very impersonal and not a nice way of doing business. Surely we can talk like normal human beings?
Of course that is different from change trays, there is no glass or microphones involved there, but it's the closest thing I can think of.
As an aside, I can see why it might be more common in Germany than in the Netherlands: you guys pay almost always by cash (taking forever when the cashier goes "do you perhaps have 23 cents with that?" to make the change round) whereas here bank card, and especially the quick wireless option is more and more prevalent.
I think it is not a local thing but I never really paid attention. Try gas stations or small lottery or tobacco stores, they tend to have the ones with displays showing the jackpot sum or cigarette ads. On the other hand you usually won't see them say in super markets with cash registers with conveyor belts. But even there is, at least sometimes, a small pit build right into one of the surfaces. Solutions similar to the one in the amusement park are also used at gas stations during the night hours, mainly at gas stations with low customer frequency.
The only similar thing I've ever seen is at things like amusement parks or where ferry tickets are sold: the cashier is behind glass and talks to you through a microphone (and you to them). Exchange of tickets and money goes through a rotating tray sort of thing that is below the glass and is moved by the person behind the glass. I find it very impersonal and not a nice way of doing business. Surely we can talk like normal human beings?
Of course that is different from change trays, there is no glass or microphones involved there, but it's the closest thing I can think of.
As an aside, I can see why it might be more common in Germany than in the Netherlands: you guys pay almost always by cash (taking forever when the cashier goes "do you perhaps have 23 cents with that?" to make the change round) whereas here bank card, and especially the quick wireless option is more and more prevalent.