The Simpsons: What The Cash Register Says When Maggie Is Scanned

Here’s the meaning behind what the cash register says when Maggie is scanned during the intro of The Simpsons. The opening sequence of The Simpsons is one of the most famous in television history and is packed with hilarious moments. As well as the ever-changing running gags (the couch and the blackboard), viewers see Homer misplace a piece of radioactive material, Maggie appearing to drive a car and Bart landing his skateboard on Homer’s parked car. Another excellent visual gag comes when Marge doesn’t notice Maggie sitting among her groceries, and the youngest Simpson gets scanned through the register, only to pop up unharmed from a paper bag.

However, Maggie being put through the cash register isn’t the only point of interest in this scene, as the price screen quickly flashes up a subtle Easter egg. It’s smaller jokes like this that arguably made The Simpsons the juggernaut of animation it became. While broadly keeping the same structure, The Simpsons‘ opening has refreshed itself with new jokes over the years, and this includes the reading on the cash register when Maggie is scanned.

In classic seasons of The Simpsons, the register flashes up with “847.63” when Maggie passes through, and this is an in-joke aimed towards the economists among the show’s audience. Creator, Matt Groening, has previously confirmed that when The Simpsons first aired in 1989, $847.63 was the average monthly cost of raising a child in the U.S., and this stat was the inspiration behind the joke. By having Maggie scanned at a cash register, The Simpsons was turning its keen satirical eye on the enormous expense of raising children in modern society.

As of 2009, The Simpsons began using an updated intro sequence. This version has the cash register set at “243.26,” which changes to “486.52” when Maggie is added to the total – doubling the price. While Groening has yet to elaborate on this change, it’s perhaps logical to assume that the intention was to make the original gag more relevant to the present day. The wonders of inflation mean that child-raising has become considerably more expensive since 1989 and, therefore, the joke no longer worked in its intended context. While The Simpsons could’ve changed the cash register display with an updated figure, this too would’ve been outdated before long. The decision to simply show Marge’s total doubling might’ve been made to signify that kids cost a lot, but without committing to a specific number.

In a one-off variation of the cash register joke, “Treehouse of Horror XXIV” gives Maggie’s cost a temporary satanic update. The episode’s entire intro sequence is a horror-themed extravaganza and is directed by none other than Guillermo del Toro. Stephen King joins Bart for the blackboard gag, Groundskeeper Willie is redesigned as Hellboy and Maggie’s price reads “666” to fit with the Halloween fun.

The Simpsons’ “138th Episode Spectacular” contains a fun parody of the Maggie cash register joke. Before the episode’s commercials, an announcer asks a “trivia question” to the audience: “In the opening credits, what does the cash register say when Maggie is scanned?” When the show returns, instead of giving the real answer, the announcer claims the screen says “NRA4EVA” and jokes about The Simpsons being right-wing, parodying the show’s true liberal leanings. Over the years, many have fallen for this gag and believe it to be true.

About The Author

Craig Elvy
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Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig’s interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.
Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer.
Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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