Currency exchange and merchandise sales system and method

A currency exchange and merchandise sales system (2) includes a point-of-sale (POS) computer (9) for inventorying currency (6) and merchandise (8) and for recording transactions involving same. A cash/currency processing computer (CPC) (15) is located remote from the POS computer and receives data therefrom and transfers data thereto. The system is adapted for conducting currency exchange and merchandise sales transactions among passengers on a vehicle, such as an airliner, particularly on international flights. A security drawer is removably mounted in an airliner service cart pack with merchandise. The security drawer receives currency used for foreign currency exchange (FX) and for merchandise sales transactions. A currency exchange and merchandise sales method includes the steps of inventorying the currency and merchandise and loading same in the security drawer and the service cart preflight. Currency exchange and merchandise sales transactions are conducted by the aircrew in-flight and recorded on the POS computer. Date from the POS computer is transferred to the CPC computer post-flight for reconciliation, report generation and payment distribution.