trust issues

It's so they don't roll onto the floor

Actual bank employee here. Pens represent the largest part of our budget and people steal them all the time.

Pretty sure it's to make people sign stuff in front of them

One time the pen at my teller desk broke and so I had loose ones just lying around. No joke I went through 2 24packs of pens that day.

Former bank employee: pens disappear all the time. All. The. Time.

Honestly if they're that careful with pens you'd think they'd be more careful with actual money

So when the asshole in front of you tries to take the pen you need to use next, they can't.

The chain makes sense to me, I always end up keeping borrowed pens, pencils, etc. involuntarily