The "attendant" thing happened to me at another bitcoin ATM in south america (where, by the way, the online map at coinatmradar is full of them, but majority Athena, which don't seem to exist. at all. anyway.)

In my case, it was the girl working at a sex shop the owner of which had set up the ATM, but outside the shop (smartly, i think :D) Also to ask if I needed help using it.

That ATM, though, sent it to the mempool right away. If an ATM doesn't send to the mempool right that second, complain.