Cash only

[antelopevalley]

We are visiting family in Yorkshire and have been having days out. I have been really surprised at the number of places saying cash only or cash preferred. Everything from an Indian restaurant this evening, to a small gift shop. I have no idea why this seems so prevalent here as I have rarely come across this in other places.

So "cash only due to card handling fees" may be a similar euphemism to "closed due to a flood in the kitchen".

There is a pub near us (we live very rurally, there are cash machines in some places, but really no banks) that has gone cash only recently. I just don't really get it. It seems like a stupid business move. A pop up coffee bar is one thing, but I can't imagine most people carry enough cash for a pub meal in their wallets, or want to drive 10 minutes to the nearest cash machine to get any out.

@antelopevalley you need to swap places with the person on another thread who is complaining that everywhere is card only 🤣

People who eat in very rural pubs are often people who carry a lot of cash anyway. Sure wouldn't rely on getting 3G.

I don't mind it in practice, because my preference is to pay cash anyway.

In general, I think it's not ideal because it's best to allow customers a freedom of payment method. However, I'm less bothered by cash only than by cashless, because it isn't part of a move towards an invasive 'cashless society'.

A café near me says they prefer card payments to be £5 minimum because of the charges.

I thought that changed with Covid?