Is it ridiculous in this modern age to be a business that only takes cash?

[PingpongDingDong]

We sometimes visit a cafe in our city that takes cash only. While you're sitting there you see people realising this and one of them having to take a hike to tie closest cashpoint to pay. While we were in holiday we visited a couple of places like this and it made me wonder why they do this. Are bank charges so high? It seems archaic to me.

There are parking meters that take cards?

Not sure if they take cards, but with the system in Brum you call a number, and register your car and pay by card. Once you are registered, the system recognises your phone number and next time you call it will ask if you want to park the registered car in the last location (or you can enter a new location).

The beauty of that is you can pay for parking before you even leave the car.

The reasons people don't take card have been mentioned. There is no cheap way of processing it, people don't want to pay a charge for small transactions, when they break they are a pain.

I owned a restaurant that the local free runners used to run across and kept causing damage which ended with the card machine not working. Took at least 2 weeks to get it fixed and happened about evey 6 weeks. People splitting bills so all Paying £10-£15 each tots up too.

Then having to wait days for them to clear is a pain for small businesses too. Business bank account charges can really tot up too.

Personally I think it's up to the owner, if you don't like it and carrying cash is so offensive.....don't go. The owners know it may turn some people away, but take that risk.

In response to my comment about not using companies that take cash, the car parks I use I pay by card and phone, and when out and about shopping I basically use cards. I'm not saying I never ever use cash for anything - what I am saying is, if I went into a shop or cafe and it said "cash only", I wouldn't go and draw cash out, I'd find another shop or cafe to sell me what I want, and I'd probably remember they are cash only, and next time if I was looking for a shop or cafe, I'd avoid their one.

Its not some weird veto of cash only places, more that I'll go elsewhere as its more convenient for me. If I went to some remote place and happened to have enough cash for an ice cream and we wanted one, of course I would use the cash, I wouldn't stride up to them and say "do you take cards" and if they said "no" I wouldn't bark at them "well you are not getting my cash arsehole" I'm just saying I don't really use businesses that don't take cards, because the majority of the time I tend to carry cards. Its more convenient.

And I don't take the bus

I think it's far more convenient to carry a bit of cash than to realise you're going to have to go somewhere else and remember to avoid somewhere next time.

Thinking about the parking, I think the pay on foot machines in our nearest big town take cards, although I've never done it. in my town and the one where I work it's all cash only pay and display.

Not for me its not. It seldom comes up. I can't remember the last time I had to avoid somewhere because of it. Everywhere takes cards where I seem to go. I'm not going out of my way to make my life difficult trust me! I have £20 in my wallet that has been there since before the children broke up from school.

A lot of places have minimum £5 spend on cards though, I have quite often seen people without cash having to buy more than they needed to get over £5.

Haven't had that happen to me around here. Its just not an issue.

We use a few places - grocer, restaurant, cafe that are cash only. I rarely carry cash, but have got used to it for these places. I like their food, so I still go there.

£60 is very normal here too, I take out £100 at a time, get some more when I'm down to £20 or so. Never been mugged or lost it.

There are times where it is useful. My friend is here now and she's just got back from a holiday park type holiday, where some bars take cards, some don't, some want £5 minimum, the cash machines on site charge £2 for a withdrawal, etc etc. In a situation like that of course I'd just have a wad of cash - like I say I don't want my life to be hard for the sake of it - it just doesn't tend to come up and so I favour cards. I wouldn't veto a place like that if it otherwise was what I wanted.

I have remembered one situation where I like to have cash - if I'm in a pub meeting up with various friends - much rather do rounds or a whip around with cash than faff about with cards or tabs. But I like that that is my choice rather than being directed to a cash machine. Its convenience rather than principle, the situation has created me rather than me creating the situation, if that makes sense - the fact that I rarely need cash has made me a person that doesn't carry lots of cash...

Our local (fab) chip shop only takes cash. Average transaction is about £18 judging from mcglynns eavesdropping while waiting for my cod and chips. Without fail at least 2 people come in each time I'm there and ask if they take cards and then wander off empty handed. No sign on the door or anything. they must lose business like that.

*my eavesdropping!

That chip shop must still think they are better off losing the odd customer than taking cards though, as they see the people leave without buying. I don't know what the answer is.

Maybe I am Ego

No really though - like I say I have had £20 in my purse since before the children went off, they go back Monday. Okay I was in Oz for 2 weeks of that, but I've had nearly 5 weeks with them and just not needed it.

Sing me a frikkin anthem.

Jokes aside, I can't be the only one? Really?

I own a small cash only cafe/takeaway. As well as all the above reasons, we don't take cards as it would take too long to process each payment. We're often queued out the door at lunchtime and it's so much faster taking cash than having to wait for the machine to put another card payment through. Maybe things will speed up with the contact less cards but in the meantime cash suits us much better as a minute or two saved here or there means we can serve a lot more people over the course of a lunch time.

I don't mind it actually. I think its quite nice. I live quite close to a cafe amazing bacon rolls that has only ever taken cash. Cant imagine it any other way. There are something's that should just be cash only... Jmho

Good lord.

So the little café which takes cash is obviously evading tax.

Its nothing to do with the fact that there is a huge amount of competition in the industry and margins can be very small.

So having to pay on every transaction by card might be something that effectively wipes out profit and makes them unable to compete with the likes of the multi-national chains who legally don't pay tax in the Uk, that the small café has to pay because they haven't got an off shore bank account and army of accountants to show they don't make a taxable profit...

The problem is obviously, not to do with the bank charges nor is it to do with the chains. Its the fault of the little guy just trying to earn a small living.

Go figure.

Cash for a café seems pretty reasonable and sensible for many even in this day and age tbh. It will appeal to a certain type of customer.

I run a small business. To me the absolute fundamental is that I should make it as easy and pleasant for our customers to spend money with me as possible. We have an online shop, plus a mobile card machine for when we are selling at outdoor events (which we do a lot in the summer months). In four years of trading, we've never failed to get a signal to take a payment (though sometimes after doing YMCA stylee hand movements above my head). Yes, there's a small charge with cards, but cash is not a cost free option either and many businesses will have sensible reasons for wanting to minimise cash handling, not least the safety and security of their staff. When we do a large event, card payments as a proportion of the money we take have risen steadily over each successive year - typically it's now about 60%. We also take PayPal payments through people's smartphones, and this is growing in popularity as well. By offering these options, our customers are not limited to what they can spend by the cash available on the day, and will often splash out and treat themselves to extra items. This more than makes up for the small charges we pay, and our business is making a good profit and growing nicely.

Every business will make its own decisions based on the average spend, its costs, its customer profile and with an eye on the broader technological background. As with other technological issues, some will be early adopters, others will be hopeless Luddites slightly later to the party.

No, especially if the pricing reflects the lower running costs that come with being cash only or the service is really good (i.e. efforts are fociusse don making the service the best it can be not on being slick).

There are a few cash only small business near my flat (very centrally placed in a reasonable size city). Small independent fish shop run by an older guy, little cafe specialising in home baking done on site, a coffee place. All very good, focussed on their core service and usually no computerised tills etc to pay for either.

They are often noticeably cheaper than comparable local/national businesses that take cards. They are also very simply run, one trick ponies who do their one trick well enough that they keep pace/stay ahead of "slicker" rivals. Usually sole traders with no or only a few employees.

There is also a fish delivery business who will deliver any order over £5 if you phone the day before or leave a answerphone message overnight and a laundry that drops off and picks up washing/ironing/dry cleaning- both cash only. Fish delivery place has a huge range and is great quality. The laundry place is a lot cheaper than it's national chain rival, and the finish is better (i.e. they bother to spot clean stains etc).

There is also a very, very good corner shop, a good newsagent who take cash only- and they both have fee free cash points within the store, which is a good solution I think. The very, very good corner shop will extend credit to regular customers who forget their purse or are running a bit short- I've often overheard them say "oh give the money next time you are in" over a few quid. They restore my faith in humanity sometimes to be honest.

The majority of my business is cash - and I pay my taxes. I do have a paypal card machine but where I live & trade (3 miles from the centre of a major Thames valley town, less than 50 miles from London) the chances of having an internet signal let alone a 4G are remote to say the least.

I'm not a Luddite - I have ipad, mobile phone etc etc - we simply don't get the signal. Locals know this and carry cash / cheques - visitors think we're 'yokels' sucking on straws until they try to use their up-to-the-minute phones - and guess what - no signal. And I take cheques - have to. Sorry - we're not going to be able to be totally cashless until we have a fully functioning internet / wifi infrastructure and trust me - there are still major gaps in coverage. I have an exhibition next week and I'll be taking my card machine along - I'll be lucky to get a signal 50% of the time - now that damages my business....