Is it U to ask the local Chinese Takeaway for "tick"

[cheekyornot]

Local Chinese we've used for years (take away once every 2-3 months)
They recognise us when we go in and have our details on file (when we phone up they know it's us on their system)
They only take cash and have no card payments either in shop or over phone.
Dh stopped in tonight from work to pick up our takeaway that I'd phoned in earlier. Once he got there and went to the cash point next door and realised he had forgot his bank card and only had his credit card so would need to come home first to get a card.
I told him to pop in and ask if he could take the food and we'd drop off the money tomorrow. Obviously if they said no there would be no problem but considering they "know" us I couldn't see the harm in asking.
Dh, who is quite socially awkward, goes in a strop saying that's ridiculous and no way would they agree, you wouldn't try that at Tesco etc?
I agree you wouldn't do it at Tesco/McDonald's but feel this is different and think they would rather give regular customers hot food rather than them coming in half an hour later to pick up cold food?
In the end he withdrew money from his credit card which I think was stupid rather than asking them first if we could pop in tomorrow
I know this is boring first world problems but would you have asked in this case?

I do wonder whether businesses insisting on cash only payment are declaring all their earnings or involved in money-laundering in some way. It's also riskier for them as it's common knowledge they only take cash so are very likely to have cash on the premises overnight.

Obviously there will be some who are dishonest, but it's also easy enough to fiddle the books with card payments if someone is so inclined. There's a shop near me who rarely rings any transactions through the till, regardless of whether you pay cash or card. At the shop I work in, we ask for on cash for purchases of less than £5 as otherwise we'd be losing money. We declare everything and despite the last HMRC inspector going through our books with a fine tooth comb for the best part of 18 months to find something 'wrong' they ended up owing us a few hundred pounds!

Thieves who target smaller shops are rarely criminal master minds who have thoroughly 'cased the joint' beforehand. Whenever we've been broken into they've just grabbed whatever is closest to the door. The Police Officer who handled our last break in said in the majority of cases, it costs more money to repair the damage they cause and from loss of earnings from having to close whilst repairs are carried out, than the value of goods they stole.

Definitely explain the problem. If it were my business I'd rather give the good customer the food with the hope/expectation of money the next day rather than binning it.

At 3 pence per transaction, assuming an average of about 80 customers a day, that’s over 600 quid a year in transaction fees. At 37p per transaction that’s over 7 and a half grand in fees. That’s a lot of profit to lose for a small business.
Well they do what other businesses do and factor it in their product prices.

You’re having a laugh, surely? You think paying by cash means they can avoid HMRC? If it were that easy, no business would take card payments ever.
Half of it will be going through the books and the rest under the table.
Much easier to hide cash payments than attempt to explain £20,000 of card payments to HMRC.

I think businesses insisting on cash only should either be subject to a lot of scrutiny by HMRC or outlawed in this day and age, card payment machines are so cheap and accessible there is no reason not to use them beyond setting a minimum payment amount.

You’re having a laugh, surely? You think paying by cash means they can avoid HMRC? If it were that easy, no business would take card payments ever
Half of it will be going through the books and the rest under the table.

HMRC have a fair idea of how much food outlets make. It's not that easy to cook the books.

Why should they? You wouldn't expect it in Tesco, would you?
Imagine asking the shop owner and then another random customer to sub you, rather than accept that you haven't enough cash to order what you fancy!

Hate to tell you op but most likely they do not recognise you. When you order you most likely gave a phone number that brings up your details. My chinese has a notes bit on there system where they put notes like no peppers etc (friends daughter worked there). It seems like they know you but they don't.

You op was right. It is a business at the end of the day. It is not their problem that your dp did not check he had his card with him before setting out.

HMRC have a fair idea of how much food outlets make. It's not that easy to cook the books
Yes that will be based on other cash only takeaway outlets.

vU

Your DH was able to get the money from credit card and he did it. Yes, there's some fee, but compared to fuel and time for the trip home and back, it isn't really major.

I don't see why you name that solution stupid.
I don't see why you'd prefer your solution which makes him uncomfortable (and maybe the restaurant as well), requires extra journey they the next day and for several people to remember it.

Had he asked and they said not, it would be very embarrassing to come back 5 minutes later with credit card money.

The problem here is that your DP involved you at all. He was at the place without his card, got the money out on his credit card and paid, which is reasonable and the correct course of action. I assume you were at home so he phoned you to have an argument about it before making the decision himself, which is unreasonable.
But to answer your question your ‘tick’ proposal is not reasonable.

Given they know you, I'd have asked as they can afford it, they're making plenty and have been throughout the pandemic.

Our Chinese Takeaway is the same ...only takes cash! Have stopped using it as I won't condone the tax dodging it implies.
Very odd that we see it less often with our local Indian Takeaway.
It's too easy to hide the cash payments from HRMC.

My husband would never do that and I know him well enough to not suggest it as an option. To be fair, it wouldn't cross my mind to do it either.

Imagine going through life being this cheeky and entitled. Jesus OP YABVVVVVVVVVU.

I also grew up in a small place with a local shop that knew everyone but I definitely wouldn't transfer this to today's world and a take away I use once every 2-3 months!

Imagine going through your life being this dramatic.

Of course it isn't.

If op did this all the time then its CF behaviour.
But its not,its a one off.

You have a take away once every two or three months? No way would I even think of asking. You are not some sort of special case and I highly doubt they really know you when you walk in. Their caller ID shows them who you are when you call, and details like your usual order can be linked to your ID.

They have thousands of customers and if they let people away without paying they'd be out of business.

Yabu. I am with your DH.

Couldn't you have phoned them and paid over the phone with the card?

Yabvu. Of course you can't ask that.

I get chinese delivered nearly every friday night I'd still never ask that.

I’m with your dh and wouldn’t ask!