Starbucks don't take cash

[CoastalWave]

AIBU to think this is ridiculous?

Took DS yesterday for a treat after school with his birthday money. We only spent £8 but as he handed over his £10 we were told, sorry we don't take cash anymore, card payments only.

Is this just the start of the slippery slope down to a cashless society ?

Really annoyed me!

Nor me, just another reason to add to my list of why Starbucks can fuck off and I don't go there

There are loads of problems with this, I agree. Children wanting to spend cash is just one. People who are homeless or for another reason don’t have a bank account are prevented from paying for anything, being one of the most serious.

It’s also a right pain, as a pp has said, if there’s a group. Places are also starting to say “no split bills” which is then a massive hassle - is one person supposed to pay for all?

I actually think that's terrible. What about elderly people, who may not have cards. Or those who prefer cash due to accumulated debt on cards, happened to me in the past. Had to swear off credit cards, until the debt was repaid. Cash is legal tender, so should be allowed.

Not if people stand up to it. Decathalon don't take cash, and as a result they don;t get my money. I walked out last week. Ironically I usually pay for most things by card but I decided to make a small purchase there by cash and they refused. I showed them the cards I could pay with and told them that they were immoral for not taking cash, gave them the product back and walked out.

100%. I genuinely think that it is completely immoral and should be illegal not to take cash.

I think that anyone who frequents places that don't take cash need to take a long hard look at themselves because they are helping enable immoral cmpanies and helping to create a society that increasingly excludes the elderly and vulnerable.

We run a small business and it costs a fortune paying cash into the bank these days, let alone trying to find a local one.

We stopped taking cash after the pandemic hit, and won't go back to taking it - it's too much like hard work these days.

I prefer to pay in cash. It helps with budgeting

I have barely used cash since covid started, but that's my choice. I have a £10 note in the back of my phone and in the car for emergencies, but that's not much good if nobody will take it. Interestingly, each time I've used my "emergency" note it has been at an ice cream van :) Since the story of the lady whose phone was stolen from the gym locker, I've taken my bank card out of my phone case.

The more irritating thing is where car park machines will only take cash and/or app, but no cards. What on earth is that about? I don't think that should be allowed. Card only , yes, compulsory app, no.

I was in Copenhagen earlier this year and only used cards, we didn't bother getting cash out. Although they do have little coffee vans who only take cash or app so we had to do without coffee a couple of times and look elsewhere.

Anyway YABU because Starbucks coffee is vile (misses point of thread)

I'm more bothered by the places that won't take card. I always have my card, but my local ATMs have all closed so I'm always running out of cash.

What's good about it?

@YouSirNeighMmmm You know they don’t give a shit that you walked out, right?😂

I don’t think it’s particularly a good thing.
budgeting is easier with cash, for one thing.

Very common now. Handling cash costs retailers' money, cheaper not to. Also cuts down on theft and fraud.

I use cash a lot. If a business won’t take cash from me I won’t be using the business. I find I spend less if I use cash for food, fuel etc.

Also, I recently lost my debit card. Luckily had just enough cash to buy necessities. If everywhere only took card I’d have been fucked for the 7 days it took to arrive.

Tim Hortons is the same. Well the one local to me is at least. It's been like this way since lock down ended.

I never use cash but I still think the option should be available.

Cash is legal tender but purchasing goods and servicing is bartering so different. The reason cash is legal tender in relation to a debt is because it stopped people confiscating goods for debts, you can't seize goods or property instead of accepting cash.

If you are trading goods or services you can set any terms you like as long as they are legal and yes only agreeing to deal with card payments is legal.

If you can’t be arsed to look up what legal tender actually means maybe don’t whinge about it… you make yourselves look really dense.
Cash is a nightmare, it’s easy to steal, easy to make mistakes with change, easy to forge…

I had this a couple of months ago but it took me 3 weeks to get a new card!

They sent the first card and said it takes between 7-10 working days but usually within 3. The first card after 7 days hadn’t arrived so I phoned and they said I had to give it the 10 working days. Still didn’t arrive. It got lost someone in route apparently so they agreed to send another one which because of the strikes took a over a week.

where I am the wifi signal can be iffy, doesn't mean the shop has to close. Admittedly a small business, but we get charged the same for card payments and paying in cash. Obviously cash you have to go to a branch, which is getting more difficult as so many branches near us have closed. But that's also a good argument to keep on paying in cash, so that more branches stay open?

Nail on head. One of my clients is a private convenience store (One Stop). Their bank charges for paying in cash last month was a whopping £183! Their bank charges for card processing was only £57. Their takings are roughly 75% card and 25% cash, so you can see how costs of banking cash are so disproportionate. And yes, that's after changing banks a few times over the years to get the cheapest deal for handling cash which they pay in over the Post Office counter! Banking cash in large quantities costs a fortune. Most banks have limits for "cheaper" bank charges where you can only bank a few hundred pounds a month. When you get into banking thousands, the costs massively ramp up and deals disappear.

I'm concerned of the amount of people that think a cashless society is a good idea to be honest!

It's also easy to clone cards, scan numbers etc. Cards are not without issues.