No card accepted

Anybody noticed that when you come to pay on a card many smaller places come up with, "oh have you got cash, the machines not working". I know they get charged a small percentage but sometimes it inconvenient. Yesterday I had to pay 45 euros and they said machine weren't working, I said I've no cash, she said go to bank then and get cash. No signs up saying no card payments. Luckily I had the cash. 2 others, both hairdressers said they prefer cash as then they don't have to declare it to the taxman!!

Some small businesses seem to have adopted a cash only policy but in the case of a restaurant I'd expect them to clearly make it known BEFORE serving customers as in an increasingly cashless society it's not reasonable to expect them to unexpectedly produce folding money.

I'm dubious about the legality of it and wonder if that's the reason for the 'machine not working' excuse.

Maybe if it happens to you offer to do a bank transfer instead, easy enough with most online banking apps, or offer to leave your contact number and return and pay when their machine is working again, you may find that to be sooner than expected!

Going to a bank for cash is not always easy or practical and can also be costly if using an ATM other than your own banks. In that scenario I'd feel justified in deducting an ATM fee from the bill!

It’s because the banks take their fee out of it so your twenty euro becomes seventeen a large chunk out of a small business and if they pay the wholesaler the seventeen becomes fifteen and so on inflation or robbery? Cash is king and the banks don’t know where you spent it!

We are heading towards a cashless society, at least this is what the governments want
If it was just to save taxpayers money, or to reduce cash crimes such as Bank and ATM robberies, money laundering etc etc then ok, but i dont think these are the main reasons
I think it is more about having more control over the population , and with electronic banking they would have total control
Plus there would be no more cash in hand anymore and probably less tips and pocket money for the kids

Unless a place is particularly exceptional or convenient I avoid it if they don't take cards in this day and age. I suspect, like your hairdressers, that tax evasion is a factor in many cases. I rarely carry more than the odd €5 in cash, just for a coffee here and there. Merchant fees should be built into pricing like any other cost and cash-handling has a cost too. If the business is cash only they will lose customers like me, but if they maintain their profit that way then that's up to them. I've noticed several places, that have been cash only forever, quietly introducing card machines recently.

Chrisdee wrote:Anybody noticed that when you come to pay on a card many smaller places come up with, "oh have you got cash, the machines not working". I know they get charged a small percentage but sometimes it inconvenient. Yesterday I had to pay 45 euros and they said machine weren't working, I said I've no cash, she said go to bank then and get cash. No signs up saying no card payments. Luckily I had the cash. 2 others, both hairdressers said they prefer cash as then they don't have to declare it to the taxman!!

Yeah, we had this numerous times. The latest at a pizza place in Rojales, (pizza Meccini). "Oh dear the machine is broken" (again), OK we've no cash, we'll call in and pay tomorrow. Machine is now working! This is a regular thing with this establishment, plus the displayed menu are old prices from god knows when. When you complain the owner shrugs and points to the "Q" code on the table. Avoid!

Top tip, go next door to the Pizzeria Portalon. Better food, better prices and better service.

Is ìt not about choice, lf the business owner wants cash or card
Or the customer want to pay cash or card.
If you don't carry cash don't use cash only places,
or carry cash,its no big deal,
Not everyone can use the bank transfer system or a payment app

I used to carry a fair bit of cash but these days no more.
If you know a Shop doesn't accept cards all good and well some display signs saying cards only accepted for over 50 or cards not accepted. There should be a Sign up in my opinion.
Once you've had your hair or nails done and it's 40 or 100 euros I'd expect to pay by card.

Gustav wrote:Is ìt not about choice, lf the business owner wants cash or card
Or the customer want to pay cash or card.
If you don't carry cash don't use cash only places,
or carry cash,its no big deal,
Not everyone can use the bank transfer system or a payment app

Does it really matter, surely it’s the business choice and if the place is good card or cash doesn’t bother me