The real reason why these frustrated cafe owners are urging customers to pay cash: ‘We don’t want card payments’
- A business encourages customers to pay with cash, not a card
- But customers seemed divided
Café owners have put a handwritten note on the counter urging customers to pay in cash instead of card.
As Australia moves towards a cashless society, the company prefers to receive cash to keep full profits and avoid paying a percentage to the bank.
An image of the pink note with blue handwriting was shared online and read: ‘Cash is king! Cash payment is our preferred method.
“With cash, we keep 100 percent of the value. Card companies and banks get zero percent.
“Please support your local business by paying in cash.”
At the bottom of the note, the company assured customers that they still accept card payments.
As the Australian economy moves towards a cashless society, the company prefers to receive cash to retain full profits and avoid paying a percentage to the bank
Aussie Redditors had a lot to say about the note and whether it’s better to pay by card than cash.
“I appreciate them setting their case, while still accepting cards. Not like those shops that charge $4.50 for a cup of coffee but have a minimum of $5 eftpos,” one wrote.
In response, one person said, “A few weeks ago I literally came across a store that had a $15 eftpos minimum.”
A third agreed with the store, writing, “No tax! Cash is king!’
“I like cash, and it also helps to limit spending if you don’t bring your card and only spend cash,” a fourth wrote.
But many customers warned of the potential risks associated with handling cash in-store compared to card payments — including potential theft.
“I would say companies have not considered the cost of cash management when they say they keep 100 percent of the value of the transaction,” said one Redditor.
“There are time and risk savings because you don’t have to balance, secure and deposit cash.”
Another mentioned the “invisible costs” of handling cash.
“They don’t realize that handling cash means spending more time collecting change from the bank, counting floats, physically moving cash, the risk of theft, the risk of employees helping themselves to the cash register, not having the right change for customers, and so on,’ said one.
“Maps aren’t perfect, but they aren’t outrageously expensive for the problems they solve for vendors.”