McDonald's Australia's cashless promotion is sparking a backlash

McDonald's is facing a setback following the decision of certain outlets to switch to only accepting cash payments.

In Melbourne's eastern and southern suburbs, customers have noticed signs at their local Maccas stating that only card payments are accepted during certain hours.

“For the continued safety of our staff and customers, we will no longer accept cash payments between midnight and 6am,” the sign said.

An Australian has spoken out about this move and is now threatening to boycott the facility.

“Boycott this Maccas,” they said. “I don't come here that regularly, but I've been coming here for years and (I) only saw this today.”

The customer inquired with staff as to why the point of sale was going cashless, but was not happy with the response they received.

'I immediately asked them: why? They say because they were robbed. Either way, I don't care, I'll pay cash either way,” they said.

However, some customers said the move was necessary to protect staff, while others agreed the choice to go cashless was an inconvenience.

A McDonald's spokesperson told media that the cashless policy is only being implemented at restaurants in Melbourne's east and south, and that the outlet will still accept cash if that is the only payment method available.

“The safety and well-being of our people and customers is our top priority,” the spokesperson said.

“In response to recent incidents, McDonald's restaurants in Melbourne's east and south have implemented a number of proactive safety measures to ensure the continued protection of our people and customers.

'This includes asking customers to use cashless payment methods where possible.

“We would like to thank our customers for their assistance and understanding as we continue to prioritize safety in our restaurants.”