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Also, many stores in Sweden does not accept cash. All stores I have visited the last year accepted card or Swish but around 15 % of them did not accept cash. T

Also, many stores in Sweden does not accept cash. All stores I have visited the last year accepted card or Swish but around 15 % of them did not accept cash. The argument is that cash is expensive to handle and it increases the risk of robbery. I have only heard about some old people (bank trust issue) and people with economic problems (no credit card) that feel like this is a problem.

pwinnski 9y ago
I'm not sure it's legal to refuse cash in the U.S., but I still can't remember the last time I used it anywhere but a pop-up food stand.
- treepunch 9y ago
  Anecdotally: There is a chain chicken sandwich spot in my building in downtown SF that is strictly debit/credit only.
  - Koshkin 9y ago
    It is OK when you pay upfront.
- phil21 9y ago
  It's quite legal to refuse cash as payment in the US. You can demand payment in ducks if you so choose, and no one can force you otherwise. Where folks get confused is that it is a legal requirement for you to accept cash if I'm settling a debt with you. If you were to run up a $50 bill at the gas pump, then go in to pay with your $50 bill they'd be forced to accept it or let you walk. Trying to convince a cop of that may not be the easiest thing in the world though...
- icebraining 9y ago
  Yeap, it's legal: "There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise." https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/Currency/Pages/legal-tender.aspx https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/Currency/Pages...
  - ghaff 9y ago
    However, some states apparently block it. For example, there's a law in Massachusetts that apparently prohibits accepting credit only.
- warkdarrior 9y ago
  It is legal as long as they tell you upfront. They cannot take your order, prepare it, give it to you, and then force you to use some unexpected method of payment.
ben1040 9y ago
I was in Sweden last week and this caught me by surprise. A significant number of the restaurants and shops I visited had signs indicating cash only. I'm used to the US pattern where businesses prefer cash, to the point of refusing to accept any cards at all, because processing fees cut into their margins.
- ams6110 9y ago
  It's also comparatively easy to accept cash off the books, which makes it tax-free.
  - ben1040 9y ago
    I'm 99% sure that's why my favorite bar refuses to take cards. OTOH they had a break-in and someone walked off with their safe that had like a week's worth of cash revenue in it. Almost put them under. You'd think they'd consider taking cards after that to reduce their risk, but nope.
    - raymondh 9y ago
      The legitimate reason not to accept credit cards is to avoid the substantial processing fees.
deisner 9y ago
This is a good article, with a particular focus on Sweden: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/imagining-a-cashless-world https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/imagining-a-ca... It's beginning to happen in the US, too. One of my favorite restaurants, Sweetgreen, no longer accepts cash, and I'm boycotting them. I'd like the option to make an anonymous transaction, and I worry that we're entering an economy where those without access to banking services are excluded.
- RandallBrown 9y ago
  You could use a prepaid visa gift card or similar for (mostly) anonymous transactions. Those are also helpful for people who can't get bank accounts.
  - deepsun 9y ago
    We do SaaS and we block prepaid cards -- too much fraud.
  - Casseres 9y ago
    $5 fee for a $50 card? No thanks.
- __s 9y ago
  Ironic restaurant name
- nokcha 9y ago
  >One of my favorite restaurants, Sweetgreen, no longer accepts cash Is that a prepay restaurant? If the restaurant lets you pay after you finish eating, then by law (31 U.S. Code § 5103), cash is legal tender for settling your debt. However, the restaurant is not obligated to provide change if you do not present the exact amount due.
  - deisner 9y ago
    It's pre-pay.

pwinnski 9y ago

I'm not sure it's legal to refuse cash in the U.S., but I still can't remember the last time I used it anywhere but a pop-up food stand.

treepunch 9y ago
Anecdotally: There is a chain chicken sandwich spot in my building in downtown SF that is strictly debit/credit only.
- Koshkin 9y ago
  It is OK when you pay upfront.
phil21 9y ago
It's quite legal to refuse cash as payment in the US. You can demand payment in ducks if you so choose, and no one can force you otherwise. Where folks get confused is that it is a legal requirement for you to accept cash if I'm settling a debt with you. If you were to run up a $50 bill at the gas pump, then go in to pay with your $50 bill they'd be forced to accept it or let you walk. Trying to convince a cop of that may not be the easiest thing in the world though...
icebraining 9y ago
Yeap, it's legal: "There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise." https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/Currency/Pages/legal-tender.aspx https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/Currency/Pages...
- ghaff 9y ago
  However, some states apparently block it. For example, there's a law in Massachusetts that apparently prohibits accepting credit only.
warkdarrior 9y ago
It is legal as long as they tell you upfront. They cannot take your order, prepare it, give it to you, and then force you to use some unexpected method of payment.

ben1040 9y ago

I was in Sweden last week and this caught me by surprise. A significant number of the restaurants and shops I visited had signs indicating cash only. I'm used to the US pattern where businesses prefer cash, to the point of refusing to accept any cards at all, because processing fees cut into their margins.

ams6110 9y ago
It's also comparatively easy to accept cash off the books, which makes it tax-free.
- ben1040 9y ago
  I'm 99% sure that's why my favorite bar refuses to take cards. OTOH they had a break-in and someone walked off with their safe that had like a week's worth of cash revenue in it. Almost put them under. You'd think they'd consider taking cards after that to reduce their risk, but nope.
  - raymondh 9y ago
    The legitimate reason not to accept credit cards is to avoid the substantial processing fees.

deisner 9y ago

This is a good article, with a particular focus on Sweden: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/imagining-a-cashless-world https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/imagining-a-ca... It's beginning to happen in the US, too. One of my favorite restaurants, Sweetgreen, no longer accepts cash, and I'm boycotting them. I'd like the option to make an anonymous transaction, and I worry that we're entering an economy where those without access to banking services are excluded.

RandallBrown 9y ago
You could use a prepaid visa gift card or similar for (mostly) anonymous transactions. Those are also helpful for people who can't get bank accounts.
- deepsun 9y ago
  We do SaaS and we block prepaid cards -- too much fraud.
- Casseres 9y ago
  $5 fee for a $50 card? No thanks.
__s 9y ago
Ironic restaurant name
nokcha 9y ago
>One of my favorite restaurants, Sweetgreen, no longer accepts cash Is that a prepay restaurant? If the restaurant lets you pay after you finish eating, then by law (31 U.S. Code § 5103), cash is legal tender for settling your debt. However, the restaurant is not obligated to provide change if you do not present the exact amount due.
- deisner 9y ago
  It's pre-pay.