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That is definitely not true in Germany. There were many places that only accepted cash while I lived there. I just spent 2 weeks in Spain and there were many p

by llewey 8y ago

That is definitely not true in Germany. There were many places that only accepted cash while I lived there. I just spent 2 weeks in Spain and there were many places I tried to eat that were cash ø ly. In Chinatown in London, as well, many places are cash only. "outside the US" is a big place, be careful to be more specific.

alkonaut 8y ago
I know - I went to Berlin and noticed Taxis wanted cash and would not accept cards. Was like traveling 20 years back in time. I did not mean to say all places outside the US
- raverbashing 8y ago
  To be fair the only place where I saw taxis accepting cards as a rule was NYC Practical, still a bit weary though especially without EMV readers
  - Jommi 8y ago
    Go to any place in northern Europe and it's basically only card.
    - raverbashing 8y ago
      Where exactly, because I've been to ask the Scandinavian countries in the past couple of years and I paid taxis with cash in all occasions For everything else, yes, mostly cards
      - Jommi 8y ago
        Well. yeah if you aren't using any app to get a taxi, maybe. Still 90% of Taxis in big cities take card for sure. Even the more sketchy ones have the card machine, but it always seems to "not work" when needed...
    - mrweasel 8y ago
      Denmark is pretty much only cards, but debit cards at this point, well above 80% for retail is card payments. I normally have a few may 100 to 200DKK in my vallet, because the credit/debit card system do still fail. I haven't run into anything in the last few years where I could pay with card or mobile payment.
      - llewey 8y ago
        Between my debit card and Mobilepay, I haven't used cash in nearly 2 years living in Copenhagen so I finally ditched my leather bifold wallet and made a slim card holder out of an IKEA bag. It's only been a month or so, but so far no regrets.
    - alkonaut 8y ago
      It’s come to the point where I wouldn’t even think twice about ordering a hot dog in a stand with no cash on me. It’s 99.99% chance that they accept card, because if they didn’t they couldn’t sell a single hot dog as no one has cash.
- Nasrudith 8y ago
  That is common with taxis for some reason - probably transaction fees, processing lag time or tax evasion. I know some cities had to pass "broken" card readers are free laws to discourage taxis that claimed to accept cards but really don't.
  - alkonaut 8y ago
    Yes I think it’s just the taxi drivers who are used to being able to get some tax free money, and now resist complete transparency.
- realityking 8y ago
  Unfortunately you’ve been lied to. Since 2015 Berlin taxis (note this doesn’t apply to the rest of Germany) are required by law to accept EC cards and at least 3 different credit card networks (which in practice means Visa, MasterCard and AmEx). If the reader is not operational they‘re comitting a misdemeanor. Best advice is to not pay and ask them call the police if disagree - usually the machines magically start working again. Why are the drivers lying about it? The fee they‘re paying is relatively high (about 3%, but it‘s somewhat offset by a 1.50€ surcharge) but more commonly they‘re are either trying to avoid taxes and they‘re using someone’s taxi without holding a license themselves.
zero_intp 8y ago
I visited Stockholm this summer, it was 100% card acceptance, and 25% cash acceptance.
himlion 8y ago
For a counterexample, in the center of Amsterdam many cafes / restaurants are card only.
- eythian 8y ago
  At the same time, slightly outside the centre of Amsterdam many small takeaway places, hairdressers, etc are cash only.
thesimon 8y ago
>I just spent 2 weeks in Spain and there were many places I tried to eat that were cash ø ly. Where? Was in Barcelona recently, even the 1€ espresso in a random cafe was paid by card.
- llewey 8y ago
  In villages and even in some bars and restaurants in a regional capital. Tourist places usually take cards, but the "local" places I was visiting often didn't.

by llewey 8y ago

alkonaut 8y ago

I know - I went to Berlin and noticed Taxis wanted cash and would not accept cards. Was like traveling 20 years back in time. I did not mean to say all places outside the US

raverbashing 8y ago
To be fair the only place where I saw taxis accepting cards as a rule was NYC Practical, still a bit weary though especially without EMV readers
- Jommi 8y ago
  Go to any place in northern Europe and it's basically only card.
  - raverbashing 8y ago
    Where exactly, because I've been to ask the Scandinavian countries in the past couple of years and I paid taxis with cash in all occasions For everything else, yes, mostly cards
    - Jommi 8y ago
      Well. yeah if you aren't using any app to get a taxi, maybe. Still 90% of Taxis in big cities take card for sure. Even the more sketchy ones have the card machine, but it always seems to "not work" when needed...
  - mrweasel 8y ago
    Denmark is pretty much only cards, but debit cards at this point, well above 80% for retail is card payments. I normally have a few may 100 to 200DKK in my vallet, because the credit/debit card system do still fail. I haven't run into anything in the last few years where I could pay with card or mobile payment.
    - llewey 8y ago
      Between my debit card and Mobilepay, I haven't used cash in nearly 2 years living in Copenhagen so I finally ditched my leather bifold wallet and made a slim card holder out of an IKEA bag. It's only been a month or so, but so far no regrets.
  - alkonaut 8y ago
    It’s come to the point where I wouldn’t even think twice about ordering a hot dog in a stand with no cash on me. It’s 99.99% chance that they accept card, because if they didn’t they couldn’t sell a single hot dog as no one has cash.
Nasrudith 8y ago
That is common with taxis for some reason - probably transaction fees, processing lag time or tax evasion. I know some cities had to pass "broken" card readers are free laws to discourage taxis that claimed to accept cards but really don't.
- alkonaut 8y ago
  Yes I think it’s just the taxi drivers who are used to being able to get some tax free money, and now resist complete transparency.
realityking 8y ago
Unfortunately you’ve been lied to. Since 2015 Berlin taxis (note this doesn’t apply to the rest of Germany) are required by law to accept EC cards and at least 3 different credit card networks (which in practice means Visa, MasterCard and AmEx). If the reader is not operational they‘re comitting a misdemeanor. Best advice is to not pay and ask them call the police if disagree - usually the machines magically start working again. Why are the drivers lying about it? The fee they‘re paying is relatively high (about 3%, but it‘s somewhat offset by a 1.50€ surcharge) but more commonly they‘re are either trying to avoid taxes and they‘re using someone’s taxi without holding a license themselves.

zero_intp 8y ago

I visited Stockholm this summer, it was 100% card acceptance, and 25% cash acceptance.

himlion 8y ago

For a counterexample, in the center of Amsterdam many cafes / restaurants are card only.

eythian 8y ago
At the same time, slightly outside the centre of Amsterdam many small takeaway places, hairdressers, etc are cash only.

thesimon 8y ago

>I just spent 2 weeks in Spain and there were many places I tried to eat that were cash ø ly. Where? Was in Barcelona recently, even the 1€ espresso in a random cafe was paid by card.

llewey 8y ago
In villages and even in some bars and restaurants in a regional capital. Tourist places usually take cards, but the "local" places I was visiting often didn't.