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It depends on the kind of restaurant, but cash cannot be refused when paying a debt. https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/currency_12772.htm https://www.federal

It depends on the kind of restaurant, but cash cannot be refused when paying a debt. https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/currency_12772.htm https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/currency_12772.htm

constantly 3y ago
The crux is that they don’t let you rack up that debt in the first place if you’re cash only. ;)
chungy 3y ago
Your own link says that they may decline cash payments. United States currency is legal for all debts public and private (it says so on the notes), but that doesn't mean it's required to be accepted for all debts.
- crooked-v 3y ago
  No, it must be accepted for debts. But a restaurant bill generally isn't going to be a 'debt' in that sense... if they only take credit cards and you don't have one after already eating your food, they're just going to write it off and ban you from the premises.
  - jopsen 3y ago
    Or maybe, you just drop by and pay the next day -- like a decent human being :)
  - brewdad 3y ago
    In my experience, they will direct you to the ATM on premises to get some cash. If you have neither cash nor a card to get cash, the police will be called.
- toast0 3y ago
  Many restaurants provide food and service before payment. At that point, it's a little late to refuse legal tender. Restaurants that require payment before providing food have more flexibility.
  - titanomachy 3y ago
    I imagine if the restaurant staff called the police and claimed you were refusing to pay for your meal, and your defense was “but I offered them cash”, then that would actually be a pretty good defense. It’s hard to imagine the cops siding with the restaurant and arresting you for theft. So I think you’re right, even though it sounds like a minor distinction.
tuckermi 3y ago
I am unsure what distinction the linked page is trying to draw between payment for goods/services and debt. The first paragraph seems to unequivocally state that businesses do not need to accept cash (from a Federal law perspective anyway). There is no federal statute mandating that a private business, a person, or an organization must accept currency or coins as payment for goods or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether to accept cash unless there is a state law that says otherwise.
- ForkMeOnTinder 3y ago
  I could be wrong, but my layman interpretation is that it depends whether you pay before or after receiving goods or services. If you pay before (ex. grocery store), they can refuse to accept certain payment methods. If you pay after (ex. restaurant), you've already eaten the food and now you owe a debt.
eru 3y ago
It's pretty easy to work around that: Say that officially your steak costs one million dollars, but if you pay electronically, you get a discount down to 20 dollars. If you want to pay in cash, that will be one million dollars, please.

It depends on the kind of restaurant, but cash cannot be refused when paying a debt. https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/currency_12772.htm https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/currency_12772.htm

constantly 3y ago

The crux is that they don’t let you rack up that debt in the first place if you’re cash only. ;)

chungy 3y ago

Your own link says that they may decline cash payments. United States currency is legal for all debts public and private (it says so on the notes), but that doesn't mean it's required to be accepted for all debts.

crooked-v 3y ago
No, it must be accepted for debts. But a restaurant bill generally isn't going to be a 'debt' in that sense... if they only take credit cards and you don't have one after already eating your food, they're just going to write it off and ban you from the premises.
- jopsen 3y ago
  Or maybe, you just drop by and pay the next day -- like a decent human being :)
- brewdad 3y ago
  In my experience, they will direct you to the ATM on premises to get some cash. If you have neither cash nor a card to get cash, the police will be called.
toast0 3y ago
Many restaurants provide food and service before payment. At that point, it's a little late to refuse legal tender. Restaurants that require payment before providing food have more flexibility.
- titanomachy 3y ago
  I imagine if the restaurant staff called the police and claimed you were refusing to pay for your meal, and your defense was “but I offered them cash”, then that would actually be a pretty good defense. It’s hard to imagine the cops siding with the restaurant and arresting you for theft. So I think you’re right, even though it sounds like a minor distinction.

tuckermi 3y ago

I am unsure what distinction the linked page is trying to draw between payment for goods/services and debt. The first paragraph seems to unequivocally state that businesses do not need to accept cash (from a Federal law perspective anyway). There is no federal statute mandating that a private business, a person, or an organization must accept currency or coins as payment for goods or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether to accept cash unless there is a state law that says otherwise.

ForkMeOnTinder 3y ago
I could be wrong, but my layman interpretation is that it depends whether you pay before or after receiving goods or services. If you pay before (ex. grocery store), they can refuse to accept certain payment methods. If you pay after (ex. restaurant), you've already eaten the food and now you owe a debt.

eru 3y ago

It's pretty easy to work around that: Say that officially your steak costs one million dollars, but if you pay electronically, you get a discount down to 20 dollars. If you want to pay in cash, that will be one million dollars, please.