Cash only? All the time?

[Dreamstalker]

So I'm downtown today helping stuff envelopes for a friend-of-the-family's nonprofit (TBH, I get paid more here than at the repair shop, which is strange). Lunchtime, I'm struck by a bout of temporary insanity and decide to venture into Quincy Market to get lunch.

There's a fairly decent Indian "fast food" place I go to. They have a large sign just under the menu board stating "Cash Only". If you're looking at the menu board there is no way you can say you didn't see it. That never seems to be a problem for people, until today:

W: Server
Me: Duh
VG: Valley Girl type who needs to lay off the mochas

So I'm paying, W places a small side-order cup of onion chutney on the counter and gestures to VG. "Your onion chutney?"
VG: "That's not it!"
W: "This is onion chutney miss."
VG (somewhat condescendingly): "No, this is wrong. I ordered an onion chutney platter." (this doesn't exist)
W, Me: "Chutney is a condiment, goes on bread or rice."
VG: *huffs* "If you say so. Well, give me a samosa then."
Poor W has to pause in packing my order to get Princess' samosa, I don't mind.
W: "$4.19 please." (she was charged for the samosa and chutney)
VG whips out a credit card.
W: "I'm sorry, we only take cash." *points to big sign that everyone else on the planet has no problem seeing*
VG: "Cash only? All the time?"
W: "All the time."
VG: "That's illegal!"
At that point a burly biker dude stepped up behind us to order; possibly thinking he was going to clock her, she ponied up the cash (from a huge wad of bills in her pocket--why didn't she just use that to begin with?)

[Gabrielle Proctor]

That annoys me so much! I kinda have the same problem when someone will make a $10 and pay with a $100. When I tell them that I can't take it for a purchase less than $50, they whip out a $20! What the hell? If You have a $20, why not use it in the first place? Don't break your change here, that's what a bank is for!

[Dreamstalker]

Yup. In this particular food court, there's an ATM almost right next to the counter, so she had no excuse.

I still can't fathom why she wanted a plateload of onion chutney...maybe she'd never actually had Indian food before and thought that chutney was a kind of curry (even so...)? There is a dish called "chutney gosht", but it's a lamb dish that's beyond the scope of this fast-food place.

[Yfandes]

VG (somewhat condescendingly): "No, this is wrong. I ordered an onion chutney platter.

Huh? That's like ordering the "ketchup combo"

[Geek King]

Huh? That's like ordering the "ketchup combo"

You've seen my sister eat french fries then?

[PepperElf]

VG: "That's illegal!"

not in this reality!

Sounds like that guy needed to be smacked upside the head with the infamous sign: "In God we trust. All others pay cash"

[Andrew B.]

not in this reality!

Sounds like that guy needed to be smacked upside the head with the infamous sign: "In God we trust. All others pay cash"

The guy was ok. It was the woman who was the SC.

[PepperElf]

woops sorry.! my brain is faulty

give the woman a instead

[ArcticChicken]

I did that once, of course this place didn't have a sign. Also, I didn't have cash, and the ATM was busted.

Yeah, I didn't get to eat lunch that day.

[Dreamstalker]

I was under the impression that cash-only establishments were supposed to advertise that fact.

Some type-A suit today tried to pay for a $7 purchase with a $100. Maybe he thought that "cash only" = bank (no, this stand does not fill the ATM ten feet away). Didn't impress the tourists either...in fact he pissed everyone off due to his demanding small bills and cleaning them out of 5s and 10s...dude, take your change in twenties and go to the bank to change that!

[dreams305]

Used to be that everywhere only took cash, unless they had something showing they took credit. Either a sticker on the window, or one of those little plastic stand up things on the counter with a picture of Visa or Mastercharge on it.

I'm pretty sure the rules are the same now, but it's to the point where if you only take cash, there is a sign for it.


I feel old

[prb]

I look for a VISA or INTERAC sign before entering the store, and at the cashier. If I don't see it, cash, otherwise plastic. If VISA, then 1% cashback bonus, if INTERAC I get SCENE points.

[kiwiwinelover]

If VISA, then 1% cashback bonus, if INTERAC I get SCENE points.

Haha this reminded me of an ad!

On topic though, if an establishment only takes cash, they need to advertise that fact pretty heavily. You know, sign on door( or whatever if they are in food court) and more at the counter so sucky customers can't complain that they didn't know.

Though I have actually been asked(several times) if I take cash. Um yes, unless I've been magically transported into a future of no more cash, but with extra SC's.

[Misanthropical]

We went to a Waffle House near our house that did not have any signs that they only took cash. We found out when we went to pay and didn't have cash.

They took our information down and told us to come back later when we had cash, which we did, but have never gone there again.