How many credit cards do I need?

[stevensfo]

I know of 1 pub within walking distance to me in the UK (Leeds) that doesn't take cash anymore - and they're certainly not what I would class as up-market/wine bar type of place! I think it went card only during the re-opening after the pandemic and has never started again

https://warmandfriendly.co.uk/index.html

I notice there that the Bridge Inn says "please no cash". That is a bit different from "cash refused" and I would guess that it is more a matter of discretion. It seems to me that "no cash" is more a statement of a policy preference rather than anything of legal import.

In practice i imagine it comes down to the type of business and, in particular, the sequencing of events. So in a coffee place you order, pay and consume n that order. Offer cash and they can say no. But in a restaurant where you eat first and then pay, accepting cash may be the only alternative to not being paid at all. The "ban" has no legal force and so breaking it is not a crime. At worst it is a civil matter which brings up issues like debts and legal tender.

Didn't this discussion come up months ago? Like you, I always thought that it was impossible to refuse cash, but I seem to remember a post where it was demonstrated that just because something is legal tender (e.g. gold sovereigns) the establishment is not obliged to accept it and can make their own rules.

Maybe I live in a different dimension (Abroad/Cambridgeshire), but so far, I've never been anywhere that didn't accept cash. I believe in freedom of choice and...er...taking back control! Out in the sticks, I don't think that they'd survive that long. Though in the People's Republic of London, I'm sure it's different.

Steve

[Niksen]

Maybe I live in a different dimension (Abroad/Cambridgeshire), but so far, I've never been anywhere that didn't accept cash.

They exist in Cambridge (https://cambridge.pub/the-blue/) but then Cambridge is a different country to Cambridgeshire, or rather it feels like it…

[XFool]

Maybe I live in a different dimension (Abroad/Cambridgeshire), but so far, I've never been anywhere that didn't accept cash.

They exist in Cambridge (https://cambridge.pub/the-blue/) but then Cambridge is a different country to Cambridgeshire, or rather it feels like it…

"Traditional Pub, Modern Beer"

"Please note the kitchen is card only. And ordering is via QR code on your tables."

Not that "Traditional" then? And, if those random numbers after the err... "Traditional" dishes (Gorilla?) are actually prices in pounds sterling: such as £3.50 for a pickle, £6.50 for onion rings, £8 for 'chips'? I won't be dropping in any time soon!

[Lootman]

They exist in Cambridge (https://cambridge.pub/the-blue/) but then Cambridge is a different country to Cambridgeshire, or rather it feels like it…

"Traditional Pub, Modern Beer"

"Please note the kitchen is card only. And ordering is via QR code on your tables."

Not that "Traditional" then? And, if those random numbers after the err... "Traditional" dishes (Gorilla?) are actually prices in pounds sterling: such as £3.50 for a pickle, £6.50 for onion rings, £8 for 'chips'? I won't be dropping in any time soon!

I refuse to go to any pub or restaurant that has ordering by QR code or, for that matter, only has a menu via a QR code.

My go-to pub in Cambridge has been The Castle for decades. It changed ownership last year but is basically unchanged. By Castle Hill obviously and, being north of the river, it doesn't get a lot of the snobs, swats, suits, gowns, goons and gobshites.

Otherwise the 'spoons on the main drag by the shopping centre is fine.

[Urbandreamer]

"Traditional Pub, Modern Beer"

"Please note the kitchen is card only. And ordering is via QR code on your tables."

Not that "Traditional" then? And, if those random numbers after the err... "Traditional" dishes (Gorilla?) are actually prices in pounds sterling: such as £3.50 for a pickle, £6.50 for onion rings, £8 for 'chips'? I won't be dropping in any time soon!

I refuse to go to any pub or restaurant that has ordering by QR code or, for that matter, only has a menu via a QR code.

My go-to pub in Cambridge has been The Castle for decades. It changed ownership last year but is basically unchanged. By Castle Hill obviously and, being north of the river, it doesn't get a lot of the snobs, swats, suits, gowns, goons and gobshites.

Otherwise the 'spoons on the main drag by the shopping centre is fine.

Spare a thought for poor old Xfool. His phone won't do QR codes and has no choice over his principles.

Ordering by QR code or website was the thing during Covid. I confess that I thought that it was less of a requirement these days.

PS, off topic, but I recently bought £6 worth of guttering fittings at Screwfix. I had to order via the website as they don't keep them in. Turning up it took 10 minutes and help from an off duty staff member to get the app to let them know I was there to pick the items up! But of course it had to be done that way, as they don't keep the stock there.

[Niksen]

Ordering by QR code or website was the thing during Covid. I confess that I thought that it was less of a requirement these days.

QR menus still seem to be a thing here in Spain for some cafe bars as a supplement to paper menus.

And to be honest a website via a QR code is easier to do the translation with than taking a photo of the menu and getting Google / Apple translate the image - although to be fair the apps are getting pretty good these days, even being able to recognise chalkboard handwriting.

[SteelCamel]

PS, off topic, but I recently bought £6 worth of guttering fittings at Screwfix. I had to order via the website as they don't keep them in. Turning up it took 10 minutes and help from an off duty staff member to get the app to let them know I was there to pick the items up! But of course it had to be done that way, as they don't keep the stock there.

Our Screwfix has touch screen terminals on the wall that you can check in with, does yours not have these? And I'm fairly sure that you could still get your order by giving the order number to the staff at the counter. You can order out of stock items at the counter too - though they don't like doing it as it ties up one of their staff for some time doing it, and they don't have a lot of staff to begin with.

[Steveam]

I have 3 credit cards - 1 with my main bank, 1 as a backup from a large retailer and 1 for fee free overseas use.
I also have a number of debit cards.
Most of the cards stay at home most of the time.
I’ve just spent an hour freezing the cards I rarely use.

Best wishes, Steve

[ukmtk]

I have 1 debit card that normally doesn't leave the house (unless I need some cash).
I have 4 credit cards - each used for different purposes: food, Amazon+petrol, shops.
I invariably pay for almost everything on credit card.
I was happy to discover that a local chippy accepts credit cards.
The thing that I think is disgusting is councils forcing people to use phone apps to pay for parking.
It should be cash or credit card.

[stevensfo]

I have 1 debit card that normally doesn't leave the house (unless I need some cash).
I have 4 credit cards - each used for different purposes: food, Amazon+petrol, shops.
I invariably pay for almost everything on credit card.
I was happy to discover that a local chippy accepts credit cards.
The thing that I think is disgusting is councils forcing people to use phone apps to pay for parking.
It should be cash or credit card.

The thing that I think is disgusting is councils forcing people to use phone apps to pay for parking.

So far, I haven't seen one of these. It's always coins or card. I can't imagine my poor old mum having to do something like that!

Actually, the only thing that irritates me is the request for the car registration before paying. Not sure why that is necessary, though the cynic in me wonders if it's to stop people passing on their unused tickets to others. I was doing this all the time and saw nothing wrong with it.

Being rather paranoid about privacy and staying off databases, I accidentally on purpose make a small mistake in the middle of the number. I must change my glasses!

Steve

[servodude]

I have 1 debit card that normally doesn't leave the house (unless I need some cash).
I have 4 credit cards - each used for different purposes: food, Amazon+petrol, shops.
I invariably pay for almost everything on credit card.
I was happy to discover that a local chippy accepts credit cards.
The thing that I think is disgusting is councils forcing people to use phone apps to pay for parking.
It should be cash or credit card.

The thing that I think is disgusting is councils forcing people to use phone apps to pay for parking.

So far, I haven't seen one of these. It's always coins or card. I can't imagine my poor old mum having to do something like that!

Actually, the only thing that irritates me is the request for the car registration before paying. Not sure why that is necessary, though the cynic in me wonders if it's to stop people passing on their unused tickets to others. I was doing this all the time and saw nothing wrong with it.

Being rather paranoid about privacy and staying off databases, I accidentally on purpose make a small mistake in the middle of the number. I must change my glasses!

Steve

That will work until you're chased by a 3rd party PCN enforcer who have a record of your real number plate being there but no tallying record of payment against it.
Worse still will be if it's a hired car and you're charged an admin fee for having the infringement redirected to you - despite the whole thing being a mistake (record keeping) on the part of the site operator; so even after the place you were parked cancels the "ticket" you need to chase the 3rd party issuer for a written confirmation before the hire firm will refund your admin fee as a "goodwill gesture".

[Lootman]

The thing that I think is disgusting is councils forcing people to use phone apps to pay for parking.

So far, I haven't seen one of these. It's always coins or card. I can't imagine my poor old mum having to do something like that!

Actually, the only thing that irritates me is the request for the car registration before paying. Not sure why that is necessary, though the cynic in me wonders if it's to stop people passing on their unused tickets to others. I was doing this all the time and saw nothing wrong with it.

Being rather paranoid about privacy and staying off databases, I accidentally on purpose make a small mistake in the middle of the number. I must change my glasses!

That will work until you're chased by a 3rd party PCN enforcer who have a record of your real number plate being there but no tallying record of payment against it.

Worse still will be if it's a hired car and you're charged an admin fee for having the infringement redirected to you - despite the whole thing being a mistake (record keeping) on the part of the site operator; so even after the place you were parked cancels the "ticket" you need to chase the 3rd party issuer for a written confirmation before the hire firm will refund your admin fee as a "goodwill gesture".

I have successfully fought and won a case against a car hire company that paid a parking fine on my behalf. I argued that I had been denied my due process right to fight that ticket, and the car hire company backed down and absorbed the cost.

To the more general point I have only once been in a situation where I was supposed to use a phone to pay for parking AND there was no alternative. That was in Edinburgh and I parked elsewhere.

[swill453]

I always seem to manage fee-free withdrawals with my Nationwide or First Direct debit cards abroad. By seeking out ATMs at major banks (including Santander!) and avoiding anything that looks like a private one or a Bureau de Change one.

Testing that out at a random selection of three major banks in Spain today with my First Direct card, Caixa wanted to charge an additional €7 for a withdrawal, Sabadell wanted €2, and BBVA said 'nope' and refused the withdrawal at all.

I'm in Spain just now. I tried my First Direct debit card in a couple of banks, including Santander, and they were going to make a charge (up to 7 Euros).

I then tried Unicaja and they let me make a cash withdrawal without a charge.

Scott.