this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2023
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If you eat there & try to pay in cash & they refuse, that's legally their problem.
Nope, that is legally your problem
https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/currency_12772.htm
Since that particular reference is fairly succinct and doesn't make it clear why "legal tender for all debts" doesn't mean you have to accept cash, I did a little more digging. As I understand it American federal law says that US dollars are legal tender, but dollars are not just the physical slips of paper or the physical disks of stamped metal. You can pay US dollars via a check or credit car too.
The basic point of the law is that a business in the United States can't declare that they only accept Canadian dollars, or company scrip, or such. It cements US dollars as something that's worth holding in whatever form you may hold them.
No, you actually are required to take cash. The pieces of paper must be accepted in payment of a debt. You cannot refuse them.
You absolutely could only take Canadian dollars at a storefront, because it's not a debt. It's a proposed transaction you are not obligated to accept. Chuck E Cheese doesn't have to list the ticket prizes at a dollar price as well. They are fully entitled to only do business in tickets at that stand.
The Federal Reserve link says specifically "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." They can refuse cash in favor of other forms of payment (e.g. credit card, personal check, or any of the digital payment services). The statute says that currency is legal to use for commerce, not that it must be.
For goods and services. That's prior to the existence of a transaction.
The literal second they can't walk away without paying you, you unambiguously must accept the actual paper. You unconditionally can not mandate any other form of payment after the fact.
Only if that is disclosed up front before service. If I've already eaten there, its a debt.
Every place I have been that does not accept cash has a sign up front when you walk in. Plus I don't think it would be a debt, it would be considered a service that was provided.
The second the service has already been provided, it's a debt. Declining cash if they can't walk away without owing you anything can never be legal.
A new transaction is different than paying off a debt. You can't legally refuse cash for payment of a debt. You can for a new transaction.
Paying for your meal after the fact is a debt. If you pay up front you can refuse cash. If you pay after you can't.
Interestingly, most of the places that don't take cash are counter service (albeit fancy ones). So you do actually pay up front.
Bingo.