Dining out is one of my favorite past times. In fact, whether it is an actual meal, a snack, or a beverage, I probably hit at least one restaurant every day. I usually get coffee in the morning, I sometimes go out to lunch, and at least a couple times a week I go out with my spouse for dinner. Restaurants are a huge part of my spending habit. But there is one thing that frustrates me about them: what types of payments they accept.
The Cash Only Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining spots only accept cash – and I can’t stand it. I’m the type of person that doesn’t carry much cash with me because I use a credit card most places. With so many options when it comes to credit card processing, restaurants need to get a clue as to what their customers want and how they pay.
I know that restaurants lose business because they only accept cash because I don’t go to certain places as often as I would if they accepted credit cards. I use my card for everything because I get cash back rewards, and I find it a hassle to get cash. There is one taco shop in particular where I would go everyday if I could since it is hands down the best place around. But their cash only policy makes it hard for me to justify going there as often as I’d like.
Restaurants and Giftcards
Another type of pet peeve of mine when it comes to paying at restaurants has to do with restaurants that accept gift cards. For giftcards, why do some restaurants let you put the tip on the giftcard, and others don’t? If I have a giftcard, I want it to cover my full experience at the restaurant, not just certain parts of the bill. How is the tip any different when putting it on a giftcard compared to putting the tip on a credit card? I just don’t understand this policy, and I wish the restaurants would understand that it is making it harder on customers.
Melissa, a mom to three little ones (ages 7, 3 and 1), blogs at both Mom’s Plans where she writes about living a fulfilling life on less and paying down debt, and Fiscal Phoenix where she writes about rising from the ashes of your financial mistakes.