Since the start of the pandemic numerous restaurants have asked their customers to utilize their credit and debit cards as opposed to paying with cash.
Cash is fundamentally dirty. In the midst of COVID-19, some businesses are forgoing cash altogether. Many businesses want their customers to pay ahead of time on an app or with a credit card when they arrive. On the off chance that money is a vector of contamination, would it be advisable for us to socially separate from it?
Health experts suggest that you wash your hands after handling money throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, but some restaurants are trying to cut out cash entirely.
“Restaurants risk dramatic drops in sales or outright closure amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some businesses are encouraging customers to pay with credit or debit cards and payment apps like Venmo, while others are introducing no cash policies to limit the exchange of germs during transactions,” according to eater.com
Business Insider reported that as of April 14, various Chick-fil-A locations across the country stopped accepting cash, or strongly encouraged cashless payments, during the pandemic.
According to the Facebook post, various Chick-fil-A locations in states including Florida, Indiana, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland, are shifting toward cashless payment models to slow the spread of the virus. Rather than paying with cash, customers are encouraged to order ahead on the Chick-fil-A app.
Many college students are just fine with this change in using the mobile apps to order their food at Chick-fil-A. Tiannah White, a student at Florida State University, said, “When using the app I don’t have to wait in a line. I simply order online anywhere at any time, go to the restaurant and go to the designated parking spot the app sends me and they’ll bring my order out. It’s simply, easy and contact free.”
Certain fast-food chain restaurants are strongly encouraging that customers avoid using cash and use credit cards or order online.
Cash is so slowly circulating through our perilous economy that it’s resulted in a national coin shortage, according to business insider.
“Do I want to grab the thing that you were just holding in your hand? No,” says Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff, who has advocated for a less-cash society, and predicts thatcrisis “is absolutely going to drive people to prefer credit and debit to cash.”
Many young adults don’t carry much cash, says Imani Lewis. “Most of the time my friends and I just carry our credit cards. So many restaurants asking to use cards only and online ordering didn’t hurt me at all because it’s normal to me because that’s what I’ve been doing,” she said.
On Instagram, The Purple House in Maine wrote, “We would ask that you consider paying with credit card or Mobilepay to avoid cash handling as a means of protection for our community.”
Dick’s Drive-In, Seattle’s iconic burger chain, wrote, “In an abundance of caution, we ask you to please pay with credit or debit card if possible rather than cash.”
Chili’s Grill and Bar in Tallahassee, added certain rules in March. “Open for to-go via phone and Chilis.com or the Chili’s App, ‘Contact free’ curbside with pre-paid web orders,” according to theTallahassee Democrat.
Before the pandemic, paper money was not clean. Recent studies show that over 90 percent of paper money in the United States contains bacterial colonization, according to the Washington Post.
The World Health Organization has not advised banning paper money but, it has stressed the need for hand washing and sanitizing after touching cash, especially before handling food or really anything because you don’t know who’s touched the cash before you.
While many restaurants are still taking cash, the sanitation for all orders dealing with cash may impact the speed of service. Filling the void, in many cases, are digital payments that are quick, clean and easy.