I generally prefer to pay for anything and everything with plastic. Its just more convenient for me, because I don’t have to go to an ATM every so often for cash. There are times when I go for a week or two with no cash and only use my credit or debit card. Of course using my debit card also allows me to get frequent flier miles that I look forward to.

However in the last two days I encountered two restaurants that don’t accept credit cards.

The first one was Kum Kau Chinese on the corner of Washington and Myrtle. I ordered some take out and go to pick it up. Having always paid by card over there, I proffer my piece of plastic only to be told that they don’t accept cards after 10 pm. WTF. What kind of a policy is that. It was around midnight and I was in no mood to go to a bank and get cash and come back. So I just walked out and picked up food from Sappolo a couple of blocks down. What irked me was their unreasonable policy of not accepting credit cards after some arbitrary cut off time. I’d rather walk out then give my business to them.

The second such place is Rice. I had Saturday brunch there and just when I am about to pay, I am told “we don’t accept credit cards”. Again WTF !! Reluctantly I had to go to the deli next door and get some cash from the ATM. I find it really annoying that a restaurant that wants to be taken seriously does not even offer an amenity that is so standard in today’s life. Firstly their wait staff is a little weird and then they pull this fast one ! I don’t think I am going back to Rice till they change their card policy and hopefully their wait staff too.