SeaWorld Entertainment converts Florida parks to cashless operation

And as always, social media does not disappoint

I wish Disney and Universal would get there. After visiting Europe, I just don't understand how cash is still a thing.

Yeah, I haven't used cash in Ireland in about three years.

There's one notable exception in Europe, which is Germany – there are a fair few places there that don't accept credit cards (let alone contactless payment).

Whatever happened to

Cash always talks?

cash is king?

The same thing that happened to horses and carriages.

I find it amusing that people are shocked when I tell them I haven't had a checkbook since about 2009.

We got new checks when we bought our house in 2017, because we figured they might come in handy occasionally, and because we got a great deal through Costco. The only thing we use them for is to pay our annual $30 HOA fee, so we have enough to last us until 2517.

Richard Bannister:

There's one notable exception in Europe, which is Germany – there are a fair few places there that don't accept credit cards (let alone contactless payment).

Yeah, and a few places throughout Belgium if I recall we ran into the same earlier this year. We only stopped within Germany quickly (Cologne) this trip, but cash was still a thing at a few places. So I make sure to carry at least some Euro with me just in case.

Back in 2019 when we were in Germany for a longer duration of time throughout Bavaria, cash was required many places. Few took cards. Curious when we go back in October if they went more cashless compared to last time.

Jeff:

The same thing that happened to horses and carriages.

I guess only drug dealers deal in cash anymore

Jeff:

After visiting Europe, I just don't understand how cash is still a thing.

I am curious as to how visiting Europe has formed your opinion. If you don’t use cash in the states then what does not using cash in Europe add to the equation? And if you use cash here how does not using it there change your opinion?

I guess only drug dealers deal in cash anymore

I see a lot of people still using cash. Pretty much every time I go to a grocery store, I see at least one person paying $100-$200 with cash. They don't appear to be drug dealers (doubt all of them are in any event). There are a lot of people who use cash for budgeting purposes.

This link has some stats on cash usage in the US.

https://moneytransfers.com/...statistics

This has stats on cash usage across world.

https://www.cashmatters.org...-worldwide

I use whatever makes sense/is convenient. So basically all of the above. Far fewer checks than 10 years ago but still some. Until somewhat recently, payments to governments carried a fee unless made with cash/check. Some cash. Saw people using cash in Ireland last month. Was more common the further you were from tourist area. Same was true of Rome a few years ago. Paid guide/driver with cash. No prior direct payment transaction with either so cash was easier. More credit cards than anything else. Definitely has increased over time. Wasn't that long ago that many businesses didn't accept them or charged fees for small transactions. Various other forms of electronic payments.

Shades:

I am curious as to how visiting Europe has formed your opinion.

Literally every single place I went had devices to read tap cards, phones, whatever, even brought to the table in restaurants. I didn't see any cash in London, both cities in Iceland, Alesund, Norway and Copenhagen. I never had to get any native cash, anywhere, and some places wouldn't take it if I had it.

Cash is still popular. I still need to carry some cash around with me. I always pay tips with cash. The kid who weed eated around my house a few days ago got cash.

But I use my phone to pay when I can. Also, most of my utilities are on autopay nowadays. I remember paying my bills at Walmart or the grocery store, not that long ago. LOL

Jeff:

Literally every single place I went had devices to read tap cards, phones, whatever, even brought to the table in restaurants.

Isn't that the case here stateside? I can't think of a single place that does not accept credit cards. Phones maybe a different story but they all still take credit cards.

I honestly thought Universal was already cashless. Are they not? I haven't needed to use cash anywhere in a really long time. I only carry my driver's license and single credit card with me. /shrug

Shades:

Isn't that the case here stateside?

No, I see people using cash all of the time. Worse, checks at the grocery store. Or they use a debit card and get cash back. And I've only been to one restaurant in the US where the waiter brought a terminal for me to tap my phone on (which was Indian).

I did not see a single cash pound, franc, krona or kroner on my trip. Come to think of it, I would say I saw cards only half the time (always tap, never swipe or chip), phones the other half.

America sucks.

When I was in Grad School in London in 2009 almost all the theaters had kiosk and card readers, not a single person selling tix.a

Almost every sit down restaurant had portable terminals.

Food Trucks in the midwest almost all have Square, but get to NYC and some still only Cash.

Where as most restaurants in NYC mostly have tap.

I worked in Cash Control at CP for one summer, and I can only imagine how much easier it for the whole park to not have cash.

Jeff:

No, I see people using cash all of the time. Worse, checks at the grocery store. Or they use a debit card and get cash back. And I've only been to one restaurant in the US where the waiter brought a terminal for me to tap my phone on (which was Indian).

Ok - I misunderstood what you were saying. It not that we can't pay with a card/phone everywhere in the US, its that not everyone uses that method of payment. I don't see very many people paying with checks or cash anymore, maybe half a dozen times in the last year, although I imagine using the self serve check-out lines solves that problem for me.

I am surprised that you have only been in one restaurant in the US that utilizes a terminal at the table. I admit that those terminals are in the minority, but I am seeing them more and more. Heck, even the local bars/restaurants around us are starting to use them. Makes it easy.