Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
Something is clearly broken here. No business says "Man, I wish I could have fewer sales and also pay processing fees on every sale I do get." Brick & mortar businesses go cashless for the same reason their consumers are going cash-only: inadequate access to financial services. I don't have the data to say exactly why their access is insufficient (could be lack of physical banks feasibly close enough to use, or the threat of crime creating artificial barriers, or other things). In a normal, healthy environment, cash is more valuable than other forms of payment. Cashless shops are just a symptom of a deeper problem. Whatever the barriers are here, any solution should be targeting those, not the people being blocked by them.
Right, something is clearly broken when cash is seen as a liability. It's a symptom of a deeper problem, but blaming "Big Brother" is too simplistic.

I can't get a driver's license or photo ID (which is used for voting) in PA and pay cash. They want a credit/debit card, a personal check, or a cashier's (bank) check. Conversely, PennDOT only recently started accepting credit/cards in lieu of cash on the PA turnpike....and some exits are only accessible to EZ Pass holders.