Cashless stores out in San Francisco

  • 2019-06-03
San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors recently approved an ordinance requiring brick-and-mortar stores to take cash from their customers, banning those that accept only apps or cards, according to an article on HuffPost.com.

The law does not apply to businesses that operate only over the internet, such as ride-share companies like Lift. Pop-up shops and food trucks are also exempt.

In the ruling, the ordinance specifically says there are “many City residents” who cannot open bank accounts, or who are denied credit, and therefore can’t shop in stores that won’t take cash. The ordinance goes on to say the most vulnerable residents are immigrants, people of color, and the homeless.

According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which conducted a study in 2017, approximately 6.5% of all households in the United States are “unbanked,” meaning nobody in the home has a savings or checking account. The ordinance concluded that not taking cash is systematic exclusion of certain segments of the population. Companies like this can use poster printing to create Signs welcoming cash payment.

Amazon said last month that its Amazon Go stores would start taking cash, as did Sweetgreen, a salad company. Philadelphia and New Jersey have already ruled against cashless stores, and similar legislation is now being considered in New York City. Businesses in San Francisco that do not comply with the law within 90 days will be fined.
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