'Card only!': Nandos' new policy puts restaurant in hot grill

In the digital age, people have more options for paying for their meals.

However, some options may be questionable for its functionality and reliability.

One major fast-food chain announced an unexpected move and brought a kick of spice into the conversation.


Nandos, a popular peri-peri chicken restaurant, took a bold step by going fully cashless at all of their establishments.

The decision caught the public's attention after a social media user posted a photo of a sign from a bustling Nandos outlet.


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A signage at a local Nandos shocked an anonymous user on social media and sparked a debate about cashless payments. Image Credit: Reddit/anoonymous7777


The sign read:

'We're card only! Sorry, guess we're part of the New World Order now. Just kidding, card payments mean we spend less time counting coins and more time perfecting your chicken.'

According to Nandos' official website, the restaurant accepts 'all major credit cards, Paypal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay for online orders' but does not mention cash as an option.

Since then, the Nandos customer base has been divided by this decision.


Some disgruntled patrons expressed their dissatisfaction with the policy.

'Ah well, see ya later, alligator,' one comment read.

'Good to know. Will spend my cash elsewhere,' another wrote.

'It's really easy; just walk straight back out and find a good local business with a decent owner and staff who is open to all forms of remuneration,' a third suggested.

'So what you're saying is I can't get $20 out at the servo, blame high prices and use that 20 to have some cheeky Nandos without the missus knowing. Well, you've lost a customer!'

'Nah, I'm with the seniors on this one, f*** cashless,' a fourth lamented.


On the flip side, some customers supported the restaurant's move.

'Can't recall the last time I used cash,' one said.

'It's immensely preferable to cash only in my opinion, but to each their own,' another wrote.

One pointed out the move's safety and hygiene advantages.

'Not only does it make you vulnerable to being robbed... it's also so dirty! For card payments, you don't have to touch anything mauled and kept in old pockets or wallets,' a third commented.

'As someone who had to count $10,000 cash at the start and end of every shift earlier in his career, thank goodness,' a fourth added.


Nandos employees chimed in on the discussion and shared their experiences with the policy.

'I worked at Nandos for eight months, and I swear people have always lost their minds about it,' one worker commented.

Another, with 18 months at the chain, confirmed that Nandos had been card-only.

'It is annoying when customers try to complain or scold me for it, though. Not much I can do about it—I wasn't even there when the decision was made.'

Nandos confirmed in 2020 that the shift to a cashless system was a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Like many food businesses, we've moved to cashless payments to limit the handling of money in our restaurants,' the company stated.

'This supports our heightened hygiene protocols in the wake of COVID-19 and is an extra measure to protect our customers and staff.'


The restaurant's transition to cashless transactions was a heated discussion on social media.

SDC member @Elvenwishes shared their sentiment: 'Nandos in my area do not accept cash anymore; it is all card. So too bad if you don't have enough funds on your card to pay for your food. Also, what happens when the EFTPOS goes down, and you have no cash to pay for your shopping? You just have to leave it in the shop.'

Several restaurants have embraced the cashless lifestyle as well.

In previous news, KFC was the first major fast-food chain to go cashless in Australia.

However, competitors like McDonald's, Hungry Jacks, Domino's, and Red Rooster continue to accept cash and have no plans to fully transition to cashless payments.
Key Takeaways

  • Nandos, a major fast-food chain in Australia, opted for a cashless policy by only accepting card payments at its restaurants and online orders.
  • The decision sparked an online debate as some customers vowed to take their business elsewhere; others supported the move for convenience and safety reasons.
  • Some Nandos workers reported negative feedback from customers who were unhappy with the cashless system.
  • The company confirmed in 2020 that the decision to go cashless was due to the COVID-19 pandemic's hygiene protocols.
What are your thoughts on the cashless movement? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below.
 
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As a minister Federal leader for Kennedy Bob Katter showed on the news last year he went to pay for his food using cash they told him it was card only, he asked to speak to the manager and it is unlawful for them not to accept cash they Looked up the law and he was right and the manager returned with his change. I want go to any store that says no cash transaction and a lot of us should do this more, what is going to happen when the banks go offline you want be @ble to buy anything and all stores will need to shut there doors, I have a bread place that says they will only accept cash and they run out of bread everyday, so let’s get some more business to put up signs cash only then they want have to pay the bank there surcharge and want either. CASH IS BEST stop making the bank getting any richer
 
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As a minister Federal leader for Kennedy Bob Katter showed on the news last year he went to pay for his food using cash they told him it was card only, he asked to speak to the manager and it is unlawful for them not to accept cash they Looked up the law and he was right and the manager returned with his change. I want go to any store that says no cash transaction and a lot of us should do this more, what is going to happen when the banks go offline you want be @ble to buy anything and all stores will need to shut there doors, I have a bread place that says they will only accept cash and they run out of bread everyday, so let’s get some more business to put up signs cash only then they want have to pay the bank there surcharge and want either. CASH IS BEST stop making the bank getting any richer
That is utter rubbish, it is not illegal to refuse to accept cash, unless you don't have a sign in the store saying so.
Why would the store say they don't accept cash, unless the management had told them to say this.
Why would the Manager have needed to look up the law, as manager he should be well aware of what the law is.
The law is quite clear that it is the stores prerogative as to whether or not they accept cash.
The only stipulation is that the store must display a clear sign stating this.
If Bob Katter was On TV saying it is illegal then he is full of it(which is nothing new).
The only way that that particular store could be in the wrong was that they were not displaying a sign and then the manager is an ignorant idiot.As manager he should know the law, get it right, not have to look it up and then still get it wrong.
None if this means I agree with this law, I think it's ridiculous,but that is the law, no matter what Katter says.
 
As a minister Federal leader for Kennedy Bob Katter showed on the news last year he went to pay for his food using cash they told him it was card only, he asked to speak to the manager and it is unlawful for them not to accept cash they Looked up the law and he was right and the manager returned with his change. I want go to any store that says no cash transaction and a lot of us should do this more, what is going to happen when the banks go offline you want be @ble to buy anything and all stores will need to shut there doors, I have a bread place that says they will only accept cash and they run out of bread everyday, so let’s get some more business to put up signs cash only then they want have to pay the bank there surcharge and want either. CASH IS BEST stop making the bank getting any richer
No he was NOT right and that is the typical media beat-up people are gullible enough to believe. Any business has a right to refuse cash as long as there is a sign displayed saying that. People should have a choice of cash or card, but a business is not legally obligated to accept cash.
 
Great decision. The sooner we get rid of cash the better. For the people who think banks want to get rid of cash so they can charge interest on the card, use a debit card. It’s your money, no interest charged, and I get interest paid on my money. Another plus of using a debit card is I know exactly how and where I spent every cent of my money down to the sneaky cup of coffee.
 
Great decision. The sooner we get rid of cash the better. For the people who think banks want to get rid of cash so they can charge interest on the card, use a debit card. It’s your money, no interest charged, and I get interest paid on my money. Another plus of using a debit card is I know exactly how and where I spent every cent of my money down to the sneaky cup of coffee.
Nobody is worried about being charged "interest" on their card, that is ridiculous. They can't charge you "interest"on your own money..But, there is nothing to stop them charging "fees" for using your card.
They already charge the stores for accepting card payments, and the stores are legally allowed to pass that cost on.
There is also nothing to stop the banks from deciding to charge a fee then to us for using your card, e.g. an account keeping fee.
There is no use expecting any help from the government, this is what they want, then they have a paper trail, or should I say a computer trail, of every cent you spend and where.
Wake up!
 

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