美国国家公共电台 NPR When The Cash Register Doesn't Take Cash

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Some of us know from personal experience it is now possible to go days, weeks, even months without ever paying for anything in cash. More and more people pay for everything with a card or an app on their phones. In Philadelphia, that trend has led some restaurants to stop taking cash at all. Aaron Moselle reports from our member station WHYY.

AARON MOSELLE, BYLINE¹: It's a sleepy morning at Bluestone Lane cafe in downtown Philly. A few customers are sitting. But most of them are in line to grab a latte and light snack before work.

SAM FOOTE: I got the banana toast. It's really good.

MOSELLE: Sam Foote is a Bluestone regular. He's a social worker in the same office building. So it's convenient. He also likes knowing it's cash free because he almost never has cash.

FOOTE: I can't remember the last time I took out cash - probably, like, a few weeks ago, a month ago maybe, something like that. And it was, like, to give money to my father, I think, who, like, doesn't have Venmo.

MOSELLE: Venmo is a popular mobile app that links to your bank account. General Manager Erica Ritchie says not having to handle cash is easier for her, too.

ERICA RITCHIE: At the end of the day, not having to count out a drawer, worry about change. Someone runs out of quarters, you're running to the bank.

MOSELLE: Bluestone went cashless last fall. A big reason, nearly 90 percent of customers were like Sam Foote, they never paid in cash. Bluestone's founder² and CEO Nick Stone also says lines move faster when employees don't have to make change.

NICK STONE: We're talking about someone ordering and paying roughly in 40 seconds, versus³ with cash, which is around a minute.

MOSELLE: Stone says shaving that kind of time doesn't make him more money. His bottom line has actually increased because he's paying more debit⁴ and credit card fees. He does think it's better customer service. Ben Fileccia is president of Philadelphia's chapter of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging⁵ Association. He says people are also using cash less often at more expensive restaurants.

BEN FILECCIA: Going back 20 years, I would say 30 percent of your revenue would come in through cash, 70 percent would come in through credit cards. In my past few years, I would say that number has dropped to 5 to 10 percent.

MOSELLE: Still, Fileccia says cash will never completely disappear from the food scene.

FILECCIA: You know, we see a lot of guests that will pay for a meal with a credit card but will always leave a cash tip. And I think people like doing that. People like palming a bartender a 20 or palming their server a 10 or palming the busboy a couple of bucks⁶.

MOSELLE: Fileccia says there are also people who use cash to keep their meal off the books, say, if they're having an affair. A 2017 report from Cardtronics, billed as the world's largest ATM owner, finds that while people are paying with cards more, the paper stuff is still the most popular, especially when something costs less than $20 dollars. Cash, the study concludes, has carved a durable⁷, enduring bond with consumers.

For NPR News, I'm Aaron Moselle in Philadelphia.

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

3 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

4 debit   

n.借方，借项，记人借方的款项

参考例句：

• To whom shall I debit this sum?此款应记入谁的账户的借方？
• We undercharge Mr.Smith and have to send him a debit note for the extra amount.我们少收了史密斯先生的钱，只得给他寄去一张借条所要欠款。

5 lodging   

n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍

参考例句：

• The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging. 账单包括吃、住费用。
• Where can you find lodging for the night? 你今晚在哪里借宿?

6 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。