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Comment by EGreg | Hacker News Reader

Dollars are legal tender for all debts, public and private. It means you can walk out without paying and if they sue you, they'll just get the dollars anyway. To be honest, no one would spend money to sue you for $30 anyway.

However, you won't be able to go to that restauran again.

Also, I believe even if they WARN YOU in advance that they don't take cash, you could STILL go and eat and then offer cash! Because LEGAL TENDER. Estoppel is only a defense, can't be used to prosecute someone and get them to pay by VISA.

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There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise.[1]

[1]http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/watchdog/2014/12/24/as...

From the article:

"What about debts already incurred, such as a restaurant bill presented after the meal is eaten, a lawsuit judgment or an annual tax bill? For those debts, a plain reading of the Coinage Act suggests that any kind of legal tender, whether coins or bills, must be accepted."

> It means you can walk out without paying and if they sue you, they'll just get the dollars anyway.

I'm pretty sure dine-and-dashers don't just get sued - they get arrested.

I'm wary of people offering legal advice and interpretation without some credentials.

Good luck calling the police on someone who's leaving because the restaurant won't take the cash they have

I'm getting the popcorn for that

Even better luck trying this in front of a judge

Even better luck, for most restaurants and similar business, trying it in front of the court of public opinion; even if you could win in court, it won't be worth it.

In fact, VISA could suffer a lot of blowback if a campaign was organized for people to go to the restaurants that took VISA up on their offer, IGNORE the restaurant's signs, order a large meal and insist on paying with cash. There's literally nothing the restaurant can do about it. It would be a big embarrasment for the campaign and would make at least restaurants (and other establishments that don't take payments up front) wary of signing a pledge not to take cash!!

For those of us who want to fight "on the other side" of the war on cash -- ie to keep it in circulation -- such a campaign would be worthwhile. I, for one would participate. Someone should make a website with a list of the establishments that partnered with VISA on this crap and post it here :)

what basis do they have to arrest you when the restaurant won't take your money?

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