A couple weeks back, I went to lunch with a business acquaintance of mine -- I'd hoped to get him to endorse me in my run for judge, and wanted to get caught up with him. I let him pick the restaurant, and said I'd pay.
When we got done with lunch, and it was time to head on back, I took the check and we walked up to the front desk/counter where we were supposed to pay. I pulled out my credit card and offered it to the guy there.
"Oh, we don't take those," he said.
"It's okay, I'll get it," my friend said.
"No, really, I said I'd pay," I told him, and handed the guy my debit card, instead. "Use this one."
"No, I mean we don't take cards. Only cash or checks," he said to me.
I looked in my wallet and saw only two one-dollar bills and the "Megabucks" ticket I'd bought the day before, and had to go and take my friend up on his offer.
These days, I'm AMAZED that such a business could exist. I've completely gotten out of the habit of carrying cash around with me, and I can't remember the last time I had a check - -and actual written check. Sweetie still uses them to pay the bills and sometimes will give me one when I have to pick something up for her, but I tell her "just transfer money to my card," and head on out.
So I was amazed that this restaurant -- a pretty upscale one -- didn't have restaurant credit card processing, and more than amazed, a little embarrassed.
Which I SHOULDN'T have been. I mean, it wasn't MY fault, but, then, I had to in the end rely on my friend to pay for lunch ANYWAY, and even if I sent him the money later (I did) it's not the same: It was an awkward end to a business lunch, and who needs THAT?
I'm not likely to head there again, I can tell you that much.
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