Burger joint no-cash fuss something to chew on

Tourism executives are urging restaurants to accept cash after a Taiwanese television host was denied cash payment at a hamburger joint that sparked online outrage when it insisted it only accepted electronic payment "as it's the 21st century."

The Honbo Burger in Harbour City incident set off fierce discussions, with online users questioning whether the restaurant had violated the law by refusing to accept legal tender.

Visiting star Cheryl Hsieh shared her August 14 experience at the Tsim Sha Tsui eatery in a Facebook post, saying she got a little nervous when a restaurant employee rejected her money.

"My credit cards are in my wallet locked inside a secure case on the cruise ship. I have my phone with me, but I don't have Apple Pay, Alipay or WeChat Pay. I only have HK$600 in cash that my mom gave me," she said.

Hsieh, 41, said she eventually asked another diner to pay for the meal with e-payment while she gave her cash.

The restaurant has apologized, saying it had stopped taking cash payments last November amid the pandemic, and 99 percent of its customers used digital payment.

"We have signs in all of our stores and our staff always make an effort to remind guests when they enter the restaurant," it said.

If customers need to pay their bills in cash, its staff can pay with their own credit card first and the customer can pay them back with cash.

The restaurant also apologized for its controversial comment that it does not accept cash "because it is the 21st century."

It added: "We didn't strike the right tone with our earlier comment and it crossed the line. This is not how we should speak to our guests and for that, we are sorry and we apologize."

Hong Kong Tourism Association executive director Timothy Chui Ting-pong said restaurants should receive cash and international e-payment methods to facilitate tourists.

Not a lot of restaurants in Hong Kong refuse cash payment, he said. And refusing cash could affect tourists' experience.

Simon Wong Kit-lung, chairman of the Quality Tourism Services Association, said restaurants are in a kind of dilemma as they have to strike a balance between providing convenient payment methods and saving costs.

Barrister Albert Luk Wai-hung said Honbo Burger did not break the law by refusing to accept cash. Luk said merchants have the right to decide how to provide service, including the payment method.

Restaurants should put up notices at their entrance or inform customers about their special payment requirement if they only accept digital payments, and customers can then decide whether they want to consume in the store or not, he said.

However, even if a restaurant does not have any notice up or has failed to inform customers that it does not accept cash, it would still not violate the law by refusing, Luk said.

Customers who are not satisfied with a restaurant's payment requirement may file a complaint to the Consumer Council.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority said that in commercial trades, both parties could determine the transaction terms on their own. Whether to accept cash payment is purely a commercial decision.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com

Editorial: Cash payments not a nothing burger