New York City To Join Ban On Cashless Businesses

Eater New York reports:

NYC restaurants and stores not accepting cash will soon be a thing of the past. The New York City Council is finally set to pass a bill later today that will prohibit all city businesses from refusing cash payments from its customers.

NYC businesses that go cashless “effectively discriminate against customers who lack access to credit and debit,” says City Council member Ritchie Torres, the lead sponsor of the cashless ban bill, in a statement to Eater.

Last year, Philadelphia became the first city in the United States to implement a cashless ban. The state of New Jersey quickly followed suit, and San Francisco also implemented the ban last summer. It’s now under consideration in several other big cities, including Washington D.C.

New York City’s ban won’t go into effect for nine months. Businesses will have the option of installing machines that convert cash into store cards, but the cards must be free and never expire.