We accept credit card payments, Apple Pay, Android Pay, you name it – on both Van Henri and at Cafe Allez! Belvoir Castle.
It’s still staggering to us that some mobile operators (and even cafes, shops), don’t facilitate this when the technology is so easy to use and cheap to run now. Although, not so long ago, we did get harangued at an event for not accepting Bitcoin!
Many customers assume we prefer cash and whilst we’re always happy to accept either method, (unlike some London coffee shops that now have a ‘no cash’ policy), we do have a preference for card / Apple / Android payment. Here’s why:
| Cash | Cards | |
| Charged a fee to bank? | Yes | Yes |
| Charged a fee to get change for a float? | Yes | What’s a ‘float’? |
| Time taken to set up till each morning | 5 mins | 2 seconds |
| Time taken to ‘cash up’ each evening | 30 mins | 0 seconds |
| Time taken for funds to reach account | When we’re able to get to the bank | 24 hours |
| Security risk | It’s there so we have to be careful | Nil |
| Hygiene risk | Did your Mum give you the “old man’s pockets” talk? | Nil |
| Speed of transaction for customer at till | Slow | Almost instant – I can be making your drink even while the payment is going through |
| Risk of error | Moderate if I’m on the till and tired! | Nil |
| Risk of fraud | Moderate | Next to nil |
| Embarrassment factor when we point out to an overseas Castle visitor that their tenner ceased to be legal UK tender in 2003 | Moderate | Nil |
We care too much about customer service to be banning cash payments any time soon, but before too long, cash will be a distant memory for us all … and I’m fine with that.
PS in case you’re wondering … our percentage of card payments at the cafe is high, way higher than on Henri: most folks still take cash to an event thinking the caterers won’t accept / like cards.