My phone died at a pop-up dinner and I had to pay with a watch

I was at a new pop-up dinner spot in Austin last month that only took digital payments. My phone battery hit zero right when the $78 check came. The waiter pointed to a sign about their 'cashless future' and I panicked. Luckily, my smartwatch still had a charge so I paid through that app. It worked, but the whole thing felt like a test run for a trend that might leave people behind. Has anyone else been stuck when a place goes fully digital?

3 comments

3 Comments

leo_johnson1d ago

Smooth save? Tell that to my grandpa who still writes checks, davis.olivia. The "faster and cleaner" part only works if your tech doesn't fail and you can afford it. What happens when the network goes down or someone's phone breaks? It feels less like progress and more like a new way to shut people out.

davis.olivia1d ago

Honestly, that sounds like a pretty smooth save to me. Tbh, going cashless just makes things faster and cleaner for everyone.

skyler_robinson21d ago

My local bakery just added a card minimum, so now I have to buy two croissants instead of one. Feels like a sneaky way to push people into spending more.