In payment circles, cash has always been king. These days, the number of consumers carrying cash – at least enough to pay for an order at a restaurant – is increasingly becoming scarce in favor of electronic payment methods.
Credit and debit cards remain the dominant payment methods in the United States. Digital wallets such as Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal trail but are growing rapidly in popularity.
Cash is a costly means of payment, given security issues, risks and handling costs.
The value of cash, however, can’t be understated. People ages 55 and older are the largest group still using cash regularly, making 23% of their payments in cash, compared to only 12% among those aged 23 to 34.
Those numbers have helped led some cities, such as Washington, D.C., to ban cashless business. Additionally, many people don’t have a bank debit or credit card, so they must use cash to make payments. In the United States, approximately 7% of the population are unbanked, according to Global Finance. While 7% seems small, it represents around 23 million people who rely on cash or other non-bank forms of payments.
Leading technology firm Pye recognized the cash gap long ago and configures its kiosks to accept multiple forms of payment, including cash.
One of the biggest advantages of digital payments is how quick they are, especially for major purchases. Counting out cash can take more time for both businesses and consumers.
Still, technology developers that don’t facilitate cash payments are overlooking a key segment that can drive revenue and profitability.
“Technology that doesn’t consider cash as a form of payment only hurts the businesses that may deploy those kiosks and shuts out many consumers who prefer cash payments or who use cash as their only form of payment,” said Jegil Dugger, Pye CEO and founder. “As we design solutions that make operations more effective and efficient for the restaurant industry, it’s critical to incorporate ways to serve those who still use what many consider an alternative payment method.”
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