Eaton’s Small’s Bar and Bites have become the first venue in the state to adopt a completely cashless business model.
Small’s Bar co-owner Ben Small said they were moving away from cash so they could give the majority of their customers better value.
“There are significant hidden costs in having cash as part of our business, so we’re doing this to benefit the majority of customers who want faster service and great value, all without having to move from their table” he said.
Mr Small said around 10 per cent of current sales were paid with cash and that was trending downwards.
“Going cashless has allowed us to announce an awesome daily happy hour with half price beer, wine, spirits and cocktails, which demonstrates how this change will benefit our customers and their hip pockets” he said.
The move away from cash reflects an Australia-wide trend with the Reserve Bank of Australia Consumer Payment Survey showing a rapid shift away from cash payments.
Small’s Bar co-owner Michael Prosser said they didn’t mind going against standard hospitality practices to benefit their customers.
“Ben and I are customers first and business owners second” he said.
“The key to making this work is to get rid of the things that customers hate like not allowing split billing, waiting in line, or having to pay card or public holiday surcharges.
“We don’t even accept tips because great customer service should be a given, not a surprise.”