Five unexpected places where paying by card is no problem

Upon hearing someone say that you can pay by card anywhere today, you probably immediately think of a few exceptions. Still, where there is a will, there is a way. We’ll show you five places where you might not expect card terminals, but they’re there and working normally. And we’ll start right at the South Pole.

1. Polar Station

Nighttime temperatures drop to -50°C, and you are surrounded by rocks, snow and sometimes even colonies of penguins. In the middle of all this is McMurdo, the largest polar station in Antarctica, which can accommodate over 1,200 people. Scientists, technicians and local staff have everything they need,  including a shop selling sweets, souvenirs and alcoholic beverages,  all of which are commonly paid for by card.

In addition to this payment terminal, McMurdo also has the world’s southernmost ATM, just in case you want to warm up in the local café after a busy day. Oddly enough, the café still accepts only cash.

2. Church

You would be hard pressed to find a more conservative institution than the church. But when it comes to accepting cards, churches, especially in European cities, are keeping up with 21st-century trends, including  in the Czech Republic. You can buy a ticket to climb the tower or light a candle without cash,  and a popular trend is payment kiosks or totems, where you can use your card to make a donation to church repairs.

3. The bottom of the sea

In the exotic Maldives, you can find several of them –  underwater restaurants where the ceilings are completely glass and from the table you can see the seabed, schools of fish and the sun shining through. The largest is located in the island resort of Hurawalhi, nearly 6 metres below the surface of the water.Guests can’t get enough of it. The atmosphere, the local cuisine and the wine pairings are said to be remarkable.

The only thing that might put you off is the price – the evening tasting menu costs CZK 7,500. That’s a lot, but fortunately there’s always the option to pay by card.

4. Marijuana shops

The first thing that comes to mind might be coffee shops in Amsterdam. But you’d be wrong. Although the sale of marijuana is legal in the Netherlands, they only take cash. The situation is different in selected provinces in Canada, such as Ontario. There, cannabis for personal consumption can also be bought fully legally by adults in specialised shops  with an ID, even by card.

5. Street vendors and buskers

Since March 2023 it has been possible to pay by card for the magazine Nový Prostor, which is sold by people in social need throughout the Czech Republic. Mastercard has equipped the street vendors with payment terminals, which will certainly be appreciated by those who do not carry change in their pockets. For your CZK 60 cash-free payment, you get quality reading while also supporting the sellers.

Street artists – buskers – are also beginning to embrace contactless payments. These masters of improvisation like to use their ordinary smartphone as a payment terminal.

You see? They take payment cards everywhere here, despite the technical challenges. Thinking of jumping on board? Contact us and we’ll make you an offer.

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