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NigelAstydameia
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
If that's the policy, they might want to rethink that name.
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Ryan Tate
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
"Gone is the age-old restaurateur's fear of getting robbed, either by outsiders or his own employees."

So he doesn't trust his employees with cash, but customers are supposed to trust them with a credit card. Save your receipts!
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Spirit Fingers
09/11/09

@Ryan Tate: They may have those card reader swiper thingies and charge $900 worth of internet porn, so you then have to explain to the Chase rep that you did not, in fact, download 47 copies of Nine Inch Butt Beaters in the Raw over Labor Day weekend.
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DaveCrabtree
09/11/09

@Spirit Fingers: Oh, c'mon, you're not worried about that, are you? I mean, you just call the credit card company and say "Those obviously aren't my charges. Look at my history. I've never used my credit card for porn." You can say that, right?
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Spirit Fingers
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
Well, apparently this means there will be an increase in hobo hand-to-mouth munching at the food bar at Whole Foods.

(Never eat from the one in Union Square. Just don't do it. It's a sad story.)
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johnny_carsick
09/11/09

@Spirit Fingers: I find "Never ______ from the one in Union Square" is a generally handy tip.
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snugbug
09/11/09

@Spirit Fingers: That Whole Foods is the most ginormous gourmet food emporium in the galaxy. I was in town for biddness and subletting a closet off Union Square--that WF gave me panic attacks. I ducked in there once to grab an entree from their hot food bar, and the sight of those 120 cash registers gave me a panic attack. Was also shocked to discover you cannot buy WINE at Whole Foods in NYC. Retard LA girl here..
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Spirit Fingers
09/11/09

@snugbug: Oh, they have a new color coded system for checkout. You have to look at a screen, determine what color your line is, and when it appears, follow the directions to one of the registers. They might as well tell NASA to design one out of faulty space shuttle foam for how effective and expedient it is. Almost always someone is saying, "It's you. You. NO. YOU, DOOFUS, GO TO REGISTER 27!"
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Swifter
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
"This bill is legal tender for all debts, public and private."

Nothing they can do about it.
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thucyditron
09/11/09

@Swifter: The law only requires accepting cash if it is tendered to a creditor to pay off a debt. You don't have to accept cash as a payment for goods or services.
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Swifter
09/11/09

@thucyditron: If I leave two $20 bills on the table for the $30 lunch and leave, there is nothing they can do about it.
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thucyditron
09/11/09

@Swifter: I see your point. Well played.
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Nic Fit
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
Finally someone has come up with a clever solution to the problem of people with no money eating in expensive restaurants. Whew!
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BadUncle
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
Normally I pay my lunch bills with emeralds, depleted uranium shells, or trafficked humans. They don't deserve my business.
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Say that is cool
09/11/09

@BadUncle: Would you care to barter for some blood diamonds? I had a shipment come in last night by a Nigerian who possesses an extra wide duodenum.
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BadUncle
09/11/09

@Say that is cool: Why fancy that. I just happen to be in the market for a duodenum.
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son of spam
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
Or you could just hire employees who aren't crooks.
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lionel-mandrake
09/11/09

@son of spam: On the surface it seems like typical New York exclusionist crap, but I think you're right. I think someone has a thievery problem. But that's OK, the staff will just take their booty out in the form of stolen meat and booze.
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mfnher
09/11/09

@son of spam: That was the first thing I thought of, too. If you're all cash you don't want to pay taxes. If you're all credit you don't want employees stealing from you.
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johnny_carsick
09/11/09

@lionel-mandrake: i once worked at a restaurant where i supplemented my measly wage with fresh ciabatta and sourdough.

pathetic never tasted so delicious.
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Smitros
09/11/09

@son of spam:
That, sir, is just crazy talk.
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monoverb
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
I guess Teresa Giudice will not be eating there any time soon.
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thatgirlinnewyork
09/11/09

@monoverb: too bad, that. would love to see her tip a table on some of the banker freaks that dine there
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resipsaloquacious
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
Whatever. Just pay cash. What can they do?
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Say that is cool
09/11/09

@resipsaloquacious: Good point.
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snugbug
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
Cash now too vulgar for moneyed New Yorkers. And y'all keep making fun of L.A...
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Smitros
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
Doesn't that also exclude drug dealers and such, who are likely to be flush?
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snugbug
09/11/09

@Smitros: Clearly Tony Soprano would not be welcome at this fine establishment.
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Edited by snugbug at 09/11/09 11:58 AM snugbug was starred snugbug was unstarred

Botswana Meat Commission FC
09/11/09

@Smitros: This is the same policy that prompted Tony Montana's famous restaurant outburst.
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Smitros
09/11/09

@Botswana Meat Commission FC: You're not gonna see a bad guy like him for a long time.
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Edited by Smitros at 09/11/09 1:38 PM Smitros was starred Smitros was unstarred

FaceMelter
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
Whatever. Have you been lately? The food is amazing.
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thatgirlinnewyork
09/11/09

@FaceMelter: the food is good, but they ruined the congenial atmosphere and interior that reigned there for so long...and what's with the harsh lighting?
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DaveCrabtree
09/11/09

@thatgirlinnewyork: I agree. The lighting is harsh, the noise is deafening, and I thought the tables were too crowded. The food was very good, but I'm used to "foodie" food like that served in a more clement environment, and the disconnect threw both off for me. I'd have been happier with a good burger and fries while sitting in the Commerce dining room.
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charliebabbles
09/11/09

@DaveCrabtree: The place is very disappointing. I don't care how good the food is, Grange Hall was one of my favorite places of all time, and they totally ruined the cozy, comfortable vibe that Grange Hall had. Let's not talk about Blue Mill, shall we?
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boobookitt
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
whatever - good luck with that Tony. I used to work in the restaurant buisness and the appeal of cash was the whole hiding profits from the IRS thing. So, have fun declaring every last penny.
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City_Dater
09/11/09

@boobookitteh:

Wondering about this too... Does he have associates he doesn't trust and/or is he enjoying messing with waitstaff, who will now also have to declare every penny?
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DaveCrabtree
09/11/09

@City_Dater: This has got to be about stopping employee theft. There are an infinite number of ways to steal from restaurants, whether you work out front or in the kitchen. Commerce is just trying to cut back on a few of the more obvious and lucrative ones. The article says customers can still tip in cash, so the waitstaff can still hide some tips from the IRS.
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Edited by DaveCrabtree at 09/11/09 12:19 PM DaveCrabtree was starred DaveCrabtree was unstarred

City_Dater
09/11/09

@DaveCrabtree:

Why thank you.
During many years as an employee in the food service industry, I just never seemed to notice that.
*eye roll*

There are TONS of better ways to prevent employee theft, and this will probably trigger pilfering, since not feeling trusted generally leads to acting out.
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thatgirlinnewyork
09/11/09

@boobookitteh: the food is good, but they ruined the congenial atmosphere and interior that reigned there for so long...and what's with the harsh lighting?
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thatgirlinnewyork
09/11/09

@thatgirlinnewyork: sorry--this was for the thread above yours.
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DaveCrabtree
09/11/09

@City_Dater: Peace, City_Dater, I didn't mean it as an insult. I only meant to say that their motivation is all about the staff and not about the customers. (The idea of discriminating against diners without credit cards is absurd.) Having also worked in the restaurant business, I've seen (but not participated in) selling meat and other provisions out the back door, accepting double bills from a vendor and splitting the overage with him, employees bringing wine and liquor into the restaurant and serving it to diners and pocketing the money, and many other scams, including all the games that can be played with checks and payments. The only way to prevent a larcenous employee from stealing from you is to have a few people you completely trust and then make sure that one of you is watching everything at all times.
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Say that is cool
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
Also, no more cheating husbands who don't want recorded transactions on their joint credit cards. No more people with secret incomes who don't want proof in black and white of having spent the money. No more people who use cash just to cut their spending.

Yeah, this guy's a rocket dentist.
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Kitten_Witawip
09/11/09

@Say that is cool: Aren't there pay as you go credit cards that cheaters can use?
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Say that is cool
09/11/09

@Kitten_Witawip: You want that written down somewhere? I wouldn't recommend it. Just pay cash and nobody will ever have the slightest chance of tracing it back to you then.
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SidAndFinancy
09/11/09

@Say that is cool: This is why I named my high-end eatery Library Fines.
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Say that is cool
09/11/09

@SidAndFinancy: Ha!
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iplaudius
09/11/09

In reply to Great New Way to Keep Hobos Out
This way, we only have the aspirational types who use credit cards to live beyond their means! It’s a policy that turns socioeconomic-class insecurity into revenue.

Seriously, it probably makes accounting easier to have everything going through the credit card system.
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mfnher
09/11/09

@iplaudius: It's such a cash flow nightmare though. My husband and I have a restaurant and I hate the credit card companies. You have to pay them a percentage of sales. In addition to that, you have to wait to get your money. American Express makes you wait about FOUR days! Maybe if you're a larger restaurant you can get away with it, but smaller operations have a hard time dealing with them.
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