Legal tender and electronic payments – can we insist on paying in cash?

Legal tender and electronic payments – can we insist on paying in cash?

When a tourist tried to pay for a burger in cash at a Tsim Sha Tsui restaurant in 2023, staff refused. The outlet accepted only cards and electronic wallets. The episode went viral, with debate raging over whether or not this is legal. After all, Hong Kong bank notes and coins constitute legal tender in Hong Kong under the Legal Tender Notes Issue Ordinance and the Coinage Ordinance, and the concept of legal tender is enshrined in the Basic Law (Article 111). What’s the use of having legal...

By Alexander Tang