On a tangent, it seems like people here have more of a negative view on credit cards - as if they assume you only use one if you can't actually pay. As long as you pay off your bill each month there is no real downside for the customer.
Some merchants discourage this by insisting on a 15 euro minimum charge. But by and large cards are used more often than cash. In restaurants it is common to split the payment of the meal and have each person contribute via a card.
It's been that way for years, although the frequency of card use is not as overwhelming as in the US.
At the supermarket, if I buy a bottle of water (0,18) I pay with a credit card. The majority of people do the same thing.
Caveat: many people, especially free-lancers, are paid in cash to avoid paying taxes on part of their income. Those people pay cash for everything. The give-away is the use of big bills (50, 100 euro bills) for small purchases.
Also enjoyed the spectacle of tobacconists not knowing to swipe my less-secure magnetic strip, looking for my smart card chip.
The idea probably is: It's easier and simpler to withdraw 200 bucks once and pay in cash at the different stores instead of having to enter the card and PIN every time you purchase something.
as well as my haircut place, a few sandwich shops, and a drink spot.
I feel like the Starbucks is catching up with their more efficiently operating 'local' competition. But its still a great move.
