“C

ash or card, sir?” In the past, one would have assumed the restaurant or shop owner preferred the former as payment for a single beverage or newspaper, as paying with a little plastic card seemed inappropriate, time-consuming and above all else, might have incurred extra charges. We would just hand over a few coins – done deal.

Recently, however, it seems that this question has become obsolete as more and more customers immediately show their card or smartphone long before being asked about how to settle the bill. What used to be a kind of privilege for those able to own a debit or credit card has long since become nothing but a practicality.

NOT ORIGIN, MERELY ACCELERATOR