Submitted by PienotPi t3_11dbnt6 in philadelphia
Comments
Cplcoffeebean t1_ja7ojdb wrote
One of the best bahn mi in the city.
H00die5zn t1_ja7ovim wrote
Shocked I’ve never been but that will be changing.
pHiLLy_dRiVinG t1_ja7qvca wrote
This isn't really something to celebrate.
imscaredandcool t1_ja7qxow wrote
Welcome to the 21st century
Fat_Head_Carl t1_ja7rnrx wrote
You're going to go because they accept credit cards now?
Steevotion t1_ja7sg8n wrote
Bout time
H00die5zn t1_ja7shzf wrote
I’m going to go bc I like bahn mi and have never been
nalgene_wilder t1_ja7sq8e wrote
Accepting credit cards is peak cringe
uptown_gargoyle t1_ja7sy6g wrote
what are you the celebration police
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hockeystuff77 t1_ja7tiv2 wrote
So worth it. They are fantastic
ScottishCalvin t1_ja7u7qo wrote
Probably got investigated for tax evasion
Every business in the country has to contend with fees for processing credit card payments, but a disproportionate number of companies in Philly are cash in hand due to the way the city taxes revenue rather than profit
CommunicationTime265 t1_ja7wsyg wrote
Well well well
NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn t1_ja7x3i8 wrote
Maybe, but a better guess is that they were beginning to lose a lot of business from it. We’re an increasingly less cash carrying society for better or for worse. Businesses are beginning to understand that.
NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn t1_ja7xbrw wrote
Is that so far-fetched? I won’t go to places that don’t take cards. Not out of any principle, I just don’t carry cash on me.
porkchameleon t1_ja7zzdg wrote
> I get atm fees reimbursed at the end of the month.
Who do you bank with?
I am with Bank of America, and it's usually an ATM fee and then another transaction fee from the bank.
Polka1980 t1_ja80nvw wrote
Eh, atm fees or hidden credit card processing fees - although I guess those are priced in anyway.
bushwhack227 t1_ja80xvv wrote
Not OP, bit I use Charles Schwab and they offer unlimited international atm fee reimbursements.
porkchameleon t1_ja8278c wrote
I think PNC has done that as well.
This is the only fee I have to pay them, though (i.e., no monthly or other maintenance ones).
barchueetadonai t1_ja827yc wrote
Stop using Bank of America (or any brick and mortar bank for that matter). Use Ally or Capital One.
botgrinder t1_ja82cxh wrote
But are they bringing back that ebt machine after the 10 year hiatus.
porkchameleon t1_ja82ix2 wrote
I got my credit card through Capital One, they are alright.
I am doing some money stuff here and there that grants talking to a teller and sometimes depositing cash in person, so I need that brick and mortar option.
barchueetadonai t1_ja82rpa wrote
Credit cards are completely separate from bank accounts. If you need to deposit cash regularly, then find a brick and mortar bank with the lowest minimum balance requirement, and then keep everything else in an online bank. They’re legit so much better.
uptown_gargoyle t1_ja848d3 wrote
CreditBuilding205 t1_ja84h64 wrote
I just assume that any cash only business bigger than a food cart is committing tax fraud.
I’m not sure why they aren’t all just getting audited constantly. Seems like shooting fish in a barrel.
fungi_blastbeat t1_ja84whv wrote
Can you explain why?
porkchameleon t1_ja850jd wrote
> They’re legit so much better.
Can you define "so much better"?
I don't pay any fees at BoA except aforementioned ATM withdrawals here and there (very rarely, too, as I come prepared for "cash only" nights, as BoA ATMs are everywhere, one is within short walking distance from me), and they always take my cash.
MarketStEl t1_ja857jj wrote
Explain, please? Many of us are now used to paying for things with debit cards. I have one that rebates 1% of my purchases each week. Debit cards are processed through the credit card systems (they all have either Visa or MasterCard logos). You can’t take debit cards if you don’t take credit cards.
I don’t keep enough in my bank account to qualify for ATM fee waivers or rebates. And my bank, which used to not do this, now charges a fee on top of the fee a foreign (I.e., not part of the bank’s network) ATM charges.
barchueetadonai t1_ja85cna wrote
With BoA, you have minimum balance requirements you have to meet in order to not pay a monthly fee, you get effectively no interest on your savings account, you have to pay for non-BoA ATM withdrawals, and you even have to pay for things like checks. It’s atrocious. I had a BoA account in college and closed it the first second they started charging me just to have an account.
ambienotstrongenough t1_ja85f3t wrote
Barber shops everywhere
Rahawk02 t1_ja85l71 wrote
I haven’t carried any old timey paper money in over 20 years.
electric_ranger t1_ja861ib wrote
There used to be a banh mi place in Grays Ferry that was just absolutely killer. Wish I could remember the name of it, but I think the health department shut it down.
Vexithan t1_ja874qe wrote
Was your pun intentional?
porkchameleon t1_ja87nv2 wrote
Valid points. A few personal perspectives:
> have minimum balance requirements you have to meet in order to not pay a monthly fee
No problem there, didn't have to do it for a number of years.
> you get effectively no interest on your savings account
That's ass for sure; do other places offer much more?
> you have to pay for non-BoA ATM withdrawals,
Yeah, it's a pain, but I feel that $5 sting may be every 3 months or so at most.
> and you even have to pay for things like checks.
I don't actually use those. Their fee for cashier's check is beyond ridiculous: last time I had to get one it was $15 (up from $10, and they stopped doing money orders awhile ago), but those are very few and far between.
Savings account is probably the only thing I'd consider elsewhere (and should by the sound of it).
EDIT: holy shit, I was wasting money at BoA; Capital One savings it (likely) is. Thanks for heads up, fam! Your next PBR is on me*
*once that interest comes in.
porkchameleon t1_ja88n3h wrote
It's very good, yes.
bitchisaidwhatisaid t1_ja8a53z wrote
it’s just a better allocation of the IRS’ resources to chase bigger fish than little.
omgahya t1_ja8c883 wrote
Us smaller businesses get charged per card swipe. My shop is around the corner from them, and we’re charged about $3 per card transaction, so cash is always more welcomed. That’s a reason some places have a card minimum of $10-$15.
electric_ranger t1_ja8c9xu wrote
… of course
Haha no i didn’t notice until you pointed it out
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MangoMCD t1_ja8f2j7 wrote
A decent number of moving companies are cash only too.
monoglot t1_ja8iw5a wrote
I love that this is somehow citywide news. No sarcasm. Fu-Wah deserves headlines now and again.
arslashjason t1_ja8je5b wrote
Good cheap banh mis for sure, but over the years I've been turned off by the attitude I always seem to get from the big guy at the register...
DanHassler0 t1_ja8lhs3 wrote
If you're charged $3 per transaction then each transaction is about $100+. If so you could probably get better rates from someone else. Rates are no higher than 3%.
Away_Swimming_5757 t1_ja8li15 wrote
Same here. Just don’t care to carry cash on me and haven’t had any reason to compel me to. Street vendors were the last place I used cash and not most of them have square or Venmo so it’s removed the final inconvenience for me
blazinsmokey t1_ja8pbqf wrote
$3 per transaction? how big is the average transaction then?
you really should be thinking about fees as a percentage
PortalGunFun t1_ja8pvaf wrote
I love the banh mi, but I also am a big fan of the diverse soda selection in the back
ad-astra-per-aspirin t1_ja8qufi wrote
My heart skipped a beat when I saw "Fu-Wah ... after 40 years" and my brain filled in the blanks that they were closing.
trashtrucktoot t1_ja8r6zz wrote
Haha - I almost made this exact same post. I was super happy to learn this yesterday.
Instead of just milk, I went home with pop-tarts too.
FuWah - You rock!
CareerDestroyer t1_ja8vmd1 wrote
I'm not the only one...
ageofadzz t1_ja9an0l wrote
That means prices will go up again but they’re so worth it.
omgahya t1_ja9bhmu wrote
Average transactions are about $50. I’m not sure how much the actual fees are, the boss herself only mentions the fee as $3, as she deals with the billing side of the POS system.
ForkBombGoBoom t1_ja9obxi wrote
You can literally get better rates with no negotiation from Square and handle payments on any device: https://squareup.com/us/en/pricing
CreditBuilding205 t1_ja9ou8e wrote
There definitely loads of all cash businesses in Philly that are multimillion dollar operations.
Toidal t1_ja9ucv0 wrote
Was it the one on Washington that used to be in the same plaza as that asian supermarket that was/is being replaced with a new building?
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uptown_gargoyle t1_jaahoky wrote
I felt that way too, but one night I was chilling on the patio at Dahlak and I saw him at a table, drinking with four or five friends and he had the exact same attitude. I think he just looks that way regardless of how he's feeling or whether he likes you or not.
ferrouswolf2 t1_jaaj7zk wrote
That’s a 6% fee, which is ridiculous
Cobey1 t1_jaal2m2 wrote
In this economy, it just doesn’t make sense to use cash when credit card benefits are so good. Play it right and you are getting paid to use credit cards
yourfriendkyle t1_jaaoyoi wrote
That’s not in Greys Ferry
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Reformulated t1_jaayt5t wrote
This has already changed my life
Reformulated t1_jaaz7kk wrote
I hear ya. I’ve been going in regularly for years and I’m always kind, he’s a bit stoic — at first I thought it was me, but it’s just how he is! Now I find it brings charm to the place. It’s part of the experience. I still get everything I want/need, and he expedites the process if anything. And when I DO get a smile, it makes my day even better!
BrythonicMan t1_jaazq5d wrote
pHiLLy_dRiVinG t1_jab09j4 wrote
I don't enjoy the level of bootlicking the current generation demands.
KenzoWap t1_jab5jda wrote
Ah no more tax evasion
cylindropuntia t1_jab8isz wrote
As an autistic person who frequents Fu Wah, I actually love that this guy is always so stoic. Very predictable checkout experiences and no pressure to chat or follow confusing social scripts. It’s super comforting to me and makes me feel more at ease shopping there.
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Revolutionary_Bee700 t1_jabh267 wrote
Same. I need to lie down now.
uptown_gargoyle t1_jacanh8 wrote
talkin bout my generation?
ronreadingpa t1_jacee4p wrote
That's extremely high. Could see that for a business deemed high risk (often based on its merchant category code) and/or with many chargebacks (customer disputes). 3%-4% average is more typical for many small businesses.
Assuming the $3 is right, the merchant acquirer (payment processor) is probably gouging her business. Sometimes it's not obvious either. It could be their base rate is competitive, but many of her transactions aren't qualifying for some reason and being charged more. Lots of reasons, including some types of cards, such as high rewards travel cards, Amex cards, etc.
Should shop around or, if sales are relatively low volume, use a pay-to-go option, such as Square, PayPal Here, etc. Most are around 3%. While not great, the hardware costs may be cheaper, especially if one can use their own devices, such as tablet, phone, etc. Many merchant acquirers bundle in the hardware cost into their monthly fee. Maybe that's where the excessively extra cost is coming from.
In short, she should shop around.
Trafficsigntruther t1_jact4oy wrote
And it’s not like it’s free to process cash transactions.
ScottishCalvin t1_jad5fv5 wrote
nobody's processing them, they're using them for wages and like personal ATM. You only need processed payments for putting in a bank account, half your expenditure (things like gas+food and going out) can be paid with cash
Trafficsigntruther t1_jadcpbi wrote
Every time you have sales transaction you are processing cash.
Every shift you are counting the till and some of it is walking out the door unless you have an integrated ordering, payment and ticket system.
The amount of money (labor, added friction) businesses spend to avoid the receipts tax is higher than the actual tax.
just_start_doing_it t1_jadn3a2 wrote
I’ve heard of this effecting grocery stores. Do you have anymore details or a sources that explain this?
owenhinton98 t1_jaeb3p9 wrote
Ok after seeing this post yesterday I made it a mission to go on a little trolley adventure down Baltimore Ave…holy wow I’m so glad I did today 😋 OP & billy Penn are making more business for them, because they certainly gained a customer in me lol
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basedrew t1_jaehxbw wrote
Amen! Love the probiotic soda options.
uptown_gargoyle t1_ja7mygs wrote
that's fantastic, although I didn't mind getting cash out of the atm. I get atm fees reimbursed at the end of the month. but it's great to hear that fu wah is doing well.