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Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeGreeceAthensKilling the Greek Economy, One Swipe at a Time

Killing the Greek Economy, One Swipe at a Time

2 coffees, a reasonable 7.9 euros considering we are in the National Garden in Athens. One gyro, 2.8 euros, also not bad considering it was dine in.

As Americans and more likely because we are points enthusiasts, we naturally reach for our credit card to pay the check. Yet each time I have done so, the look of despair from the waiter is enough to make me think twice and use cash.

They aren’t angry that I’m using a card to pay for petty charges but they aren’t thrilled either. Besides how long it takes for the chip reader to find the signal, there is the added inconvenice of Visa charging them a percentage. They take these charges personally. I can relate. It’s just like I felt at the airport fx counter yesterday when the tricksters tried to discount my dollars.

Given the feeble economy, margins are slim. A few euros can make a huge difference. Though I’m sympathetic, I still have min spends to meet.

#coldblooded

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7 COMMENTS

  1. Thing is, they aren’t worried about the 3% cut Visa takes — they don’t want to pay taxes on the income and can hide cash much easier. I am not sympathetic.

  2. I’m sort of with Matthew on this. Tax evasion is the National Pastime in Greece. It’s much tougher to fudge the numbers on credit card sales, so cash is very much preferred. Unlike Matthew, I am sympathetic to the little guy’s plight.

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