The Real Reason Chick-Fil-A Is Going Cashless In Some Stores

Chick-fil-A has been at the forefront when it comes to protecting customers and employees against the danger of infection from COVID-19. They were among the first restaurant chains to close down their dining rooms, even in advance of most statewide mandates that have had nearly every restaurant across the U.S. shutting its doors.

What's more, they've doubled down on sanitation precautions, even going to the extent of adding hand washing stations at their drive-thru and curbside pickup locations so employees stationed outdoors can stay germ-free. Chick-fil-A has also begun to supply their workers with face masks or other coverings in line with the CDC's most up-to-date recommendations. The chain will also be attempting to put procedures in place that will limit contact among employees while on the job and minimize any close contact with drive-thru patrons.

The most recent change that may be coming to a Chick-fil-A near you is not yet a company-wide mandate, but certain locations have declared their intent to switch over to using only cashless payment methods.

The reason behind certain Chick-fil-A locations' decision to stop accepting cash is the same reason that is driving nearly every action anyone takes these days — an attempt to avoid infection. Business Insider reports that a number of employees have spoken of their worries about being exposed to COVID-19 through the necessity of handling cash at work. While COVID-19 is transmitted via the respiratory tract, as Health points out, there is a possibility of contracting it by touching an infected surface and then touching your face.

Chick-fil-A has been encouraging customers to pay through their app or via credit card, but simply encouraging doesn't always go far enough. The cash transactions still taking place are not only potentially endangering employees, but also slowing down wait times since each time an employee handles cash they must immediately wash their hands. Therefore some Chick-fil-A locations, including locations in Severna Park, Maryland, and Hampton, Virginia, have announced via social media that they won't be accepting any cash, period.

Inconvenient? Perhaps. This isn't about money management, though, it's about disease control and basic human decency — why should a fast-food employee be made to suffer because you're not a fan of plastic payment? In that case, either pay via Chick-fil-A's app or else stay home and make your own copycat Chick-fil-A.