‘Cash Only... No Lah, No Now, No CDC’ — Singapore woman, 85, says her stall customers scold her because she only accepts cash

Summary

• An 85-year-old drink stall owner in Kovan accepts only cash and says customers sometimes scold her after ordering.

• The elderly woman’s daughter created a more visible sign rejecting PayLah, PayNow and CDC vouchers to prevent customers from missing the payment rule.

• A regular customer of more than 10 years prepares cash for the stall and hopes others will understand the 85-year-old’s situation.

SINGAPORE: An 85-year-old drink stall owner in Kovan has made her cash-only policy hard to miss.

At Nan Fang Ming Tea House at 209 Hougang Street 21, a sign tells customers, “No Lah, No Now, No CDC,” meaning the stall doesn't accept PayLah, PayNow, or the Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers.

The sign adds one more line: “Only Mr Yusof Bin Ishak,” referring to Singapore’s first president and to the portrait on the banknotes that the stall owner, Qiu Shi Ni, accepts.

Ms Qiu has run her business for 42 years. She said an earlier “Cash Only” notice failed to catch many customers’ attention. Some only discovered the rule after she had started making their coffee, Lianhe Zaobao reported (Sept 19).

Some orders end with coffee being thrown away

Ms Qiu said customers sometimes leave after realising they don't have cash. She has also been scolded over the payment rule.

On some days, this happened three or four times. She would then have to throw away the prepared coffee or give it to someone else.

Now, she tells customers about the cash-only rule before preparing their drinks. She said having to repeat this each time has become troublesome.

Ms Qiu said she is illiterate and never attended school. She also uses an old mobile phone and doesn't know how to make electronic payments. Her younger daughter wrote the new sign about two months ago, hoping customers would notice it.

Regular customers still make the effort to pay cash

Some customers continue to visit Ms Qiu’s stall because they enjoy the coffee and are willing to pay in cash.

One regular customer, 50-year-old construction worker Mr Li, has patronised the stall for more than 10 years. He mostly uses electronic payments elsewhere but prepares cash when visiting Ms Qiu’s stall.

He said Ms Qiu’s coffee suits his taste and bringing cash isn't a problem. He also hopes other customers can show more understanding towards an elderly stall owner who isn't familiar with electronic payment systems.

Singapore’s shift towards cashless payments can leave some older stallholders struggling with basic transactions. A simple, practical solution is to check for payment signs before ordering and carry some cash when visiting cash-only stalls.