[jmm]

Agreed. Ever go to a farmers market and run out of cash? That sucks. And Square is helping to fix that problem. Sure, some farmers might still prefer cash only (since the market entity usually already takes a cut off the top), but at least it gives farmers who aren't selling out of certain items the possibility of increasing their sales.

Other use cases??? Flea markets, artists, street vendors, school functions (fairs, car washes, etc.), fund-raising or charity things, paying a cover at a party or at an art/music venue, masseuses and the like, gambling debts and poker games... I could go on. One thing I'm curious about is whether Square forbids min charges or charge-ups the way credit cards do ("you owe me $100, but I don't want to pay the fee, so pay me ~$103 instead"). Not that they could really enforce it any better than credit card companies...

[getsat]

If I recall correctly, CC companies do not allow businesses to charge an extra fee to take card, but businesses are not forbidden from raising the base price and offering a cash discount. During my time in the US, I saw many gas stations showing a "CASH PRICE" next to the regular price.

[barake]

I can confirm Visa does not allow you to charge a premium/pass on fees but a discount is allowed for cash and check. MasterCard, American Express and Discover let you charge any sort of fee basically. My employer does not accept Visa due to the terms (and it's really annoying - Visa is what all the banks in town issue).