I wouldn't be shocked. QR code to payment website instead of on-site card processing hardware. A new small shop may be trying to run things super minimally.
I'm skeptical of the "chain" aspect - a chain is more likely to have hardware and support other methods - but a visitor may not know what is/isn't a chain anyway.
OR a particular employ is new or lazy and just didn't want to drag out the hardware. ;)
I actually had a similar problem trying to park in a parking garage. I talked to some people working there (they were moving 'event day price' signs around). I asked if there was a kiosk or any other way to pay (other than by phone). They said there was not and said I just had to leave and find street parking.
This happened when I was trying to park near a place to get my phone fixed!
Over the past year all of the paid parking lots in my city have removed their kiosks and replaced them with QR codes that open a website with a very unwieldy form. Very annoying if your phone happens to be dead or broken or you run out of data or something!
I'm skeptical of the "chain" aspect - a chain is more likely to have hardware and support other methods - but a visitor may not know what is/isn't a chain anyway.
OR a particular employ is new or lazy and just didn't want to drag out the hardware. ;)