It’s not really comparable to Germany. Almost everywhere in NL accepts Maestro cards (PIN) or whatever (sometimes not even accepting cash). It’s specifically credit cards that are sometimes less useful.
Ah, interesting, and I realize now I was conflating credit cards with other kinds of cards like Maestro or Girocard (which is a German specific debit card).
In my experience some places do take either cash or debit, but I think that it's becoming more uncommon that you'll find this arrangement outside of somewhere like a government office or the post office now, and either you'll wind up with cash only or a place that takes any kind of card. A few places do not take cash but that's very rare. I can't speak for other countries as well as Germany and so you're right it does seem different in the Netherlands (although leading to the same outcome for the OP, that a credit card can't be used).
In my experience some places do take either cash or debit, but I think that it's becoming more uncommon that you'll find this arrangement outside of somewhere like a government office or the post office now, and either you'll wind up with cash only or a place that takes any kind of card. A few places do not take cash but that's very rare. I can't speak for other countries as well as Germany and so you're right it does seem different in the Netherlands (although leading to the same outcome for the OP, that a credit card can't be used).