Cash in Question: When Legal Tender Meets Commercial Reality The viral video of a tourist being refused cash at a Tsim Sha Tsui restaurant has sparked debate over whether shops can legally decline to accept Hong Kong's bank notes and coins.
The answer lies in the fine print – specifically, the nuances of common law. In most jurisdictions, the concept of legal tender is not a guarantee of acceptance.
Instead, commercial transactions are guided by the principle of freedom of contract, which means businesses and customers can agree on their own terms, including which payment methods are accepted.