Most of these places aren’t that convenient and would be a detour. Wine works and Canals in Marlton (not Joe Canals) would be less of a detour. If you were stopping to get cases it would be worthwhile.
Legal tender doesn’t actually mean anything when it comes to a merchant’s obligation to accept it. Apparently it’s on a state-by-state basis as to whether the merchant can choose to refuse cash. And it is legal to do so in Delaware.
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All pretty far from 95. Though if you cross the tappan zee you can hit a few. Definitely competitive prices and sometimes things show up that aren’t on the website. same with Bottle King.
in Rehoboth Beach DE, Atlantic for booze, Bin 66 for wine.
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Linwood wine is right over the GWB in fort Lee. The one at Hudson Lights is the newer one. Nice burg selection among many other things.
Correct Sarah. Some NJ merchants tried to eliminate cash payments a few years back and the State passed a law requiring acceptance of cash at retail.
I’m amazed no one has mentioned the Bottle King chain in NJ. Their prices are terrific and, along with oodles of plonk and cheap liquor, they carry a wide range of high-end wines from regions around the world.
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That seems kind of weird. Isn’t the federal gvt in charge of currency transactions? How can a state law override that? Any of our numerous legal minds here explain to us how that is possible?
I haven’t been there in a number of years, but State Line Liquors (https://www.statelineliquors.com) on the Maryland-Delaware border was always worth a stop, especially for liquor.
So, can I pay by check, Paypal, Venmo …?
I’m no banking lawyer. but I’d guess that this falls under the broad jurisdiction over anything related to alcohol that states were granted when Prohibition was repealed.
And I can’t think of anything in the Constitution that would give the federal government expansive jurisdiction over “currency transactions.” The Federal Reserve was created so there was government-backed currency and some centralized control over banking. But the federal government so far as I know has never regulated whether you have to accept cash, checks or credit cards.
FYI, until sometime in the 80s or early 90s, NY law prohibited the use of credit cards for wine or liquor purchases. It was cash or check only. And you still can’t buy a lottery ticket with a credit card in New York.
You sure can!!! Speedway gas/retail locations accept credit cards for lottery payment .
I checked. You’re right. Stewarts says its illegal – you have to pay cash. I assumed that was so people don’t run up credit card debt gambling.
up to the Merchant what forms of payment they accept
up to the consumer if they want to do business with a merchant whose payment programs may be inconvenient to the consumer
Check and debit card for sure. I don’t know about the others.
When I got into wines in the mid-80’s, I’ve always paid by cc in NYS. Wonder when that changed, because I never heard of that before. I know some beer-only places made you pay in cash, but that was because of their margins.
it’s not like ‘cash’ doesn’t come with costs too e.g. McDonalds in rough neighborhoods can end up paying $1000/mo for armored car services…
True, but not on the OP’s route.
The US Treasury answers the legal question: Front page | U.S. Department of the Treasury
This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise.
This has come up a lot recently with fast-casual restaurants that want electronic payment only (either their app, cc/dc, or otherwise). It’s faster processing and reduces slippage and theft risk. But for the “unbanked” it’s a burden - how to you pay for your Chipotle burrito if you don’t have a bank account somewhere.
And while I doubt a fancy liquor store would have that problem, I can see someone not wanting to have to deal with someone dropping $1000 in cash for a purchase and then having to deal with it. Accepting cash isn’t free either - it’s just the costs aren’t broken out as an explicit percentage of each transaction.
I forgot about that one! It is a little out of the way but it is a solid store.