A Day of Culinary Disappointment
Oh fiddle, cashlessness is up to my middle.
I have only one hour between lessons in Akihabara during which to grab a quick meal. My preferred place is a one man affair serving Westernized Japanese fare. Excellent quality at a great price. Sadly, he keeps an irregular operating schedule and although he was open when I went in to one lesson, an hour later he was closed. My plan B shop is a chain tonkatsu, deep fried pork, joint that is unfortunately, popular with tourists. The line was too long today. So I cruised on over another place I know of but have never eaten at in Akihabara; Yoshinoya, Beef Bowl, and a curry place that I have never dined at anywhere. Didn’t want to pay ¥1500+ for curry and Yoshinoya, a favorite since my time here in the navy in the early 90s, just didn’t seem appetizing tonight. Only one other option fit the short time window left open, Mickydees.
As I awaited the traffic light across from this beacon of American marketing success, a young local woman approached me and asked if I was interested in a Wagyu burger. I was and am, sounds great, but I did not have enough time. She handed me a coupon for a free one, free if I download their app and write a review. I took the card and quickly saw that they do not accept cash.
The MacDonalds near work in Akihabara has been renovated since I last visited it. They now have 4 more cashless self checkout panels, totaling 6 and in the corner, easy to overlook and the exact opposite to get to, is the single remaining manned cash register which thankfully, still accepts cash. For now anyway.
Of note is the current situation of the brand new Ecute of Akihabara station. Crazy crowded when first opened, it is a ghost town now. More employees than customers. Passing through, they have a lot of nice looking food, but not buying as they do not accept cash.
I doubt if I could ever eat McDonald’s again. I can be hungry and pass by and the smell of the cheap seed oil alone instantly suppresses my appetite. And knowing there’s not a single ounce of nutrition in any item on the menu and a long list of unnecessary additives just confirms what my nose has already told me.
Macca's (as it is called in Australia) intimidates me.
Macca's has the BEST handicapped restrooms. Don't ask me why I need them when I can walk into them - but I do need them at times. And Australia is piss poor at providing public facilities that are less than 10k away (public parks, and they are - scary).
Ergo, I sometimes find myself in a Macca's. I found myself there these past 2 Saturdays.
Sometimes, I'm even hungry when I walk in, and think - something like a cheeseburger or fries or hot apple pie, or cappuccino - or plastic shake (there is no dairy in them) might be nice.
But then I look at the order kiosks (there are at least a dozen, even in the smaller stores), with people huddled around, scrolling through menu items, phones in hand to pay. Or, for the old-fashioned, wallets & credit cards.
Old people (like me) can STILL walk up to the counter and HARASS the young people working there to get them to take my order and accept cash. But this is the EXCEPTION rather than the rule. And it is considered an assault to their "system." The kids are poorly equipped to handle it.
So I walk out. Every time. Fuck their kiosks.
I wonder how many people are like me? I know that most of us wouldn't even consider the fake food on offer at Macca's - so it's the robots, the zombies who are likely obeying the system.