As technology continues its unrelenting march forward, it is logical to envision more and more retail outlets and restaurants transitioning to cashless sales – even within brick-and-mortar stores. Well, that trend was just nipped in the bud in Philadelphia two weeks ago when the city council gave the final OK to a new ban on restaurants and retail stores only accepting cashless payments. Violations of the new ordinance will subject the employer to fines of $2000 per violation! The city of Brotherly Love now becomes the first city in the nation to ban cashless stores, although others are close to adopting it as well. New Jersey joined Massachusetts as two states requiring retailers and restaurants to accept cash as payment when on Monday of this week, Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation approving a statewide ban on cashless stores. The Garden State is taking violations of the new law serious with fines starting at $2500 for a first violation, $5,000 for a second and as much as $20,000 for subsequent violations enforced under the consumer fraud statutes.