Cashless not working at AmFam Field
The debut year of the “cashless” system at AmFam Field in Milwaukee, WI has not been received warmly with many of the in-seat beer vendors who work there ever since the day we were allowed back on June 25th.
When the beer vendors were finally included in using the new cashless system, it began with a confusing paying system where fans at the ballpark had to pay for their drinks with the use of a QR code attached to the vendors’ beer tubs that was eventually upgraded about a month later to use of an actual wireless credit card reading device. Other problems that persist today include much slower alcohol transactions than with the traditional system where cash was accepted, devices “crashing” causing for critical time/money consuming reboots, not every seat of the ballpark can get a wireless connection, not enough working devices for all of the vendors who come in to work thus causing layoffs. Problems like these truly become evident when crowds are at a capacity such as these playoff games.
Some beer vendors (including myself) which are employed by the stadium concessionaire (Milw. SportService/Delaware North Companies) claim that their commissions & tips have been reduced by hundreds of dollars (compared to working the 2018 playoff games) for the various reasons mentioned above due to the stadium deciding to go cashless.
Drinks In The Seats® Political Action Committee (registered in WI)
825 N Rochester St. #209. Mukwonago WI 53149 (414) 412-0606
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
What was the reason given to convert to cashless? … (If there was one)
Trmott, I think started back when nobody knew how covid spreads. There was fear that Covid could spread on items touched by an infected person. (Remember when some people washed groceries?)
Because cash was a prime suspect in spreading the pandemic, many people started using credit/debit cards for everything. Today we are reasonably sure that cash isn’t infecting people, but being cashless (along with lots of hand sanitizer stations and temperature checks) is part of covid theater, while things that actually work (masks, distancing, vaccination) are often ignored or actively rejected.
Also, some vendors (like perhaps Delaware North at the Stadium) prefer cashless because it saves them the expense of counting, securing, and transporting (literally) tons of cash each year. It also has the potential to increase revenue because people are less price-sensitive when using plastic.