Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert described the proposal as “idiotic” and “another example of a government who does not understand small business”. He estimated NSW consumers buy more than four million coffees a day, arguing that replacing disposable cups with reusables could require “nearly 30 million cups on hand at any given time”.

“Prior to October 1, it would be hard to find a restaurant or cafe that had a published cash discount,” says Wes Lambert, CEO of the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association (ARCA). “However, we’re getting reports from members and first-hand experience that about 10% of the industry has taken up some sort of cash discount”. Lambert expects more businesses to get on the cash bandwagon in coming weeks, once they get their next bill from the financial institution which operates their card terminal.

Wes Lambert, chief executive of the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association, said business costs were rising rapidly while coffee prices in Australia were among the lowest in the world. Lambert said businesses changed their prices for many reasons, and that the surcharge ban could have been the impetus for company owners to build up the courage to pass on costs to customers. “Maybe this is the catalyst that has caused cafes and restaurateurs around the country to wake up.”