When Ms Juliana Wong, 34, tried to pay for her coffee at Black&Ink in Swan Lake Avenue in the east in April, she was surprised to hear the cashier say that the cafe does not accept cash.

Instead, she would have to download an app on her phone and pay by credit card. "I've never experienced not being able to pay with cash at a cafe or restaurant," said the teaching assistant. "We're definitely changing with the times now."