Yesterday, I was part of an experiment -- one that I did not like.
I picked up a salad at Sweet Green, and was told when I went to pay that they didn't take cash. No cash? It's not like I was trying to use Pounds Sterling before their value declines post Brexit; these were good ol' American dollars. Regardless of the fact that it says right on the money that "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private," at Sweet Green, it wouldn't get me a salad. Money is no good there.
Being the activist consumer that I am, I promptly tweeted about this shift in policy. I found a little press coverage on this, but not the groundswell of WTF coverage that I expected. Sweet Green tweeted back that they "traded cash for quicker lines." If you've left your plastic at home and haven't embraced Apple Pay yet, that line will grind to a halt, but at least a woman named Jen had the courtesy to reply to me.
HT: @SweetGreen.
Then I heard from someone in Sweet Green's Operations department -- turns out, she's overseeing the cashless pilot and was interested in my feedback. Could we talk?
I was impressed that she reached out to me. "I speak with every customer that provides feedback on the cashless pilot," she told me. Impressive.
There's more to the no-cash story than meets the eye. Sweet Green strives to "think sustainably" as a key element of its culture. This isn't about greenbacks; it's about going green. Giving up cash means giving up multiple armored-car pick-ups each week at restaurants across the country. This is a legitimate exercise about lowering Sweet Green's carbon footprint and making a better, cleaner world. It's about being "forward thinking."
No wonder The Atlantic called Sweet Green the ultimate millennial brand -- the company lives its values, well beyond mere marketing lip service. And maybe millennials don't carry cash -- using cash must be a sign of age, like still putting two spaces after a period.
If I have to give up cash to make life easier for some corporate overlord, that's something I'll rebel against. But, could I give up cash to make a greener world? Sure I could.
I applaud Sweet Green for thinking creatively and bringing an innovative approach to its Green efforts. The company is setting the pace that other restaurants will likely follow. And, in a rare and rapid turnabout, I'm warming up to the idea of going cashless -- sure beats global warming caused by the ease of a few bucks.
Nice job, Sweet Green -- for reaching out to me, for trying something new, for living your commitment to good corporate citizenship. On the company website, it says "We exist to create experiences where passion and purpose come together." In this instance, they succeeded in accomplishing that, and in flipping my skepticism for support. A tall order, indeed.
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