Acceptance of Euros by shops in the U.S.

Is this true that some shops in US started accepting Euros ? I want to plan my next vacation there.
Already many countries plan to switch their foreign currency reserves out of U.S to Euros.This will make the situation worse for US economy better they also change to Euro

There was a story on CNN about a month ago about an art dealer in a European-immigrant-rich neighborhood of NY that was accepting euros. He posted a big sign about it to generate interest in the neighborhood.

I'd guess, however, that if you used euros in the states you'd get the same crap exchange rate you'd get anywhere not using the primary local currency.

If they take'em you will get a crap exchange rate. Right now its much better to use those Euros to buy dollars ($1.50 to 1 Eur).
You also forget how outdated and backwoods the US is. There is only 1 currency in the US, and thats the Dollar. So if you don't
want hassles and problems, use Dollars.. You wouldn't expect a store in Germany to accept Mexican Pesos would you?

Ladies and Gentlemen, once again that font of knowledge has graced us with yet another round of his highly informational postings.

A fucking month-old news story and he gets it completely wrong. As far as "backwards" Britain offers much shittier exchange rates and few places accept anything but Sterling. Many businesses take pesos in the southwest, Canadian dollars in the fucking north, and yen in Hawaii. the island territories and much of the eastern Pacific.

List of other countries which use the US dollar: Ecuador, El Salvador, East Timor, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, the Bahamas, Panama and that plucky little Commonwealth nation Bermuda.
List of other countries which use the UK pound sterling: ø.

woof.

Why would you take folding stuff to the states anyway? You only need a few notes in the local funny money and the rest you can put on your credit card.

Does that mean that other countries who don't share currencies are backwards and outdated too? In Australia, we only use the Australian dollar...should we convert that to "Oceanias" and screw up the economy of every country involved like the Euro seems to have done? Or would you like just a single currency for the whole world?

Yeah, I didn't quite get the outdated and backwards bit. Nobody in Frankfurt's taking Dollars except at the airport. Are the Herms backwards too?

OK, since you people seem to be so all knowing and world traveling, why don't you take your GBP an EUR to the US and try to use them outside of the big cities like NY or LA. I would love to see you try to get the gas station attendant in Backwater, Mississippi to accept your foreign currency.

What has Britain got to do with it? Darknight is a yank and the OP wanted to know about using Euros in the US.

Actualy your wrong. Sterling is still a reserve currency held and used by many national banks all over the globe.

You can try paying in Euros, but Omar Sharif found it to be an expensive attempt.

He means as a standard form of transaction. Of course banks hold foreign currencies, they're supposed to. That's one of the functions of a bank...

Well when dealing and talking about money it is best wise to be accurate eh? Still sterling is a major rserve currency due London being the European centre for finance.

For FX I think it is the world centre. The Economist had some interesting figures about this a while back, will try and dig it out tonight. I think it had words to the effect of "London is the centre for most financial products and services, except hedge funds, where NY leads".

Will edit this post if I find the stats.

I would love to see anyone try and use their currency in another country, unless we're talking airports or burger king (god knows why they advertise that they accept american currency). You try spending a euro, pound, usd or anything at any normal shop/supermarket etc anywhere in Australia (or probably any other country in the world for that matter), you'ld be told to go to the bank, convert it, then come on back.

Seriously, why would you need to use a different currency in another country? Why should every shop cater to one lazy tourist? Just go and exchange it!

I pay 1.5% on every purchase made in another currency. Admitted, that didn't stop me from using my credit card a lot (probably most of the time) when I lived in the States, but if you can get cash for free at the ATM (with Deutsche Bank), it might make sense to pay with cash (not sure if it really does, hence the "might", because I have never compared the exchange rate between my credit card and the ATM so maybe the cc one is so much better that it evens out the 1.5%). I also find it a lot easier to spend ridiculous amounts of money using a plastic card than cash.
That said, I usually just take with me some money (60-100 Euros maybe, in the local currency) and then get money from the ATM when I get there. At least I have done this so far because I haven't been to any countries lately that did not have banks everywhere and a partner bank of Deutsche Bank.

I believe you can use Euros in several of the larger shop chains in Britain, like Marks and Sparks, but I bet they rip the arse out of the exchange rate. Just take your German credit card and you'll be spending Euros. You have got a German credit card haven't you?

I think that was her point.

But, the issue of using a GERMAN credit card in a non-euro country, yes you pay an additional fee of 1% (on my Lufthansa CC). Which was a fee I never had with my Bank America CC whilst purchasing out of the US.

Do the strip clubs here still demand you tip the strippers in $US?

That happens to me over here with my GBP account. They say they won't charge you for using your card abroad but they just use a vastly reduced pound/euro rate.

Depends what you mean by that.

According to Wikipedia, "The pound sterling [...] is the currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown dependencies (the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands) and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and British Indian Ocean Territory."

Those are all UK territories and not independent countries. I didn't include include US territories and possessions like the US Virgin Islands or Guam.

woof.

It happens right here in down-home Upper Bavaria - Short changed at a Turkish kebab shop

Are you quite sure about that! I have recently received a notice of a class action lawsuit against the major credit card companies for charging illegal foreign transaction fees.. CCFSettlement

The postcard shop in the Hauptbahhof in Bern, Swizerland didn't accept Euros. If they don't I think there's no hope for a USAnian buiness, unless its run by a European who sees it as a marketing edge. Then again can you use Euros in places in London now?

Shouldn't think so with the crap exchange rate...Anyway how do you know that they do

Yes, but not everywhere, obviously.
I went to Russia once and the taxi driver there wanted 'English dollar' but I didn't have any 'English dollar', though he meant GBP.

Nobody is forcing shops to accept foreign currency, but if they want to then it's their choice!

Strip clubs can be all kinds of fun and the strippers are much more forthcoming with other women than men.

I was wondering about the exchange rate affecting the tipping as well but it's much easier to tip with a note than with a coin.

I know, and I agree, I'm just saying that just because most American shops don't accept other forms of currency (like 99.99% of shops in other countries), doesn't mean that they are being arrogant and have their heads stuck up their arses or whatever the normal America bashers say

I don't think anyone understands your point. The U.S. isn't any different than other countries in this regard. Where do you get the backwardness angle? The only place I've ever seen where they take just about any currency are the truckstops in Switzerland. I paid for a wurst and a coke there once and paid with pocket change in four different currencies. They didn't bat an eye.

Yep. I'm dead sure about it. I used to compare the statements with my German CC. Although I don't have a US CC anymore, in fact it used-to-be a Baybank card - which was bought by Fleet and now BOA.

Blatant sexism right there. Should be several laws against that. I'd like to enforce all of them.

Depends on where you are putting the tips

Back to the topic, a good majority of restaurants on Haupstr here will accept US Dollars, though i'm sure it's due to the large numbers of Soldiers here, it's probably also true of many places with a military presence.

Yes, Leky a few places in Ramstein accept US Dollars but with a shitty exchange rate.

Just though that I would add that most shops, restaurants etc. in Maputo, Mozambique accept South African Rands, Pounds or Dollars in addition to the local Meticais. It was useful for us to use up old coins collected over the years that the banks would not exchange.

YEs, I know Visa in the US charges a transaction fee for purchases not in US Dollars. They didn't use to, but have done so for quite some time now.