The machine is broken": The big lie of some upscale restaurants in Rabat

In Agdal or Hay Riad, the phrase "the machine is broken, cash payment only" has become commonplace. According to [Goud.ma], this situation affects dozens of luxury restaurants that nevertheless claim to be modern. This systematic refusal of electronic payment (POS terminals) occurs at a time when Morocco is accelerating the digitization of its services in preparation for major global events.

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For many observers, this blockage is not technical but financial. The bank card leaves an indelible digital trail, forcing a transparent declaration of turnover. A regular customer of Hay Riad expresses his exasperation: "It is illogical to find a classified restaurant, where the bill exceeds 500 dirhams, and you are asked to pay in cash. The excuses are always the same: network failure or machine under repair."

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This dependence on cash is seriously damaging to Rabat’s tourist image. Foreign visitors are often forced to search for ATMs in the middle of the night to pay for their dinner. For their part, consumer protection associations denounce a "commercial deception". Although Bank Al-Maghrib has reduced commissions to encourage electronic payments, some establishments prefer to remain in a fiscal gray area at the expense of customer rights.