Why Portuguese Cafés Don’t Take Cards Over €20 (It’s Not Why You Think)
A traveler orders two toasts, four pastéis, and a round of galões. The total hits €23.40. The server points at a small sign by the till: “Cartão até 20 €.” Cash only beyond that. It looks like old-school card-fee paranoia. It isn’t. In 2025 Portugal, the logic behind those signs is quieter: tax regimes, receipt …












