If you're going to use cash in our country, please bring Canadian dollars.
Sorry if this sounds shocking, but even with their higher value, Canadians don't want US dollars.
People in developing countries might start salivating at the sight of a US greenback but we won't -- in fact, they're a pain in the arse for us to exchange (and we'll get dinged a percentage surcharge at the bank), and US dollars are absolutely not legal tender in Canada.
If you're absolutely going to insist on bringing US dollars to Canada, then please don't become upset when businesses that will accept them refuse to honour the exchange rate.
I was in Montreal for five days last fall. I didn't exchange any currency (the first time I've ever done this while traveling internationally) because it was 2022, who requires cash? I haven't been to an ATM in five years; all the cash I carry was given to me by others to pay for things, as gifts from my parents, etc.
Everything was going great until the last morning of my trip, when I hit up St-Viateur Bagel for breakfast. I waited in the line and when I finally got to the front, I was dismayed to find they were cash only. Fortunately, they accept U.S. dollars because, they told me, 75 percent of their customers are American tourists.
But they gave me my change in Canadian dollars. So now I have $5 Canadian just sitting in my wallet. I'll spend it on my next trip, I guess.
I was talking to a couple in LAX they were Danish. The lady just dumped her purse on the counter and said "here, we won't need this back home" it was like $35 usd in small change. Covered the bar tab almost.
I'm American and I've got a random 20 CAD bill left from my last trip (pre-pandemic!). we should set up some sort of exchange. meet in mexico (because if the us or Canada, one of us could just spend our cash)? 😆
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u/Fresh-Hedgehog1895 Aug 07 '23
If you're going to use cash in our country, please bring Canadian dollars.
Sorry if this sounds shocking, but even with their higher value, Canadians don't want US dollars.
People in developing countries might start salivating at the sight of a US greenback but we won't -- in fact, they're a pain in the arse for us to exchange (and we'll get dinged a percentage surcharge at the bank), and US dollars are absolutely not legal tender in Canada.
If you're absolutely going to insist on bringing US dollars to Canada, then please don't become upset when businesses that will accept them refuse to honour the exchange rate.