That's because you were being an asshole to a retail worker, who doesn't want to get into it with you and maybe get assaulted about company policy.

You foisted a potential risk onto someone without power. Don't do that.

My experience with this no-cash signs was only on owner operated shops. Maybe I was being an asshole, and they were being assholes to illegal immigrants that can't have bank accounts, and maybe we are all assholes but I really don't care. What I do care is about being able to buy stuff anonymously and without banks or the government getting in-between me or my friends and our food.

Any place big enough to afford having retail employees that I've been to in SF was always still taking cash.

No one here knows either of the parties in that transaction, perhaps avoid projecting?

There are companies which empower workers to make decisions.