I’ve had multiple places not able to accept credit cards due to internet issues.
Literally had that last week. (Library, they had to call me later for payment.)
Of course not. I guess you haven't been to shops that say their network is down, so it's cash-only until it comes back online.
It used to be shops had those credit card imprint sliders to handle payments when phones lines were down, but nobody has those anymore (many credit cards don't even have the raised numbers anymore).
In the US, if you have actually incurred a debt (e.g. you've already eaten your meal, or you've already had the repair performed, etc), the business can "refuse" payment in cash, but by so doing, they have effectively declared the debt void.
US legal tender case law permits businesses to refuse cash for non-debt-mediated transactions, but if a debt has been incurred, they have to accept it.
Cash "just works" until you run out, or have too large denominations that people refuse. And there are more stores now that don't take cash at all.