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> That is why you can mindlessly give one to wait staff at a restaurant who will disappear with it for an extended amount of time, while in any other country that would be unimaginable

What are you talking about? You do realize that credit cards exist everywhere at this point? You think that when someone pays by card in other parts of the world they maintain constant eye contact with their card, lest the person... skim the largely visible number?

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Err... yes. That's exactly how they work in the UK - and most other countries I've visited.

The waiter comes to your table, presents you with the EPOS or tablet. You take it and either tap your card, or insert it and type your PIN. Then you hand the terminal back to the waiter.

The card never leaves your hand.

Exactly. I can't even imagine how the US system is meant to work with something like Apple Pay. I don't carry my physical card, there's no need to when it is in my phone.

The take away your card system doesn't work with phone payments. That's one reason why they haven't really taken off in the USA.

A lot of chain restaurants now use tablets to let you pay right at the table, and usually they support contactless payments.

Fast food restaurants have also started accepting contactless payments by and large, although it can be quite awkward in the drive thru.

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