I LOVED Albania when I visited last year but that happened a lot, including a jewelry store where I made a small ($100) purchase. I have a feeling that if I'd selected something in the $2,000-$3,000 range it would have magically started working again since getting that much from the ATM nearby would not have been an option! Four of us also went to a large restaurant on the main drag in Skoder and found when the check came that they didn't take credit cards. To be fair, there was no sign indicating they did, but this is a major resort town. We did manage to assemble enough cash to pay the bill.

I asked the guide- it's a mix of truly not having the setup to take cards, having it but not wanting to pay the fee, and maybe a little tax evasion since cash sales can be hidden.