WILD MOVES
San Antonio Zoo ditches cash payments with new reverse ATM system

The San Antonio Zoo is saying goodbye to paper money.
Save those well-creased dollars for a restaurant tip. The San Antonio Zoo is going cashless on Friday, April 18.
Though many local institutions ditched paper money during the COVID-19 pandemic, the zoo only adopted cashless admission in 2023. Elsewhere in the park, the payment options were kept as usual.
However, customers who carry legal tender won't be left in a lurch. The park has installed four cash-to-card kiosks, or reverse ATMs, near the zoo entrance, Beastro Restaurant, Jambo Market, and Valerie Guenther's Mariposa Market.
A fifth kiosk will open in fall 2025 when Congo Falls, the zoo's upcoming gorilla habitat and event center, is expected to open. The stations will convert paper money into prepaid Mastercards.
The cards can be used anywhere in the zoo, including souvenir vending machines like Mold-A-Rama. Leftover funds can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
Zoo officials say they are adopting the system to ensure faster service and help prevent theft and loss. Germ-phobic guests can also pay by phone for a completely touchless experience.
"We're always looking for ways to make the zoo experience better," said zoo president and CEO Tim Morrow in a statement. "We've seen this model work well around the country and right here in San Antonio at places like our city's theme parks, Alamodome, Frost Bank Center, and more."