Credit cards acceptance in the UK is much higher than most of
Continental Europe. I share your frustration when buying tickets in
Holland. Brussels was just as bad pre-Euro, although I think they've
upgraded many of the machines since. They'll take banknotes anyway -
another blind spot in Holland.
--

It's because there is quite a lot of consumer resistance to credit
cards especially in Germany where it's a cultural thing to not like
them.

Over here, of course, we eat them.