A cafe chain will stop taking cash payments at some Australian stores in a new trial rolled out next week.

Gloria Jean’s Coffees is going cashless at company-owned stores from September 11, the chain confirmed.

Retail Food Group, which owns the coffee shop chain, said the move reflected customer behaviour.

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“The primary goal of this initiative is to transition our business towards customer payment preferences and, additionally, enhance the safety of our team members by reducing the need to handle cash and coin,” Retail Food Group told 7NEWS.com.au.

“We believe that going cashless will not only create a safer environment for our staff but also streamline operations, allowing us to serve our customers more efficiently.”

Gloria Jean’s has stores nationwide, with 28 locations in Victoria, four in NSW, one in Canberra, three in Queensland, two in the Northern Territory and one store in Western Australia.

Retail Food Group said the majority of Gloria Jean’s Coffees outlets were owned and operated by franchise partners, who could set their own cash-handling policies.

“There are no present plans to extend the above trial to their outlets, each of which continue to accept cash,” a spokesperson said.

The move was met with strong backlash online, as several people claimed the chain would lose their business.

“You can stay cashless, I won’t be going there,” one person said.

“Time to boycott,” another said.

While controversial among those who believe “cash is king”, the move is completely legal, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

It states businesses can choose which payment types they accept, meaning they do not have to accept cash.

They must, however, be clear about the types of payments they accept.

Gloria Jean’s Coffees first opened in the US in 1979 before launching in Sydney in 1996 and spreading nationwide.