My Favorite ATM and Why!

Understatement
By Andrew Davidson
on January 25, 2010

Seems every MAC ATM machine these days is charging you upwards of $3 to take out cash. In an effort to get customers to switch to more popular bank branches with more ATM's, everyone's including an enforced 1-5% tax on every cash withdraw. Well, in the interest of saving my hard-earned money, I search out the 'good' ATM's of Philadelphia. This may require a bit more legwork from the average city-dweller, but in this poor economy, every dollar counts!

PNC Bank Stand-up ATM
inside Jefferson University's Alumni Hall

1020 Locust St. (Between 10th and 11th Streets in Center City Philadelphia)

Screen Evidence

Cash proof

Accessibility and Comfort:

Indoors, but just inside the exit vestibule of the building. The lobby is heated. You enter through one set of doors, pass through 2 more, use the ATM, then exit through a fourth set. It's a bunch of doors, but no one will bother you coming or going, and it has a lot of traffic going through the building during the day with students and classes.

Safety:

School Campus Security is stationed within 20 feet of the front door. Feeling like your being followed? Step inside for a safe stop! Also, the section of the vestibule is vacant with exception of the ATM. Anyone in the same room is waiting for the ATM, too.

Minimum Withdraw:

$5. It's not a default option, but it does dispense $5 bills. Perfect for the students who hit this ATM on the regular! Of course, what you can buy for $5 is another problem altogether!

Finance Charge:

$0! Free! Na-da! Zilch! PNC Bank used to offer a similar no-ATM Charge at local Wawa's (maybe still do...?) But with Wawa closing franchises all over center city Philadelphia, it's hard to find a cheap ATM!