Whenever there’s a storyline with quark, they talk about money/latinum.
I remember in one of the next gen episodes that there was discussion about money and Picard said something about how they’ve moved away from money.
So do Starfleet get paid now?
Update: thank you for the quick responses. From what I’m gathering the tldr is that the following is the answer
- Ferengi love for money/not being a post scarcity society by design
- Bajorans being so near their slavery times and not post scarcity yet
- Quark creating an atmosphere of camaraderie/gambling/upgraded replicators/actual food
All this requires some form of currency.
By the way: is it possible order a glass of Chateau Picard at the replicator?
Probably? But it’ll be synthehol based so as to not interfere with starfleet duties.
Seems every time somebody needs to get shitfaced (or just moderately buzzed) they have to get hold of some physical/analog contraband.