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Restaurants charging 4% for using credit card

Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:17 pm
Posted by lsujag
Member since Jan 2012
2347 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:17 pm
Went to a local restaurant to eat lunch. Glanced when I put my cc down. Noticed the total was in the 60’s. Didn’t pay that much attention to it. When she brought me back the cc slip to sign, when I went to leave the tip it was in the 70’s. Asked her and she showed me in small print a 4% charge for all non-cash payments. When did this become a thing? I go out to eat all the time, rarely do I look closely at the bill. Only reason I noticed it this time is the first number changed.
Posted by AbitaFan08
Boston, MA
Member since Apr 2008
26888 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:19 pm to
I’ve never heard of this before. Seems like a shitty thing to do without having something on the menu warning you in advance.
Posted by TDTOM
Member since Jan 2021
15276 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:19 pm to
It has been a thing for a while now.
Posted by Crow Pie
Neuro ICU - Tulane Med Center
Member since Feb 2010
25443 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:20 pm to
I seen it happening recently as well. Cash is king again.
Posted by Mud_Bone
Member since Dec 2021
2260 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:22 pm to
quote:

When did this become a thing?


I’m pretty sure it was a Tuesday.
Posted by DandA
Mandevillian
Member since Jun 2018
834 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:23 pm to
Credit card processing companies charge a fee per transaction. Most restaurants/bars account for this in their menu prices to where you don't even know that fee has been added. This is also why some bars have a credit card minimum tab amount. Stupid and lazy of the restaurant to even show their customers this. They should've just raised the price of a few of their most popular sellers by a dollar or two here and there and kept the cash/credit prices the same.
Posted by TigerintheNO
New Orleans
Member since Jan 2004
41291 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:23 pm to
Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Maine and Massachusetts have all passes legislation banning the practice of charging convenience fees.
Posted by Spankum
Miss-sippi
Member since Jan 2007
56225 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:23 pm to
Thanks for the notice….looks like the tip gets cut by 5% when using a credit card from now on.
Posted by Wipe Out
Member since Mar 2022
128 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:23 pm to
Krystal is the only fast food restaurant I know that does it,

One small family owned restaurant near me does it. Good food. Great service and reasonable prices. The fees charged by card companies were eating away at their bottom line. I don't mind. I can always take cash with me, but I never do.
Posted by fallguy_1978
Best States #50
Member since Feb 2018
49078 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:29 pm to
They probably should charge a fee since they pay one. I know some gas stations charge less when you pay in cash. Somebody has to eat that cost.
Posted by lsu1919
Member since May 2017
3244 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:29 pm to
Not sure why a restaurant would do it but… LA law states the business can pass on the credit card processor fee to the customer as long as
1. It’s a separate line item on the receipt
2. Fee does not exceed actual surcharge.

ETA. Each state sets their own laws surrounding this. But never pay more than the percentage. 4% is usually what it’s around. Had someone try to charge me 20% for cc transaction. Didn’t but their product and told them it was illegal.
This post was edited on 3/19/22 at 3:32 pm
Posted by Limitlesstigers
Lafayette
Member since Nov 2019
2987 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:31 pm to
It's been a thing for at least a decade now. National chains really don't do it because they can absorb the processing fees or they add it into their price. It's really enforced now because a large percentage of people use their cards for everything. Source: Used to work in sales for a national merchant processor.
Posted by HoustonGumbeauxGuy
Member since Jul 2011
29763 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:34 pm to
For a very long time it was illegal in Texas —and still may be—to explicitly charge a (let’s say a 4%) credit card transaction fee, so companies started offering a 4% discount if you paid in cash.

It was just a simple math solution (loophole) for them to avoid explicitly stating that they were up charging you for their credit card transaction merchant fee.

I frequently see cash discounts offered at small restaurants. Presumably this is to play it safe.



This post was edited on 3/19/22 at 3:37 pm
Posted by Allister Fiend
Member since Jan 2016
821 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:34 pm to
Sick of gas stations doing it.
Posted by deeprig9
Unincorporated Ozora, Georgia
Member since Sep 2012
64561 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:36 pm to
Tax evasion.
Posted by SammyTiger
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Feb 2009
67497 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:38 pm to
They probably pay for some kinda of CC running service that take a pit off the top instead of buying a full system.
Posted by tigersmanager
Member since Jun 2010
7564 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:44 pm to
It's a rip off none of these places are paying more than 1 percent per transaction unless a dumb arse handles their merchant services
Posted by Ancient Astronaut
Member since May 2015
33320 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:48 pm to
I think cosinos in mandeville did this once and I’ve never gone back it’s bs
Posted by crimsonsaint
Member since Nov 2009
37278 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 3:58 pm to
It’s becoming normal. Several local restaurants in my area have stated that their menu prices are now cash prices. Rather than raise their prices for inflation they have kept the prices the same but charge 4% for credit card purchases.
Posted by notiger1997
Metairie
Member since May 2009
58446 posts
Posted on 3/19/22 at 4:13 pm to
I've seen it done at several places for years now. I don't mind it at the small mom and pop places as long as they have it shown. It sure isn't going to stop me from going.

When the typical places that do the higher average bills break it out like that, it looks silly on their part. Just price it into the cost on menu.

And if it's not known to you, some places have minimums that they allow you to use a credit card.
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