re: Restaurants charging an administrative fee

It's difficult in every direction.

As a small business owner, I was reluctant to change prices because even if people complain about cc processing fees charging a flat 3% was actually saving them money.

1. In my shop, I only price in whole dollar amounts so price increases would average much more than 3%.

2. from a business end, customers mainly compare sticker/menu prices.

3. I had assumed people still choosing to use a card for their convenience when there's signs saying there's no fees for cash and even a cash discount would realize paying the fee was their choice.


I was wrong.

Now, my prices are simply around 6 or 7% higher with no 3% fee for cards.

I use the extra money to make all the cash purchases a flat 10% off.

Also, people who have never had a business accepting cards have no idea how difficult it is to even figure out the precise amount the CC processing fees will be. Complicated and a huge waste of time to keep changing systems as they continually "update" their user agreement.


If there's a boogeyman in this situation, that's where to look.

And sometimes they tax you on those bs fees too. I’ve just started lowering my tips, idgaf anymore.

quote:

---

Why is there a restaurant every 100 feet in every podunk town in the whole country while everyone is simultaneously complaining about the cost of everything?

---

Because there's not a chicken in every pot. Nor someone at home who would know what to do with it.

#roux

quote:

---

Did people really think the small businesses were going to eat that 4% cc fee?

---

No, I thought they would increases their prices by 3 percent (debit cards can cost less and cash crusts nothing) or at least be honest and upfront about a fee.

quote:

---

There was a helpful explanation on the receipt: says it is charged to offset rising operational expenses and is applied to all transactions and all forms of payment including cash.

---

If it wasn't prominently displayed on the menu, it should be illegal.

You see all the "eat / shop local" campaigns to support small businesses, but then you have small businesses do nonsense like this that makes customers not want to go back again.

quote:

---

I've never figured out what wasn't honest and upfront about signs that say : "3% charge for credit card processing"

---

That’s absolutely fine

But when there is no sign and no menu notation but the fee appears after you give your card…

quote:

---

take it a step further, if I see an unexpected fee like that the tip goes to $0.

---

Why punish your server who - hopefully did a good job - has no say in it?