I noticed that several of our local restaurants in our area have signs stating in order to offset rising prices that there is a 4% surcharge if you use your credit card to pay your bill. They also state that if you pay cash you get the 4% discount off your bill. Are you seeing this is your area or is it just a local thing?

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Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

We encountered that last Wednesday at lunch, but only 3%.

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Birds like shiny new toys too.

I've seen similar signs posted at gun show tables...I've always been told that adding a "convenience charge" to a bill for CC use is illegal, but offering a cash discount is OK...I've never seen any such laws cited officially, so I don't know...I use whatever card is paying me the most cash back on any purchase, unless I see a better deal for cash...I use no-annual-fee CC's and pay the balance at the end of the billing cycle so there's never an interest charge on my end......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

That'd be 4% off the tip if I was the guy paying...

Lately have Seen several, MacDonalds and others with a Credit Card or Correct Change Sign.
I just use my CC and move on down the line.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Around here debit cards are encouraged. No CC fees and they get their money now. Some gas stations give $.10/gal discount paying with debit. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

I went to lunch at a wing restaurant last Friday. I have a "Fun Card" for 10% off, kind of a frequent flyer membership deal. Anyway, I went to pay by CC and my fun card, and the waitress said it was National Chicken Day and all meals that included chicken were 20% off. The waitress ended up with a 60% tip! I just wish this could happen more!

Mom was an antique dealer. In the mid 60's she started accepting Bank Americard at antique shows. Other dealers scoffed at her! But her gross sales went up around 20% right away and increased steadily into the late 1980's. Yes, she had an added overhead cost, but she made sales when it wasn't payday! (A very real consideration!)

Originally, the credit card agreement stated it was a violation to charge extra for card usage! I think it is a rip-off to do so and would tell management that I'll take my business elsewhere until they stop!

On the other hand, if as explained in the OP; The bill is X, and the upcharge is +4% and the rebate is -4% that is a difference of 8% That is real money they are playing with. Just Remember 2 years ago they didn't want cash because of germs! I never heard of a way to cheat on your taxes in a cashless society!

Ivan

Info. not related to OP question, misunderstood question first reading, response removed.

That surcharge was taken to court locally and was ruled to be illegal in Pennsylvania. I haven’t seen it since then.

All they have to do is raise prices by 5%, not charge a surcharge, and come out ahead.

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protocalldesign.com

I get 4% back on my main CC. So far only one restaurant We’ve been too is charging an extra fee.

What’s up with the $25+ pasta and a little bit of protein plates?

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Sure you did

I have noticed extra credit card charges in filling stations, eating places and even gun stores.

So you'd leave 24 cents instead of 25?

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Ubi Est Mea

The only eating establishment I've seen that in was a local Italian place, but only on the to go beer. They didn't call it a surcharge, but a 6 pack of Bud cash might be $8 but credit/debit it would be $8.25

Seem kind of pointless to do that only on one item. Take out food was the same price. Ditto sit down food and beer.

JMHO

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BTDT, Got The T-Shirt

A 6 pack used a bigger bag! (or 6 straws!)

Ivan

Yes. It’s a fee that they are charged. Like any fee, it gets passed on to the customer. And rightfully so. They pay a percentage, or if it’s under a certain amount, they pay a minimum (like 50 cents).

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otis

The only place I've seen it is at the local gun shop that I used to visit. He can absorb any bank fees based only on the huge markup he puts on every item - like primers @ .20 each.

Funny you mention bags and straws.

The aformentioned place is the only place I know that still puts beer to go in a bag. PA repealed that archaic laws years ago, but I guess they never got the memo. It's a PITA to try to carry a 6 pack in a bag when the carton has a hand grip for such.

And I remember years ago as a teen drinking Genesee Cream Ale with a straw, since it supposedly got you drunk quicker.

Growing up in NEPA, it was an adventure.

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BTDT, Got The T-Shirt

I like to deal in cash and if the seller has to pay 4% on a credit card he should give me 4% off for cash. We have a credit card and if the card and cash is the same price we use the card. Sometimes my wife tells me she got some back from the card company but I don't know the per cent. Larry

As a teen in the mid-70's in Central Ohio, a lot of Rolling Rock and Little Kings, were consumed here. And surprisingly, POC (Pride of Cleavland) and Steel City.

Ivan

Haven’t seen this in my area as yet. However, prices for just about everything have gone up .

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"Your other right........."

These 7oz bottles of 5.5% anesthetic are still brewed right here.

They were Bob Shreve's favorite.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Why short the waitress?

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I hear you Sig. No reason to penalize the Min Wage folks.
Lately I’ve tried to Tip them more.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

I'm just spitballing here, but credit is 4% more, and cash is 4% less. How do you pay to get the actual total?

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Our Chinese restaurant in Brooklyn has levied a surcharge on credit card use for at least the four years we've gone there.


Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

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Slava Ukraini!

I see it a lot on gunbroker, but that's about it. I was in Idaho a couple of weeks ago and took my daughter's car in for some repairs. When I went to pick it up, I questioned why the amount he rang up was more than the bill. He said they are charging the credit cad surcharge, but because he hadn't disclosed it in advance he waived it for me. I'm guessing we are going to start seeing more of this.

Show your empty pockets, and wash dishes until they say you're even......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

I get a percentage back on all purchases...It varies depending on merchandise category and individual card...It varies from 1% to 5%...Sometimes there's a bonus percentage for a limited time on particular sellers, but it's tough to remember all of them...It's my money, not theirs so I make the effort......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

Punish the server for the policy of the owner??

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

I know it used to be against the CC companies rules to add a charge for using a card, but I see so much of it lately that policy has been rescinded or just totally ignored.

We eat out about 3 times a week and I have seen so many new ways of adding onto the bill. I understand things due to circumstances are off the wall.

What I see a lot of is a signs on the door and/or on the menu telling you about what they are doing. Thats at least is fair warning and you make up your mind.

Went to this little resruant we go to a few times a year. We make a couple hour ride out of it. What they did in regards to CC fees was nothing on the door or entrance, area, nothing on the menu, nothing said by the waitress.

When the wallet thing containing our bill was left at the table, there was a attached note inside stating all CC charges would have a 3% surcharge added. It also stated no surcharge if paying cash or debit cards. I did mention to the owner on the way out the honorable thing to do IMHO was to post the policy not a bid surprise at check out time.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

100% agreement here. That is one hard job and they are basically on the same side of the table as you and I when it come to the impact of the economy. Probably far worse than many of us.

I would rather give my money to that young man or lady who smiles, is pleasant, is clearly trying to do a good job even if it is just for a better tip.... even if she does have purple hair and a ring in her nose.

It has gotten so expensive to eat out in the last year that I have completely changed my habits.

I will NOT eat out at a chain restaurant. I still support (although less frequently) locally owned places and if I can't afford to tip my server for good service, I don't go.

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BT
EGO VOLUNTAS HAUD OBEDIO

But yet we are still surprised that no one wants to work in a restaurant...

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Common sense isn't so common.

Waitress did not come up with that rule. On the owners side, I bet if you had a small business that did just $50,000 gross receipt a month and saw $3000 of what was left over by the time you paid for supplies, wages, taxes utility, lopped off by credit card companies you would consider it to or just jack up your prices for all.

A small restaurant that serves 100 people a day at an average of $16 per will gross $48K a month. My brother had a small cafe. Once he paid the help, the grocery bill, the power bills, the permits and the taxes and the credit card companies took their cut he was working for minimum.

I just had a new well put in here. Before he started work I asked if he gave a discount for cash(rather than a check). He kinda looked at me funny and said uh...yeah. Only 500 bucks...but that will more than pay for a new pump. He even told me when I asked how he wanted it ..he didn't care if it was dollar bills. I almost went to the bank and got a few thousand gold dollars...but that woulda been mean. As far as restaurants everybody seems to have raised their prices...some as much as 15%. Haven't seen any CC surcharges yet. New wells are really expensive these days.

BTW operating my gun shop for 30 years I never accepted CCs. It wasn't so much the fees...it was the charge backs on CCs. As a retailer you have very little rights. Sell a new gun...get a used one back

We had a automobile repair shop that charged 3%, as that is what they were being charged. It was a new policy and came with a change to their card readers. Two months later they stopped. The owner wife said they changed back to their previous card reader company due to complaints about this. IOW, the charge was associated with the card reader supplier.

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Front sight and squeeze

I have never seen a "cash discount" price in a restaurant here, ever. Until last weekend. Kind of ticked me off.

We began accepting credit cards about 15 years ago for the convenience of the members of the association we manage. We bill for multiple items from membership, services, and the annual convention/meeting.

It hardly mattered who we contracted to process the payments we were routinely left with 4-5% less money than we billed for but it really streamlined meeting registration. For a non-profit it seemed like a lot of breakage and it's a lot for a business to absorb. Margins were always tight as we charged what we thought we needed to cover expenses and not much more. Most of the time we broke even or didn't hemorrhage terribly.

A couple years ago we began charging 5% more for credit card payment and no one balked; it had become pretty common by then across the board. We determined the people who want to use a credit card will do so regardless of a surcharge and those that prefer to send us checks continue to send us checks. Seems it all comes down to the payers personal preference.

Most businesses around us make it plain up-front that using a credit card is going to mean a surcharge.

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Ordnung muss sein
SWHF #789

Bout freaking time. Can remember getting irritated at gas stations giving discounts to "their" card holders. Credit cards can be incredibly handy, but people who want a cashless society are asking for others to eventually take complete control of their finances imo.

I haven't noticed a surcharge for using a CC at restaurants or other businesses in the Vegas area; however, there are some that charge a service (nuisance) fee for purchases under $5. Most gas stations give a $.10 break for cash and sometimes debit cards.

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213th FBINA

I don't know about you guys, but I HATE when the waiter asks me if I want any protein on my salad or pasta.

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Forum consigliere

There are a few places that only accept credit cards - No cash.
No cash drawer, slip up counting change, etc. Business gets their money almost immediately. No bank run, harder to rob the place when there is no cash on hand.
I always tip the wait staff and housekeeping in cash. Never on the card.

Arizona
Some restaurants I go to offer 2 prices, like the gas stations.

I tried to discuss this with an owner of one of the restaurants but he did not want to discuss it.

I have noticed fewer customers at restaurants.

Everybody knows restaurants operate on a slim profit margin.

I believe the CC or Cash is due to cash flow.

Credit card companies are notorious for lengthy payment.

The restaurant needs money to operate, with decline in business and CC payment delays they really have no option but to ask for cash.

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Who are? "They"

They don’t ask, at least the places I’ve been to, you can have it or not have it according to your tastes. If it says so on the menu then you need to speak up.

Pasta dishes were the cheapest thing on the menu, not anymore.

In Italy, at the least the places I went to, meat is a separate dish from pasta. In the “touristy” areas like Rome, they are somewhat catering to the foreigners and combining the two from what I saw.


What they DO ask here in NC, as a matter of course, is if you are splitting the bill when with another couple. No sighs or long faces like they do elsewhere, it is expected.

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Sure you did

A lot of the smaller seasonal businesses/restaurants here are charging 3%. I can understand it because their CC processing fees are higher than a bigger year round business. I pay cash at those and use a CC at ones that don't charge extra.

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Super Snooper

When I do pay cash the 4% usually goes to the server as a tip anyway if the service was good.

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Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

Can't afford to eat out at restaurants, no matter how we pay for it.

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Can my S&W Mdl 10 shoot +P

You could have given him 20 or so for fun.

I agree with you totally. I did some bartending years ago and I learned a lot about the lives of people who work for tips. So now I try to take good care of wait staff and trades people. I have never put tips on credit cards, because I want the staff to get the full value of what I tip with the Golden Dollars and $2 bils.

It's not the owner's business what we tip! Also, there are owners who "play" with their staff. Here in Vegas, an owner insisted that the bartender make up the amount stolen when the place was robbed. I kid you not. I forgot how this turned out, but NOBODY had to make up for an armed robbery.

I walk out when I hear at the register about a CC fee. Of course, that's after I say, if I pay cash, there's no tax, right? They cannot understand this. Business is no place for children.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S. BTW, if you don't know how to tip, or overtip, stay out of Vegas.