topic Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants in Community Chat

Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Twins Mom — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:20:45 GMT

Its becoming quite common in restaurants for them to add an additional fee if customer uses a charge card. Sometimes I don't even notice the policy. I am actually finding myself needing to go to the bank. Are you also seeing?

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

JeanLouiseFinch — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:26:21 GMT

I haven't really paid attention since DH usually handles the bill. Two recent observations, though, have been at the kennel and at my audiologist's office. I like using my card for everything since I get rebates, but at those two places I'll be going back to paper checks.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Wsmom — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:30:46 GMT

@Twins Mom , in general I am finding that is more the rule than the exception that there is an extra % charged.

One restaurant I go to actually gives you a discount if you use cash.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Twins Mom — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:35:40 GMT

@JeanLouiseFinch

I have noticed additional fees at other places too, or a discount if paying cash.

The nail salon had a sign showing additional fee of ~$4 for supplies. On the lookout for small print and added signage.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

deeva — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:43:43 GMT

I haven't noticed that at restaurants.
What I have seen is a minimum purchase requirement. I'll use cash before I write a check. With all of the check washing, I don't feel comfortable writing checks.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Etoile308 — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:37:28 GMT

I also have a restaurant that will give you a 5% discount for using cash.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Mz iMac — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:39:01 GMT

I've always paid cash at restaurants as I am a cash & carry gal.

I do not like to use cc or debit cards at restaurants because the "card" disappear from your hands when you hand it over to the waiter or waitress......who then goes to the cash register section.....you're sitting at your table waiting for like maybe 10-15 minutes (depending if crowded/very busy)....long enough for fraud to happen before your card is returned to you.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

haddon9 — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:42:12 GMT

There is a restaurant that we like to go to that will give you a small discount for paying by cash. However I haven't seen any that adds to the price if one uses a credit card.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

PinkyPetunia — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:50:36 GMT

I don't eat out much but I have seen this in my hair salon. Their prices are for cash payment. There is an upcharge for credit cards. They don't want personal checks either.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Mom2Dogs — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:53:22 GMT

My husband and I do not have debit cards. We have 1 credit card. We only use cash to eat out.

Even if we had a debit card I would not use it to eat out, I am not paying a fee (even if is a small amount) for the ease of not carrying cash.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

MamaWick — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:55:05 GMT

It burns my butt to see these upcharges for using a CC. I noticed this during the pandemic. This has always been the cost of doing business and had previously never been overt.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

sunshine45 — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 01:59:17 GMT

i would rather have them increase their pricing overall than add that extra cc percentage onto a customers bill. we have a small business and our credit card processing company is trying to get us to do this with our customers. i told them if we nickel and dime them to death we are going to lose our customers over a few dollars.

we still go to more restaurants that are NOT doing this than restaurants that are adding the surcharge. i am still using my cards and i leave a cash tip for the server. we ALSO have an added 9% alcohol tax when we are in bars and restaurants. maryland has to make its money also. LOL

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Lucky Charm — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 02:03:41 GMT

I rarely have cash in my wallet. If I do, I'm like *OMGosh, I have money!* I just don't like dealing with it. Once you spend it, you have to go back and get more. A credit card is so much easier.

But, I befriended someone who owned a boutique and I bought almost all my furniture for this house there.

I asked her upfront, if it costs her money to process credit card payers and she said it did. So she gave me a nice discount on everything I either ordered or picked out from her shop paying cash.

Otherwise, I'll pay using a credit card.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Lucky Charm — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 02:02:55 GMT

@sunshine45 wrote:
i would rather have them increase their pricing overall than add that extra cc percentage onto a customers bill. we have a small business and our credit card processing company is trying to get us to do this with our customers. i told them if we nickel and dime them to death we are going to lose our customers over a few dollars.

we still go to more restaurants that are NOT doing this than restaurants that are adding the surcharge. i am still using my cards and i leave a cash tip for the server. we ALSO have an added 9% alcohol tax when we are in bars and restaurants. maryland has to make its money also. LOL

@sunshine45 So if you are tipping at a restaurant and have ordered alcohol, you add the 9% on top of your usual tip? Wow, that can be pricey! I didn't even know anything about a 9% alcohol tax. Is it common knowledge?

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

beach-mom — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 02:06:12 GMT

One of our longtime favorite restaurants has always been cash only, but now many are going that way.

The first time I noticed was a sign at another one of our favorite places. They would add 3% if you paid with a card. Down the hallway I saw a new ATM machine, so after we ordered I went to get cash out. Right away I got a notice that I would be charged $3.50 in addition to any fees our bank would charge. Still I had it in my mind to get that cash! I put in my pin and it didn't recognize it. I tried again and still no luck. So I gave up and went back to the table. Later, we figured out it was less expensive to pay with the 3% added on to the card than it would have been to pay the ATM fees!

DD and I ate out together last week at a restaurant we go to once in a while. They are giving a 5% discount if you pay with cash, and they are now including an 18% tip on every bill. I always tip a little over 20%, rounding up. So I guess their tip calculation is better for us!

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

granddi — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 02:07:33 GMT

We were charged 22% manditory add on to our bill at Hard Rock In Seattle. The Host told us up front before seating. It was broken down 17% tip and 5% surcharge.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Lucky Charm — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 02:08:44 GMT

@beach-mom wrote:
One of our longtime favorite restaurants has always been cash only, but now many are going that way.

The first time I noticed was a sign at another one of our favorite places. They would add 3% if you paid with a card. Down the hallway I saw a new ATM machine, so after we ordered I went to get cash out. Right away I got a notice that I would be charged $3.50 in addition to any fees our bank would charge. Still I had it in my mind to get that cash! I put in my pin and it didn't recognize it. I tried again and still no luck. So I gave up and went back to the table. Later, we figured out it was less expensive to pay with the 3% added on to the card than it would have been to pay the ATM fees!

DD and I ate out together last week at a restaurant we go to once in a while. They are giving a 5% discount if you pay with cash, and they are now including an 18% tip on every bill. I always tip a little over 20%, rounding up. So I guess their tip calculation is better for us!

A salon I went to, used to have an ATM machine. It was because you had to pay the stylist their tip in cash. No matter how many times I went there, I always forgot to bring cash. Ugh.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

drizzellla — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 02:28:10 GMT

@Twins Mom wrote:
Its becoming quite common in restaurants for them to add an additional fee if customer uses a charge card. Sometimes I don't even notice the policy. I am actually finding myself needing to go to the bank. Are you also seeing?

Yes, I am seeing it at every restaurant that isn't a chain restaurant. OOPS! Come to think of it even at a chain restaurant. We were charged an extra percentage last week.

I can understand it, during the pandemic they had to reconfigure the restaurants and put up additional barriers Lots of local restaurants went out of business. And the ones that are still open are having a hard time with staffing.

My husband went out to lunch with friends. Only one waitress showed up to work the lunch schedule. She called everyone. No one wanted to work lunch, only dinner.

Just look at the parking lots for restaurants. There are plenty of empty spots.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

beach-mom — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 02:30:05 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
I've always paid cash at restaurants as I am a cash & carry gal.

I do not like to use cc or debit cards at restaurants because the "card" disappear from your hands when you hand it over to the waiter or waitress......who then goes to the cash register section.....you're sitting at your table waiting for like maybe 10-15 minutes (depending if crowded/very busy)....long enough for fraud to happen before your card is returned to you.

@Mz iMac - This happened to us. DD got takeout for us at one of our favorite restaurants on her way home one Friday night. She had my card. When she went to get the food the lobby was filled with people. She gave her name and the hostess took her card to the back.

Later that night I was checking our account and noticed a charge from Uber eats, which we have never used. There were quite a few, then I noticed a charge for a little over $800.00 from Uber travel, which I didn't even know existed! It was too late to call the bank, but I did first thing Saturday morning. They were great. They blocked my card, which is always inconvenient, and said I would get a new one in "7-10 days," and I could keep my pin. So I would have to share DH's. A few days later I noticed questionable charges on our account. I called the bank. The representative said they had issued the card, but it hadn't been sent yet. So someone used my card before I even had it. Even she couldn't believe it!

She advised me to change my pin and said she would send out a new one!

She also said what probably happened at the restaurant is someone standing in the lobby with DD had a card-reading contraption. DD has a regular wallet; I have an RFID one.

I try to be VERY careful, but you never know who's around.

Re: Cash or Charge in Restaurants

Meowingkitty — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 02:37:31 GMT

@drizzellla wrote:
@Twins Mom wrote:
Its becoming quite common in restaurants for them to add an additional fee if customer uses a charge card. Sometimes I don't even notice the policy. I am actually finding myself needing to go to the bank. Are you also seeing?

Yes, I am seeing it at every restaurant that isn't a chain restaurant. OOPS! Come to think of it even at a chain restaurant. We were charged an extra percentage last week.

I can understand it, during the pandemic they had to reconfigure the restaurants and put up additional barriers Lots of local restaurants went out of business. And the ones that are still open are having a hard time with staffing.

My husband went out to lunch with friends. Only one waitress showed up to work the lunch schedule. She called everyone. No one wanted to work lunch, only dinner.

Just look at the parking lots for restaurants. There are plenty of empty spots.

Don't know where you live but in the Phoenix and surrounding cities our restaurants are busy from the time they open until they close. Waiting is the norm at busy times. Of course, no one will eat outside now so fewer indoor seats. But when it's October to April the seats outside are usually full.