Wish the US did card transactions at restaurants like many (most?) Canadian restaurants where they bring the handheld machine to the table to process it and close out the tab.
From a hospitality household here...pay attention to where you might be seeing those extra charges. Are they independent chef-owner type restaurants or corporate conglomerates? The latter is probably making sure that you are covering their interchange fee. This is the cost the company incurs for that financial transaction between them and the credit card company. You may have heard that some places that don't accept AmEx, for example, & that's b/c AmEx charges a higher interchange fee than the other credit cards in the marketplace. If that higher cost isn't passed on to the customer, the restaurant/company just may not want to pay that higher interchange fee just to accept that card. Not saying it's right or wrong -- just why this fee may be in play and why some cards may not be accepted.
Other fees to look out for: automatic tips on smaller table sizes. Used to be 18% for tables of 10+ or such. We're seeing corporate-owned restaurants bring that all the way down to 6+ guests for that automatic tip.
In general, cash is always better for the restaurant staff. They get their money right away. Remember, that most front of house staff make just a couple of dollars an hour and rely on tips to really make their living. [Whether that is the way it should be done or not is a debate for another time.] If guests pay cash, they go home that night with their wages (after tip out). If you charge it, they will get it in their paycheck some weeks later.
Oh, and if you do pay by card, please make sure to leave a signed copy of your receipt in the little folio they bring to the table. If you take all of the paperwork, the restaurant will either have to call you to rectify that for the restaurant/staff -- or the restaurant may have a rule where that's just a loss for the server (which stinks -- working for hours to realize $0 on that effort...far worse is the 10 cent or $1 tippers b/c that takes intention).
Cash payment is an interesting push lately. It is also much easier for people with bad intentions to skim some off the top. Lots to consider for sure, and everyone's comfort level varies.
ETA: The restaurant industry (and perhaps others) just seems to have taken up the long-standing practice of the gas industry, no? In my childhood, there was always a different in price at the gas station between cash and credit. And that exists today. Interesting...
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