[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by oneclickplus

But, if your debit card is processed as a credit card which is what most restaurants do, then the fee is applicable. Do what I do - pay cash. As an extra benefit, your credit card data can't be skimmed / stolen.

Not exactly. A debit card that is processed as "credit" is still a debit transaction. The money is removed from your checking account and no loan is initiated. The merchant cannot charge you a fee.

From VISA:

"No, a merchant cannot charge a surcharge for a debit card, even if you select "credit" or run the card as a signature-based transaction at the point of sale."

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by oneclickplus

But, if your debit card is processed as a credit card which is what most restaurants do, then the fee is applicable. Do what I do - pay cash. As an extra benefit, your credit card data can't be skimmed / stolen.

It’s a consideration of comfort level and convenience. I have had fraudulent charges twice in about 45 years of using a credit card which cost me zero dollars and a couple of hours total to deal with. In return I get a consolidated monthly bill (actually three) showing all my spending and a 2% discount.

If my wallet is ever lost or stolen I have to cancel two cards. There is no way to “cancel” or recover the hundreds in cash I would need to carry if I wasn’t using credit cards.

I prefer the convenience and security of cards. Others feel differently and that’s okay.

[banjobob]

Originally Posted by Eg_cruz

Last week I was charged a 3% fee because I used my bank debt card instead of cash or credit card.
So I had to look this up because I know that the debit card fees are very low if any and yes I did I checked and the fee to use a debit card for the merchants is $.05-$.21 not 3%.
I went and looked a little further and found out they are not allowed to charge a fee on a debit card or a prepaid card per agreement with a debit card holder companies
When I called and questioned it, they told me I was wrong that they’re allowed to per Florida law so again I went and research again, this time a little deeper.
Yes, in Florida they can charge 3 to 4% on credit card transactions only not on debit cards or prepaid cards
I found that you can report them through the state of Florida and through your debt card holder.
I get that it’s only a 3% fee but why do I have to pay them more than what they have to pay if they want to charge me $.21 per transaction fine but why are you charging me 3% when they don’t get charged 3%
To me, this is the restaurants and merchants who charge these fees on debit cards, they’re just ripping you off and we just have been paying it with no questions asked
So I will be reporting any restaurant or merchant that charges me a fee on a debit card.
Especially Visa debit it is in their rules with the merchants that they are not allowed to charge a fee no matter what

Whatever happened to it’s the cost of being in business?

Sure everybody likes saving an extra fee, but debit cards are risky unless the transaction is a"tap" at checkout but wary of sever taking the card to a station to charge it.

[GHMimi]

I just got home from lunch at the Light House Bar and Grill. First and foremost the food was fantastic and our server and the staff were all very good. I paid with my debit card and I was not charged a 3% fee or any fee at all. It clearly stated on my receipt that it was a debit card transaction. My friend paid with her credit card and she was charged 3% (.92) and it clearly stated that on her receipt. I did not state my card was a debit card before the payment was made. The payment system was able to distinguish between credit or debit. I was happy to see that they were processing card payments correctly.

[JGibson]

Originally Posted by Eg_cruz

Lighthouse

Thanks,

Todd Casey golf carts charge 3% on debit cards also and when I questioned it the owner got annoyed and tried to give me nonsense excuses.

The shady part is the 3% wasn't on the receipt but it was charged on the debit card.

I asked for an updated receipt with the 3% and was ghosted.

I know they get high praises in TV but this billing practice is illegal and opens them up to investigations that may come back to haunt them.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by JGibson

Thanks,

Todd Casey golf carts charge 3% on debit cards also and when I questioned it the owner got annoyed and tried to give me nonsense excuses.

The shady part is the 3% wasn't on the receipt but it was charged on the debit card.

I asked for an updated receipt with the 3% and was ghosted.

I know they get high praises in TV but this billing practice is illegal and opens them up to investigations that may come back to haunt them.

If you dispute the charge with the bank, you may get their attention. Most banks have a debit card dispute process.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Restaurant charging urge fee of 2 1/2 to 3%

I'm glad to see someone succumbed to the URGE to report them

Too bad champion golf courses don’t charge 3% extra for the privilege of playing “championship courses. I bet you have different opinion

[JGibson]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

If you dispute the charge with the bank, you may get their attention. Most banks have a debit card dispute process.

I did and they resolved it.

The X Money card (Elon) is great it's a debit card with 3% back on everything except investments.

Also they refund you any ATM fees so you can withdraw money anywhere.

It also has 6% interest with a DD and 4% without a DD.

You also have the option of putting whatever name on the card you want and there are no numbers, CCV or expiration date on the card. I only have my initials on the front of the card.

It has 100% fraud protection like a CC.

The card itself is made from premium material not cheap plastic stuff. It can also be added to Apple Pay or be used as a virtual card.

The only caveat is it's tied to your X account. I wouldn't put my life savings into it but it's a neat card and has nice perks.

[Eg_cruz]

Originally Posted by GHMimi

I just got home from lunch at the Light House Bar and Grill. First and foremost the food was fantastic and our server and the staff were all very good. I paid with my debit card and I was not charged a 3% fee or any fee at all. It clearly stated on my receipt that it was a debit card transaction. My friend paid with her credit card and she was charged 3% (.92) and it clearly stated that on her receipt. I did not state my card was a debit card before the payment was made. The payment system was able to distinguish between credit or debit. I was happy to see that they were processing card payments correctly.

That’s good to here but my and my friend receipt said differently
Maybe after my call to them they changed
Who knows

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by Bwanajim

I owned a very large dry cleaners in Fort Lauderdale for 40 years. I never charged a credit card surcharge! I just factored it into my pricing.
Smart business

so instant 3% inflation due to the introduction of credit cards or more with and more with high cash back, so a cashless society is a higher inflationary society. .

What's good for the company is not good for the consumer. .
Consumers paying cash just got hit extra hard with a higher cost of doing business.

that's why I hate corporatism!

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by JGibson

Thanks,

Todd Casey golf carts charge 3% on debit cards also and when I questioned it the owner got annoyed and tried to give me nonsense excuses.

The shady part is the 3% wasn't on the receipt but it was charged on the debit card.

I asked for an updated receipt with the 3% and was ghosted.

I know they get high praises in TV but this billing practice is illegal and opens them up to investigations that may come back to haunt them.

I don't think Todd is doing much work himself, if any. He always seemed like a good guy, but some of the guys he's had working for him lately ... not so great.

[M2inOR]

How to worry less:

Get a credit card that credits a percentage of your purchase back to you.

1. Many cards give 2-3% back to you as cash credit. We have 2 Fidelity Rewards credit card. One pays 2%, and the other 3%. No annual fee, and the cash credit balance is periodically deposited into one of our accounts.

2. Some credit cards provide other benefits that easily are valued as higher than that 3% "charge" on that purchase.

Yes, there is a world of differences as to card benefits.

For us, the bulk of our everyday purchases are done with the Fidelity card that gives us 3% back.

A no brainer for us.

And yes, we have airline, and hotel credit cards that we use to pay for travel expenses. Those cards have annual fees that are $$$, but the benefits we get and use are easily worth it: free nights, free club access, free lounge access, discounts at partners, etc.

Check bankrate.com and other similar websites for card membership benefits.

[mtlee024]

Originally Posted by Pugchief

This information is misleading if not flat-out wrong.

Using a debit card in a PIN based transaction costs the merchant less than using a credit card. But if you sign instead (virtually all restaurants), the merchant is charged the same rate as a credit card.

Also, while the rate varies based on average monthly volume, we were paying $0.50 to $0.75 for debit card PIN transactions, not $0.05.

You should also know that PIN based debit card transactions are more secure (thus the lower fee) and generally speaking, credit cards offer better protection against fraud. I only use my debit card for ATM withdrawals, and credit cards for any purchase.

The sad reality is that more and more merchants are tacking on a fee to use cards. It's understandable when you realize they are losing ~3% on every transaction, which over time really adds up. $10,000 in monthly volume means losing $3600+ each year. The real question is why banks are charging merchants 3%+ when the actual cost to them IIRC is less than 1%. Even with a profit built in, 3% is ridiculous. But the extra fees help pay for rewards cards that offer cash back or airline miles.

The merchants are not really losing anything when a CC is used. They have already applied that fee into the cost of the product you bought.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by M2inOR

How to worry less:

Get a credit card that credits a percentage of your purchase back to you.

1. Many cards give 2-3% back to you as cash credit. We have 2 Fidelity Rewards credit card. One pays 2%, and the other 3%. No annual fee, and the cash credit balance is periodically deposited into one of our accounts.

2. Some credit cards provide other benefits that easily are valued as higher than that 3% "charge" on that purchase.

Yes, there is a world of differences as to card benefits.

For us, the bulk of our everyday purchases are done with the Fidelity card that gives us 3% back.

A no brainer for us.

And yes, we have airline, and hotel credit cards that we use to pay for travel expenses. Those cards have annual fees that are $$$, but the benefits we get and use are easily worth it: free nights, free club access, free lounge access, discounts at partners, etc.

Check bankrate.com and other similar websites for card membership benefits.

Regarding your No. 1, according to Fidelity, they no longer offer a 3 percent cash back credit card.

"Update on 3% cash back credit card?
Any update on the reworking of the rewards tier for Fidelity Rewards? You used to be able to get 3% based on the amount you had managed with Fidelity, but then it was taken down saying it was being reviewed."

[BrianNotFromNYC]

If a restaurant charges the fee, you may assume the employees are underpaid. Chiselers do this.