My experience in the UK has been that they are ABLE to accept cards without a chip, but they just refuse to do it, aren't allowed to do it, or don't even know they can do it...

I've had to show a barmaid how to use the machine to swipe my card before. I've also had a bar owner flat out lie to me and say their machines couldn't accept cards without a chip. After I had been drinking there nearly every day for a week and using my card. I've also been to a couple of supermarkets where they'll sometimes accept the swipe card, and other times they won't, depending on who's working at the register.

I'm assuming this is because they want to avoid the charges associated with a credit card transaction. Am I wrong? If so, why else would a business simply refuse to accept a credit card?


These US cards being issued with a chip -- are they actual credit cards or are they debit cards?
Do you still get the points/miles/rewards when you use the chip instead of swiping?