Originally Posted by
Dadaluma83
I am going to London and Dublin in a little over 3 weeks and I am already getting antzy and freaking out, man!
Only previous international trip was Mexico City and the hotel charged me in pesos, and I paid cash for everything else on the streets so no issues at all. One thing on my mind is DCC for sure. I want to use my Barclay card arrival as much as I can so I can hit the spend for the signup bonus.
What worries me is I fear I may be forced to pay DCC. If I eat out at a restaurant or pub where you pay the bill after you have consumed the product what if I am forced into DCC by the merchant and they lie and say it is for my convenience, the machine can only do dollars for American credit cards, etc not like I can make a stink and refuse to pay since I have already consumed food and drink.
My first plan is to just straight up say I know what DCC is, most other american tourists may think you are doing them a favor, charge me in local currency, whats the problem mate? For every one person like me who makes a stink, you probably get 100 who think you are doing them a favor. Scam them instead and leave me be!
If that fails I will then say I will make a complaint with my bank, the rules state I must be given the option. Write on the recept DCC refused, then dispute when I get home.
Sounds like a good plan?
When I ask for the check/pay at the cashier I always specify that I want to pay in (insert local currency). Sometimes they know exactly why, sometimes they act confused and wonder why I wouldn't pay in euros or whatever.
You have the benefit of being able to converse in English at least. Often a clerk will feign ignorance or genuinely not be able to understand what you're talking about.
With Chip cards overseas you usually have the terminal directly in front of you with the ability to select menu options on the keypad. (i.e. currency selection.)