Exactly, together with the three digit code on the back. It is rumoured that some even have cloning machines to replicate the mag stripe.

What fun, being able to review the bill throughout your meal, so much better than talking to the folk you are dining with, or reading a book if you are eating alone.

I agree, even with Chip & Pin cards get compromised. But at least you have the protection of someone having to do the compromising to get your PIN, in the old days how many stores/restaurants etc actually compared the signature on the slip with the one on the card? Not many in my experience. So no compromising required - just a lost/stolen card.

Even today in the US, where old-fashioned signatures are still the standard, very few businesses attempt to match the signature to the one on the card or ask for picture ID. One pizza shop near my house does as a matter of store policy, but that's it. I feel well protected that a thief who boosts my card will get shut down attempting to charge $8 for a couple of slices and a soda, but will get away with widescreen TVs and airline tickets because there are NO point-of-sale checks there. :rolleyes:

+1. Far too many horror stories. Pay at the table any day or at cashier's of one must... No losing sight of your card, no possibility for anyone to tamper with your chosen tip amount, and certainly no need for waiter to look over your shoulder.

its not rumored, and its not 'cloning' - device is referred to as a skimmer

considering amex reputation for disputing charges, i dont really worry

I would rather pay at the register because it seems i am always waiting for the server

What about one of those table-side tablet things?

I used it in Montreal last month for the first time. I felt it saved time, though I did feel a little strange having the server hover over me while I was entering the tip.

It's been more than two months since the October 1st "deadline" for chip card support. So far I've yet to go to a chip supporting sit-down restaurant in the US with the portable card terminals. One place was pay at the front counter though, which basically works out the same security-wise as pay at the table. Hopefully some of you have had better luck?

Ate lunch at Applebee's Sunday and encountered my first chip-enabled pay-at-the-table machine. It looked very shiny and new. I swiped my card since the one I pulled out of my wallet is the only one of 5 that doesn't have a chip. It's going to take me a while to get used to having receipts sent to my email but I think I'll end up preferring it. No more pocket full of crumpled charge slips.

Was it one of those tablet things that Chili's has at every table or was it something the server brought over? I haven't been to Applebee's in a long time so I don't remember what they have.

It was quite similar to the one at Chili's. It had games. You could order food. You could pay your bill and select the tip by %. There may have been more functionality than that. I want one that rings a bell and brings the server to the table just like you used to be able to do on a flight before stewardesses became flight attendants.

Last I heard the Chili's tablets don't support chip. They're going to replace them with the next version that does though so that they can support Apple Pay too. Perhaps Applebee's already got the newer ones?

My last visit to Chili's was 6-12 months ago. At that time, they did not have a slot for your chipped card.