Minimum charge on credit card
Mar 30, 2007, 2:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 131
Minimum charge on credit card
I went to a pizza place today that's new to the RN program. I went there for the first time last week and charged $5+ w/o any problem, but today when I tried to charge $7.25 I was told there was a $10 minimum for credit cards. I didn't want to argue or cause a scene so I just paid cash. Does RN have any kind of policy prohibiting restaurants from doing this?
Mar 30, 2007, 4:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Technically, the major companies (AX, MC, VI, etc...) prohibit having a minimum charge amount. But some individual establishments do not care, and have a minimum charge.
If you want, you could notify the card company, but in the end the establishment may just stop accepting AX or MC or ... - this would mean that you could not use that card!
Or they may just drop out of idine altogether!
Then, you would have to pay cash, and still not get any miles!
If you want, you could notify the card company, but in the end the establishment may just stop accepting AX or MC or ... - this would mean that you could not use that card!
Or they may just drop out of idine altogether! Then, you would have to pay cash, and still not get any miles!
Mar 30, 2007, 11:53 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Tell them you work for Mastercard's audit department and the regulations prohibit requiring any minimum purchase amount.
It works for a friend of mine, who is an auditor for Mastercard Worldwide. ^ she said it usually works when she gets a manager.
however, I wouldn't expect their policies to change. You might be able to do it once, but if they're requiring a $10 min. they probably don't care.
It works for a friend of mine, who is an auditor for Mastercard Worldwide. ^ she said it usually works when she gets a manager.
however, I wouldn't expect their policies to change. You might be able to do it once, but if they're requiring a $10 min. they probably don't care.
Mar 31, 2007, 7:17 am
#4
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"Tell them you work for Mastercard's ..." as if a minimum-wage clerk would have a clue? 
Add an overpriced soda to run-up the total and call it good ~or~ cancel the order & walk away
/.
Add an overpriced soda to run-up the total and call it good ~or~ cancel the order & walk away
/.
Mar 31, 2007, 10:09 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2006
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"Gosh, I have no cash on me." Then offer the credit card.
A new IDINE bakery by me now has a sign on the register for $5.00 minimun credit card transactions, but they never even question me when I offer the credit card for my $3.00 loaf of bread. They are encouraging cash usage...or a larger order, but they don't turn down the credit card.
A new IDINE bakery by me now has a sign on the register for $5.00 minimun credit card transactions, but they never even question me when I offer the credit card for my $3.00 loaf of bread. They are encouraging cash usage...or a larger order, but they don't turn down the credit card.
Jul 14, 2007, 1:05 pm
#6
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Or for certain idine locations... based on what I have learned here, immediately ask them for a 50 dollar gift certificate, buy your 7.50 cent sub, and demand 42.50 in change from them.
Jul 20, 2007, 2:22 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: Northwest
Posts: 13
report to RN
You can also report this infraction, not only to your credit card company (since indeed it is prohibited to set a minimum), but you can report the problem to Rewards Network. I've had to do this several times. I was "forced" to pay cash since I didn't meet the minimum, so I told RN, and they went ahead and gave me the miles and (supposedly) warned the restaurant not to do that. Of course, the next time I went to the restaurant, they still enforced the minimum policy.
Jul 20, 2007, 5:26 pm
#8
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Tell them you work for Mastercard's audit department and the regulations prohibit requiring any minimum purchase amount.
It works for a friend of mine, who is an auditor for Mastercard Worldwide. ^ she said it usually works when she gets a manager.
however, I wouldn't expect their policies to change. You might be able to do it once, but if they're requiring a $10 min. they probably don't care.
It works for a friend of mine, who is an auditor for Mastercard Worldwide. ^ she said it usually works when she gets a manager.
however, I wouldn't expect their policies to change. You might be able to do it once, but if they're requiring a $10 min. they probably don't care.
"My dad is a retiree from MasterCard. Merchants are prohibited from minimums as per their merchant agreement," followed as sternly as I can possibly muster, "when enough complaints are logged, they [the credit card company] can decide to suspend the merchant's operations for a period as a penalty."
I did that once at an iDine joint where I wanted to charge a single drink. The bartender said it was the owner's policy (shrugging shoulders/passing buck). When I insisted, he ran the card through, but no charge ever appeared on my cc startement; RN gave me retroactive credit.
Oct 3, 2008, 9:26 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 49
On a similar note, can a bar tell you it can't close out your tab until closing time? I was recently at a bar that refused to close out my tab until the bar closed (which happened to be 4 hours away) 
. I was furious and ultimately managed to get my bill after talking to the owner ... is this legit?
. I was furious and ultimately managed to get my bill after talking to the owner ... is this legit?
Oct 3, 2008, 1:56 pm
#10
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I had a variation of this played yesterday at the New Horseshoe Bar & Grill (Loomis, CA.) The young woman returned with my AMEX card (miles and HHonors points,) and told me they had run the card several times but it was not accepted - perhaps the mag stripe was wearing, etc. So, they took my MC - but my AMEX worked fine at the gasoline station a while later, and again at another restaurant...
It feels like I was told a lie so they could run a card that is cheaper to them than AMEX, and that takes less time to pay them. (Though some of the food is OK, the occasionally loud banter from the kitchen and the highly inexpert table waiting may be clues people are not supporting them as they would like.)
It feels like I was told a lie so they could run a card that is cheaper to them than AMEX, and that takes less time to pay them. (Though some of the food is OK, the occasionally loud banter from the kitchen and the highly inexpert table waiting may be clues people are not supporting them as they would like.)
Oct 3, 2008, 2:02 pm
#11
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Oct 3, 2008, 2:04 pm
#12
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I had a variation of this played yesterday at the New Horseshoe Bar & Grill (Loomis, CA.) The young woman returned with my AMEX card (miles and HHonors points,) and told me they had run the card several times but it was not accepted - perhaps the mag stripe was wearing, etc. So, they took my MC - but my AMEX worked fine at the gasoline station a while later, and again at another restaurant...
It feels like I was told a lie so they could run a card that is cheaper to them than AMEX, and that takes less time to pay them. (Though some of the food is OK, the occasionally loud banter from the kitchen and the highly inexpert table waiting may be clues people are not supporting them as they would like.)
It feels like I was told a lie so they could run a card that is cheaper to them than AMEX, and that takes less time to pay them. (Though some of the food is OK, the occasionally loud banter from the kitchen and the highly inexpert table waiting may be clues people are not supporting them as they would like.)
Oct 11, 2008, 10:24 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2000
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The card processors charge a 2-part fee per transaction. For points/miles cards like everyone here typically uses, the fees for a restaurant are something like $0.35 plus 2.4% of the bill. FYI the restaurant pays the fees on the tax and the tip, too.
That fixed part of the transaction fee can make small tabs very expensive to process. My guess is that is why merchants will try and keep a guest on one tab for the evening. go ahead, get mad at them.
FYI processing fees vary around the world; U.S. merchants pay some of the highest fees in the world.
Visa/MC finally introduced a special "small ticket" fee schedule, supposedly when they were pursuing their first big fast food accounts. The per-transaction fee is $0.10 or even $0.04, but the percentage fee is significantly higher. My impression is that most card-accepting establishments have no idea there are different fees for small transactions.
regarding problems swiping an AMEX card: Yes, they cost about a percentage point more than other cards. Their cards also "fail" the swipe more than others. Try putting the card in a plastic supermarket bag, and then swipe the card and bag together -- not sure why, but it seems to work. FYI if a merchant cannot swipe a card and punches in the numbers manually, the merchant pays much nore.
Also, Amex pays about a day faster than visa/mc. I think it's because they have better technology, because all processors tell us they release funds on the same timetable.
That fixed part of the transaction fee can make small tabs very expensive to process. My guess is that is why merchants will try and keep a guest on one tab for the evening. go ahead, get mad at them.
FYI processing fees vary around the world; U.S. merchants pay some of the highest fees in the world.
Visa/MC finally introduced a special "small ticket" fee schedule, supposedly when they were pursuing their first big fast food accounts. The per-transaction fee is $0.10 or even $0.04, but the percentage fee is significantly higher. My impression is that most card-accepting establishments have no idea there are different fees for small transactions.
regarding problems swiping an AMEX card: Yes, they cost about a percentage point more than other cards. Their cards also "fail" the swipe more than others. Try putting the card in a plastic supermarket bag, and then swipe the card and bag together -- not sure why, but it seems to work. FYI if a merchant cannot swipe a card and punches in the numbers manually, the merchant pays much nore.
Also, Amex pays about a day faster than visa/mc. I think it's because they have better technology, because all processors tell us they release funds on the same timetable.
Last edited by gsilliman; Oct 11, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Jun 22, 2010, 2:37 am
#14
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The card processors charge a 2-part fee per transaction. For points/miles cards like everyone here typically uses, the fees for a restaurant are something like $0.35 plus 2.4% of the bill. FYI the restaurant pays the fees on the tax and the tip, too.
That fixed part of the transaction fee can make small tabs very expensive to process. My guess is that is why merchants will try and keep a guest on one tab for the evening. go ahead, get mad at them.
FYI processing fees vary around the world; U.S. merchants pay some of the highest fees in the world.
Visa/MC finally introduced a special "small ticket" fee schedule, supposedly when they were pursuing their first big fast food accounts. The per-transaction fee is $0.10 or even $0.04, but the percentage fee is significantly higher. My impression is that most card-accepting establishments have no idea there are different fees for small transactions.
regarding problems swiping an AMEX card: Yes, they cost about a percentage point more than other cards. Their cards also "fail" the swipe more than others. Try putting the card in a plastic supermarket bag, and then swipe the card and bag together -- not sure why, but it seems to work. FYI if a merchant cannot swipe a card and punches in the numbers manually, the merchant pays much nore.
Also, Amex pays about a day faster than visa/mc. I think it's because they have better technology, because all processors tell us they release funds on the same timetable.
That fixed part of the transaction fee can make small tabs very expensive to process. My guess is that is why merchants will try and keep a guest on one tab for the evening. go ahead, get mad at them.
FYI processing fees vary around the world; U.S. merchants pay some of the highest fees in the world.
Visa/MC finally introduced a special "small ticket" fee schedule, supposedly when they were pursuing their first big fast food accounts. The per-transaction fee is $0.10 or even $0.04, but the percentage fee is significantly higher. My impression is that most card-accepting establishments have no idea there are different fees for small transactions.
regarding problems swiping an AMEX card: Yes, they cost about a percentage point more than other cards. Their cards also "fail" the swipe more than others. Try putting the card in a plastic supermarket bag, and then swipe the card and bag together -- not sure why, but it seems to work. FYI if a merchant cannot swipe a card and punches in the numbers manually, the merchant pays much nore.
Also, Amex pays about a day faster than visa/mc. I think it's because they have better technology, because all processors tell us they release funds on the same timetable.
Jun 22, 2010, 2:45 pm
#15
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We're fortunate in the USA - so far. In Australia, legislation was passed that was supposed to help consumers - but what really happened is many providers now add a credit card processing fee to bills (and the fee did not reduce the original prices). Even Telstra (telcom) charges 1%, many hotels 1.5%. Some legislative proposals have gone forth in the USA to "help" the consumer in similar ways. Sure, you'd get extra miles or points, but...