American Express & Discover Card Acceptance Rate in UK
Jan 25, 2016, 11:11 pm
#1
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American Express & Discover Card Acceptance Rate in UK
Hi all
I am flying to UK next week. Just want to know if UK takes AMEX or Discover card and their acceptance rate there. I have read in other threads that many stores now take AMEX but how about Discover card. My only two cards with no foreign transaction fee are AMEX and Discover. I've also heard sometimes you have to enter a PIN while making a transaction. But since it is a credit card not a debit card there is not a PIN for it.
Can you share your experiences please thanks in advance.
I am flying to UK next week. Just want to know if UK takes AMEX or Discover card and their acceptance rate there. I have read in other threads that many stores now take AMEX but how about Discover card. My only two cards with no foreign transaction fee are AMEX and Discover. I've also heard sometimes you have to enter a PIN while making a transaction. But since it is a credit card not a debit card there is not a PIN for it.
Can you share your experiences please thanks in advance.
Jan 25, 2016, 11:50 pm
#2
Community Director
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Most major (chain) stores will accept AmEx these days. Because of the extra charges levied compared to Visa and MasterCard, the vast, vast majority of smaller outlets will not - which may well include pubs. If you're in London, the Underground and Transport for London buses will be fine, and outside that all train operators as well.
Whilst it's not something I've ever looked out for, my inclination is that Discover will not be recognised as widely - I certainly can't recall routinely seeing it on the stickers on shop doors, although don't take this as gospel!
All UK cards now incorporate Chip & Pin, whether credit or debit, and it's a much more secure and convenient way to pay. Contactless is being used more regularly as well if your cards have that feature. If not, you'll just be asked to sign - obviously every store still has the ability to produce a paper slip to sign.
Whilst it's not something I've ever looked out for, my inclination is that Discover will not be recognised as widely - I certainly can't recall routinely seeing it on the stickers on shop doors, although don't take this as gospel!
All UK cards now incorporate Chip & Pin, whether credit or debit, and it's a much more secure and convenient way to pay. Contactless is being used more regularly as well if your cards have that feature. If not, you'll just be asked to sign - obviously every store still has the ability to produce a paper slip to sign.
Jan 26, 2016, 12:30 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
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As noted Amex is patchy. Big stores and companies are generally fine. Some smaller places do accept it but many don't.
Never heard of Discover (and work in retail so probably have a higher awareness of this sort of thing than most). Unless it uses Visa or MasterCard you will have no luck at all.
Never heard of Discover (and work in retail so probably have a higher awareness of this sort of thing than most). Unless it uses Visa or MasterCard you will have no luck at all.
Jan 26, 2016, 12:42 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Most major (chain) stores will accept AmEx these days. Because of the extra charges levied compared to Visa and MasterCard, the vast, vast majority of smaller outlets will not - which may well include pubs. If you're in London, the Underground and Transport for London buses will be fine, and outside that all train operators as well.
Whilst it's not something I've ever looked out for, my inclination is that Discover will not be recognised as widely - I certainly can't recall routinely seeing it on the stickers on shop doors, although don't take this as gospel!
All UK cards now incorporate Chip & Pin, whether credit or debit, and it's a much more secure and convenient way to pay. Contactless is being used more regularly as well if your cards have that feature. If not, you'll just be asked to sign - obviously every store still has the ability to produce a paper slip to sign.
Whilst it's not something I've ever looked out for, my inclination is that Discover will not be recognised as widely - I certainly can't recall routinely seeing it on the stickers on shop doors, although don't take this as gospel!
All UK cards now incorporate Chip & Pin, whether credit or debit, and it's a much more secure and convenient way to pay. Contactless is being used more regularly as well if your cards have that feature. If not, you'll just be asked to sign - obviously every store still has the ability to produce a paper slip to sign.
Thanks. Good to hear that underground/tube/trains take AMEX. I hope most shopping center/outlet/supermarket/restaurant will take my AMEX as well.@:-)
Jan 26, 2016, 12:45 am
#5
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As noted Amex is patchy. Big stores and companies are generally fine. Some smaller places do accept it but many don't.
Never heard of Discover (and work in retail so probably have a higher awareness of this sort of thing than most). Unless it uses Visa or MasterCard you will have no luck at all.
Never heard of Discover (and work in retail so probably have a higher awareness of this sort of thing than most). Unless it uses Visa or MasterCard you will have no luck at all.
Jan 26, 2016, 2:20 am
#6
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I use Amex for near 100% of my purchases. The last time I (honestly) used my bank Visa card was about six months ago. Discover has pretty much no coverage in the UK at all, as far as I'm aware.
Jan 26, 2016, 5:17 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: London
Posts: 1,117
Discover cards are accepted in the UK at places that take Diners Club cards, but Diners Club is a pretty niche card in the UK so I'd take a guess that most places which accept DC are the same kind of places that'd also take Amex.
Discover card acceptance outside the US
Re Amex acceptance in the UK, this question often seems to get quite different responses from different people. I'd surmise this perhaps reflects the shopping and spending patterns of those responding. Whether fair or not, Amex in the UK is generally seen as an upmarket thing and so the likelihood of retailer acceptance is seen in that context.
Or, to cut a long answer short, don't count on Amex being accepted!
Discover card acceptance outside the US
Re Amex acceptance in the UK, this question often seems to get quite different responses from different people. I'd surmise this perhaps reflects the shopping and spending patterns of those responding. Whether fair or not, Amex in the UK is generally seen as an upmarket thing and so the likelihood of retailer acceptance is seen in that context.
Or, to cut a long answer short, don't count on Amex being accepted!
Jan 26, 2016, 5:51 am
#8
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You may even find some larger stores no longer accept AmEx - their card services agreements have become increasingly uncompetitive in recent years, so more-and-more retailers are dropping them.
Jan 26, 2016, 6:43 am
#9
formerly known as ravishah
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 195
I think it also depends on the location - in London at a broad brush most places take Amex as I suspect their are more people with Amex e.g. tourists - except smaller outlets - although most of my local shops do take it even the local corner shop in my village and the local chippy.
With Diners Club - I doubt many people will take it all outside of the largest shops/hotels so i would not rely on it at all.
With Diners Club - I doubt many people will take it all outside of the largest shops/hotels so i would not rely on it at all.
Jan 26, 2016, 7:04 am
#11
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Being based in London with Amex as my primary card and MC as my backup, I do about 35 transactions per month on Amex and 3 on MC.
The OP should be aware that, without a Chip and PIN, no card will work in machines (parking, tube tickets etc. ) and contactless is needed to replicate an Oyster Card.
The OP should be aware that, without a Chip and PIN, no card will work in machines (parking, tube tickets etc. ) and contactless is needed to replicate an Oyster Card.
Jan 26, 2016, 7:57 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Chicago
Posts: 244
Being based in London with Amex as my primary card and MC as my backup, I do about 35 transactions per month on Amex and 3 on MC.
The OP should be aware that, without a Chip and PIN, no card will work in machines (parking, tube tickets etc. ) and contactless is needed to replicate an Oyster Card.
The OP should be aware that, without a Chip and PIN, no card will work in machines (parking, tube tickets etc. ) and contactless is needed to replicate an Oyster Card.
I had a handful of restaurants in London that wouldn't take Amex, but at least 90% of my charges were on it. I'd assume outside big cities it might be accepted less, but I stick with cities.
Jan 26, 2016, 12:27 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
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This website will help you (you can check in advance if somewhere takes Amex):
http://www.whoacceptsamex.co.uk/
Amex is more widely accepted than it used to be, I think largely due to the number of companies who issue corporate Amex cards to their staff. Larger business, especially hotels and restaurants don't want to lose out on the corporate "expenses" market.
As for Discover / Diners, forget it! Diners died a death in the UK last century. I had a corporate Diners many years ago but the scheme was abandoned as it was so restrictive as hardly anywhere accepted it!
http://www.whoacceptsamex.co.uk/
Amex is more widely accepted than it used to be, I think largely due to the number of companies who issue corporate Amex cards to their staff. Larger business, especially hotels and restaurants don't want to lose out on the corporate "expenses" market.
As for Discover / Diners, forget it! Diners died a death in the UK last century. I had a corporate Diners many years ago but the scheme was abandoned as it was so restrictive as hardly anywhere accepted it!