I went to a Chinese restaurant for take-out last Wednesday before "Lost." The bill was $7.60.

I pulled out my AMEX.

"$10 minimum for credit cards."

I say, "you can't do that."

"Most people go to ATM."

"I'll call the bank."

"Go ahead. We can set whatever minimum we want."

I'm thinking of calling them on the phone and ordering chicken wings or something (less than $10) and then ask them if I can use my AMEX. I will tape the conversation and provide it to the bank.

NO MINIMUM...NO MAXIMUM

YOU CAN REPORT THEM WITH-OUT RECORDING ANYTHING

I HOPE YOU LEFT WITH-OUT THE ORDER!!!

The reason I want to record it is so that they can't back track and say that it wasn't their policy.

Do really think that YOU are the only one that would report them???

Probably not...I just didn't care for their attitude

GET THE PHONEBOOK OUT SO YOU HAVE THEIR CORRECT NAME AND ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER AND REPORT THEM!!!

THE 800# ON THE BACK OF YOUR AMEX CARD

or

SEND AMEX AN E-MAIL FROM THEIR WEB SITE "IF" YOU DON'T WANT TO CALL

Some places, especially Chinese restaurants it seems, will actually print the minimum credit card charge on their menus. It would make a great piece of evidence, if you needed one.

$7.60 SALE WITH CREDIT CARD vs $0.00 SALE

WE WILL TAKE THE $0.00 SALE (WE WILL MAKE MORE MONEY)

If it's posted somewhere in the store, then take a pic of the sign and use it as evidence.

If I were you, I would just order something under $10 EVERY DAY and use your AMEX as payment. And if they refuse your amex, I would do what GEORGE says and leave without the order!

I didnt know that it was illegal to set a minimum on charge purchases. I know tons of places that set $10 minimums.

NO MINIMUM
NO MAXINUM
NO ID ON A SIGNED CREDIT CARD
NO FEE FOR USING THE CREDIT CARD

Okie, i went to Family Video and rented a video, it cost only a few bucks. They made me place a minimum of $10 on my card, Dang it. I didn't knew that was illegal. Should i report them???

Family video's all around me make you pay the 10 buck minimum. They state that it costs them money every time they run your card, so they require at least 10 min. Then they try to sucker you into putting the remainder into credit on your account.

"IF" you want to buy a $10.00 GIFT CARD

That "MAY" make them happy...AND YOU (assuming you can use it SOONER THAN LATER)

NO MINIMUM ALLOWED--CREDIT CARD VIOLATION!!!

WATER
SEWER
TRASH
PHONE
GAS
ELECTRIC

COST MONEY TOO!!!

THEY ARE ALL A TAX DEDUCTABLE COST OF DOING BUSINESS!!!

JUST LIKE THE PROCESSING FEE FOR CREDIT CARDS!!!

It may not be illegal, depending on your state's laws, but it most certainly is against credit card company policy.

Also, check your state statutes. In Florida, charging a surcharge or additional fee for using a CC is a violation of state law, specifically Title XXXIII, Chapter 501.

501.0117 Credit cards; transactions in which seller or lessor prohibited from imposing surcharge; penalty.--

(1) A seller or lessor in a sales or lease transaction may not impose a surcharge on the buyer or lessee for electing to use a credit card in lieu of payment by cash, check, or similar means, if the seller or lessor accepts payment by credit card. A surcharge is any additional amount imposed at the time of a sale or lease transaction by the seller or lessor that increases the charge to the buyer or lessee for the privilege of using a credit card to make payment. Charges imposed pursuant to approved state or federal tariffs are not considered to be a surcharge, and charges made under such tariffs are exempt from this section. The term "credit card" includes those cards for which unpaid balances are payable on demand. This section does not apply to the offering of a discount for the purpose of inducing payment by cash, check, or other means not involving the use of a credit card, if the discount is offered to all prospective customers.

(2) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

History.--ss. 1, 2, ch. 87-43.


Note the sentence, "A surcharge is any additional amount imposed at the time of a sale or lease transaction by the seller or lessor that increases the charge to the buyer or lessee for the privilege of using a credit card to make payment." Technically, that would cover the "no minimum" rule as well, because they are trying to force you to pay more than the cost of the merchandise or service just to use the credit card for payment...an implicit surcharge.

I think I'll print out this statute and carry it around with me...should be fun at the next Chinese restaurant or other merchant that doesn't play by the rules...hell, I may even call the police and have them come take a report for a misdemeanor violation just to be a prick about it!

You need to initiate a chargeback/dispute... you will get the added fee back or mabye the whole thing.

ha. Wow. I didn't know that was illegal either. The Chinese resteraunt here also has that. You go through one door and then the second door has a big sign that says "$10 minimum with credit card payment" Maybe it's a Chinese thing? lol I've never seen anywhere else with that "rule".

My order always comes to $8 something so I've always just added on a side and it always comes to $10.50 total. Eh no big deal for me and I really like this place and people.. So I won't report them.

I didn't think that was any different than a pizza place charging a minimum for delivery or something. Sure you have the option to go pick it up, but at the Chinese resteraunt you also have the option to pay by cash.

And speaking about what's illegal and not legal..

Isn't it illegal to tape a conversation without the person's OK?

THERE ARE...

ONE PARTY STATES

and

TWO PARTY STATES

"IF" YOU LIVE IN A "ONE PARTY STATE" (you agree to recording)--I ASSUME

TWO PARTY STATES...YOU HAVE TO GET THEM TO AGREE (or just record it anyway and then transcribe it to paper)

Just say something like "this call may be recorded for quality purposes" lol

I was in La Honda on a motorcycle trip with some friends. Stopped at a shop and tried to buy some coffee and a bagel with my Visa card.

Guy said store policy is $10 min. I was kinda like, c'mon man, this is about $4.00, are you really gonna let me walk without coffee? He had a bad attitude about it, and I really had no cash, just cards, but this was the first time I was stopped for buying something to small, but after some pissing contest about how interchange eats into his income spiel, he let me charge it, but to come prepared with CASH next time.

Told my buddies, next time, we stop in Half Moon Bay at the Starbucks.

NO I DON'T...DON'T USE THE STUFF!!!

This just happened to me today! I went to the storage place to put some Christmas stuff away and get the clutter out of the house. Anyway, I went to use my credit card and they charge a 5% fee!

I'm in Calif. is there a statute here, to go along with the credit card co's policies?

Who do I call to report this for Visa/M-C? The specific issuer of my card, or is there a general number for Visa or Mastercard?

It was for a $149.00 rental fee, so they weren't worrying about covering their cost of the transaction, utilities, etc.

Like GEORGE says, its the freakin' cost of doing business, they can say they don't accept cards if they can't handle the fee, sheesh!
I owned a business for 12 years and I accepted them. In general, people charged MORE if they could pay by credit card!

1-800-VISA-911

A LITTLE

SORRY G

THANK YOU ANYWAYS

Peace

The 2.9% they are charged to accept a credit card is made back by most businesses because accepting credit cards leads to more customers and many of the customers will spend more.

Also, if they can't handle the 2.9%, they should raise all their prices (for everyone) by like 2% to make up for it... don't demand that people pay a fee for picking a safe, smart way of payment.

PEOPLE (on average) SPEND MORE ON A CREDIT CARD THAN CASH or CHECK!!!

CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS GET EFT DIRECT DEPOSIT!!!

This particular restaurant has abandoned their $10 minimum and no longer accepts AMEX or Discover...the gas station accross the street requires a $10 minimum (no relation to restaurant owners).

BUY $5.00 AND TELL THEM TO ACCEPT IT or REPORT THEM

THEY GOING TO ADD A $5.00 LINE ITEM TO THE RECEIPT???

GAS $5.00
MINIMUM FEE $5.00
TOTAL $10.00

I'M SURE A $$FINE$$ HAPPENED

It isn't illegal.
It is a violation of the agreement between the CC issuer and the merchant.
To some it is a BFD.

eta: sorry, didn't realize this was a Lazurus thread.

But we all know the routine - if you can't prove it, it didn't happen. LOL!

THERE IS SOMEBODY HERE THAT WANTS TO MAKE THAT A LAW

Okay here is my take on it. The Chinese restaurant has a low average ticket amount, which makes their processing fees higher, and god forbid what AMEX would charge! So do they raise their prices to offset the cc charges? No, because most likely they are ignorant of the policies regarding minimums,until enough well informed consumers bring it to their attention. Then they will raise their prices to offset the fees for everyone.
I am a merchant. One month I had a lady buy something that cost $3.00 and charged it on her AMEX. That was the only charge on AMEX for that month. AMEX charged me $5.00 statement fee, plus the fee for the transaction at the end of the month. My average ticket is $150.00.

I fired them the next month.

Sounds like that lady really did you a favor! A point being that you exercised YOUR RIGHTS to get rid of Amex.

Same as the lady to exercise HER RIGHTS to use her Amex card.

With all the CC having "points", "REWARD points",Membership points we are getting to the point of CC's running the economy with a virtually "cashless" society.

It's got to be a Chinese Food thing, around here they are the most prevalent at doing Minimums.
During the summer the Chinese place next to the work had a lunch special for $5 some odd dollars. I got it EVERY day for lunch for 4 +/- weeks, then went in to get it on a Monday, and then there was a $20!! Min for purchases. I told her it was my CC or I left without the food, as I had no cash. She let me buy it, but from then on I was eating Ledo's lunch special every day instead.
I reported them, but to my knowledge they're still charging the same fee.

Years ago (before I found CB), I worked in an office building that had a little cafe on the first floor, and they charged an extra 25 cents if you paid with a CC. I figured it was not that much extra, and even if I knew it was not allowed, they had good food at cheap prices...plus, the nearest other place to eat was several miles away...far more than 25 cents in gas for the round trip.

Find out the state statute. In State of CALIFORNIA, CC surcharging is illegal.
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=723060

Call the police and complain of fraud in progress and when they show up, demand they enforce it in pursuant to (put penal code).

My dentist will not take Amex because the fees are higher. Fine with me. I have other options.

Maybe Amex is shooting themselves in the foot with their higher fees... maybe they'd make more on vilume if they were accepted at as many places as VISA/MC.

Buy $8 in gas.

Tell them that if they don't want the credit card then you will consider the gas to be free of charge since they are refusing to accept valid payment.



And when the guy with the Centurion (or, more reasonably a $20k limit on Clear or Blue) walks in and wants to spend a couple thousand I guess you would have to tell him to find someplace else to spend his money.

I know it is illegal to add a transaction fee, but I did not know they couldn't set a limit. I only carry plastic and I run into the minimum transaction problem ALL THE TIME!.

When I ran my retail stores, we offered "Membership Rewards" points -- between 1% and 5% of our purchases went to a "shopping day" every month. Our customers LOVED them. I _hated_ transactions under $10 on the CC (it does cost money, and when you're in a competitive market, it can make a big difference of up to 1% gross profits!). We were bound against setting CC minimums, so instead we only provided membership rewards on purchases over $10. Guess how many people made a charge under $10 after that? Zero.

The flipside is that retailers and restauranteurs DO have a way to get around the "no minimums" regulations with merchant providers. I won't share what the work-around is, but it does work, and it is profitable and legal and contractually acceptable.

I never charge under $10 at a restaurant -- some local retailers in my area pay $0.75 per swipe + 5%. On a $5.65 purchase, they're paying $1.03 to the merchant processor, not including the phone call. Sure, it is contractually required, but I also prefer my food not to be spit in.

Are you related to Pure_Fico?

I don't see how they could possibly get away with it unless they did like the utility companies do, and go through a 3rd party processor, in which the 3rd party gets to keep the fee.

You're the kind of merchant that one wants to do business with. Smart thinking on overcoming the minimum and keeping customers and having them spend more.

I see fees for CCs all the time, I order guns from gunbrker and almost all say add 3% for CC's

Include the written "CREDIT CARD RULES" with your order telling about a 3% fee is against the rules

VIOLATION