It used to be that if a retailer charged a fee or surcharge to use a credit card, that violated their merchant agreement with the credit card companies, and they got in trouble. Those heady days are over, and it’s now cool for merchants to impose surcharge on your purchases with plastic. And so it begins. Here’s one spotted in the wild on a vending machine. [More]
If you haven’t visited a Popeyes fast-food outlet lately, you may be in for a surprise the next time you stop by. Sometimes last year, some franchisees––we’re not sure how many–started to impose a 57-cent service fee on transactions over $5. Coincidentally, they also offer a 60-cent refund on all cash transactions. The net effect is that customers get a minuscule discount off the sticker price for paying cash, but have to pay a 57-cent fee to pay with plastic. [More]
