LJ Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 So tonight I stop in with a lady friend to get a drink. I order, hand them my Visa. Bartender says they have a $7 minimum... Hold up, Visa PROHIBIT's minimum charges Minimum Purchase Visa merchants are not permitted to establish minimum transaction amounts, even on sale items. They also are not permitted to charge you a fee when you want to use your Visa card." http://usa.visa.com/about_visa/ask_visa/index.html#anchor_4 So i argued with the bartender for a minute she handed my card back to me and stormed off, with a beer sitting there. Well a bunch of regulars are standing there staring at me, so I just leave. Never touched the beer she set out or anything. So I get home and low and behold I have a charge from the bar on my card. Tomorrow they are getting reported to Visa and im getting a chargeback edit: I just noticed the bartender tipped herself a dollar.... You know I don't care about the money, but I cannot stand unethical business practices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I'd definitely contact the manager/owner and inform them of the situation....the fact that she put a tip on their is a huge no-no and against the law.....let alone on a bill that you didn't authorize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sol740 Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 You should kill her ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hal Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I'd call and speak with the manager before going through with anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87GT Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 wow shady. i wont go there then. i'll stick with bw3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotCarl Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 wow shady. i wont go there then. i'll stick with bw3. Alot of places have minimum's. Probably not bdubs b/c their franchised but local pubs will have minimum's alot of times. Though I never knew that Visa doesnt let that happen. But i would talk to the GM or the owner of Fitzgerald's tomorow before going to visa. Most likely he'll apologize out the ass and offer a free tab or something. If he doesnt, then go to Visa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wunna Dig Race Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Yea its against the law (girlfriends a watress) to put your tip on a bill with out authorization let alone charge your card with out a signature.... Contact the owner or gm asap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I'd go to Visa as well as the owner. It's not like the bartender made this policy, it was the owner. You talking to the owner isn't going to change anything on that side; talking to Visa will. The charge on your card will be taken care of by Visa as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodRed Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 They were actually talking about this the other day on the news, and businesses requiring a minimum purchase to run your credit card are in viloation of there agreements with the credit card companies. I would complain to both but mostly to VISA. The tip thing is bull shit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragknee66 Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Thanks for the info on the CCs. Ive been to a few places that have tried to pull that shit too, Brothers downtown use to do that. I think they even had a $20 minimum. Last I heard they didnt now though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Quik7 Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 not the exact same thing, but a similar idea.....i went to a strip bar outside Chicago that charged more for CC than with cash. it was like $3.75/cash for a beer, but if you had a tab and were putting it on a CC it was $4.75 and there was a minimum $10 charge/without tip...wtf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 F em...I'll never go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinner Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 not the exact same thing, but a similar idea.....i went to a strip bar outside Chicago that charged more for CC than with cash. it was like $3.75/cash for a beer, but if you had a tab and were putting it on a CC it was $4.75 and there was a minimum $10 charge/without tip...wtf? the min. charge is bull crap. As for charging more for a CC purchase over cash I have seen that before they do that to cover the CC service fee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbomark Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 A lot of places will have minimums to start a tab... however that doesn't have to do with charging individual drinks on a card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Science Abuse Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 The Minimum charges exist because it costs a company money to proccess a CC payment. If you don't purchase $X with you're CC, they are loosing money on the purchase. Credit cards ar enot legal tender, so they can leaglly charge whatever minimum they want. The CC company agreements are the only things lmiting them...but don't cound on alot being done. Things are too good the way they are; the CC companies NEED a presence in bars, too moch money to be made. Bar owners NEED to be able to accept CC payments, or they'll loose buisness. But they need to keep making money: Suppose a thousand people walk in and CC-buy a $5 pint each. The overhead on that pint is $3.50, so they make $1.50.....but, it costs $2 to proccess a cerdit card payment. So, those thousand beers cost the bar $500. For the sake of civic economic responcebility, use cash at small buisness whenever possible, never use credit for less then $10. Fuck Wal Mart et al, they have better deals with CC companies and can afford the losses anyways. So with respect to the minimum CC purchase, I have to side with the bars. Too many people come in for just a pint and a conversation, the small buisnesses can't take that hit. I'd counter this; What kind of a cunt doesn't have $6 cash on him to get a beer? For this specific instance: The charge and Tip are outright theivery, plain and simple, the bitch needs fired and the bill needs voided. Also, as common as cards are, they NEED to tell you before they pour. No signs or that kind of bull shit; "good evening sir, cash or credit this evening?". Imagine filling up at a gas station that doens't take credit, but doesn't tell you until the gas is in your tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I don't buy it....CC processing companies only charge a small percentage of each sale. I've not seen them base it on a minimum transaction. Not any of the processing companies we talked with. If theirs is charging them a minimum per, then they need to switch 'cause there are ones that don't. My wife's business gets charged like 2-3% per transaction. AMEX and Discover are more than Visa/MC, but she still takes them all. It adds up of course, but is it causing a bar to lose money?....no......I think they make more than consumer electronics companies selling TV's and can more than cover the costs. Especially when a shot is like $6-$9 depending on where you go. The Minimum charges exist because it costs a company money to proccess a CC payment. If you don't purchase $X with you're CC, they are loosing money on the purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got-Boost? Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Only problem is a CC transaction costs them pennys NOT dollars like they are charging. So they are profitting on a technicallity. Instead they could just charge you what it costs them to run the card but them marking it up a couple 1,000% is BULL SHIT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Same goes for shipping charges.....there's no fucking way I'll pay someone's shipping and handling fees. When I order shit over the net, I usually call and have them bill my UPS/Fed Ex Account. They can't legally mark up shipping costs so they try throwing in a "handling fee", but that's so easily negotiated out, especially on large items. Different subject, but another example of the Fleecing of America. Companies all over try and run their shipping dept. at zero cost. Same with marketing Departments. Money goes right to the bottom line. I see that shit every day....and they are usually the same companies bitching that they can't make any money on the product.....please..... Only problem is a CC transaction costs them pennys NOT dollars like they are charging. So they are profitting on a technicallity. Instead they could just charge you what it costs them to run the card but them marking it up a couple 1,000% is BULL SHIT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87GT Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I understand it cost money to use a credit card transaction. But my opinion if you are not making enough profit to pay for this small fee then don't take credit cards. Just rent an ATM to put into your store and put a big sign on your door "NO CREDIT CARDS, but ATM on site). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootersimmons1647545502 Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 My gf did a promotion there and all I did was sit and have a few beers while she handed out free samples and noone could ever tell that we were together or anything walked in seperately and everything but after her promo we stayed while I finished a beer and she got one drink to chill and the boss ended up complaining about me being there. But the main point is since I was sitting I noticed he was trying to purposely get cleavage pictures of the girls including my gf during the promotion and come to find out he complains to her boss later after everyone leaves is BS! He's a old dirty perv that was flirting with all kinds of girls that place sucks I agree don't go there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotCarl Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 My gf did a promotion there and all I did was sit and have a few beers while she handed out free samples and noone could ever tell that we were together or anything walked in seperately and everything but after her promo we stayed while I finished a beer and she got one drink to chill and the boss ended up complaining about me being there. But the main point is since I was sitting I noticed he was trying to purposely get cleavage pictures of the girls including my gf during the promotion and come to find out he complains to her boss later after everyone leaves is BS! He's a old dirty perv that was flirting with all kinds of girls that place sucks I agree don't go there If your girl is good looking enough to be considered for such jobs just get use to people getting shots of her cleavage. Its her job to look good and put a good image with a product. Maybe he was simply complaining you were there, did you have to be there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Science Abuse Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I didn'tsay "cocst of fees", I said cost of proccessing. There is not only the fee fromt he provider, but the costs associated with getting the cards data. This requires a computer/scanner and access to a network of some kind. Ask anyone who's ever run a buisness, everything always costs more then what you're charged. I don't know the guy, he could be a shady dickhead. All i can say is that you damn well better beleive that If I was running the shit, there would be a minimum charge of some amount. Seriously, how hard is it to carry cash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils Advocate Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Pints of beer do NOT cost bars anywhere close to three dollars and fifty cents. one hundred and sixty beers per keg roughly, and take away like twenty for spillovers or freebies, youre looking at them paying like thirty or forty dollars per keg, since they buy in quantity... So on the beers that they sell, not counting the freebies per keg, they're paying a quarter a beer. I'm pretty sure they can cover a CC charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils Advocate Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I didn'tsay "cocst of fees", I said cost of proccessing. There is not only the fee fromt he provider, but the costs associated with getting the cards data. This requires a computer/scanner and access to a network of some kind. Ask anyone who's ever run a buisness, everything always costs more then what you're charged. I don't know the guy, he could be a shady dickhead. All i can say is that you damn well better beleive that If I was running the shit, there would be a minimum charge of some amount. Seriously, how hard is it to carry cash? This should also not be an issue. Whatever "kind" of money you bring, it should obviously always be good in any establishment that expects to set up a happy customer base. Telling someone that a certain form of money isn't as "good" as another, and that they should bring cash because it's more of it stays in your pocket is horrible business practice... especially when you're making a twelve hundred percent profit on the beer they are buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotCarl Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 ... especially when you're making a twelve hundred percent profit on the beer they are buying. True story, in any other business it might not be excuseable, but maybe understandable. With bars, the mark up on a bottle of beer, and 3oz shot, is rediculous especially if you consider the cost of raw materials and overhead. Then again you dont neccessarily go to a bar to get drunk, you go to a bar to be in a setting/have an atmosphere. If you really wanted to get drunk and that was your only goal buy a handle of well vodka and sit in your living room, garantee it will be cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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