Can a restaurant legally accept Debit cards only? I tried to pay for a meal with a Credit card, Visa logo, but the restaurant said they do not accept Credit cards, but DO accept Debit cards, same logo. Is this possible to deny based on card type? or is acceptance supposed to be based upon Logo?
2007-12-16 06:14:09 · 6 answers · asked by SJ Mastro 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Credit
In the U.S. Yes, in other countries No.
In the U.S. Merchants have a choice to do to the merchant lawsuit.
Merchants can choose what type of cards to take
Signature based credit cards
Signature based debit cards
Pin based only debit cards (Nyce, Star, Pulse, etc)
On the signature based credit card. If they took only credit cards. The must take all types. Gift, prepaid, etc
If they took only signature debit cards. They must take all types. Gift, prepaid, etc
Pin based debit card is allays optional.
One rule no matter what type of cards they take. They must have proper signage to notify the patron.
The restaurant should of had a notice or a sign saying something like we take visa EFT and mastercard EFT card only (No credit cards)
2007-12-18 13:00:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes a business can only excpt debit if they want to. The reason is when you pay with a credit card that store has to pay a company to do all the processing and then put it into your account and then pay the bank fees that they charge to deal with it also. If they only take debit they have to only pay the bank fees for puting it into thier account. So of it was a small business it is likely they were just saving a few dollers on every card swiped.. Other places take it as a saftey measure. If you have to put in your pin the card must be yours if you don't know the pin it could be a stolen card.
2007-12-16 14:24:17 · answer #2 · answered by ?? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's perfectly legal for a business to refuse credit cards. They probably are set up to only process debit transactions. The logo makes no difference.
2007-12-16 14:19:01 · answer #3 · answered by bdancer222 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A restaurant or any other business can determine the types of payment it will accept. I always ask for available payment types in restaurants prior to ordering service. That way, I am certain if what I am carrying is acceptable to the business.
2007-12-16 15:51:41 · answer #4 · answered by acermill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no law against this. There might or might not be something in the contract between them and Visa; you would have to ask Visa.
2007-12-16 15:33:21 · answer #5 · answered by StephenWeinstein 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its up to the resturantee
2007-12-16 14:17:14 · answer #6 · answered by dddddd 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋