Pubs and CC processing fees

No surcharges for:

UK Consumer credit cards, debit cards or charge cards

Similar payment methods that are not card-based (for example, mobile phone-based payment methods)

Electronic payment services (for example, PayPal)

Businesses can make a charge for accepting a payment by any other method - for example, cash & cheques.

Strictly speaking foreign consumer cards can be surcharged but I doubt whether many systems in retail environments are set up to recognise them.

There are a small number of businesses who might insist on a minimum spend in order to pay by credit card That is however, usually £5 or maybe £10. It's not a surcharge for paying by card as they can't do that.

There are also a small number of businesses that will only take cash - it's a small number and is more common outside the big cities.

We tapped our way through many pubs in the UK last month and never once encountered being charged the CC processing fee. Just for starters, it's faster to pay with a tap than with counting out cash and giving change back, saving time for their overburdened staff.

Thanks all!

Is this add on fee noted before you order? Or is it a surprise?

Spent a month in the UK last summer and was never charged a CC fee at any pub, restaurant, grocery store, attraction or other establishment. Will be there again later this week and expect no change.

@treemoss - in Michigan (US), it usually comes on the bill where it displays 2 prices (one for CC and one for cash payments).

Thanks for recent info!

It's been illegal to do in the UK (and the EU) since 2018.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/card-surcharge-ban-means-no-more-nasty-surprises-for-shoppers

Some small businesses (takeout food, convenience stores) may still have a minimum transaction of £5 on a card, but that is rare now in my experience.

also, a UK business would have to have a really rubbish contract with their bank to be paying as much as 2 or 3 percent for card payments. Fees are lower here, but there is a fee to pay in cash into a business account. So cash actually can cost more than card, to the business.

@treemoss - in Michigan (US), it usually comes on the bill where it displays 2 prices (one for CC and one for cash payments).

Ah, I did wonder why I was seeing two prices when paying for petrol in the US (can't recall whether it was California or Nevada) one for credit card and the other for debit.

one for credit card and the other for debit.

That would be one price for cash and a higher price for debit/credit.