Has anyone been to a place that has made you do this? how was it enforced?

Seems like you would just do a cover.

7/27/2011 7:32:00 PM

do people tip more when they've been drinking?

7/27/2011 7:35:43 PM

i prefer places with two drink minimums than those with two drink maximums

7/27/2011 7:36:55 PM

Seems like that would violate the alcohol laws.

7/27/2011 7:37:09 PM

lol i was at a place in morehead city this weekend that had signage:

FOUR DOLLAR FEE FOR ALL CREDIT CARDS.

I'm like, is that seriously a fee to open a tab or are you setting a minimum (which is still illegal) and she's like "It's just straight up four dollars to pay with a CC" and told me there was an ATM across the street.

C'mon, are you seriously in that much danger of closing that you're not only going to attempt to pass your merchant fees to the customer but MAKE money in the process? Lawl.

[Edited on July 27, 2011 at 7:48 PM. Reason : ]

7/27/2011 7:47:36 PM

When I went to the Driftwood in Jacksonville, there was a drink minimum, I recall.

They enforced it pretty strictly too - essentially forcing you to get another drink or leave.

7/27/2011 8:18:00 PM

I went to a place in NYC that did this. No idea how it was enforced...didn't really wanna find out. But it really sucked considering a Bud Light was about $7.

Also, been to a coffee shop (Global Village) when someone was performing one night and they had a $2 minimum purchase for you to hang out there while the dude was singing.

7/27/2011 8:21:14 PM

The Cave on Franklin St. had a sign that said "Minimum $5 purchase to make a credit card transaction." At least it didn't say two drink minimum or whatever, but it still kinda blows. I rarely keep cash with me anymore.

7/27/2011 8:24:30 PM

they cant really keep your card if you dont buy two drinks and if they charge you 10 bucks just argue it with your credit card company or call ale and say they are charging various amounts for the same alcohol

7/27/2011 8:26:07 PM

what place has done this? i'd like to boycott.

7/27/2011 8:39:17 PM

strip clubs do this all the time. they enforce it by kicking you out after ~30 minutes and/or lots of money spent on hos.

strip clubs usually do have covers.

7/27/2011 8:41:46 PM

and yeah, it's pretty much a disguised cover. it's enforceable by charging at the door and giving you drink vouchers or a credit at the bar. Or punch cards, or stamping, or it's just not enforced and simply having the sign there will generate the extra revenue by itself.

This, while somewhat annoying, doesn't piss me off nearly as much as the CC minimums or absurd delivery fees built in to allow $10.00 unlimited topping pizzas.

--
Didn't someone pay a "throw-up" fee once and then come here to question the legality? Lol

[Edited on July 27, 2011 at 8:55 PM. Reason : .]

7/27/2011 8:53:45 PM

all the licensed cabs i rode in ireland listed a 125 clean up fee along with the other charge items. most cabbies when asked, said they have had to charge it.

7/27/2011 8:57:49 PM

I've been to a few places like this

The few times when they chose to actually try to enforce this, I just say "no, I'm not getting another drink. Now give me my goddamn card back"

works pretty well.

matter of fact, these are charges you can dispute with visa, and your bank. when these places agree to use the visa (or other) services, they also agree that they're not going to hold their customers to a minimum amount. They can have their services yanked if reported, I think.

Quote :

"Always honor valid Visa cards, in your acceptance category, regardless of the dollar amount of the purchase. Imposing minimum or maximum purchase amounts is a violation. If a merchant refuses to let you pay with your Visa card because your purchase is too small, you can call (800) VISA-911 to file a complaint."

[Edited on July 27, 2011 at 11:03 PM. Reason : MOAR]

7/27/2011 10:58:57 PM

I went to a couple jaz clubs in NYC that did this. I just assumed it was because they were small and crowded and didn't want folks hanging out at the seats with waitresses that weren't being served. I was drinking anyway, so it didn't bother me.

7/27/2011 11:08:46 PM

Credit card minimums are ridiculous, considering the credit card companies charge merchants on a percentage basis...

7/27/2011 11:09:06 PM

fucking pour house has a $1 charge for using a CC

7/27/2011 11:09:47 PM

I've only seen this at a comedy club out here in St. Louis. On the flip side, it didn't matter what drinks you were having (soda and bottle water also counted), but you had to at least order two. And since you were in there for 2+ hours, they really only seemed to enforce it by pestering you throughout until you bought your second drink. It was clearly marked on all signs, tickets, entrances, etc.

7/27/2011 11:12:35 PM

I may have originally derailed the thread, but the situation OP describes is not exclusive to CC transactions it just kind of goes hand in hand with sketchy bar stipulations.

Like how at any time in a "members only" private club you can be thrown out, refused service or simply turned away at the door for being fat, ugly, black, white, poor, trash or drunk. But if you pen your name to a notebook -- congratulations you're a member and the 5 hot 22 year olds with you are now your guests and allowed in.

Yeah, you really don't see it anywhere other than prime spots for camping. My buddy used to get pissed as fuck when 10 dudes would come in Hooters to watch UFC and order like one basket of fries and 10 waters, sit there for 4 hours and tip 2 bucks. C'est la vie

[Edited on July 27, 2011 at 11:17 PM. Reason : ]

7/27/2011 11:13:49 PM

Quote :

"Credit card minimums are ridiculous, considering the credit card companies charge merchants on a percentage basis..."

It's usually a flat fee + percentage, like $.25 + 1.7% or something like that. Also merchant account providers are sleazy and will nickle & dime the merchant to death with chargebacks and other random fees for things like having a customer use a rewards card. Not that I'm justifying a minimum CC purchase by a merchant, just saying that it isn't just a flat percentage fee that they are paying to accept cards.

7/27/2011 11:17:20 PM

The biggest factor of the private club membership setup is food service. They're not required to have a percentage of food sales like a standard bar is. They can serve straight up booze if they want and that's it. It cuts down on costs significantly.

The perk is being able to decline people they simply don't like.

7/27/2011 11:17:49 PM

I get the minimum CC charge, legal or otherwise. It costs the business extra money to run your card, and who the hell doesn't carry a few bucks on them anyway? I always, always keep $50-100 cash on me all the time. Saved my ass a few times, and just generally more convenient for small/interpersonal purchases

7/27/2011 11:17:58 PM

There are a ton of clubs, bars, and general stores here in DC that have $5, $10, and $15 (seen it before) minimums.
As for drinks, many bars here charge like $5+ for a beer, and try to enforce a 2 drink minimum.


While true, its easy to carry cash on you.... sometimes it's just not the case. Plus, carry $100 on you in some places is a good way to get robbed

[Edited on July 27, 2011 at 11:21 PM. Reason : a]

7/27/2011 11:20:52 PM

^^^^that quarter is trivial. Because the items that are three bucks merchants have the highest margins on. I can buy a $5 item, and typically the margins are not as good. The higher in price, the shittier the margins. A quarter at the low end is nothing. Its the cost of doing business. I won't go back to places with this policy, no matter how much I like their product. In the end, they lose.

[Edited on July 27, 2011 at 11:22 PM. Reason : ,]

^^ get robbed at gunpoint just once. I don't carry cash anymore. Fuck that noise-

[Edited on July 27, 2011 at 11:24 PM. Reason : .]

7/27/2011 11:21:57 PM

i rarely have more than $10 on me

7/27/2011 11:22:49 PM

NeuseRvrRat fashions his own currency from stones and seashells

7/27/2011 11:30:30 PM

I rarely EVER see a store try to impose a minimum. Hell when I end up at a mom and pop joint and they ask credit or debit i let them choose. It's mainly just clubs and bars that I see a minimum and they're usually dives.

I guess if a bunch of drunk assholes kept ordering like 1 beer and running it 10 minutes later 1 beer and run it x 20 that over the course of the night it could be significant, but in no way justifies the trickery.

7/27/2011 11:30:44 PM

What does getting robbed at gunpoint have to do with it? If I get robbed at gunpoint I'm getting robbed at gunpoint whether I have $67 or nothing in my wallet. Given the frequency with which I've been robbed at gunpoint, I'll take the risk of losing $67 in lieu of forgoing a daily convenience.

7/27/2011 11:41:46 PM

daily convenience for me is a 1 second swipe that doesn't require a signature. instead of waiting on the cashier to break change.

RFID will only reinforce this.

7/27/2011 11:49:18 PM

Which is fine, if you only leave your house to dive into the embace of a credit-endowed business

7/27/2011 11:53:08 PM

where the fuck are you spending money? everywhere pretty much takes cards

7/27/2011 11:55:25 PM

Stranger does me a quick favor? Throw him a 10-spot.

Run in for a quick beer after work? Toss a 5 on the bar and bounce.

Stop for a hotdog at the stand or some fresh fruit at the market? Cash and carry.

Craigslist? Flea market? Tips for services, mechanics, handymen, tow guys, locksmiths, hair stylists, etc


I mean I could go on all day. I'm not saying I dont use my debit card, I certainly do for most/larger purchases, but all politics and ideology aside, do y'all really not see the advantage of keeping a few bucks on hand?

7/28/2011 12:06:04 AM

Quote :

"Stranger does me a quick favor? Throw him a 10-spot."

7/28/2011 12:07:21 AM

Yeah you know what I'm talkin about

7/28/2011 12:08:25 AM