Foo - Cash Only Gas Stations

Went to this gas station that said 3.25 the gallon, I slide my card on the pump and like always I choose debit for payment method and YES for receipt, strangely it did not ask for my PIN or Zip Code like they usually do. Once it starts dispensing fuel I look into the digital screen to see if it does say 2.25 but the screen does not work. I found it strange and stopped pumping any more fuel and so I waited for the receipt to see the amount which it never did. By then I was sensing something must be wrong and went inside the store to request a copy of the receipt and just like I expected it was 3.34 per gallon.

The clerk starts explaining outside its only credit card and will add nine more cents and if I do the transaction inside on the cash register with debit it is 2.25 plus .50 cents for debit fee. I told him straight in his face what a bunch of crooks and they had just lost a customer.

well that's a bunch of crap.....

Illegal?...can they charge different prices based on how you purchase? Was there an itemized list of his wage being created by the extra minute it took to process?

Maybe you should send a bill to them for the time it took to walk from the pump to the attendant because they have an inefficient system

Illegal?...can they charge different prices based on how you purchase? Was there an itemized list of his wage being created by the extra minute it took to process?

Maybe you should send a bill to them for the time it took to walk from the pump to the attendant because they have an inefficient system

Yes it is illegal! Go ask Enmark, a small regional chain of gas stations based in Georgia. They lost the right to process credit cards for a month early last year for this practice.

Wow....I haven't seen this practice at gas stations in probably 10 years or close to it.

I see it all the time. Up on the sign, even. One price for cash, a higher price for credit. I only see it from afar as I drive by, though...

I see it all the time. Up on the sign, even. One price for cash, a higher price for credit. I only see it from afar as I drive by, though...

I'm amazed....I seriously thought this stopped long ago. I remember when I used to see two prices, but I don't think I've seen that in years. Not in FL or in WA.

Yes it is illegal! Go ask Enmark, a small regional chain of gas stations based in Georgia. They lost the right to process credit cards for a month early last year for this practice.

Illegal means against the law. Loss of the 'right' to process credit card transactions is something done by the credit card company. It in no way shows that the different prices are illegal.


But going back to the OP. It sounds like the actions of that station are illegal. NOT the difference in price. That is fine in maost if not all states. But the failure to post both prices, oh and in signs the same size and visibility. I'm not sure If I've seen this recently. I have to check the Shell station on hte way home re the different price. Arco dings you 50 cents for a debit card transaction (they don't accept credit cards). But this is displayed on all the card readers and when they raise the fee (as has happened at least twice) they put up a notice larger than the usual, and if I recall correctly put it up BEFORE it happenes with an effective date.

BTW many many years ago, as in before the number 3 ever hit the 10 cent column, stations played games with that 9/10s of a cent. It was there but small. The current size you see fot that.9 is often the minimum allowed by law.

I'm amazed....I seriously thought this stopped long ago. I remember when I used to see two prices, but I don't think I've seen that in years. Not in FL or in WA.

Come to think of it, it may just be one chain that does it around here.

Since every gas station has the same gas, there's really no reason to bother with such stupidity. Drive an extra block and buy from the station that doesn't feel the need to BS its customers.

A gas station around here does that, but notifies you before pumping that there is a 45 cent charge. I stopped going there being as their cheaper gas was no longer cheaper in my little car which only holds 12.9 gallons empty (usually fill 8 gallons).

I have a 25 gallon tank to fill, if I top it off completely. I just look for what ever place has the cheapest price. If that means paying in cash to avoid fees, then I pay in cash.

Thank god I bike commute and only have to fill my tank once every couple of months.

It's not illegal, but it is against the Visa/MC terms of use. They're not allowed to charge for using the card or they can lose their account and ability to accept those forms of payment. Call your bank and/or Visa/MC and file a complaint. You might even be able to dispute the charge for the difference.

Most of us are too lazy or don't know better so we don't say anything. Once we all start complaining and start telling Visa/MC we're going to stop using their card (read: stop paying them a fee for everything we buy!), they'll start enforcing that rule.

I called and filed a complaint about a national gas station (truck stop) on my way out here after being sick that they all did it. The rep on the phone didn't seem to care at all.

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I've seen cash only gas stations that were cheaper.... but I don't think credit was even an option. MAYBE, they started doing that... but I don't drive by any of them anymore... so I wouldn't know.

I run a business, and have been told by my credit card merchant representative that it is illegal to charge your customer more for using the card.
It is, however, legal to give a cash discount.

Then I hate it when they play the language barrier deal because, they are from the middle east or w/e place it is, and none of them supposely do not know any english at all. I spend about 4 minutes talking slowly trying to make him understand and like always they give me this humble naive look as if what the hell am I saying, then the Coca-Cola truck driver comes in and he goes; "Hey, just place the cases right around the back..." and I am like WTF dude?

I will never go to that gas station again.

I run a business, and have been told by my credit card merchant representative that it is illegal to charge your customer more for using the card.
It is, however, legal to give a cash discount.I think it's probably against the credit card company's rules to do so, but they just say "illegal!" to get their point across easier and more scarily. If there's actually a law regarding this, that's some nasty, scary protectionism.

Oh yeah, and Spec's Liquor gives a 10% discount to cash buyers :D They advertise openly in their commercials... which is the real reason behind mentioning the non-gas purchasing.

I think it's probably against the credit card company's rules to do so, but they just say "illegal!" to get their point across easier and more scarily. If there's actually a law regarding this, that's some nasty, scary protectionism.

could be- but there are a lot of nasty protectionist laws on the books because of powerful industries that donate a lot of money to campaigns. I wouldnt put it past credit card companies to arrange for it.

I see it all the time. Up on the sign, even. One price for cash, a higher price for credit. I only see it from afar as I drive by, though...

I pay cash for almost everything, so it's like the practice is actually paying off for me.

It strikes me as a little ridiculous with as well-connected as this world is, however, that it still costs 1.75% to process a credit card transaction. That's why they're doing it.

Of course, since cash has to be deposited, there is a man-power cost to it as well. I'd imagine petty cash is a pain in the butt for some businesses.

For them not to disclose that in an obvious visible manner to the OP, however, is false advertising and is illegal.

It strikes me as a little ridiculous with as well-connected as this world is, however, that it still costs 1.75% to process a credit card transaction. That's why they're doing it.That transaction fee is how they make money off of you even if you're one of those awful customers who pays off his or her credit card in a timely fashion. It's just that normally, the retailer eats that cost.

I see it all the time. Up on the sign, even. One price for cash, a higher price for credit. I only see it from afar as I drive by, though...

Must be a California thing - like the whole Jersey thing.

I pay cash for almost everything, so it's like the practice is actually paying off for me.

It strikes me as a little ridiculous with as well-connected as this world is, however, that it still costs 1.75% to process a credit card transaction. That's why they're doing it.

Of course, since cash has to be deposited, there is a man-power cost to it as well. I'd imagine petty cash is a pain in the butt for some businesses.

For them not to disclose that in an obvious visible manner to the OP, however, is false advertising and is illegal.

Like I said in my post, then I should be able to bill them for the inconvenience of walking to the teller. They took away the dude who processes my payment, why should I have to walk

ps I don't drive, just playing devils advocate :)

We don't charge "extra" for credit card use. We impose a $15 minimum purchase for credit cards and credit card fees are somewhat factored into our service prices.