WWYD. Restaurant Credit Card Machine Down. Don't carry cash

[rgf207]

Today we went to a restaurant in town and when we were about to pay, the waitress said that the credit card machine was down and that they were only accepting cash. I don't carry cash. I strictly use debit for my purchases.

The waitress said I could leave my credit card number with them and they would charge it when the machine was back up. I stated that I was not comfortable with that so she said I could leave my name and phone number and they would call when it came back up and I could come back and pay. I agreed to that and I went back later this afternoon to pay. I thought it was fair for them to take my info but didn't want to give my credit card numbers to them.

My question is, what would you do in that situation?

 

[freckles and boo]

I sounds like they handled it fairly. If they didn't tell you before you ate then there wasn't much else that they could do.

 

[DawnCt1]

I would have left my name and telephone number, gone to an ATM, withdrawn the cash, and paid my bill. I wouldn't have made them wait.

 

[golfgal]

I would have written a check, but most places here still accept checks .

I think I would have give them my name and number and gone to the ATM too.

 

[rgf207]

I would have left my name and telephone number, gone to an ATM, withdrawn the cash, and paid my bill. I wouldn't have made them wait.

I would have done that but I had to be back to work. My bank is not near the restaurant. I went after work to pay.

 

[golfgal]

I would have done that but I had to be back to work. My bank is not near the restaurant. I went after work to pay.

That's fine. I am sure there are a lot of people that said they would come back and pay and didn't.

 

[DawnCt1]

I would have done that but I had to be back to work. My bank is not near the restaurant. I went after work to pay.

Then you had no choice and did the best you could.

 

[Abbie]

I think it was fair of them to give you the option to leave your name and phone number. But I wouldn't have bothered to go back to pay, I would have just paid over the phone when the machine came back up. When you think about it, what's the difference between handing your credit card to them, having them run it somewhere out of your sight, then bring your card back to you? They could just as easily copy down your card info and still use your information so I don't know why there would be a difference leaving your info there with them.

That said, I probably wouldn't have felt comfortable leaving it either!

 

[kathie859]

I would have just left my debit card # and checked online later in the day or tomorrow to make sure the amount that posted to my account was what I authorized.

OP, how you handled it was fine if that was what made you comfortable.
I rarely use cash either, so I would have been in the same boat! And to the poster who mentioned writing a check--heck, I can't remember the last time I wrote a check everything is done online.

 

[SandrA9810]

I've had my card processed manually before... and when I worked at gamestop, on occasion the connection was down. All the slips are processed the old fashioned way onto carbon copy paper. and the managers are the ones to take care of the processing. We never had an issue with doing it... took a little longer, but never had a complaint.

 

[Heidict]

I would have left my name and telephone number, gone to an ATM, withdrawn the cash, and paid my bill. I wouldn't have made them wait.

If it were me I would have run to an ATM to get cash for them, but I believe you said you did not have time for that due to you having to be at work and you did the best you could. It's nice that the restaurant let you come back later. Do you live in a small town? I can't think of any restaurant in the city that I work in doing that.

 

[NewDCLGuy]

I'd have just left them my credit card number. Wouldn't make me uncomfortable. After all, had their machine been working you would have left them the number. Buy, hey, it sounds like it worked out well in the end for everybody.

 

[Kimberle]

I've had my card processed manually before... and when I worked at gamestop, on occasion the connection was down. All the slips are processed the old fashioned way onto carbon copy paper. and the managers are the ones to take care of the processing. We never had an issue with doing it... took a little longer, but never had a complaint.

This is what we do when our machines go down. This is the procedure you're suppost to follow according to your credit card agreement.

We would never let anyone leave w/ merchandise w/out paying.

As far as not feeling "comfortable" leaving your credit card number, you do so every time you use your credit card. The only difference is your card is swiped instead of manually keyed. The store has the exact same information either way.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I've had a situation before where my wallet was in my apartment and I left them some kind of collateral and then came back. In that situation, I would have done what you did. I would have offered to leave something as collateral, but really, they should have been upfront about the troubles they were having.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I sort of see it as a "not my problem" kind of issue.

Either way you look at it, really, it ISN'T the issue of the customer. If they KNEW they were having issues and still let people place orders AND eat food without first telling them "cash only today", OR if it happened all of a sudden, I don't see how either of these situations is the customers fault.

I would have left my phone number and let them call me when they had the machine up and running again.

 

[pilotwife_02]

That happened at a restaurant we were eating at once (their machine broke mid-meal) and my DH left ME as collateral while he went to the ATM to get the cash to pay

I would have done what you did, come back at a later time to pay (if I was unable to go to an ATM then to get the cash).

 

[C.Ann]

Today we went to a restaurant in town and when we were about to pay, the waitress said that the credit card machine was down and that they were only accepting cash. I don't carry cash. I strictly use debit for my purchases.

The waitress said I could leave my credit card number with them and they would charge it when the machine was back up. I stated that I was not comfortable with that so she said I could leave my name and phone number and they would call when it came back up and I could come back and pay. I agreed to that and I went back later this afternoon to pay. I thought it was fair for them to take my info but didn't want to give my credit card numbers to them.

My question is, what would you do in that situation?

Your situation illustrates quite clearly why people should always carry cash with them.. You never know when machines are going to go down; computer systems are going to crash; ATM machines are going to be out of order; etc..

I wouldn't dream of leaving the house without cash on me!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I've had a situation before where my wallet was in my apartment and I left them some kind of collateral and then came back. In that situation, I would have done what you did. I would have offered to leave something as collateral, but really, they should have been upfront about the troubles they were having.

Something similar happened to me at the Royal Pacific one night. I was having dinner, alone, and when I reached into my purse - no money. No wallet. No credit cards. I asked for a manager and a security escort (yes, really!) to my room. What a relief! There was my wallet on the bed exactly where I'd left it. Pretty impressive since, in the meantime, housekeeping had been in to do turndown service.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I see it as an everybody's problem, ethicsish issue.

Turn it around - the customer eats and all of a sudden finds out, while dining, that their wallet is missing (customer dropped it outside, was pickpocketed, etc.). I don't see how that situation is the restaurant's fault...

So why should the restaurant be expected to 'eat' (pun intended) the loss when the customer can't pay because the restaurant can't accept the payment AND be expected to 'eat' the loss when the customer can't make the payment.

 

[Junebugwv]

I keep cash in each of our cars. Just the other day my DS17 ordered at Subway and the new girl waiting on him could not get the credit/debit machine to work properly. He made a quick trip to the car to get the cash.