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

[ksjayhawks]

I don't carry very much cash either. As for running to an ATM, I don't know where a lot of them are--I only use the one right by where I live (and use that rarely) and that is usually not convenient for running to on the spur of the moment.

I would have left my name and number so they could call me. I wonder though how many people left fake names and numbers???

 

[jlima]

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.

The restaurant should have had an old-school imprint machine with carbon copy forms. They imprint the card; you sign and keep the carbon copy; then they call it in manually at their convenience when their system is back up and running. They are the merchant; they are selling a product or service to make money and in order to continue making money, they should be prepared for such a situation.

 

[happygirl]

It was kinda of weird tht they didn't have one of those old time credit card machines. When I was serving we would have never let anyone just up and leave with nothing on them.

I would have just left my card number, like someone said,l When you pay with a credit card they still can get your number.

 

[wdwfan16]

I would have gone to the ATM to get the cash and returned to pay my bill.

I always carry some cash for this very reason.

 

[Kies99]

By not informing a customer in advance that the machine was down and it woudl be cash only, it is the restaurant's "fault". By informing up front, it then removes any possible headaches later. They handled it and all worked out, but they should have said something in advance so people could leave and eat elsewhere.

This and the fact that they did not have a manual imprinter points to poor management at the restaurant.

 

[DebbieB]

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!

I agree, I always carry a small amount of cash.

I frequently travel on business and it drives me crazy when coworkers traveling with me have no cash. We need to pay a toll or we need to find a taxi that takes credit cards or we are wasting time looking for an ATM.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The restaurant should have had an old-school imprint machine with carbon copy forms. They imprint the card; you sign and keep the carbon copy;

It was kinda of weird tht they didn't have one of those old time credit card machines.

I hadn't gotten a debit card from TDBank (well, TD BankNorth at the time) for no apparent reason. No big deal because I wasn't actually using the money and neither was anybody else, but ya want the convenience of accessing your money when the whim strikes for a cheesesteak at 3 AM...

Anyway, when I did finally call, the CSR said I could just go into the bank and they'd create one for me! Sure enough, TDBank now has that capability. Only 'oddity'? They don't have the ability to imprint (emboss/raise) the numbers - so even a manual machine wouldn't have worked. Well, it would have, but it would've relied on the accuracy of the person copying the account number by hand - and yes, we DID used to do it that way, back in the 'dark ages' of the sixties and seventies

 

[kaytieeldr]

By not informing a customer in advance that the machine was down and it woudl be cash only, it is the restaurant's "fault".

And if the processor went down five minutes before the OP was done eating?

 

[kaytieeldr]

I agree, I always carry a small amount of cash.

I frequently travel on business and it drives me crazy when coworkers traveling with me have no cash

Okay, not credit-card related, but surely not-having-a-little-cash-on-hand related ...

Pretty much all access into Boston from the north involves traveling (bridge) over or under (tunnel) water. The two main routes charge tolls. The semi-limited-access highway leading up to the bridge has signs warning drivers of the "last exit before toll" (requiring winding through industrial parks and much traffic, but hey, anything to save a few bucks, ya know?).

Anyway, one morning, one of the supports on that exit ramp cracked and State Police closed the ramp. It was on all the tv news shows, both as news and on the traffic reports. It was repeated on all the traffic reports. There were a series of electronic signs warning drivers that the ramp was closed.

STILL there were drivers who, apparently, did not have $3 cash with them. $3! Why do I think this? They were BACKING DOWN THE ON-RAMP in an effort to avoid the toll!!!!! THREE DOLLARS!!!!!

 

[DeniseinNS]

I think they should have had a sign on the door where you come in tell people of the problem before they come in, unless the machines had just gone down. There's no way I'd leave my CC number.

 

[*pixie*dust*]

They would have had access to your account number whether the machine was up or not. Anytime you pay with a card, your number is captured somewhere.
I would have left my number and signed a hand writted receipt. Then checked that it cleared for the right amount on my online banking.

 

[Imzadi]

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.

Yes, unless the restaurant is out in the sticks, there is usually some ATM machine around somewhere. Even McDonalds and 7-11 have ATM machines around. There are ATM machines at most banks and they all take other bank's accounts, (for a small fee.) It would be cheaper than spending the gas & time to go back & pay.