People, people. Get your cards replaced the FIRST time there’s a problem with the strip! I work in retail, and I constantly deal with pissy people who assume that, because the card that they’ve apparently just used to apply grout to their bathroom tiles doesn’t cue the machine to do anything, I’ve just branded them with a scarlet “DEADBEAT” across the forehead. If I get lucky, they’ll stay calm and admit that they’ve been having this problem for a while. Now, I have the option of typing a card in manually (but only for credit! stop asking for cash back!) but why, why, why would you put yourself and every place of business you enter into this awkward position? Just ask for a new card from your bank. They’ll give it to you; that’s what they’re there for!
I agree. And it bears pointing out that the restaurant was never obligated to accept your card in the first place. Cash is the only form of payment they have no real right to refuse. (“This Note is legal tender for all debts, public or private”)
Allow me to reiterate:
The system showed that the card number was invalid and that, I assume, is the reason it was declined upon manual entry. (Reminds me of a story from my honeymoon, but that’s another thread title…I digress.)
I used the phrase “a bit worn”. This indicated that I did not keep the card in a lucite ATM wallet protector, so the strip does not glisten with my reflection (not that my reflection glistens). It shows normal signs of wear that every person who’s giving shit about “You should replace your card after every swipe and/or grout application” has on THEIR card. I know enough to replace the card when the strip is worn. I work in a bank, and I’ve done my sentence in retail hell.
I appreciate all the replies, and I’ve learned alot. The post served as a sucessful first step in releiving my frustration.
Oh, by the way, since this is The Pit… FUCK.
Hmm, the card swipe is solely contained within systems owned by Denny’s?
Not the STAR system, Visa/MC/whatever system, which could be where the screwup is?
Not the issuing bank, which could be where the screwup is?
Not a blip in the phone lines, which could be where the screwup is?
Not a temporary power outage somewhere, which could be where the screwup is?
Nope, it had to be the fault of the person who was available for you to yell at.
How convenient.
I digress, since you said it was juvenile in hindsight, and I thank you for realizing that, and I hope you know that the entire scope of a given problem is not always readily apparent. Denny’s is not responsible for other people’s fuckups.
Say you were all going to throw in cash to cover your own food, plus a buck for tip (y’know, high school style;)). You count everything up and you’re two dollars short. Do you automatically demand it from the person sitting closest to you? No. You do a minute amount of research, figure out where the problem is, and rectify it.
I’m sure if you asked, that Mr. Denny’s would let you use the phone and call the CC company and figure out the problem.
we’re told to always refund the ATM charge if the card won’t work in our system.
That’s because WE CARE ABOUT OUR CUSTOMERS!!!
G
I should point out that sometimes, most recently at CompUSA, I’ve had a card fail to swipe… newish card, used maybe fifteen times, their system sucks, and the person refused to type it in. Said it was invalid. So I had to go find a manager and swear at them.
Manager typed it in, all good. Perhaps the waitron at the Denny’s didn’t feel like typing it in.
If it’s any consolation, I was once reprimanded for telling a customer, “It’s AmEx, not your card specifically.”
Supervisor hissed, “DON’T TELL HIM THAT!”
Why? For the previous six hours, every AmEx card I’d been given had been declined. Not Visa, MC or Discover, just AmEx.
“But what if it really is his card specifically”
It did turn out to be a problem with AmEx’s server. I understand that that doesn’t preclude the possibility of the customer’s card having been maxed out, independent of that, but I could see the relief on his face when I told him what I told him. If it had been a further problem with his account, he wouldn’t have started out defensive.
I just don’t have it in me to give people the ol’ stone face. I know how I’d feel, and I hate it when some snip starts enumerating all the things that I must have done wrong. Sigh…