# Popeye's "this is not a debit card fee" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 8, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165 "2013-04-08T16:45:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![krunen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@krunen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krunen)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/21 "2013-04-08T18:32:55Z")
Are the bank’s transaction charges for vendors really that high in the US? Here in Norway it’s just 2 - 3 cents per debit card transaction, so we use it for 60% of all purchases. Visa/Mastercard is a bit more expensive at 8 cents + 0.1%. You can rent an online payment terminal for both debit and credit cards for 40$/month. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/22 "2013-04-08T18:48:41Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > If I was standing in line at Popeye’s, and the person in front of me actually pulled out a checkbook to pay for her meal, I’d kick her right in the ass. +1 Yesterday I was in the grocery store behind a guy who was writing a check. Usually I think people are exaggerating when they complain about this, but he really did wait until the cashier had rung everything up, totalled it and bagged it before even clicking his pen and asking, “What’s today’s date?” ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/23 "2013-04-08T18:51:32Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > And who do you think they are, just to ask? A lot folks who can’t get credit cards due to poor credit or income history use debit cards when others might typically use a credit card. Often times, this group is less wealthy and less well educated. Others might extend this to see them as poor decision makers. ie, people might see this group as easy targets ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/24 "2013-04-08T18:57:35Z")
> [@fjs1fs](#): > > I disagree. Plastic has gotten way faster than cash in my experience. At my cafeteria, the daily swipe of my amex takes less than 10 seconds, whereas these geniuses who want to go through their wallets and fish out the exact change can take over a minute each. If you have your cash in hand _before_ you step up to the register, you’ll have your change and be on your way long before the the store computer can make the connection with the bank to approve the charge (maybe not everywhere, but in most places). And that’s not counting the time it takes to enter your PIN or sign the credit card slip. Most of the time if I’m making a small purchase, say under $3.00, I’m going to have four pennies and 3 ones or a five in my hand before I even get in the door, and I’m in and out much faster than the times I have no cash and have to use my card. I don’t even have to dig out my wallet, because most of the time I keep a few singles in my front pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/25 "2013-04-08T19:04:27Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > If you have your cash in hand _before_ you step up to the register, you’ll have your change and be on your way long before the the store computer can make the connection with the bank to approve the charge (maybe not everywhere, but in most places). And that’s not counting the time it takes to enter your PIN or sign the credit card slip. Most of the time if I’m making a small purchase, say under $3.00, I’m going to have four pennies and 3 ones or a five in my hand before I even get in the door, and I’m in and out much faster than the times I have no cash and have to use my card. I don’t even have to dig out my wallet, because most of the time I keep a few singles in my front pocket. In Canada we have RFID chips in debit and credit cards. Most POS machines accept a tap of the credit card and they are just starting to roll out machines that do the same with the debit cards. A quick tap and I am off and away within 3-4 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/26 "2013-04-08T19:04:47Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > If you have your cash in hand _before_ you step up to the register, you’ll have your change and be on your way long before the the store computer can make the connection with the bank to approve the charge (maybe not everywhere, but in most places). And that’s not counting the time it takes to enter your PIN or sign the credit card slip. Most of the time if I’m making a small purchase, say under $3.00, I’m going to have four pennies and 3 ones or a five in my hand before I even get in the door, and I’m in and out much faster than the times I have no cash and have to use my card. I don’t even have to dig out my wallet, because most of the time I keep a few singles in my front pocket. That’s great - but it’s a fastest scenario. The fastest scenario with a credit card is where you use the ones where you don’t swipe it or sign anything (oddly enough, you can also get your credit card out ahead of time). You just hold your card near the machine, and it prints your receipt. However, neither of our scenarios is common. On average, my observation is that cash is slower - this might vary quite a bit based on geography and level of technological adoption (as well as the average age of customers). ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/27 "2013-04-08T19:07:46Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Very interesting. Maybe they just really, really dislike debit cards. It is because of the fee structure in the US relating to debit cards. There’s not much else to read into it. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/28 "2013-04-08T19:41:18Z")
Since when do fast food restaurants accept checks? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/29 "2013-04-08T19:55:33Z")
NM ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/30 "2013-04-08T19:58:34Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Don’t the vast majority of debit cards have the credit option? I don’t remember the last time I saw one without a visa or Mastercard logo. Just choose the credit option at the register, problem solved. I always chose the credit option because my bank charges me 50 cents if I use the debit option. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/31 "2013-04-08T20:03:50Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > That’s great - but it’s a fastest scenario. And it’s the scenario every time I walk into a store with cash in hand. > [@](#): > > The fastest scenario with a credit card is where you use the ones where you don’t swipe it or sign anything (oddly enough, you can also get your credit card out ahead of time). You just hold your card near the machine, and it prints your receipt. In which case there is no way of verifying that it’s really me using the card. No thanks. It only takes a few seconds to pay with cash. I don’t want to sacrifice security just to shave off a couple of seconds at best. > [@](#): > > However, neither of our scenarios is common. On average, my observation is that cash is slower - this might vary quite a bit based on geography and level of technological adoption (as well as the average age of customers). What other customers do doesn’t enter in to my scenario. I don’t have any control over the customers ahead of me. If they’re slow, my choice of payment type will have no effect on them. Not to mention the fact that people who are slow getting their cash out also tend to be slow getting their cards out. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/32 "2013-04-08T20:04:14Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > I always chose the credit option because my bank charges me 50 cents if I use the debit option. That’s nice, but irrelevant. Popeye’s is still dickish to get around a law by giving everybody a discount except people who use debit cards. Also, switch banks. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/33 "2013-04-08T20:15:09Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > A lot folks who can’t get credit cards due to poor credit or income history use debit cards when others might typically use a credit card. Often times, this group is less wealthy and less well educated. Others might extend this to see them as poor decision makers. “Less wealthy, less educated poor decision-makers” pretty much describes the entirety of Popeye’s clientele, so they’d really be biting the hands they’re feeding to look down their noses upon them. Notable exception being the OP, of course, who was probably just curious to see how the other side lives. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/34 "2013-04-08T20:15:36Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > For small transactions, I avoid plastic. Cash is faster and easier. I take the same amount out of the ATM every week which makes it easy to reconcile my checking account when I get my statement. > > And how do people who put $2 coffee tabs on their charge bills ensure that they’re not being overcharged? **I imagine by the end of the month their charge statement is several pages long.** > > I tend to use plastic when I buy something over, say $200. Otherwise, it’s not worth the hassle. Do yourself and the planet a favor and go online/paperless. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/35 "2013-04-08T20:28:39Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > In which case there is no way of verifying that it’s really me using the card. No thanks. It only takes a few seconds to pay with cash. I don’t want to sacrifice security just to shave off a couple of seconds at best. Uh, there’s no way to verify that it’s you using the cash, either. Cash is a bearer bond with no insurance – it’s far, far less secure than a credit/debit card. ---
**Author:** ![Scoo8b](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scoo8b](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoo8b)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/36 "2013-04-08T20:34:10Z")
My main issue with this is that gift cards count as debit cards. (at least at KFC, someone I work with works part time there for extra cash) So if I use my $10 gift card three times, it becomes a less than $9 gift card - fuck that. I am holding onto the $10 gift card I got for Christmas in the hopes that this passes over. I think that it might based on the stories my coworker has told us. She can’t count the number of times people just refused to pay and left whatever food they ordered right there. She estimates that they have lost a lot more money from having to toss food than they have gotten from the new debit card tax. The tax is coming from the top but this owner is getting pretty sick of having to deal with pissed off customers and throwing away food, so he’s trying to get rid of it. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/37 "2013-04-08T21:00:49Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > I find that credit is way faster than cash, I’m not sure how it could not be (assuming we’re using modern technology). > > Yeah, I’m not going over credit card bills with receipts to match things up. That’s crazy talk. Life is too short. > > I take a glance at the bill, make sure I remember all of the higher ticket items, and call it a day. Credit faster than cash? Not in my experience. People in front of me in a checkout line using credit always take longer to pay than I do. And about 20% of the time there’s a glitch with the card scanner or something and then there’s a significant (2 minutes) delay. I’ve never seen “blink” or “blip”, or whatever they call it in action. It’s supposed to be fast. It’s also an open invitation to fraud, especially for those who don’t check their bills. I’ll refuse to have that feature on a credit card of mine until it become mandatory. * * * I brought up the subject of cash because I find the need to use plastic at a fast food place puzzling. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/38 "2013-04-08T21:30:28Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Popeye’s is still dickish to get around a law by giving everybody a discount except people who use debit cards. Why do you think Popeye’s should be required to subsidize the cost of debit card transactions? They’re not being dickish IMO. They’re representing the cost of the transaction using the tools available to them. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/39 "2013-04-08T21:43:48Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Why do you think Popeye’s should be required to subsidize the cost of debit card transactions? They’re not being dickish IMO. They’re representing the cost of the transaction using the tools available to them. Stores aren’t allowed to charge a fee for using a debit card, per the retailer’s agreement with Visa/MC. That’s why they post a sign saying ‘this is not a debit card fee’. But obviously, they are charging a fee, and doing it in a underhanded, shady way. If anything, they should charge for using a credit card, since they are now allowed to do so, the law regarding that having changed in January. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165/40 "2013-04-08T21:46:00Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Why do you think Popeye’s should be required to subsidize the cost of debit card transactions? Because as a customer, I have a choice, and I choose to patronize businesses that eat that cost and don’t pass it along to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-this-is-not-a-debit-card-fee/655165.md?page=3)