Leaving A credit card behind the bar

A_Good_Merlot

we recently went to a Pub for a meal and some drinks. We wanted to pay by credit card but to keep the tab open they insisted in holding the credit card behind the bar until we had finished. Surely this is a security risk and it does not happen when we go to Europe where the restaurants seem to trust you. Is this legal and does it only happen in the UK

You-kip

A_Good_Merlot wrote: »

we recently went to a Pub for a meal and some drinks. We wanted to pay by credit card but to keep the tab open they insisted in holding the credit card behind the bar until we had finished. Surely this is a security risk and it does not happen when we go to Europe where the restaurants seem to trust you. Is this legal and does it only happen in the UK

Take your business somewhere else in the future their loss.

dotdash79

I've heard of it before. But most places will take a scan of the card and leave the account open.

Pubs are trying to protect themselves from people doing runners.

JohalaReewi

You-kip wrote: »

Take your business somewhere else in the future their loss.

If you don't trust them with your card, and they don't trust you to pay up at the end. Pay cash as you go.

Biggles

Most pubs will just take a scan. I'd never leave my card behind the bar within someone I didn't know. In fact, you are breaching your card T&Cs by letting someone take it out of your sight.

I was asked to leave my card in a Wetherspoons a few years back and refused and paid cash. I've never been asked in recent years.

Martin85

I don't think they can insist if you refuse to leave the card behind the bar. They have the option of taking a print and filing in the amount when you have finished. It will be their loss if you decide not to go ahead and do not have the cash with you/ or don't want to pay by cash, as they will have to unscramble the order. Alternaively they could take the amount from the card as you initially order and then take subsequent amounts each time you present the card for each additional order. Do not let them keep the card under any circumstances you are leaving yourself open to "theft/fraud"

reclusive46

Martin85 wrote: »

I don't think they can insist if you refuse to leave the card behind the bar. They have the option of taking a print and filing in the amount when you have finished. It will be their loss if you decide not to go ahead and do not have the cash with you/ or don't want to pay by cash, as they will have to unscramble the order. Alternaively they could take the amount from the card as you initially order and then take subsequent amounts each time you present the card for each additional order. Do not let them keep the card under any circumstances you are leaving yourself open to "theft/fraud"

They don't even need to do this. Often these days bars will just authorise around £100 (Ones in London, I've been to anyway) and then they can just charge if you don't pay. Similar to the practice hotels use.