Credit card in Spain - Restarant chose pay in GBP without asking

beaker141

At a restaurant in majorca, I visited 3 times, only on the 3rd time did I check it was pay in Euros, I have a Jaja card with no loading or fee, so always pick EUR. 

The waiter, said no, we have to pick GBP or we get charged by our bank - I'd had a couple of sangrias at this point and refused to pay, we had a short discussion, but his english wasnt great and didnt really know the details of what he was telling me - he then went inside to check, then came out and said ok, EUR and I paid. 

I checked though and the previous 2 times I hadnt noticed and got stung by paying in GBP and accepting their translation which annoyed me, but hey its worth about £5. 

My question is - could they have refused and insisted on them pressing the button and choosing - or should it be presented to me as my choice.  I've no idea where to even start with finding this out. I wouldnt have thought it impacted them at all, and they should still get x euros, but maybe their card merchant has an incentive payment to get to the GBP and split the benefit ? 

All the other places I visited were EUR without any issues.

*j*

I sometimes forget the first time and let it go, but after that explain I want to pay in the local currency (thanks Doshwaster for spotting my error).  If it isn't done I tell the card company and they have always corrected the overcharge, but sadly I don't think it was from the retailer's account.

From page 8 in this document...https://www.mastercard.com/elearning/dcc/docs/DCC Guide 20.02.17 EN.pdf

"Before the Cardholder decides on the currency in which the transaction
is to be completed, and before an authorization or pre-authorization*
request for the transaction is submitted, it is essential that:
a. The Cardholder is first informed either verbally or via a terminal
that they have the right to choose the currency in which the
transaction will be completed.
b. Each of the following is made clear to the Cardholder:
- Transaction amount in the local currency
- Transaction amount in the billing currency
- Currency conversion rate to be applied should the transaction
be completed in the Cardholder’s billing currency.
Once the Cardholder has decided which currency they would like
the transaction to take place in, the Merchant must honor the
Cardholder’s choice."

NoodleDoodleMan

If in doubt - ask clearly beforehand  - and get confirmation before ordering.

daveyjp

I've had 40-50 transactions in Europe this year across three countries,  on each occasion I have been asked or given the terminal to decide.

If you  pay in Euros its cheaper as your bank does the single conversion.

Say a bill is €100 and its 1.2 to the £.  The amount charged will be converted by your bank to £83.33.

If the restaurant converts at say 1.1 you will pay £90.90 on the terminal.  The restaurant then receive £90.90.  This will be converted at €1.2 to the £ so receive €109.

Doshwaster

Yes, it happens occasionally though the vast majority of places are honest. You've just got to keep a eye on it but it's not worth running your holiday over. 

Some claim to be doing it for your convivence or to make the bill easier to understand. Others will suddenly lose the ability to speak English when you question the transaction.

One waiter once told me that there is nothing he could do as the "machine did it automatically" which is a blatant lie. I just made sure never to go back again. In my experience the worst places are the Tabaco/Office Licence sort of places where you have to insist on paying in Euro.

twopenny

Ask first then check before you pay.

That gives you the choice. Checking before you pay just ensures that a busy server hasn't forgotten.

Voyager2002

*j* said:

I sometimes forget the first time and let it go, but after that explain I want to pay in GBP.  If it isn't done I tell the card company and they have always corrected the overcharge, but sadly I don't think it was from the retailer's account.

From page 8 in this document...https://www.mastercard.com/elearning/dcc/docs/DCC Guide 20.02.17 EN.pdf

"Before the Cardholder decides on the currency in which the transaction
is to be completed, and before an authorization or pre-authorization*
request for the transaction is submitted, it is essential that:
a. The Cardholder is first informed either verbally or via a terminal
that they have the right to choose the currency in which the
transaction will be completed.
b. Each of the following is made clear to the Cardholder:
- Transaction amount in the local currency
- Transaction amount in the billing currency
- Currency conversion rate to be applied should the transaction
be completed in the Cardholder’s billing currency.
Once the Cardholder has decided which currency they would like
the transaction to take place in, the Merchant must honor the
Cardholder’s choice."

And for visa?

Voyager2002

Doshwaster said:

Yes, it happens occasionally though the vast majority of places are honest. You've just got to keep a eye on it but it's not worth running your holiday over. 

Some claim to be doing it for your convivence or to make the bill easier to understand. Others will suddenly lose the ability to speak English when you question the transaction.

One waiter once told me that there is nothing he could do as the "machine did it automatically" which is a blatant lie. I just made sure never to go back again. In my experience the worst places are the Tabaco/Office Licence sort of places where you have to insist on paying in Euro.

"The vast majority of places are honest": no, not in Spain.

I speak fluent Spanish and always ask to pay in Euro. This is ignored: usually I can hold on to the machine after inserting my PIN but on one occasion the waiter took it from me and changed it to GBP. This selection is made immediately after entering your PIN, so the printed note saying that you were offered the choice and agreed to the currency is a nonsense: you sign first and then the currency is selected.

One question: I paid for a bus ticket using a machine that did not offer any kind of currency choice: it was designed for Spanish people and the entire transaction was entirely in Spanish. I made a contactless payment of the price in Euro. The payment appeared on my card as an inflated GBP figure. My bank (this is a visa debit card) suggest that I go back to the retailer: impossible for many good reasons. While the sum at issue is too small to justify any more trouble, if I wanted to make an issue of this what would I do?  

heatherw_01

Often they just run it as they choose fit. I would always say first before you pay that you wish to pay in whichever currency you prefer. That way they hear it before they go to scan it.

Doshwaster

*j* said:

I sometimes forget the first time and let it go, but after that explain I want to pay in GBP.  If it isn't done I tell the card company and they have always corrected the overcharge, but sadly I don't think it was from the retailer's account.

Why would you want to pay in GBP? Euro (or whatever the local currency is) will always be cheaper.

*j*

Doshwaster said:

*j* said:

I sometimes forget the first time and let it go, but after that explain I want to pay in GBP.  If it isn't done I tell the card company and they have always corrected the overcharge, but sadly I don't think it was from the retailer's account.

Why would you want to pay in GBP? Euro (or whatever the local currency is) will always be cheaper.

Oops, my mistake.  Can't think what went wrong with my brain.

I meant of course I want to pay in the local currency.

Thanks for spotting.