Using Virgin Money Debit Card in Shops and Restaurants in the Canaries

NoodleDoodleMan

I wasn't sure about any fee from VM when using their debit card at a foreign ATM - thanks for the correction.

I wonder if Nationwide will continue that benefit once they full acquire VM ?

TH71

NoodleDoodleMan said:

I wasn't sure about any fee from VM when using their debit card at a foreign ATM - thanks for the correction.

I wonder if Nationwide will continue that benefit once they full acquire VM ?

Hopefully they will but you just don't know these days. Some things good never last.

Nationwide certainly do not show to be a go to debit card for use abroad unless you get one of those accounts with them where there is a monthly fee.

daveyjp

la531983 said:

TH71 said:

Thanks for the replys.

Has there ever been any time where the screen on the card reader in these places don't give the option to choose local currency?

Never, unless someone has been eager and done it before handing you the machine, in which case give it back and ask them to start again.

Someone in a shop knew I was British and was determined to charge me in GBP, thinking he was doing me a favour.

Same happened to me in Barcelona, shop tried to insist as it was a British card payment I had to use DCC, I refused and it was changed.

Doshwaster

I go to Spain several times a year and have found that the DCC fiddle in shops and restaurants is becoming a lot rarer (maybe because they know tourists are wiser about it) but you still need to be aware of it. In the vast majority of cases they will ask which currency you want, hand the terminal to you so that you pick or just choose EUR for you. 

In one case a waiter in Gran Canaria claimed that his machine "charged in pounds automatically" and then lost the ability to speak English. It didn't make a big difference and I didn't want to make a scene so I shrugged and left but made sure I mentioned it in a Google review. The other place I've seen it tried on are those tobacconist type shops which also sell alcohol but I rarely use them - don't smoke and supermarkets are usually cheaper for booze.