CLEO’S IN THE STRIP DISTRICT, THE SIGNS ARE EVERYWHERE. JAGOFFS ARE NOT WELCOME, BUT IF YOU LOVE LABOR UNIONS AS MUCH AS THEY LOVE THE STEELERS, PENGUINS, PIRATES AND THE POLICE, THEN COME ON IN. ONCE YOU GET INSIDE, MORE SIGNS. THIS ONE WENT UP LAST DECEMBER. IF YOU USE A CREDIT CARD, YOU’LL NEED TO PAY A 3.5% SURCHARGE. I’LL BE HONEST, I STARTED REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE MONEY THAT I WAS PAYING FOR THE PROCESSING FEES EVERY MONTH AND DECIDED ADDED THAT I CAN’T ANYMORE. WE’RE ON POLAR OPPOSITES. ONE FAMILY WE TALKED WITH SITS ON TWO SIDES OF THE CASH VERSUS CREDIT DEBATE. YEAH, I MEAN, I CARRY SPARE CASH IN MY CAR LIKE I’M NOT A CASH PERSON. I’M MUCH MORE OF A CARD PERSON. UM, BECAUSE IT’S JUST EASIER, LIKE GETTING TO THE BANK TO GET CASH OUT IS NOT ALWAYS SUPER CONVENIENT. MICHELLE. SPOUSE JANELLE LIKES TO USE CASH. THAT’S BECAUSE, LIKE KELLY. OH, JANELLE CRISP IS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO PUT UP A SIMILAR SIGN ABOUT DOING THE SAME THING. WELL, I DO DO THE SAME THING. SO YES, I UNDERSTAND IT 100%. DOES ANYBODY EVER GIVE YOU ANY GUFF ABOUT IT? NO, BECAUSE I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS LIKE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, LIKE THERE’S A BOTTOM LINE. CASH IS KING AT CLEO’S DINER. IT’S BEEN AN ADJUSTMENT. HOW HAS IT BEEN RECEIVED? I HAD A FEW PEOPLE UPSET ABOUT IT, BUT SHE SAYS MOST CUSTOMERS UNDERSTAND. BUT THE BANK PUSHES THE CREDIT CARD AND THE PEOPLE USE THEM, WHICH IS FINE. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BEING A BUSINESS OWNER, THAT BIG CHUNK OF MONEY EVERY MONTH CAN BE USED FOR EXTRA HANDS, BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE THAN I DO THINK THAT WE ARE REALLY KNOWN FOR OUR GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE FOR HOW MUCH MONEY THAT HAS USED TO COST YOU? EVERY MONTH, THOUSANDS. THOUSANDS?
Why local businesses may have started charging you a credit card surcharge fee
Have you noticed a trend at small businesses? A notice at the cash register of your favorite bakery, hair salon, or your local diner that reads: “We will impose a surcharge fee on all credit card transactions.”Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 asked a well-known local businesswoman about her own choice.Kelly O, of Kelly O’s Diner in the city’s Strip District, says it’s part of her business’ continued recovery after the pandemic.“I’ll be honest, I started thinking about the money I was paying for the processing fees and decided that I can’t anymore,” she said. Kelly O said the processing fees used to cost her thousands of dollars. That’s why she has instituted a 3.5% surcharge on credit cards at her restaurant.One family who spoke with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 sits on two sides of the cash vs. credit debate. “I’m not a cash person; I’m much more of a card person because it’s just easier, getting to the bank to get cash out is not super convenient,” said Michelle Crisp, who was dining at Kelly O’s. Her spouse, on the other hand, likes to use cash. That’s because, like Kelly O, Janelle Crisp is a small-business owner who has put up similar signs. Video below: Anchor Shannon Perrine speaks with chief national consumer correspondent Jeff Rossen about when and where you might encounter this kind of credit card fee.At Kelly O’s, the change has been an adjustment, but she says most customers understand.“The bank pushes the credit card and the people use them, which is fine, but when it comes to being a business owner, that big chunk of money every month can be for extra hands, better customer service. And I do think that at Kelly O’s, we are really known for our good customer service,” she said. And if you own a small business, Kelly O would love to help you.”You can find my number anywhere. I can get you set up and not take that hit that we are,” she said.This goes beyond your hair stylist or your local diner, and those dings for 3.5% add up.You’ll save money over the long haul by paying cash. However, you also have to factor in whether you’ll lose out on rewards points when you forgo a credit card.
Have you noticed a trend at small businesses? A notice at the cash register of your favorite bakery, hair salon, or your local diner that reads: “We will impose a surcharge fee on all credit card transactions.”
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 asked a well-known local businesswoman about her own choice.
Kelly O, of Kelly O’s Diner in the city’s Strip District, says it’s part of her business’ continued recovery after the pandemic.
“I’ll be honest, I started thinking about the money I was paying for the processing fees and decided that I can’t anymore,” she said.
Kelly O said the processing fees used to cost her thousands of dollars. That’s why she has instituted a 3.5% surcharge on credit cards at her restaurant.
One family who spoke with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 sits on two sides of the cash vs. credit debate.
“I’m not a cash person; I’m much more of a card person because it’s just easier, getting to the bank to get cash out is not super convenient,” said Michelle Crisp, who was dining at Kelly O’s.
Her spouse, on the other hand, likes to use cash. That’s because, like Kelly O, Janelle Crisp is a small-business owner who has put up similar signs.
Video below: Anchor Shannon Perrine speaks with chief national consumer correspondent Jeff Rossen about when and where you might encounter this kind of credit card fee.
At Kelly O’s, the change has been an adjustment, but she says most customers understand.
“The bank pushes the credit card and the people use them, which is fine, but when it comes to being a business owner, that big chunk of money every month can be for extra hands, better customer service. And I do think that at Kelly O’s, we are really known for our good customer service,” she said.
And if you own a small business, Kelly O would love to help you.
“You can find my number anywhere. I can get you set up and not take that hit that we are,” she said.
This goes beyond your hair stylist or your local diner, and those dings for 3.5% add up.
You’ll save money over the long haul by paying cash. However, you also have to factor in whether you’ll lose out on rewards points when you forgo a credit card.
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