XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.books   
   From: tmcd@panix.com   
      
   In article ,   
   Tim McDaniel  wrote:   
   >Were I to proffer cash, cheque, debit card, or credit card, which   
   >would you prefer?  (I wish I could get a US answer, to benefit local   
   >merchants whom I like and to shaft stores that I dont',   
      
   I asked the owner of a local Chinese restaurant.  She immediately said   
   "Cash".  I mentioned the time needed to count it.  She replied, "The   
   register does that."   
      
   She mentioned a fee of 35 cents every time a debit or credit card is   
   swiped, plus a percentage (I forget the exact number -- 2%ish?) of the   
   amount.  But if the credit-card number is hand-entered, it's $1 -- the   
   credit-card company sees an extra chance of fraud for over-the-phone   
   orders.  And if that charge is disputed, it's the merchant who is out   
   the money.  Hence her charging a delivery fee, and if they instead   
   order for take-out (take-away?), she refuses to accept the credit-card   
   number over the phone but requires them to bring payment.   
      
   --   
   Tim McDaniel, tmcd@panix.com   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)