So This Guy Walks Into A Subway Restaurant...

[jake619]

...and orders lunch.  When he paid, things got weird.  (BTW, the guy was me).

The cashier swiped my Amex and then this exchange ocurred:

Cashier: "Since you paid with Amex I also need to take an imprint of your card"

Me: "Why?"

Cashier: "It's policy"

Me: "Never happened to me before at any other Subways"

Cashier: "Only at this one and the one across town, same owner"

Me: "Again, why?"

Cashier: "To prove you were here"

Me: "The swipe and signature proves that, not to mention that camera behind you"

Cashier: "It'll just take a second" and to my disbelief she proceeds to take the receipt and place it physically over the card to emboss the numbers by swiping a gift card back-and-forth.  Then she says "You're all set.  Have a nice day"

The key here was she swiped the card and it went through before the imprint.  So why was the imprint necessary?  I called AMEX and they asked a bunch of questions and said not to worry, they see the charge was approved, that I was protected anyway and that they'd be reviewing the franchisee's policy with the Amex merchant account owner.  It was in a shady part of town

[NewbieReed]

I would totally be freaking out !!

Good call on calling AMEX. I would have made the cashier wait to proceed while I was on with customer service, Ugh. bet you'll never go to that locationagain...

[toppers555]

Sounds fishy. Watch your account next few weeks.

[jsucool76]

A lot of places where I live (gainesville florida) will do an imprint of the last four numbers if you order delivery. I assume it is to prove that you actually have the card, or maybe to match up tips with drivers or something, but they do it.

[SpeedingWheels]

The closest Subway to me doesn't take Discover which annoyed me last time I went in there since Disc gives 5% back on restaurants this quarter. 

I'm actually planning on picking up a sub for dinner... guess I'll try to the Amex and if they want to swipe like that I'll just have them cancel it. 

[jake619]

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@jsucool76 wrote:
A lot of places where I live (gainesville florida) will do an imprint of the last four numbers if you order delivery. I assume it is to prove that you actually have the card, or maybe to match up tips with drivers or something, but they do it.

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That seems more reasonable but in this case she embossed the whole number.  FWIW she did not write the four-digit whatever you call it number on the front or the three-digit one on the back.

[FloridaState12]

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@jsucool76 wrote:
A lot of places where I live (gainesville florida) will do an imprint of the last four numbers if you order delivery. I assume it is to prove that you actually have the card, or maybe to match up tips with drivers or something, but they do it.

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I'm sorry.

[bribro]

It sounds like that particular Subway franchisee fell victim to multiple fraudulent chargebacks. I've only experienced this (physical imprints and extra "security" measures) twice in the last few years - both at Las Vegas nightclubs. I can understand merchants going to great lengths to protect themselves from $5,000+ bottle service bill chargebacks, but for $5 footlongs?

[ryanbush]

When i order pizza hut they take an imprint of the card just like that when they deliver...  maybe I'll order and use my CSP this week just to see what happens

[TJDgator]

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@jsucool76 wrote:
A lot of places where I live (gainesville florida) will do an imprint of the last four numbers if you order delivery. I assume it is to prove that you actually have the card, or maybe to match up tips with drivers or something, but they do it.

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I live in Gainesville as well and I have never  been to a place where they do that. Would you mind specifying which places do that?