There is a mom and pap sandwich shop across town from where I live. The first thing I noticed when I walk in the door was there was a ATM machine directly behind the front cash register. Every other ATM machine I have ever seen, in my life, was adjacent to the front main entrance of the establishment. But not this one. If you literally stood at the cash register and step back one yard, then your rear end would but against the front of the ATM machine.
The cashier proceeds to tell me they don't take cards at all and I would have to get cash for the ATM machine. Now it's not out of the ordinary for mom and pap places to surcharge for using a credit card use. It is usually about 3%-4% of the price. If this place did that then I would have bought a sandwich.
However, consider the following. For the ATM machine to be in that location, they ( the sandwich shop) either own it or get a kickback from the ATM machine's owner. ATM fees can run any where from $1-$3 dollars. Lets assume the price of the sandwich is $15.
I should not have to pay an effective 6%-20% surcharge fee for just using a credit card. The sandwich shop is free to do what they want, but I will not patronize them anymore.
Once I learned of this, I walked out without buying anything. Would you have done the same?
Why not just always carry some cash?
No cost from your Bank, CU or approved ATM's.
Have been shopping and a whole stores card system went down, "Smart & Final", 8 lines. No credit or debit, just cash. Was very nice, went to the front of a long line because I was the one that had cash. Don't get me wrong, normally use a card for the rewards, but always have a few hundred in my possession. You never know when it will come in handy. 
@Kforce wrote:Why not just always carry some cash?
No cost from your Bank, CU or approved ATM's.
Have been shopping and a whole stores card system went down, "Smart & Final", 8 lines. No credit or debit, just cash. Was very nice, went to the front of a long line because I was the one that had cash. Don't get me wrong, normally use a card for the rewards, but always have a few hundred in my possession. You never know when it will come in handy.
^^This^^ I learned this lesson the hard way. During Sandy the few small stores that opened were cash only. Since then I keep an envelope of emergency cash in purse at all times.
Yeah, 15 bucks for a samwich would make me check out the other eateries.
