This is more of a potential little victory. But if quantum physics is right, then it's both a victory and not a victory until observed
Many pubs and such have a requirement that if you're paying by card it needs to be above a certain amount. Unfortunately, this flies in the face of the Merchant Agreement that they sign in order to have access to Visa/ Mastercard network.

Being as I do enjoy not having a phlegm filled pint I'm keeping this factoid in reserve until I get really shoddy service in a pub - at which point I'm going to request a solitary pack of nuts and act like a hissy bint when they won't take my card - showing off the screengrab of the merchant agreement on my phone to whatever non-caring bartype is serving me.
(chuckle_h0und You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 14:22, 14 replies)

Can you post the screengrab here please?

( WormuIus, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 14:28, closed)

I'll do one better
www.mastercard.com/us/merchant/pdf/BM-Entire_Manual_public.pdf

5.11.3 Minimum/Maximum Transaction Amount Prohibited
A Merchant must not require, or indicate that it requires, a minimum or
maximum Transaction amount to accept a valid and properly presented Card.

They're allowed to charge you to use your card, however the charge "must bear a reasonable relationship to the Merchant’s cost of accepting Cards". (5.11.2 under Europe Region Rules).
(chuckle_h0und You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 14:54, closed)

Do Mastercard provide all card readers?

( WormuIus, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 18:15, closed)

They don't need to
They don't supply any equipment, the banks do. That equipment processes Mastercard, Visa and Switch (and for an additional fee, Amex).

If they accept Mastercard, they need to abide by their rules. If the equipment allows them to process the transaction, they can't refuse one card company:

5.11.1 Discrimination
A Merchant must not engage in any acceptance practice that discriminates against or discourages the use of a Card in favor of any other acceptance brand.

they're unable to refuse to accept Mastercard if the machinery can process the transaction.

All it boils down to is that MC and Visa have retailers over a barrel, but as I've said I have no desire to use this except as a way to get back at a company that has warranted it.
(chuckle_h0und You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 21:30, closed)

top fecking post!
good effort, well impressed!
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Mon 14 Feb 2011, 21:58, closed)

Wait a sec...
Does this mean by quoting Merchant Agreements at the people commenting, I've technically scored a little victory?
(chuckle_h0und You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 22:10, closed)

i think so, considering you expended the effort to hunt them out first...
is that a bad thing?
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Mon 14 Feb 2011, 22:28, closed)

It might be...
I was supposed to be working at the time.
(chuckle_h0und You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war, Tue 15 Feb 2011, 10:03, closed)

It's worth bearing in mind...
...that they can usually refuse to serve you at all for any reason, which they don't have to disclose to you.
(ThomsonsPier consumes, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 14:57, closed)

I think I'm saving this for the situation where I've had to wait so long that they might as well have refused to serve me

(chuckle_h0und You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 15:05, closed)

In that case, I usually say: OK, give me my bill and I'll leave. And at that point you have just won because you weren't going to buy anything more anyway, or else why would you have made a fuss about the minimum?

I went to a bar once, and didn't notice the $20 minimum sign, and wanted to leave after 1 drink. After they refused to cash me out, I said: you can either give me my bill and I will cheerfully pay and leave, or I can call the police and tell them you have stolen my card. I got my card back instantly.
(raulduke, Tue 15 Feb 2011, 18:48, closed)

But..
Usually if a place has a minimum to pay by card that's good.
Independent retailers pay much higher charges than chains with lots of outlets, so often it is the independents (this applies to corner shops as well as cards) who have to charge a minimum or it becomes soul-sapping to lose revenue that way.
Also, the staff hate it, PDQs are much slower than cash so you may have a queue glaring at them because you're too slow.
Or do you only drink in places like Wetherspoons and Yates?
(alboyalex, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 15:41, closed)

First line, second paragraph
"Being as I do enjoy not having a phlegm filled pint I'm keeping this factoid in reserve until I get really shoddy service in a pub"

It's not intended as a twatty maneuver, more as a reserve 'little victory' (hence the title) for when someone in a pub or shop with a card machine does something deserving of a commuppance.

If it helps my case, I'm the sort of person who points out pricing errors in my favour in shops or picks up stuff that other people have knocked off shelves. I spent several years as a shop assistant, I know how annoying it is when people dick you around when you've done nothing wrong. That said, if someone deliberately pisses me off I'll give them both spunky barrels.
(chuckle_h0und You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 15:57, closed)

This appeals greatly to my sense of petty pedantry. Top marks.

*click*
( Happy Phantom has been to Hastings, Brighton, and Eastbourne too, Tue 15 Feb 2011, 12:35, closed)