As I went to pay at a restaurant yesterday using CC I made a comment about no longer having a surcharge.
A second later as I tapped the guy said "Oh, we are waiting for a technician to change the setting."
I didn't bother doing anything as it wasn't much, but what the???
Anybody Else Been Charged a Credit Card Fee from Yesterday?
McFly on 02/10/2026 - 13:28
Last edited 02/10/2026 - 14:29
Last edited 02/10/2026 - 14:29
Poll Options
- 31Yes, didn't fight it
- 6Yes, did fight it
- 75No
- 15Cash is king
- 107I haven't left my bedroom since the ban
Comments
- 1
- 2
And what is Visa & Mastercard going to do about it?
- 0
Well they passed it on to the shop
- 1
It's about 20c or something. I am all for consumer rights but it just wasn't worth it. I may end up going back there but I'm sure they'll have it fixed by then…
- 0
I remember around 20+ years ago I was in some shit little grocery store and they charged me a fee.
I was so pissed off I rang CBA and they said they're not allowed to charge a fee as a condition of having the CBA eftpos machine and they'll take it off them.
Bets me what happened between then and being the norm in pc shops and governments.- 5
What happened is a few changes to the law over that period.
- 0
EatClub are still charging a card processing fee.
- 4
They call it something else now, platform fee or something.
- 0
Came up as "card processing fee" on my receipt.
- 0
*i havent purchased anything*- 3
Fixed
- 2
damn you caught me- 3
Are you OK?
- 2
Cash is king.
More reasons not to use cash: the king is officially dethroned.đđđ
- 3
Awwww mate, don't say that, because that irritates me
(the cookers are all v upset now hahaha)- -3
You will no longer be hit with a surcharge when paying for Government services & taxes.
Not because they suddenly became humane but because they no longer accept credit card payments.
Bastards!
- 3
What about the shitty service fee the POS system tacks on? It's almost never mentioned.
- 2
I had a $40,000 bill to pay for a home construction job in late September so I waited until October 1 to pay it to avoid the credit card fee. The boss of the company called me up personally and tried to convince me to EFT the money instead of using my credit card as it was going to cost him money with the credit card. He said he didnât know that CC fees were going to be abolished on 1 October. I told him that it was announced by the government two years ago and more than one year ago by the RBA which got a lot of media attention. I asked where his accountant was and as a business person why wasnât he keeping up with the business environment in which he is working? The 10 minute conversation ended up with him talking over me, him raising his voice, and using the F word, in the end he just hung up on me.
I used four credit cards to pay on 1 October due to CC limits on each. I got my frequent flyer points!- 2
Was the guy upfront and honest + did a reputable job on your home?
I find this pretty strange behaviour to seemingly be boastingly posting on ozbargain about doing this.
This may have meant $600-$800 out of pocket for the tradie.
Personally, for someone who had worked on my home and personally called to ask I donât pay this method - given the rules just changed - I would have switched. For the entirety of his business history, he likely gave the option for people to pay CC if they were willingly to pay the fees.
I think this is poor form from you, and yes, he was somewhat in the wrong too for not being aware.
not every tradie doing $40k jobs has an accountant on call or even is aware of the current cash rate
- 13
He wasnât a âtradieâ, it was a medium sized business with more than one director! How many directors does it take to know surcharge changes are coming with more than a yearâs notice. And yep, instead of making $10000 profit, they may have âonlyâ made $9200 profit!
- 1
Hell yeah! Stand your ground, love to hear you got the cc points
- 3
Well he was silly to allow credit cards for payments
- 1
The 10 minute conversation ended up with him talking over me, him raising his voice, and using the F word, in the end he just hung up on me.
At least he can't spit in your coffee order while you're not looking ;)
- 1
It all depends on what the contract/company said at the start.
If it/they said nothing about payment type then there's no reason the company has to accept CC.- 0
What business would ever let you pay $40k on cc, surcharge or not??
- -2
Car dealer is another recent example
- 3
Construction/building
- 2
How else would you pay? Why not via CC?
- 1
Aldi⌠lol đ
- 2
There was probably a delay at the printer for their new menu with a 3% service fee so they havenât turned it off yet
- 1
I don't care why.
- 4
I bet if the fees had stayed and were increased their printer would have produced that new menu in less than one minute.
- 1
Waited to pay Council Rates via PostBillPay on 01 October, and with the rules in effect, PostBillPay did not disappoint !
- 1
The credit card fee has already been built in to your rates increase this year.
- 2
Probably.
What the Council actually did, was even more sinister.
They hid the interest into each of the quarterly payments now.
Example:
Say, 10 years ago, the annual rates payment up front, would be $1920 .
If I wanted to pay it quarterly, I would need to pay $500 / quarter.What the Council did was, removed the discount from the annual amount,
and then said, $500 / quarter or $2000 / annually.Where is that discount ?
Gone.AND removed the mandatory 4 pick-ups of hard-rubbish a year, given everyone smaller red bins, etc.
- 4
Well how else do you expect councillors to go on free junkets to sister cities around the world?
- 4
@jv: The discount is now in the interest you earn whilst that $1500 stays in your bank a bit longer.
Council hard rubbish pick ups: I always get jealous when I see others speak about these. We've never, ever had one sniff. I don't think we can even phone up and request one.
- 2
As opposed to previous years when the increase was arbitrary.
- 0
Correct…
But also in previous years, the merchant fees were discounted, so now we pay more…
- 0
Sorry what's the benefit of paying rates by PostBillPay vs paying online?
I haven't checked online, but I'm assuming they wouldn't have the surcharge anymore.
- 0
paying rates by PostBillPay vs paying online?
They're both online options.
From memory, in the past, you could choose to pay via Paypal too, and that's been removed these days,
but the main reason I was paying via PostBillPay before, was it qualified as a 'commercial' transaction,
except it does not anymore :-(- 1
So now they can move onto banning "online booking" and "ticketing" and "transaction" and "service" fees then? Surely these changes are less contentious and more popular than banning the card surcharges?
- 1
If accepting electronic payment is not viable then businesses can choose to be cash only.
- 1
Why? When they can just increase their prices.
- 0
Raising prices will decrease sales, which may leave a business with less profit overall.
- 0
Raising prices will decrease sales
Not always… Go back to 101 Economics…
It definitely increases inflation though…
- 0
Would have told them to put in a lower price to offset the card fee the sneaky grifters
- 0
Funny no one mention about amount on tax invoice and transaction receipt are different, those who claim expenses might have a hard time claiming the difference.
I bet the whole thing got traction so quickly was due to politicians can't claim 100% of their expenses because of these surcharges.
- 0
When that happened to me, I submitted tax invoice plus transaction receipt. I claimed the transaction receipt amount.
It was always paid.- 1
I got stung today buying a co2 bottle at the keg shop and did all the customers before me… not one person complained.
- 0
Did you?
- 1
Be careful of taxis, was told today they are still maintaining their "customer service charge" because it's not a credit card "surcharge"
Yes, I used a cab today, that's how I know!
Cash is king!- 0
nope just checked my receipt and the subtotal and total matches
- 0
Woo! Goodbye afterpay! It was the easiest payment method that was fee free at a number of shops I regularly use. Afterpay gonna feel some butt hurt too lmao.
The joke of it is, Afterpayâs fees are also baked into the retailerâs prices. Whereâs the hate brigade on that? Is there a politician I can blame?
- 0
Albopay?
- 1
Haven't seen one yet, don't think I will but there is a few places I'm keen to see if they've raised prices, I suspect in the coming weeks most cafes will because they already have slim margins.
Personally I was never concerned about the surcharges.
Have had a couple of businesses I deal with tell me they will no longer accept credit card so will need to do direct debit or bank transfer. The credit card offerings from banks now cost more and you get less benefit.
I find the high horse attitude of people who proudly boast they don't care if they pay more as long as it matches the advertised price to be a bit ridiculous. What's the saying? Penny wise pound foolish? I feel like that applies here.
Good for transparency but on the whole probably worse for consumers (higher prices regardless of payment method, perhaps less payment options, credit card offerings worse etc).
- 0
It's just a matter of opinion on how we read and predict the 'behaviour of businesses' but before all this, it was all the cost of doing business/baked in and prices sky-rocketed anyway and then we also paid surcharges.
The change of it becoming widespread practice of putting a potentially or likely false 1.6% which was not genuinely passing on costs.. Well, that rubs some people the wrong way. Businesses may choose to raise prices but they may also choose to not do so. At least for the most part, we can compare apples with apples.
Perhaps you consider it pound foolish but I find travelling in the US tedious when thinking through taxes etc. Yes the businesses there are in their rights to put the prices sans tax, but it is mentally tiresome and I put a premium on not having to calculate. Much like tipping, I do not want those US artefacts in Australia.
PS I think credit card benefits were getting crappier anyway because companies do not care to compete for actual customers anymore.
- 1
I find the high horse attitude of people who proudly boast they don't care if they pay more as long as it matches the advertised price to be a bit ridiculous.
I think the celebration is that, as a consumer, if I see an advertised price at two or more retailers, and pick the cheaper one, I pay what was advertised, rather than an additional 1.1% or 1.5% or x.x% on top. This is the transparency desired, not actually wanting to know what every fee paid for by the business.
- 1
I find the high horse attitude of people who proudly boast they don't care if they pay more as long as it matches the advertised price to be a bit ridiculous. What's the saying? Penny wise pound foolish? I feel like that applies here.
Speaking for myself, it just makes it easier when comparing the same item elsewhere or even when evaluating the value of different items at the same or different locations.
- 0
I haven't been charged any credit card surcharges, but I have been charged a "platform fee" with meal.
- 0
What did they say the platform was? It wasnât the plate that you ate the meal off was it?
- 2
Did you pay cash?
- -1
Anyone who voted yes care to elaborate?
- 0
Just went to a burger joint (who used to surcharge, not one of the big chains) and prices haven't changed.
- 0
Got slugged with a $1.20 Me&U Platform Fee at a cafe which I was pretty pissed about
- 0
The question is: Is that a new charge or not?
- 0
Same dollar amount as before 1/10/26. It used to be called a Card Surcharge, now called a Platform Fee.
- 0
Got an email just before stating that Mornington Racecourse Market will be charging a credit card surcharge for parking fee payments this weekend. They are making a âStuff you Alboâ statementâŚ
- 0
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-07/ato-special-meeting-sâŚ
Australia's tax chief convened a meeting with business groups this morning to the discuss the changes in the wake of widespread backlash.
But the ATO has indicated it is not going to reverse the credit card ban, according to a spokesperson from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), which attended the meeting.
"We will continue to seek to have the ban overturned," the ACCI spokesperson said.In a statement on October 2, taxation commissioner Rob Heferen said the ATO "would have preferred to continue accepting credit cards" but credit card companies declined to offer a rate that was low enough.
- 0
would rather pay the $5 fee, than to see price of all menu items increase by $5 each item
- -4
This is what happens when you vote a clown to run our country. Dumb as dog sh3te.
- -6
you're absolutely right. we need a genius like hanson!
- -4
Pauline says "Thank you for your vote."
- 0
small business hitlerites need to learn their lesson
- 2
What is a small business?
- 0
Medium business dude!
- 0
The consumerism in this comment is insane. You make it sound like there is no alternative and you're forced to pay for your 7th coffee of the day. People just want to be able to pay the amount that is displayed. People want transparency. If businesses raise their price more than CC surcharge, then just don't buy it.
Small businesses themselves make up 97% to 98% of all actively trading businesses in Australia
Source on this? lol
- 5
Small business population and key issues
"Small businesses with fewer than 20 employees accounted for 97% of all actively trading businesses (Source: ABS, Counts of Australian Business including Entries and Exits, July 2022 â June 2026, table 13)."
- 0
Small businesses with fewer than 20 employees
Thank you. Different definition to fair work commission and defined in legislations.
A business with less than 15 people is considered a small business. This is defined by law.
- 1
@CodeXD: Well, blame the ombudsman for having a different definition and releasing that statement to the public. I am just repeating what they said.
- 0
@hasher22: Meh, he's cherry picking. There are a few different legal definitions depending on whether they're using head count or turnover and who's accumulating the data.
Same for the definition of death. In Qld, there are four different definitions of death depending on which piece of legislation is relevant and one common law. At least three in NSW. Not sure about other states.
Point is, they just make up different things for different legislation.
- 0
It's true.
The 97% figure comes from whether you define a small business as having less than 20? employees. ABS uses that definition.
The 98% figure is if you define a small business as one whose turnover is less than $10million per annum. ATO uses that definition.
There are about 2.8 million small businesses in Australia. About 65% are sole traders. About 30% have btwn 2-30 employees, the rest have more.
500billion$ => 1/3 GDP
- 0
Isn't that the entire point, that they factor it into the cost of doing business same as rent and utilities and insurance?
- 4
Yes but my point is, businesses will increase the product and service price beyond the CC surcharge. As I said, for example for coffee, they won't increase it by 11c if that's their CC surcharge fee. They will increase it to a cleaner number such as 20c, 50c etc….
- 0
Businesses were always free to raise their prices for no reason. Most small business cafes probably long overdue for adjusting their menu board.
- 2
@AustriaBargain: Yes, I don't disagree at all. I am not disputing the ban or the product price increases.
I am just saying, businesses will increase their prices beyond their current CC surcharge to a clean number. They can bump it by $2 for all I care, I am stating businesses will always find a way to pass on the fees to customers whether it's itemised on the receipt or baked into their product price.
Whether some fees and charges should be itemised or not, that's a whole different debate.
- 0
@hasher22: Nothing was stopping them from raising their prices before this law. And actually there's no debate, the law is clear about whether some fees and charges should be itemised or not.
- 1
@AustriaBargain: Fees and charges come in all different names and forms, there are literally 100's of fees and charges a business can bake into their product price.
As you said, "the law is clear about whether some fees and charges should be itemised or not." - Can you list the fees and charges a business should legally itemise? And I am not talking about taxes like GST
If an Uber driver takes the toll and the app route shows you it's taking the toll, should that toll fee be itemised or baked into the drive price?
- 0
@hasher22: Thatâs the reason they banned the surcharges in the first place, it had gone from being charged the actual fee to 1.6% or more as companies like square worked out you could offer a blanket of solutions and wrap it into a credit card fee when it wasnât the fee at all, it was software and POS solutions. In the old days you bought a cash register and didnât apply a separate 2% cash register payment plan fee surcharge
- 2
@Onemoredeal: If the problem was simply businesses sneaking POS/software costs into card surcharges, why did the RBA's actual explanation focus on the broader failure of surcharging to steer payment choices, single-rate pricing, declining cash use and payment-cost transparency? You're describing one possible abuse of the system, not the stated reason for abolishing it….
Reference source: https://www.rba.gov.au/payments-and-infrastructure/review-ofâŚ
Furthermore: Let's take your numbers, Square charged a merchant 1.6% or whatever their particular pricing was doesn't automatically mean the merchant was legally passing on "software and POS costs". If the payment provider bundled payment processing, POS software, hardware, etc, into one commercial package, the question was what portion actually constituted the merchant's card acceptance cost under the rules. It's not as simple….. "Square charged me 1.6%, therefore I can surcharge 1.6%".
And the "cash register" comparison doesn't really prove anything. Businesses have always recovered their general operating costs through their overall prices, just like insurance, rent, staff, equipment, furniture, utilities etc, in the overall price.
The CC surcharge was just a legal requirement to show as a separate charge, like GST or weekend and public holiday surcharges.
- 0
@Onemoredeal: That has always been the case?
All business expenses are mostly passed onto the customer.
For example: if something is "free", like free shipping, the business is not absorbing that cost. It will be baked into other areas of the business, you know this.
People will buy $20 item w/free shipping than $15 + $5 shipping fee.
- 0
@hasher22: A customer paying cash to a storefront that uses square terminals isnât paying for that terminal but they are using it under the old model and getting a receipt from it. You recouped the fee for the terminal and or software exclusively from card users
- 0
@Onemoredeal: But that assumes the POS/software cost was exclusively a card cost, which it isn't.
Cash customers still benefit from and use the same POS system, receive receipts from it, and contribute to the business's overall revenue from which operating costs are recovered.
When Square happened to bundle its software/terminal costs into a card transaction fee doesn't automatically make those costs a card acceptance cost.
If the business wants to recover general operating expenses, those can simply be built into the product price and paid by all customers, if you think cash customers shouldn't pay the % of the Square bundle pricing, then the only way to avoid that is not shopping at that store.
And let's face it, cash customers already pay for plenty of costs associated with banking, POS systems, accounting, software, insurance and other business expenses through the overall price. They don't get an itemised deduction because they didn't personally use that particular service. So why single out card processing costs and pretend every other business expense has to be allocated perfectly to the customer who supposedly caused it?
- 0
@hasher22: Agreed, now the surcharge is happily gone you can charge what you want up front for your business and people can choose to shop there or not.
- 0
@Onemoredeal: For a consumer to boycott a shop because some of its general operating costs, including POS and related fees, are built into the price is going to be a long, hard road to prove. At the end of the day, if you want to pay cash, that's your choice, but there's no practical way for you to identify or prove that a small % of your payment is going towards a specific fee you personally don't want to fund. That's simply how businesses recover their operating costs.
- 0
- 1
- 2
It's unacceptable. They've had months to make the necessary changes.
You should complain to the establishment and request a refund of the charge amount. You kept your receipt, right?
If that fails, you can report the issue directly to the network used for the transaction (e.g., Visa, Mastercard, or American Express) as they are responsible for enforcing the "no surcharge" rules.