Does your average bar allow you to pay for your drinks with a debit / credit card, or is it cash only?

Question

If so, what is usually the minimum to pay with a card?

Answer 1

Money is money-they will take it like any business.(except for checks!)

Answer 2

All my local spots take cards but some dives will require a min.  I have never been to a cash only bar though.  

A note as to why they make you have a minimum or not take cards at all is because every time they run your card there bank charges them from a quarter to a buck.  So if you have a 5 dollar tab and you run it, they are only getting say $4.50 to $4.00.  Now on top of that Visa/Mastercard will take 1-2% of the total bill and if you are using AMEX or Discover you could be looking at up to 5% which the bar will never see.  This cuts into profits real quick.  If your bar is cash only its cheaper to operate and plus its harder for the IRS to trace the monies.  

Ever wonder why the dive bar with a cokehead owner only takes cash?  

Answer 3

Usually they'll take a card, but there's a minimum of $10-15.

Answer 4

All my local bars let you open a tab with your card, no matter what it is. We just give it to them and whenever we order a drink they put it on the bill and we just pay it at the end of the night.  

Answer 5

Cash only, but they normally have EFTPOS facilities for your cashcard.. (electronic funds transfer point of sale)

Answer 6

the "average bar" takes a credit card.  

Answer 7

Most bars take cash, credit and debit cards.  I have seen $5 minimums before.

Answer 8

Depends on where you live and how modern the area is.  Any chain restaurant/bar will take anything except a check.  Local bars, in particular old "dive" bars might take cash only.  But these days I would say almost any establishment should take cards.

Answer 9

cash only