Businesses find benefits in not accepting credit.
Tory N. Parrish
Patio Drive-In has an old-fashioned feel, with black and silver bar stools lined up at the lunch counter and 45-rpm records hanging from its walls. Customers seeking a traditional hamburger meal will also find themselves paying with traditional means - cash only.
Anthony Raffule, whose parents founded the Utica restaurant in 1954, and his son Tony say they would rather forego accepting plastic than contend with processing fees, the cost of equipment and the extra time needed to complete transactions. ‘Since our prices are low, it ain’t really worth it to do a $5 check on a credit card,’ Tony Raffule said. ‘We don’t want to pass on the cost of credit cards to our customers.’
Fueled by the boom in Internet commerce, the number of electronic payments nationwide surpassed the number of check payments for the 1st time 3 years ago. Most mid-sized and large companies today accept credit cards, and fast-food restaurants such as Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s will even take them for a $2 order.
But a significant number of small, independent businesses, haven’t embraced credit cards. They say they’re not willing to pay credit-card processing fees in a tight business environment, and while it may be a surprise to customers initially, they appear to be understanding. Check the cost to businesses and how some business owners are getting around fees.
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