[silverpepsi]

When you eat at a sit down restaurant, part of the service is not forcing you to walk to the register up front to pay. Hence you leave your card with the waiter and they disappear with it for up to 15 minutes to process the payment at the terminal.

This is also their opportunity to copy your magnetic strip and/or add a tip without your permission. (Though the latter only happened to me once, I guess the former may have happened a few times over the years it's hard to know.)

[madeofpalk]

For what it’s worth, everywhere else in the world they just bring a small hand held terminal over to your table and you just insert or tap your card yourself.

[gumballindie]

In europe they bring the pos to your table once done with your custom. Although in the uk table service is uncommon and people queue up at the till to order. No one checks the name as it would be a waste of time anyway.

[uxp8u61q]

In Europe they just bring the handheld payment terminal to your table...