[eastbayjake]

The networks allow cash discounts if it's posted clearly and the customer has an option to use a different payment method -- you see this on every gas station sign alongside every highway in America. (What's _not_ permitted is adding a secret surcharge or item mark-up for credit card payments)

[bombcar]

The latter is allowed now - after the backs of the credit card processors were broken.

They fought tooth and nail against cash discounts OR credit surcharges and they finally lost. In some areas it's rampant that you get a pretty substantial discount - often 4 or 5%, better than cash-back - and many places post "cash prices".

You can get even more if you're willing to ride the hassle of the gift card train.

The credit card companies know people spend more if they use credit cards, and they turn around and sell that to the merchants.

[graemep]

The UK actually forbids cash discounts and cred surcharges by law - and has done so since at least 2012.

Credit card companies are allowed to run cashback for using them.

All in the name of "consumer rights": https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/payment-surcharge...

[direwolf20]

Some European countries forbid a price difference but they also limit card fees very low, so the merchant doesn't lose money and you don't get cash back. Forbidding a price difference but allowing high fees is nothing but pure corruption.

[iso1631]

Mainly because cash processing fees are higher than electronic, and the primary use of cash is to avoid paying tax

[cmurf]

Surcharges are permitted in some states.

Colorado law recently changed permitting merchants to pass on the actual cost of processing, except for cash, check and debit payments.

https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_5-2-212

This law overrides any prior contractual agreements with banks/processing companies that prohibit surcharges. This is previously how MasterCard and VISA coerced merchants into absorbing the processing fee, by contractually requiring credit same as cash pricing.

[unethical_ban]

Not true. A chain of restaurants near me does not accept cash, and charges 3.5% markup from their list price to cover CC fees. Texas.

[eastbayjake]

If you'd like to get that fixed: https://usa.visa.com/Forms/visa-rules.html