Businesses have no choice but to pass on credit card fees

George Rosenberg

May 8, 2026

Event Date:

Wed, 05/06/2026 - 03:00 pm

I read two polls in Cape Gazette publications today: 1. 67% of responders eat out several times a month, and 2. 70% said they would not return to a store or restaurant that passes on 3% credit card fees.

On the surface, this represents a fairly upscale community, but has little understanding of how hard it is to survive in a small-town retail business.

Let’s see … the 3% is as real a cost as food/products, labor or rent. We, the customers, have the choice of being able to pay cash and save the 3%. But when a credit card is used, the business has no choice but to pay 3% to the banks – and they cannot mark this cost up. Let’s get real: who is getting ripped off here?

For the record, my wife and I are eat out several times a month’ers.

George Rosenberg
Rehoboth Beach

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