“Why do I have to pay this fee?” Response: “Credit card companies charge businesses fees to process payments—typically 2-3% of each transaction. Rather than building these costs into our prices for everyone, we apply the surcharge only to credit card users. This keeps our base prices competitive and ensures debit and cash customers aren’t subsidizing credit card rewards programs.”

“No one else charges this fee!” Response: “Actually, many businesses are implementing surcharging programs—you may have seen it at gas stations, government offices, and increasingly in retail and restaurants. It’s legal in all 50 states and allows us to keep our base prices lower while covering processing costs.”

“This is unfair!” Response: “We understand your concern. This program is actually about fairness—ensuring that customers who pay with cash or debit aren’t paying higher prices to subsidize credit card processing costs. You have a choice: pay with credit (with surcharge), or use debit or cash (no surcharge).”

“I’m going to shop somewhere else!” Response: “We understand, and we respect your decision. We value your business and want to be transparent about our costs. Many businesses are implementing similar programs. If you’d like to avoid the surcharge, we also accept debit cards and cash.”

“Can you waive the fee just this once?” Response: “I appreciate your loyalty, but to remain compliant with card brand rules, we must apply the surcharge consistently to all credit card transactions. However, you can avoid it by using a debit card or paying with cash.”

“I’m going to dispute this charge!” Response: “The surcharge is clearly disclosed before payment, as required by law. It appears as a separate line item on your receipt. We’re happy to explain the program, but the surcharge is legitimate and compliant.”