Card Payment Surcharges Banned in Australia from 2026

[SeaWolf]

Lots of great photos going around today:

View attachment 523618

It seems like this shenanigan has not worked out too well for them

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

There's been so many bad reviews about the charge on Google Maps that they've renamed the business on there in an attempt to avoid people seeing the bad reviews and them getting any more.
I'm sure similar is happening on other platforms as well.

 

[kpc]

I avoid eating out (including getting coffee) on Sundays and public holidays because of surcharging which can be up to 15-20%!

 

[AuSammy]

It seems like this shenanigan has not worked out too well for them

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

There's been so many bad reviews about the charge on Google Maps that they've renamed the business on there in an attempt to avoid people seeing the bad reviews and them getting any more.
I'm sure similar is happening on other platforms as well.

And a very suspicious number of unqualified 5* reviews all on the same day following all the negative reviews and name change.

 

[jbman]

I avoid eating out (including getting coffee) on Sundays and public holidays because of surcharging which can be up to 15-20%!

Agreed. I am seeing many with a minimum 10% on weekends and 15+% on public holidays.

I just take my business elsewhere. These are not essential services

 

[Cruiser Elite]

 

[Dmac59]

My local cafe mysteriously and coincidentally increased the price of my morning coffee from 5.50 to $5.80 on Tuesday.
No announcement. Only noticed when I checked my daily transactions that evening.

 

[kpc]

View attachment 523881

Interesting.....I dont get penalty rates in my job working WEs or Public Holidays! Hey they can even ring me at 4am for no extra

 

[SeaWolf]

Agreed. I am seeing many with a minimum 10% on weekends and 15+% on public holidays.
I just take my business elsewhere. These are not essential services

What I'd like to see is for someone with the skills to set up a website that crowd-sources these sorts of surcharges, so you can quickly and easily check a business before you decide to go there.

EDIT: I've found the new, but rapidly growing Surcharge.com.au which enables you to search through venues to find out if they're going to hit you with extra fees. They rely on user submissions, seems like a valuable resource and one worth contributing to.

Surcharge - Find Venue Surcharges in Australia

Check card, weekend and public holiday surcharges for restaurants across Australia.

surcharge.com.au

 

[CaptJCool]

Coffeespy ?

 

[jbman]

The other thing that I have been seeing too much of is the TIP option...... 5%,10%, choose your own or NONE.

The cheek is when they as for the TIP during the ordering process and you haven't had your meal.

 

[Berlin]

Agreed. I am seeing many with a minimum 10% on weekends and 15+% on public holidays.

I just take my business elsewhere. These are not essential services

Agreed. Or I literally plan not to eat/drink out on public holidays. It’s ridiculous how much they want as a surcharge. And really- staff needs to get paid a bit more? Well, that’s called running a successful business and it’s just part of it. Cry me a river!

We all see in the US where this leads when stingy business owners off load paying a fair wage to their employees!

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Isn't it interesting that other industries have penalty rates, yet don't charge a surcharge? Retail, fast food, healthcare, just to name a few.

My first interaction with a surcharge was having lunch at Darling Harbour many decades ago!

 

[transpactraveller]

Also many other countries have penalty rates yet don't charge a surcharge.

Australia is becoming too much like the US.

 

[Mr_Orange]

It seems like this shenanigan has not worked out too well for them

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

There's been so many bad reviews about the charge on Google Maps that they've renamed the business on there in an attempt to avoid people seeing the bad reviews and them getting any more.
I'm sure similar is happening on other platforms as well.

Businesses like this deserve to die!

 

[Mr_Orange]

View attachment 523881

So the business knows about his before they open and therefore builds this cost into their business model. Or maybe not with the whinge-tastic school of business that so many seem to attend before starting out.

 

[levelnine]

It seems like this shenanigan has not worked out too well for them

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

There's been so many bad reviews about the charge on Google Maps that they've renamed the business on there in an attempt to avoid people seeing the bad reviews and them getting any more.
I'm sure similar is happening on other platforms as well.

Their mistake was being too transparent. They should have just quietly raised menu item prices like everyone else is

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Their mistake was being too transparent. They should have just quietly raised menu item prices like everyone else is

They were throwing their toys out of the cot indeed. A simple price change was all that was needed. Really silly thing to do.