Card Payment Surcharges Banned in Australia from 2026

[n7of9]

Where did you get that? I paid the amount including GST in cash. You assume she wont declare?

I dunno...I always assume a cashie is a cashie

 

[lovestotravel]

I dunno...I always assume a cashie is a cashie

Especially in bakeries with 2 cash registers

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I think I'm going to quit the QR code ordering systems with platform fees too, use the waiter to order or pay at the counter. I'm boycotting fees!

 

[Mr_Orange]

I think I'm going to quit the QR code ordering systems with platform fees too, use the waiter to order or pay at the counter. I'm boycotting fees!

I've been doing that for some time. I don't see why I should pay a fee when I do all the work of ordering and processing the payment.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I've been doing that for some time. I don't see why I should pay a fee when I do all the work of ordering and processing the payment.

This is why I refuse to use self-scan checkouts - until Woolworths or Coles add me to their payroll.

 

[lovestotravel]

I think I'm going to quit the QR code ordering systems with platform fees too, use the waiter to order or pay at the counter. I'm boycotting fees!

I was going to use the QR code at a pub recently as me and U offers 1 Velocity Point per $5 spent.

But the fee was about 2%.

Went to the counter instead and ordered without that fee, also no CC fee and used a Restaurant gift card that I had that earns 10 QFF per $1.

I also like keeping staff in business taking orders

This is why I refuse to use self-scan checkouts - until Woolworths or Coles add me to their payroll.

If you buy shares, does that count ?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I also like keeping staff in business taking orders

This is my real motive for refusing to use self-scan checkouts: keeping single mums and teenagers in jobs.

If you buy shares, does that count ?

No, that's me giving them my money. I want their money!

 

[albyd]

I still don't understand why paying in cash is 'cheaper' aside from fiddling the books to the ATO and your landlords (I understand major retail landlords charge rent based both on a base as well as turnover so that can't be accurately measured if the business pockets those sales and doesn't report them to Westfield (and conveniently to the ATO).

Yes, there isn't a direct cost to accept cash but there is a cost in banking it. unless you're fiddling the books again though the bank needs to see figures as high as possible to lend you more money ... my 2 cents worth. I am a customer so happy to be shown the other side of the coin.

 

[oz_mark]

I still don't understand why paying in cash is 'cheaper' aside from fiddling the books to the ATO and your landlords (I understand major retail landlords charge rent based both on a base as well as turnover so that can't be accurately measured if the business pockets those sales and doesn't report them to Westfield (and conveniently to the ATO).

Yes, there isn't a direct cost to accept cash but there is a cost in banking it. unless you're fiddling the books again though the bank needs to see figures as high as possible to lend you more money ... my 2 cents worth. I am a customer so happy to be shown the other side of the coin.

I think a lot comes down to 'observability' of the costs. Many costs associated with taking cash aren't directly observable. On the other hand, many of the costs associated with credit cards are observable.

I remember reading of a company that did the exercise of calculating the costs of cash vs credit cards, taking into account counting, handling, banking, etc. There wasn't much in it.

 

[Kangol]

Went to the counter instead and ordered without that fee, also no CC fee and used a Restaurant gift card that I had that earns 10 QFF per $1.

Which restaurant GC?

 

[lovestotravel]

Which restaurant GC?

20x Everyday Rewards points on TCN Gift, Teen, Baby, Restaurant, Pub & Bar, Event and Village gift cards at Woolworths - FreePoints

Expired 6 Oct 2026

freepoints.com.au

One benefit of no CC surcharges now is using these cards is easier as you just say $100 and $100 is on the EFTPOS machine, no calculating the amount that the cashier/bar person needs to enter to account for the CC surcharge to be added.