| Select restaurants around the nation are testing | | | | this because it is more of insurance than a |
| table-based credit card readers that allow customers | | | | convenience? What do you think? Shouldn't you trust |
| to pay for there meal at the table. The news scare in | | | | your waiter? The skimming scams at restaurants that |
| the past year regarding waitresses and waiters | | | | made headline news were part of an isolated incident. |
| stealing customer's credit card information led to the | | | | However, credit card skimming happens everyday at |
| transformation of a new industry involving products | | | | restaurants and other direct consumer oriented small |
| that protect consumer's credit card information. | | | | businesses. These incidents are usually not reported |
| The restaurants that are participating in the credit card | | | | because the victim will not realize he has been |
| reader beta launch were reluctant at first to participate | | | | scammed until months after the incident. The |
| because they feared diners would feel rushed. Fast | | | | occurrences of restaurant credit card skimming |
| food restaurants such as McDonald's allow customers | | | | happened at the same restaurant over a period of a |
| to pay at the counter with their credit card. Table side | | | | year and claimed many victims who traced their credit |
| payment is different from counter-side payment | | | | card deductions to a restaurant employee. |
| because diners are actually sitting down and being | | | | The only difference between these tableside |
| served by an employee that works mainly on tips. | | | | machines and the restaurant employee processing the |
| Waitertalk.com, an online forum for waiters and | | | | transaction is - the restaurant employee will never |
| waitresses to vent on topics such as 'bad tipping | | | | leave his or her fingerprints on your plastic. You simply |
| customers' and 'unruly management' have formed a | | | | slide your credit card through the machine and a printer |
| discussion forum against these so called 'table-side | | | | in the waiter's area prints your receipt. All you have to |
| credit card readers'. Waiters and waitresses believe | | | | do is sign and leave a tip. How convenient is this? You |
| the credit card readers will be a deterrent to leaving | | | | don't have to wait an extra 4 minutes to have the |
| appropriate tips, especially in casual fast food | | | | waiter swipe your card and return with your card and |
| restaurants such as the Ground Round, that typically | | | | the receipt. Is this convenience or privacy of your most |
| attract middle-class customers that are not | | | | sacred information? Should you trust the person who |
| experienced in tipping and eating at non-chain | | | | is serving your food? Most waiters and waitresses put |
| restaurants. Some waiters believe the credit card | | | | up with a lot from customers to earn below minimum |
| readers will be the main focus of the dining experience | | | | wage. |
| and the machines will not allow them to upsel to the | | | | The manufacturers are betting restaurants will |
| customer because the customer will be thinking about | | | | purchase these new Verifone credit card readers. The |
| the bill more than the actual dining experience. | | | | readers can go for several hundred dollars each. |
| In Europe, it is normal to pay at the table; however, the | | | | Restaurants benefit because the payment process |
| culture of Europe allows table-side payment to be | | | | turns tables quicker, which helps the restaurant earn |
| acceptable. Will table-side payment be the new norm | | | | more money per table and the waiter earns more as |
| for paying at restaurants or will American's not accept | | | | his 'rentals' are turning quickly. |