Do you take plastic?

Have you ever been told by a store or restaurant that they do not accept credit card payments because your total bill did not exceed a certain X amount?  I most certainly have, and while I used to tell them off if they did not have a signage that states this policy, I have since been extremely lenient and politely obeyed when asked to comply.  It’s not that I approve of them setting this policy, rather I do not have the time nor the patience to argue my point.

There were a few times where I had to insist on paying with my credit card though, for the simple reason that I did not have enough cash on me.  Carrying too much cash is also a hazard, if I might say so myself.

I still maintain that stores with credit card merchant accounts ought to accept credit card payments for whatever amount is due, as a form of good customer service to the consumer.  After all the merchant fee for business credit card processing is a negligible amount to pay for fostering good consumer relationship, which in turn is a huge asset to the store in the long run.

What about you?  Have you ever been in the same position as I am, and do you think stores should honor the credit card payment for whatever amount?