Do Bars Put A Hold On Your Credit Card When You Start A Tab?

[TheAlpineOracle]

So I popped into ranchman's for a birthday after the game last night and spent 50 bucks (including tip and I still have the receipt). I've had some fraud on my credit card lately so I've been monitoring the Unposted transactions pretty closely. I see today I have an Unposted charge from Ranchman's for 150 bucks. As I only spent 50 it would appear I was overcharged by 100. So i guess my question is would the bar have put a hold on my card which will reverse on Monday when everything processes? Seems like the case to me, but I can't ever remember bars putting something like this on my card before. That said, I've never looked at my balance daily before this fraud happened to me last month so I normally wouldn't notice anything that reverses over a couple day span prior to posting.

[CMPunk]

What now?

[krynski]

no. I can't see this happening.

[Finger Cookin]

Not the same situation, but similar. I was at a sports bar in Portland in September. I was a little dumbfounded that they requested it, but they they literally took my credit card and didn't return it until we were ready to pay and go.

I never used to see prepay inside at gas stations anywhere outside the US, but it slowly migrated into BC. I can see this tab nonsense spreading too.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Not the same situation, but similar. I was at a sports bar in Portland in September. I was a little dumbfounded that they requested it, but they they literally took my credit card and didn't return it until we were ready to pay and go.

I never used to see prepay inside at gas stations anywhere outside the US, but it slowly migrated into BC. I can see this tab nonsense spreading too.

That's normal in almost every American Bar I've tried to start a tab at.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Weitz

That's normal in almost every American Bar I've tried to start a tab at.

It's the norm anywhere I've ever been no matter what the country.

[Swarly]

to the OP, yes very possible they put a hold on it for $150 and should clear up in a day or two. I have had this happen to me many times at different bars.

[WinnipegFan]

The keeping your card until you pay is pretty standard. However, I am pretty sure they need to inform you if they are putting any kind of hold on your card. Call you CC company they can tell you right away.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

It's the norm anywhere I've ever been no matter what the country.

Here in Canada? I've never had that happen. Then again, I am a reclusive shut in.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Swarly

to the OP, yes very possible they put a hold on it for $150 and should clear up in a day or two. I have had this happen to me many times at different bars.

That's what I figured, just overly sensitive since I got ripped off.

[afc wimbledon]

I generally assume the bar man or waitress will give themselves a two or three hundred dollar tip if I give them my credit card, I also find drunkenly handing my wallet to pan handlers is a bad idea as well.

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

I generally assume the bar man or waitress will give themselves a two or three hundred dollar tip if I give them my credit card, I also find drunkenly handing my wallet to pan handlers is a bad idea as well.

that wouldn't work at all and be a very good way to lose a job quickly.

[The Yen Man]

I'm guessing they took a pre-authorization on your credit card? The hotel I used to work at used to pre-authorize a $100 damage deposit plus the room charge. It doesn't actually put any charges on your card, but it does hold that amount for a day or so. It just means you can't spend over your limit including that pre-authorized amount.

I remember I had some d-bag guest who gave me attitude because Air Canada lost his luggage and he was taking it out on me. I pre-authorized his card for like $10K ha ha.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Here in Canada? I've never had that happen. Then again, I am a reclusive shut in.

Had it happen just last week at the National. It was a Christmas party, so there was a lot of milling about and it would have been very easy for someone to just walk out sight-unseen. So, it makes sense for the waitress/bar to cover herself by holding onto people's cards.


Now that most places have gone to chip & PIN payment systems, big holds on your cards are less common, but it would make sense for a place like Ranchman's.

[Amethyst]

Maybe it's the places I go, but I've never had a bar try to keep my credit card until I left. Try being the operative word. If they wanted to do that, I guess I would be paying for each drink one at a time.

[driveway]

We used to take people's cards when I worked at the Rhino, threw 'em in a glass sitting underneath the booze. We'd never have let anyone start a tab without taking their card.

Always ended up with two or three cards at the end of the night, people that had just gotten drunk and walked out or forgotten.

[csnarpy]

It's just a pre auth. To make sure you can pay.

[vegasbound]

I had this happen to me in a bar in Bellingham this summer. I didn't pay any attention to it until CIBC called me about the charge. I hadn't let them know I was "traveling" as I was dating a guy down in Washington and was going down once a week all summer and hadn't thought of letting Visa know. It was reversed in a couple days.

[T@T]

As a former bar owner I can say it was never a policy to pre-auth a card, but allow me to let you in a little secret.... Some bartenders and waitresses can't be trusted!

[Aleks]

I've always seen them take the card and put it in a glass by the till personally. I've never paid much attention to other preauths but I always check the total I'm signing for at the end. As an aside note I've been fraudulently charged a total of about $30g this past year alone. I think that type of activity is going up