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.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Finger Cookin
Here in Canada? I've never had that happen. Then again, I am a reclusive shut in.
I have no idea why, but these two posts together made me laugh.
OP, as long as I can remember bars have taken you visa when you start a tab.
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
They shouldn't have done it without your permission, I have been asked for a hold before though. Makes sense. Even if they take your "credit card", there's nothing to stop you from giving them a fake or expired card.
Maybe I go to the right / wrong bars...but I cannot remember having to give a credit card to run a tab at a restaurant or bar here in Calgary.
ever...
The only place its ever happened to me here is Ranchman's. Its tough to collect a tab when the customer is getting bum-rushed into a squad car.
But I've had it happen a lot in the US. I thought the initial pre-auth would show up on the statement less the actual tab and the difference refunded to the card.
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I've come to expect this. However it took me years to get wise to this practice...probably because the pre-auth always seems to be less then I inevitably end up spending.
least favorite 7 words: "would you like to start a tab"
I'd add that during stampede most tents want your ID as well as CC for a tab. Sucks when you go home and forget to close the tab and spend a week trying to locate both critical pieces of plastic...or so I've heard.
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Last edited by TurdFerguson; 12-14-2015 at 02:29 PM.
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.
This is normal practice when starting a tab. Sometimes they take an ID too.
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least favorite 7 words: "would you like to start a tab"
...
really? guess I'm different but I request a tab whenever possible. I hate using cash and I'm not going to pay for each drink individually, that's like 15-20 transactions in a night.
really? guess I'm different but I request a tab whenever possible. I hate using cash and I'm not going to pay for each drink individually, that's like 15-20 transactions in a night.
Tab was a problem for me, another round, Sure! Drinks for other people, no problem.
Forgetting where you leave you visa, Hell Yeah!
In my later years I heave learnt to not use cash, unless it is work then, TAB TAB TAB.
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
Don't know why anyone would be offended by the bar holding your CC. And I don't know why anyone would "forget" to pay and have to track down their plastic.
It's quite a bit harder for a bar to track down that guy in the blue shirt for the $80 he "forgot" to pay, than for the guy in the blue shirt to come back to the bar the next day and ask for his CC that he "forgot" to take with him when he ducked his tab.
Don't know why anyone would be offended by the bar holding your CC. And I don't know why anyone would "forget" to pay and have to track down their plastic.
It's quite a bit harder for a bar to track down that guy in the blue shirt for the $80 he "forgot" to pay, than for the guy in the blue shirt to come back to the bar the next day and ask for his CC that he "forgot" to take with him when he ducked his tab.
Well as someone who has forgotten...it's really quite easy during a day-long party with a group in a large venue. As for tracking the cards down...of course I didn't forget where they went, the problem is that it took the bar a week to locate my cards once I returned to claim them.
/cowboys tent at stampede.
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I've never started a tab at a bar that they didn't ask for a card. Never had them do a preauthorozaton though to my
Knowledge.
A pre auth is fairly standard. Years ago (10 years at least) I worked at a golf course, with members we knew, and we would preauth for 100-250. Even now, when you put your card in the machine at a gas station and select 50, 100, 150, etc they are doing a preauth. They only post the actual amount but the hold might last a day or two depending on their systems.
While most of it is just over precaution, it does make sense. Nothing worse than a guy at the bar turning over a card with $20 left on his limit and running up a $200 tab.
My norm is to start a tab as I find it cheaper (tipping 20% at the end of the night on a big bill is cheaper than tipping $3 for every 7.50 beer). I have never been aware of a pre auth regardless of bar, pub, etc.
There have been numerous times I have received an invoice showing more than what I really had but have never had a bar tender "alter" the receipt after..... either way, I wouldnt worry if I was you. Give it a few days and if nothing changes, it will take 5 minutes of your time and a call to your CC company to correct the issue. You can then take it a step further and inquire directly with the bar to ensure they get to the bottom of it!
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Some of you people must be sketch, I run tabs all the time and never get asked for a CC or ID. Maybe I don't have a low, criminal forehead, as 4x4 does.
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Some of you people must be sketch, I run tabs all the time and never get asked for a CC or ID. Maybe I don't have a low, criminal forehead, as 4x4 does.
CRIMINAL!
They're just being polite because you're too old to run.
But seriously, most pubs don't ask, but the odd time I do get asked, I take no offense. If I was in that industry, I'd ask everyone. Even the geriatric IT guys. And especially the smokers. Whole tables going outside for a smoke, with a ~$100-200 tab just sitting there? And you don't really expect them back for like 5+ minutes? They could be on Deerfoot by then.
