re: #223 Chrysicat

Or it would make it easier for plastic to take over if they didn’t charge a 5% penalty for it as opposed to cash, which ISTR became legal again around 2003 after being forbidden for most of the 90s?

The merchant charges the penalty so that those who use plastic pay what it costs the merchant to take plastic. Card companies take from both sides of every transaction. The alternative is to raise prices for everyone, making cash-customers pay for other people’s convenient plastic.