Two prices are displayed at the point of sale — one for cash, one for card. Both prices must appear on all menu items and menu boards. The customer chooses how to pay.
✓ Compliant nationwide when properly implemented
💳 Card Price
$10.40
displayed at POS
💵 Cash Price
$10.00
customer saves 4%
Preferred
02
Cash Discount
Card prices (higher price) are listed on menus, menu boards, and all items throughout the store. Customers who pay with cash receive a discount at checkout.
✓ Compliant nationwide when properly implemented
Payment MethodTotal
Card$10.40
Cash$10.00 ↓
03
Surcharge
Pay with a credit card and a fee is applied. Debit cards are not charged a fee, and the business pays the processing costs on all debit transactions. Menu prices remain the same.
⚠️ Illegal in New York State
Line ItemAmount
Menu Price$10.00
Card Total$10.40 ↑
04
Traditional
The business absorbs all processing fees. Customers pay one price regardless of payment method. Simple for the customer — but the business takes on the full cost of every transaction.
📉 Business pays all fees
Payment MethodTotal
Card$10.00
Cash$10.00
🚫
Important Rule
Debit cards cannot be surcharged.
If your price increases at checkout for debit, you are not running a cash discount program.
The surcharge program is designed to keep pricing transparent while protecting your margins.
Credit card transactions are capped at 3% and can be offset through the surcharge program.
All debit card transactions are always paid by the business, even if processed through credit rails. The terminals automatically detect and classify debit to ensure proper handling and full compliance at all times.
Please check your state's regulations, or contact us directly and we'll guide you through the requirements.
Pricing Must Match
Your pricing must be consistent everywhere.
The price displayed must reflect the actual transaction structure — no exceptions.
POS system
Menu boards
Printed menus
Online ordering platforms
Why consistency matters
Every touchpoint is a compliance checkpoint
Any mismatch between what's displayed and what's charged can be flagged as a surcharge — regardless of what you intended.
No Discrepancies
Example of a problem
What went wrongNon-Compliant
Menu shows$10.00
Customer pays with card$10.40
Receipt reflectsHigher amount
⚠️This is treated as a surcharge — even if it was intended as a cash discount.
Inconsistent pricing triggers compliance issues.
Card networks like Visa and regulatory bodies actively monitor compliance. Any mismatch between item price, register receipt, and card receipt can be interpreted as a surcharge.
⚡
Compliance violations
💸
Fines or program termination
🔁
Customer disputes
Why This Matters
This is where most businesses fail.
It's not about what you intend to charge —
it's about what your system actually shows and processes.
That's what determines everything.
What determines compliance
Compliance
Customer trust
Whether your program holds up under review
📋
Intent doesn't matter
Regulators audit what your system shows — not what you meant to do.
🔍
Active monitoring
Visa and card networks actively review merchant compliance.
🛡️
Program protection
A properly configured POS is your first line of defense.
Implementation
🖥️
This can only be implemented properly with a POS system.
Traditional cash registers do not provide the control or consistency required to run these programs correctly.
A properly configured POS ensures
Accurate pricing across all payment types
Correct application of cash discounts
Clear, compliant receipt formatting
Without a POS
Cash registers cannot enforce consistent pricing, track payment type, or generate the compliant receipts required by card networks.
⚠️ Non-compliant by default
Compliance
What Compliant Looks Like
The displayed price is the final price
Cash receives a discount
No pricing changes at checkout
Business Impact
Why It Matters
Protects your margins
Keeps pricing transparent
Avoids compliance issues
Builds customer trust
Understanding is step one.
Execution is everything.
Compliance Sources
Backed by law and network rules.
Everything on this page is grounded in federal law, card network policy, and state regulation.