Texas Man Goes To Local Restaurant. Then He Realizes They Charged Him Extra Because He Had A Debit Card

Chances are high that, if you bought something recently, you didn’t pay for it with cash.

In 2025, only about 16 to 18 percent of American transactions were done using cash. Instead, shoppers used credit cards, debit cards, and mobile wallets—estimated to make up between 73% and 80% of transactions.

On the surface, the advantages of plastic/digital payment over cash are obvious. For example, one doesn’t have to carry a lot of money with them at any given time. Additionally, if a card is lost, it can simply be canceled—if you lose cash, in contrast, it’s pretty much gone.

However, there are some downsides to credit and debit card use: fees. Many stores charge an additional fee to pay with a card, especially for small transactions.

But are these fees even legal? One TikTok user has the internet asking after his video on the topic racked up over 22,000 views.

Can Stores Charge You For Using A Debit Card?

In his video, TikTok user Ruben (@livinyodream) shows himself driving around the city of McAllen, Texas. As he does, he shows various restaurants that he claims charge customers for using debit cards.

“There’s this business right here called Tepeque,” he starts. “And what they do, like many other businesses, is they will add an additional fee if you’re using a debit card to whatever you buy, OK?”

“This is actually illegal, what they’re doing,” he continues. He later adds, “Businesses cannot charge additional fees on your debit card. They cannot even say, like, ‘Oh, this is just a customer care fee,’ or something else that goes around it.”

Ruben then shows several other businesses in the area. All of them, he says, are violating the law by charging customers for using debit cards. He adds that, while he’s informed some of these businesses that they’re breaking the law, they have not changed their behavior. As a result, he believes that some of them may face consequences.

“They’ll lose their license, and who knows? Maybe they’ll have to pay back everybody they stole from,” he speculates.

Is This Really Illegal?

Both MasterCard and Visa forbid merchants from surcharging customers for using debit cards. These rules also apply to prepaid cards.

According to Vera Bank, merchants violating this rule can face fines and, in the worst case, termination of agreements with card processors.

States also have their own rules about this practice. For example, in the state of Texas, Business and Commerce Code Chapter 604a states that “in a sale of goods or services, a merchant may not impose a surcharge on a buyer who uses a debit or stored value card instead of cash, a check, credit card, or a similar means of payment.” This does not apply to government agencies or private schools accepting debit cards for fee payments.

That said, there are ways around this. Vera Bank notes that merchants are allowed to offer customers discounts for using cash. This is different, as merchants must list the credit card price as the normal price and then provide a second price that is the “cash discount” price; they cannot simply say that the credit card price is higher than the cash price.

Commenters Say It’s Common

In the comments section, many users noted that, no matter what the law says or issuers dictate, many merchants still choose to charge debit card fees.

“Unfortunately most businesses in the valley do this. They know we don’t carry cash,” wrote a user.

“Almost Everyone in the valley does it. Beauty salons, bakeries, some opticals, small business restaurants,” echoed another.

“If it is illegal then they should be held liable, no matter what. We all have to be playing by the rules,” declared a third.

https://www.tiktok.com/@livinyodream/video/7616766490347441439

BroBible reached out to Ruben via email and Taqueria Tepeque via Instagram and Facebook direct message.

The post Texas Man Goes To Local Restaurant. Then He Realizes They Charged Him Extra Because He Had A Debit Card appeared first on BroBible.