A popular café has come under fire for adding a two per cent surcharge on all card payments, while also refusing to accept cash.
An angry customer at the Malibu Barbie Café in Chadstone, east Melbourne, asked for advice on Saturday after noticing an unavoidable fee that wasn’t included in its menu price.
The café adds a two per cent surcharge to all payments using card but does not accept cash payments, effectively forcing all customer to pay extra.
‘Barbie Café at Chadstone’s social quarter is card-only, which I already dislike but they also charge a surcharge on top of the card payments which are the only option,’ the customer wrote online.
‘I thought the ACCC states that the surcharge is to be included in the price regardless of whether or not the surcharge is stated or not, am I wrong?’
While surcharges have become increasingly standard across the hospitality industry, the mandatory fee made commenters question why the café didn’t adjust its prices to advertise the amount actually charged.
‘The simplest way to view it is that there must be a way to pay the advertised price for an item. If you can’t pay that because there’s also a two per cent transaction fee, that’s false advertising and should be reported,’ one person wrote.
Another said: ‘As someone who uses their credit card as a default payment method, I’m only just starting to realise how much I’m getting rorted.’
The Malibu Barbie Café in Chadstone (pictured) charges a two per cent surcharge on card payments
The popular café does not accept payment by cash (Malibu Barbie Café promotion image is pictured)
The customer ended up sending the Malibu Barbie Café an email asking it to amend its prices to include the surcharge.
The business replied: ‘We are a card-only venue, and a small surcharge does apply to card transactions. This is clearly noted at point of sale, and our displayed menu prices do not include this surcharge.
‘I completely understand your concerns, and we’ll continue to make sure this information is clear and accessible for all our guests.
‘This surcharge contributes to the cost of additional staffing and servicing required to deliver the Barbie Café experience, including immersive photo opportunities, themed hosts, and enhanced operational services.
‘Importantly, no surcharge of any kind is applied to retail or merchandise purchases.’
Unsatisfied with the response, the customer submitted a compliance complaint to the ACCC.
Several commenters applauded the decision and said they were tired of surcharges.
‘I’m not gonna blink if the coffee is $5.30 instead of $5.20 but if it says $5.20 then you charge $5.30 I’ll be mildly annoyed and may go elsewhere next time,’ one person wrote.
The store advertises the surcharge on its website and in-store but does not include it in its advertised menu prices
Several commenters under a post about the controversial surcharge called for the café (pictured) to amend its menu prices
Another said: ‘Just put your bloody prices up, all these surcharges are rip-offs, plain and simple.’
‘It’s not a surcharge if it is all the time. That is just hiding the real price,’ a third added.
‘Remember how for decades the banks pushed the interbank ATM fees as a necessary cost of running the network? And then, they were just gone? Same should be for surcharges,’ another commenter said.
Daily Mail has contacted Bucket Lister, the owner of Malibu Barbie Café, and the ACCC for comment.
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Cashless café sparks outrage over ‘sneaky’ fee added to every diner’s bill