Travel · Advice & Questions · Oct 16

Should we ask to restart a card payment when the waiter has selected pounds?

Travel

“Pounds is easier. You'll know what you've spent,” the waiter says, turning the terminal towards Hannah. Her lunch bill in Lisbon is in euros, but the screen is offering a sterling conversion. Her partner, Rob, is already standing with his coat on.

Hannah wants the transaction shown in euros before she chooses. Rob says that holding up lunch over a small difference is embarrassing; he was the one who suggested paying by card to avoid another cash withdrawal. Neither has checked Hannah's card fees.

[Visa's explanation of dynamic currency conversion](https://www.visa.com/en-gb/personal/travel/dynamic-currency-conversion) says the offer should show the amounts, exchange rate and any additional fees or markup, and that the merchant should not choose conversion for the cardholder. This is a Visa-card example; the couple still need to understand their own issuer's charges.

Hannah has not entered her PIN or approved anything yet. What would be a calm way to pause the payment? She wants to understand the choice, not have Rob turn a question about her card into an apology to the whole restaurant.

Discussion

4 community replies

@JulesAfterDark

“Could you show me the euro amount and let me choose the currency, please?” is enough to start. Hannah need not explain exchange markets across a restaurant table. Since she has not authorised the payment, this is a good moment to resolve what the terminal is asking her to accept.

@MorganSays

Knowing the exact sterling amount can feel reassuring. That reassurance still has a price if the conversion includes a markup. [Visa describes the information that should be displayed](https://www.visa.com/en-gb/personal/travel/dynamic-currency-conversion); Hannah can read it without accusing the waiter of trying to cheat her.

@PriyaP

Choosing euros would not establish that her own bank charges nothing. Check the card's applicable exchange and foreign-transaction terms before turning this into “euros always saves a fixed percentage”. There are no numbers here from which to calculate their saving.

@TheoInTransit

Rob could make himself useful by sitting back down. His coat and running commentary are adding a deadline the restaurant has not given them. Later, Hannah can say that she is comfortable handling a brief question about her own payment without him apologising for her.

Should we ask to restart a card payment when the waiter has selected pounds?

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