[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I realize every restaurant is different, but is there any reason they would be pre-authorizing for more than the amount due? Our system won't let us charge more than the amount - anything more has to be added as a tip. It's nice, because then we don't have the problem that Burger King did where the person was charged 4k for a burger.
[/ QUOTE ]
There is no reason they should be pre-authorizing for more than the actual charge amount. In fact it is a violation of the
Visa Rules to do so. Just look at page 10 of that pdf for the concise version of the rule.
It's also a violation to impose a minimum purchase amount for credit card sales, and to ask to see ID as a requirement for using your credit card.
[/ QUOTE ]
THose are the rules for merchants, the processors are under different rules (and have contracted for a set amount of time to follow those rules, higher preautorizations is common and accepted practice).
Good find though, and having the ability to read that whole document w/o falling asleep is an excellent talent.
[/ QUOTE ]
Given that the situation in the OP is exactly the same as the example they give for this particular rule (where they say *not* to do it), I find it hard to believe that Visa would allow another step in the chain to arbitrarily add another 15% on. Later on, on page 27, they go into a bit more detail. They are pretty explicit that the authorization should be for the exact amount, and no more. They even protect the restaurant from extra hassle by allowing for an additional 20% increase in the final charge for restaurant authorizations.
To the OP, there really is no reason why an authorized amount (usually showing up as "pending charges" on card web sites) should not be exactly what your bill was. If the restaurant is authorizing over what they should be, you should point this out to them so they can correct it. If it shows up as an actual charge, then someone (the waitress? the owner?) is stealing from you, and obviously this should be pointed out to them as well.