Do Vending Machines Charge Extra For Debit Cards? 2 Reasons

Payment methods for vending machines have significantly evolved over the last few decades.

You no longer need to have cash on you to buy an item from a vending machine as many machines nowadays support debit cards and credit cards.

While using debit or credit cards can make the purchase process a lot more convenient, it can also be confusing when customers review their statements right after only to find they got charged a higher price or even charged twice!

This brings us to the question: do vending machines charge extra for debit cards?

A vending machine may charge you extra for debit cards due to the additional processing fees imposed on merchants by some banks for authorization hold that you’ll get back once the vending machine company submits card payments at the end of the day.

Today, we’re explaining the reasons a vending machine may charge you an additional amount, so keep reading for more information.

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Do Vending Machines Charge Extra When You Use a Debit Card?

There isn’t a fixed answer to this question since it can vary depending on the particular machine and the banks/banking companies taking part in the transaction. We’re not saying this isn’t a possibility, we’re just saying it may or may not happen.

If you check your debit card statement after you use it to buy an item from a vending machine and find that you’ve been charged higher than the price of the item, it could be because of a processing fee or an authorization hold.

We’ll explain more below, but if it’s a processing fee, there isn’t much you can do about it since it’s set by the bank. If it’s an authorization hold, however, the extra charge will go back to your account once the vending machine company submits the day’s card payments.

Reasons Why a Vending Machine May Charge You Extra for Debit Cards

Let’s now take a closer look at the possible reasons why a vending machine may charge you extra when you pay with a debit card: 

1. Processing Fees

You may be charged extra for your purchase at a vending machine with a debit card because of processing fees.

You see, some banks set processing fees for payments done via debit or credit cards. These charges apply to merchants, who then include all or part of it in the customer’s total charge so they don’t have to afford the additional fee alone.

It’s the same thing that sometimes happens in restaurants or retail shops when you ask to pay with a card and the person in charge informs you that there’ll be an extra processing fee if you use such a payment method.

A lot of people don’t mind paying a little bit extra in exchange for the convenience of not having to carry cash around, especially at vending machines where money could get stuck or rejected if the bill is “too wrinkly”.

However, if you have a problem being charged an extra processing fee at a specific vending machine, there isn’t much you can do about it except pay with cash or find another machine that doesn’t charge extra.

2. Authorization Hold

The extra charge you see on your statement after buying an item with your debit card at a vending machine could be an authorization hold. This is especially more likely if you’ve been charged the same amount twice.

The authorization hold charge is a common occurrence in banking. It’s meant to verify payments made using credit or debit cards by keeping an amount of money temporarily “on hold” until funds are transferred to the selling party.

An authorization hold for a vending machine purchase works as follows:

• Once you complete the payment process using your debit card at the machine, your statement will show that you’ve been charged the same amount twice.
• This is because the money you paid for the purchase doesn’t get transferred from your bank account right away.
• By keeping a temporary hold on that specific amount of money, the bank ensures that if you were to use up all the available balance on your debit card before the fundings for the vending machine purchase are transferred, there would be enough money to cover it.
• The hold will be lifted off of the money after the vending machine company submits the day’s payments via cards, which is when the money is actually taken from your account.

This whole process typically takes a day or two, so if the hold isn’t removed by then, you should contact your bank to see what the delay is about.

READ: Do Vending Machines Accept Dollar Coins?

FAQs

Do vending machines charge extra when you pay with a credit card?

When you pay with a credit card at a vending machine, you could be charged an extra fee for processing. The processing fees for credit card payments are usually higher than that of debit cards.

Can you pay half cash half card at a vending machine?

This depends on the vending machine in question. Some machines do allow paying half the purchase in cash and the other half by card, but it isn’t very common.

Can you use my debit card at a vending machine?

Many vending machines nowadays support card payments, so yes you can.

Simply begin by checking your debit card and the vending machine for any apparent damage, then check the card reader for information on compatibility and procedure. 

After that, swipe your card, enter the required codes, then hit the “End” button once you’re done.

Can you get a receipt from the vending machine after the transaction is complete?

Some machines can give you a receipt and some machines can’t. It depends on the model of the vending machine and its card reader.

Wrap Up

So, do vending machines charge extra for debit cards? Well, the answer is “it’s possible”.

A vending machine may charge you extra due to additional processing fees imposed by some banks.

Alternatively, the extra charge may just be an authorization hold that you’ll get back once the vending machine company submits its card payments for the day.