Why this sign at a Domino’s has customers accusing the pizza chain of ‘highway robbery’

Domino’s has sparked outrage after a sign was put up in one of its stores warning customers they would have to pay a 10 percent surcharge on Sundays.

An angry customer shared a photo of two signs to Reddit on Saturday with the caption: “Domino’s are you f***ing serious.”

One of the A4-sized signs informed customers that they would be charged a 1.4 percent surcharge on all in-store purchases if they paid by card.

The second sign revealed that the surcharge would be increased to as much as 10 percent for all Sunday orders – to help cover the fines.

Social media users were left baffled as some accused the pizza chain of ‘highway robbery’, while others described it as ‘bulls***’.

“Customers, there will be a 1.4 percent surcharge on all EFPTOS transactions processed in-store (please note this does not apply to orders prepaid online),” the first sign read.

‘At Domino’s we are 100% committed to providing customers with great tasting products at an affordable price.’

The other sign informed customers that they would be charged a 10 percent surcharge.

“Our team members work hard to bring you delicious food at a great value,” it said.

‘On Sundays we apply a surcharge of up to 10 percent on all orders, to take into account penalty rates for our team members.’

The plates left a sour taste in the mouths of many customers.

“We heard you loved benefits, so we added a surcharge to your benefits,” one person wrote.

“Highway robberies are expensive, but then you arrive on a literal fucking push bike. Do those push bikes pay for V8 regos?’ a second commented.

‘It’s nonsense, but at least they acknowledge it with a clear sign. You do realize that this is standard in most cafes and fast food restaurants these days, right?’ came a third person.

Another person added: ‘I refuse to shop anywhere that has eftpos fees. It’s just the cost of doing business that they have to absorb.”

A Domino’s spokesperson said Daily Mail Australia stores have flexibility when it comes to surcharges.

Obviously not all stores charge an EFPTOS surcharge, but there is a Sunday surcharge at all 750 Domino’s Pizza franchises nationwide.

“Domino’s is proud to serve Australia through more than 750 stores, the majority of which are independently owned and operated by members of the local community,” the Domino’s spokesperson said.

“Our franchise partners have the flexibility to manage various operations at the store level, including EFTPOS transactions.

‘To offset the costs incurred by banks and card providers, some may choose to charge a small surcharge on in-store transactions.

‘Where charges apply, clear signage will always be visible to customers and we aim to keep any additional costs minimal.’

Domino’s added that the brand is “committed to providing exceptional value” and encouraged Australians to pay cash or order online if they want to avoid the EFPTOS fees.

“We recognize that every dollar counts for our customers and are committed to providing exceptional value,” the Domino spokesperson said.

‘For those wishing to avoid these charges, there are a number of other convenient payment options including paying by cash or ordering online.’

It comes after Australians rushed to withdraw cash from ATMs across the country as part of a battle against the rise of digital payments.

The mass withdrawal event, called “Cash Out Day,” was organized by the Cash Is King Australia Facebook group and took place on Friday.

“Payout tomorrow June 14th,” the group said in a recent post.

“Bank branch or ATM, take it out, use it and don’t lose it.”

Many Australians shared photos of themselves withdrawing hundreds of dollars from ATMs. Some even reported that high demand due to the campaign caused some ATMs to run out of money.

Finder’s head of consumer research, Graham Cooke, told Daily Mail Australia that those who paid cash could avoid additional card fees.

While some larger companies include these costs in the price of their goods and services, many smaller companies charge their customers with banking fees.

The most popular way to pay by card is tap-and-go, accounting for 95 percent of in-person transactions, and also the most expensive.

While inserting a card into an EFTPOS machine typically costs a merchant less than 0.5 percent per transaction, using contactless Visa and Mastercard payments can cost up to 0.5 to 1 percent per time for debit cards and 1 to 1.5 percent for credit cards.

On a $100 purchase, the average added cost is 28c for EFTPOS, 52c for using the Mastercard network, 47c for using Visa and a whopping $1.88 for digital payment provider Square.

Aussies could soon be legally protected to pay for goods and services with cash if independent MP Andrew Gee’s bill on keeping cash transactions in Australia passes through Parliament.

If passed, the laws would require cash as a payment option for every transaction up to $10,000.

Anyone who refuses a cash payment under these circumstances could be fined up to $5,000, while a business would have to pay a maximum fine of $25,000.