Operators Score Victory With Swipe Reform

On June 8, small business, including members of the National Restaurant Association, declared victory when the U.S. Senate reaffirmed limits on the swipe fees that banks charge businesses for debit card transactions. The reforms kick in July 21. They ensure that the debit-card swipe fees merchants are charged when guests pay by debit cards are in line with what it costs to process transactions,. The legislative victory represents more than a year’s worth of work and lobbying efforts by operators nationwide.

"This was a total industry effort," said Scott DeFife, the NRA’s exec. v.p.-policy and government affairs. "Individual restaurant operators, our state restaurant association partners, board members and chain partners across the country all played a significant role in enacting critical swipe-fee reforms last year and protecting those regulations with a vote in the Senate Wednesday."

In April, during the association’s public affairs conference in Washington, approximately 500 restaurateurs made a final push to keep the debit-fee regulations moving forward. Operators from 44 states met with more than 250 Capitol Hill offices to urge fair and reasonable debit-card fees.