The Surcharge Clock Is Ticking: What Venues Need to Change Before 1 October

The small card fee at the bottom of the bill is about to disappear, but the cost behind it is not. From 1 October 2026, Australian businesses will no longer be able to add a surcharge when customers pay using EFTPOS, Mastercard, or Visa. For restaurants, cafés, pubs and clubs, the change reaches well beyond removing a line from the receipt. Venues need to check payment terminals, online ordering platforms, booking systems and invoicing software before the new rules begin. References to card surcharges must also be removed from menus, websites, signs and other customer information. Public holiday surcharges are not affected, provided they continue to meet the relevant pricing and disclosure requirements. The ban also cannot be avoided by giving the card fee a different name. The important point is that payment processing will not suddenly become free. Restaurants and cafés will still pay merchant fees. Those costs will instead become part of the ordinary expense of running the business, alongside ingredients, wages, energy and rent. Restaurant and Catering Australia National President John Hart OAM said: “This is a cost shift, and the industry needs that to be acknowledged rather than dressed up as a saving.” (Source: Restaurant and Catering Australia media release, 31 March 2026) The Reserve Bank has also reduced some interchange fee caps, which may ease part of the burden. However, the actual saving will depend on each venue’s payment provider, transaction mix and merchant agreement. Operators should review recent merchant statements, speak with their provider and compare available plans. They should also decide whether to absorb the remaining cost or account for it through broader menu pricing. Any change needs to be settled early enough for menus, systems and employee guidance to be updated before 1 October. Front of house teams will need a simple explanation for customers who ask what happened to the fee. A clear answer will prevent the first week of the change becoming a nightly debate beside the payment terminal. The surcharge may disappear from the receipt, but every venue still needs to decide where the cost will land.