A Thai fast-food chain at the Eaton Centre's north food court is thinking of solutions. Currently, Ruby Thai is offering a "short-term" promotional deal to customers who pay with cash.

The restaurant is giving a 5 per cent discount to those who use cash for orders that are $10 or more.

According to a staff member, the promotion was enforced by the company as a means to incentivize customers and reduce credit card transaction charges. Each transaction costs the restaurant $0.35.

A sign at Ruby Thai announcing the discount.

However, it seems that most customers haven't been using cash since the promotion began, says the staff member.

Toronto has two Ruby Thai locations, with the other in the First Canadian Place food court. 

Credit card surcharges became a topic of conversation back in October 2022 when large and small retailers across Canada (save for Quebec) now had the option to charge customers up to 2.4 per cent extra in "swipe fees," as a result of a settled class action lawsuit with Visa and MasterCard.

Since the settlement, some restaurants across the city have been facing scrutiny for enforcing credit card fees. Earlier this year, the now shuttered Green Eggplant applied a 4 per cent surcharge for credit card transactions.

Samosa and Sweet Factory began charging 3 per cent for orders that were $10 or more, as well as $0.25 for debit on purchases that were less than $10.

However, even prior to the 2022 settlement, cash discounts have been present for plenty of restaurants across the city.

Yee's Hand Pulled Noodles and Maya Bay are restaurants where customers can get 10 per cent off their meals when using cash.