Some bars will do this, while others will open the tab and give you your card back, charging you and creating the final bill when you’re going to leave. I’ve eat out all the time and have done so all over this country...not once have I ever had to open a tab at a restaurant. If I get food at a bar, then I have had to…

It’d be interesting to learn whether hybrid males are/can be fertile. The one wholphin in captivity (a false killer whale/bottlenose cross) is female; female hybrids can generally reproduce regardless of chromosomal or genetic differences. Males in most crossings turn out sterile, though exceptions have gone on to…

Yes, most places physically hold your card when you open a tab. It’s very rare that a place has the set-up to be able to scan a card and hand it back to keep the tab open.

It’s weird. Bars do it, but restaurants, even those with bars attached to them, don’t take cards for food. I feel like she was just going to eat in the restaurant part, pay for her food and then head to the bar till last call. Most servers don’t want to hang on to a person’s card for fear of being accused of taking…

Sort of, most places as others have said will take it to run it at the time of payment. When starting a tab its hit or miss on if they will run it to validate a certain line of credit or hang onto it for some reason.

This is only normal in the context of running a tab at a bar, at a restaurant, it’s a sign that they think you’re going to dine and dash.

Echoing what others have said, but also this happens *only* if you want to open a tab. I’ve never been in establishment, even a bar, where opening a tab is mandatory if you want to order anything. You can pay as you drink if you don’t want to give up your card, though this can obviously be more of a hassle than just…

For what it’s worth, it actually is often necessary. Some systems take the actual credit card data, but others only record the name, so if the person spaces out and walks on their tab, you don’t have the necessary data to run their card number. In addition, USians are so accustomed to having their card held that if…

Very, very common. The vast majority of bars keep your credit card when you open a tab. It’s unnecessary and stupid, but they still do it.

It’s common at bars in the US, not restaurants.

To answer your questions: Yes and it’s pretty much the norm. I wasn’t even aware you can have a tab open without the establishment holding your card.

They should just prepare a bunch of plywood ones with the name written on them with a large Sharpie. It would save money.

I’m going to guess that it isn’t uniformly applied, with a bias on age, race and appearance, though not necessarily in that order. I’ve never eaten there because quite frankly most Plaza restaurants are way more expensive than they need to be for the quality of food.

The question is: Is the policy uniformly enforced for all patrons? If it’s only applied to...certain people...that’s a problem.

Playing games? He’s the one playing games. She asked what time the place closes, and he responds with “1 am” when he knows she’s asking what time the whole establishment closes, not just the restaurant.

Looking over restaurant policy, they have a policy of asking for credit card or cash to secure a tab after 9pm. It is on the online menu and probably on the physical one as well. Given the amount of dine and dashing I’ve known about in that particular area of KC, this is not a surprising policy.

My favorite is the time she gave John Boehner side eye at some meal. 

Also, nobody on earth casts the side eye like Michelle Obama.

It hurts a little to see them.

Grodd, I miss Barack and Michelle so much.