Case Information

Consumers should be able to trust that the price next to an item in a vending machine is the price that they will pay for that item. But certain companies charge consumers more than the displayed price if the consumer pays with a credit or debit card, without first telling the consumer.

For example, a Snicker’s bar in a machine may have a displayed price of $1.00. But if an individual uses a credit or debit card to purchase that Snicker’s bar, he or she may later see a charge on the credit or debit card statement for $1.10, even though it didn’t say anywhere on the machine that there would be an extra charge for payment by credit or debit card.

The extra dimes (or 15 cents) add up. If a vending machine company charges more than an item’s displayed price because the customer used a card, it should make this clear at the time of the purchase. Some companies place signs on the machine that state the displayed price is for cash purchases only and that an additional amount will be charged for credit or debit purchases. But other companies keep this practice a secret, and therefore mislead purchasers as to the price of the item.

The Law Office of Richard S. Cornfeld, LLC has brought lawsuits over this practice. Click on this link to see the Amended Complaint that we filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Moore et al. v. Compass Group U.S.A., Inc. If you believe that a vending machine company charged you more than the displayed price for an item and failed to disclose the additional charge for the use of a credit card, please feel free to contact us. There is no charge or obligation for discussing these issues, reviewing your information, or answering your questions.