can I cancel the credit card I left at a bar?

February 9, 2016 9:41 AM

I had a friend in town this weekend, and we stopped for a drink at a bar before dinner on Saturday night. Sure enough, I walked out of there without closing out my tab. I know that the bar still has my card, and the charge for the two drinks has gone through. Does this mean that I can just call my bank and cancel the card with no repercussions?

I know this question might make me sound pathologically lazy/avoidant, but I live and work in Brooklyn, the bar is in Manhattan and not open at a time where I could just swing by during my lunch break. It was a card I rarely use, so it won't put me out to cancel it and just wait for a new one. I just want to make sure this doesn't screw the bar (or my credit) in some way. I promise to leave a nice tip next time I visit this bar.

posted by cakelite to Work & Money (11 answers total)

You don't want to cancel your account, you want to report the card as lost and have it reissued (with a new number). Call the customer service number on one of your bills. The customer service rep should go through a list of recent purchases with you to ensure that it hasn't been used without your authorization since you lost it. They'll deactivate it and send you a new one in the mail.
posted by books for weapons at 9:44 AM on February 9, 2016 [9 favorites]

It won't screw the bar. Call your card company to say you lost your card. Ask to verify the last few transactions. Verify any legitimate ones.
posted by Karaage at 9:44 AM on February 9, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Call the bar, ask them to charge through a reasonable tip for your server and then cut up the card. Then call your CC company and cancel it (but make sure they understand that the bar tab and the tip were authorized charges).

This shouldn't hurt you, or the bar, but you'll probably need to update your payment information with any services that keep this card on file.
posted by sparklemotion at 9:45 AM on February 9, 2016 [6 favorites]

Best answer: You can report the card lost and when you do, you can tell them that the charge for the two drinks is OK, but anything after that is not.

On review, I like sparklemotion's idea of asking the bar to charge a tip, then report the card lost and verify the drinks and tip as authorized.
posted by Dolley at 9:47 AM on February 9, 2016 [1 favorite]

Maybe the bar will mail it to you; you've got one particularly extraordinary for of identification that they can verify-- you know the number of the card which you can give over the phone. Or ask them what they normally do if someone abandons are card there.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:48 AM on February 9, 2016 [1 favorite]

I've done this for things like this frequently. It's never been a problem. Its basically an automated process for them, which is much more convenient for them than dealing with a card that gets used fraudulently. I've heard some banks may charge, but that has not been the case in my experience with BoA or Capital One
posted by lownote at 9:48 AM on February 9, 2016

I've done this and had a bar mail me the card. No issues.
posted by hrj at 10:14 AM on February 9, 2016 [1 favorite]

When this happens, I just tell my credit card to send me a replacement card (not that I lost it, i.e it doesn't scan anymore etc). They send me a card in the mail with same account number etc. This probably violates every card member agreement. I've never had any fraudulent charges.
posted by sandmanwv at 10:30 AM on February 9, 2016 [2 favorites]

I have waited a few days before picking up a card left at a bar with no issues. They'll just have it stashed with the others.

This is not a rare occurrence.
posted by flaterik at 11:23 AM on February 9, 2016 [1 favorite]

I just want to make sure this doesn't screw the bar (or my credit) in some way. I promise to leave a nice tip next time I visit this bar.

Many bars (the ones I've worked at, at least, which were in Western New York and DC - not sure on NYC standards) will automatically add a 20% tip to any tabs left open when they close. It messes with the server's tipout at the end of the night otherwise. So you might be just fine on that front! Calling them and offering to add a reasonable tip if they haven't already is the polite thing to do, whether you plan on picking it up or not.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 11:27 AM on February 9, 2016

Former bartender, I have a ton of experience with this. Left cards are a daily occurrence. What most likely happened was, the server/bartender closed your tab at the end of the night when your card was left behind. They did not tip themselves (probably) but resolved the outstanding bill against your card because they have to do so before closing out their end-of-shift paperwork. Your card went into some kind of pile of lost credit cards waiting on their owners to call about retrieving them. If you call and are nice the bar will probably mail your card or cut it up for you, but if you're willing to cancel it I wouldn't worry (the piece of plastic will become invalid as soon as you cancel/report it lost). The server/bartender is out the tip, but unless your bill was huge, it's no big deal (again, it happens all the time).
posted by axiom at 2:08 PM on February 10, 2016