Having dealt with many retailers for a while, I know American Express has traditionally charged higher fees to merchants for processing transactions but I’ve been recently encountering more and more shops dumping American Express.   The biggest chain that I’ve seen doing this is Subway.   I’m guessing it’s the independent franchises that are dumping the card to preserve cash flow and reduce fee exposure as food and labor costs continue to increase.

I’m wondering if this is why American Express had poor results this past quarter vs. simply being a “tapped” out consumer.   I’ve encountered problems with AMEX at discount outlet stores, fast food chains, and independent shops simply not taking Amex anymore.

Food for thought.