The thing that really bugs me though is the manager's understanding of credit cards. He kept saying that my account had already been charged and that I'd end up paying my friend's check no matter what. I was saying that no, if I don't sign, I won't have to pay. He was right that Discover would automatically pay the amount, as that's what credit card companies do. They use their cash reserves to front purchases. Later when they'd have to validate the transaction though, they'd see I didn't sign, and I wouldn't be liable. Maybe I'm wrong here, but I figured that's why the whole signature thing exists, to verify that it's a valid transaction.
So, has anyone used Steak and Shake's POS system? Could they have voided the transaction? I thought about saying run it and then refund it, but my faith in the three guys there was non-existent at that point. It seems that their POS system is provided by Progressive Software who handle "Jack In The Box, Starbucks, Steak ‘n Shake, Golden Corral, Boddie Noell (dba Hardee’s), Ryan’s Steak Houses and many others and is currently installed in more than 14,000 restaurant outlets in the United States, Canada, and the UK."
