Wondering if ATMs and places like restaurants shops in United States take American Express only or its okay to get a Visa or Mastercard
I was backpacking through the Pacific Northwest in May and carried my Amex card along with a Mastercard from Revolut. I stayed at hostels in Portland and Seattle and noticed that most restaurants bars and grocery stores took Mastercard without a problem. My Amex was accepted at Whole Foods and Apple Store but rejected at two coffee shops and an outdoor gear shop. I also had issues using Amex at some of the ATMs like the ones at 7 Eleven which showed an error after card insert. From my experience Mastercard and Visa are far more reliable across all locations in the United States especially for travelers who don’t want surprises at checkout.
I am from Singapore and traveled solo to Miami and Orlando this June and I used my Visa card from DBS for nearly every purchase without issues. Restaurants shops even small souvenir stands at Bayside Marketplace accepted Visa without question. I brought an American Express card too but ended up barely using it because three places told me they do not take it. Even an airport cafe in Fort Lauderdale said they only accept Visa or Mastercard. For ATMs I used Bank of America and Wells Fargo machines and they clearly had the Visa and Mastercard logos displayed. I would say definitely bring a Visa or Mastercard for day to day spending.
Wondering if ATMs and places like restaurants shops in United States take American Express only or its okay to get a Visa or Mastercard
I used both Mastercard and Amex during my trip to California in May. I stayed near Union Square in San Francisco and used my German DKB Mastercard everywhere from restaurants to boutique clothing stores. My Amex worked at big hotel chains like Hilton and at the Westfield Mall but was declined at two small sushi spots in the Mission District. I also had trouble using it at a Chevron gas station ATM which only displayed Visa and Mastercard logos. Honestly Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost universally in the US Amex is more limited especially outside major cities or small businesses trying to avoid high fees
I just spent a month traveling across New York Boston and Philadelphia and honestly Amex was hit or miss. Larger restaurants in Manhattan and chain stores like Target Walgreens and Starbucks had no issue taking my American Express card. But at smaller cafes local food trucks or indie bookstores they either did not take Amex or added a fee. I ended up relying more on my Visa debit card from New Zealand which worked everywhere without a problem. Even at ATMs I noticed that some machines like Cardtronics and Euronet do not always support Amex for cash withdrawals. My advice would be carry an Amex if you have one but do not depend on it alone.
Used the Allpoint ATM in West Highland, Colorado - worked well and was convenient.
TD Bank in the US was referenced through Facebook. I used my Mastercard credit card and it worked without issues.
Used a Prism Bank ATM under the name Anna McKay in the US - everything worked and the location felt safe.
Used the First Bank ATM listed under Alfredo in the US with my Visa Debit - worked fine.