Why do restaurants in the US take your credit card, instead of simply bringing the machine to the table for payment?

Question

In Canada, I haven’t seen a credit card taken by the waiter for payment since maybe the late 90s. However, the dozens of times that I’ve gone to a sit-down restaurant in the States, I have not once had a waiter bring the machine to the table. Having the machine brought over is much faster and convenient, and allows the customer to be sure of what is charged, so why hasn’t this caught on?

In: Other

Answer 1

I eat out pretty regulary in Houston and I cannot remember the last time a waitperson did not have a handheld machine…