Customer Experience

Swipe fees could cost consumers $683M on Valentine’s day

Adobe Stock

February 10, 2026

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Credit card swipe fees could cost consumers more than $683 million given expected higher prices for Valentine's Day gifts, according to the Merchants Payments Coalition.

The average swipe fee is equal to the cost of a greeting card or three pieces of chocolate, according to a press release from the coalition.

"For restaurants, swipe fees are anything but a love story," MPC Executive Committee member and National Restaurant Association Director of Technology and Innovation Policy Brennan Duckett said in the release. "On one of the year's biggest dining holidays, these excessive fees raise costs for restaurant operators and for every couple trying to enjoy a special night out. It's time for Congress to show some love to small businesses and their guests by passing the Credit Card Competition Act."

Consumers are expected to spend an average $199.78 on Valentine's Day items for a total of $29.1 billion, according to the National Retail Federation's annual survey.

Based on the average 2.35% rate for Visa and Mastercard, that would include an average $4.69 in swipe fees would add up to $683.9 million if all purchases were made with credit cards. With swipe fees constantly rising, that's up from $621.5 million last year.

By category, swipe fees could account for $164.5 million of the $7 billion consumers are expected to spend on jewelry, $148 million of $6.3 billion spent on evenings out, $82.3 million of $3.5 billion spent on clothing, and $72.9 million of $3.1 billion spent on flowers, according to the release.