We encountered DCC twice during our recent trip.

The first time was at checkout from the Ibis Amiens Centre Cathédrale. No verbal request was made to charge us in USD, but I noticed it on the screen before pressing the button to validate and refused to proceed. The transaction was canceled and redone in euros. The desk clerk seemed completely surprised and said no one had ever objected before. She said that it was automatic and that they never asked before processing the charge. We stayed in two other Ibis hotels (Arras and CDG) and the charges were done in euros.

Next, we purchased food in the food court in the airport at Keflavik for our flight back to Boston. This time DH paid the cashier and handed me the receipt. The charges are listed as Purchase Amount USD 29.60 and Commission Fee USD 0.89. There was also a statement that said: "I have chosen not to use the mastercard Currency conversion process and agree That i will have no recourse against Mastercard concerning the currency Conversion or its disclosure." There was no verbal request to charge in USD, but DH admits to not paying attention to what was written on the screen before pushing the green button.

These are the first and only times I've experienced DCC, and I'll certainly be a lot more watchful before validating charges next time.

I've been "offered" DCC far more than twice in Europe - I now expect it at every ATM and major hotel where I use a credit card.

Andrew, have you been "offered" DCC verbally prior to handing over your credit card, or just asked to "agree" to it by validating the transaction in process?

Both. I have been asked at hotels in Europe whether I want to pay in my own currency. (Have to think for a minute...NO, OF COURSE NOT, THIS IS DCC, then answer, "No, I want to pay in Euros!") Mostly I see it at ATMs. I think in one case I wasn't given the choice at an ATM.

(Meant to say: in that last case, at one ATM, I HAD to choose DCC and didn't realize it until the transaction was done - it said so on my receipt.)

My understanding is a vendor MUST ask you in some way or another if you agree to paying in your home vs. local currency.
Perhaps the term "ask" is what is up for legal interpretation.

Happened frequently to me in Poland.
And nobody ever asked. I did see it in first case but it was too late, I showed I was not happy, then refused everywhere.
Obviously can't happen much to me in western Europe since my own home currency is Euro.

We use American Express whenever possible as Amex does not allow DCC transactions.

In the EU they are required to ask which currency you want to use before running the charge. If the notice pops up on a screen, then they have complied with the law.

Yeah, I think the ATM that charged me DCC without asking was in Montenegro - not in the EU.

I've never had an ATM do it without asking, but I've never been in Montenegro. And I only use bank ATMs, I suspect private ones might do it more, who knows.

I have had several places ask me if I want the DCC in Switzerland, Spain and France but I also have had it done without being asked in the Palau Musica in Barcelona, and I think in the Guell palace there, also. I wasn't even shown the screen so couldn't have agreed to it. And I don't remember the receipt saying I had chosen it, but I might have forgotten. Luckily, both those tickets were relatively small amounts so I didn't let it bother me that much, but it really put me on guard in Barcelona.

The fact that vendors must ask and some don't, doesn't surprise me.

I had no idea this was a thing. Thank you.

The keypoint here is what does the word "ask" mean? My experience using in Italy was that you suddenly get asked to sign a credit card slip. But wait, what are those verbiage below Euro charge amount that I have been "offered" (that is a LIE) an option to get charged in dollars and "accepted" it (another LIE) with inflated dollar amount? That was the only time I had a chance to reject DCC - at signature time.

I had an interesting experience in Netherlands. Depending on a type of CC from U.S., the DCC behavior differs. At one store, I used a true Chip and PIN card (from my Credit Union from U.S., a Mastercard. The CU says MC offers PIN card while, Visa only offers Chip and signature...). The machine just asked for PIN to confirm the Euro price. Then right after that, at same store, using the same machine, another couple used a CHIP and Signature card from the U.S. It asked to choose between US dollar or Euro, then spitted out paper to sign.

...during the past 3 weeks in Spain we were asked which we wanted every time we used an ATM plus a few Visa transactions. Worthwhile to pay close attention.

During my recent trip to Ireland from UK, it happened a few times. Never at any service station when buying fuel (even one at the airport) or any of the major supermarket chains (used Tesco, Lidl and SuperValu). But at tourist location (Powerscourt - they did ask), car rental station (didn't ask but I told them before they keyed in the amount I wanted charged in euro, and it was done) and at restaurants (they asked).

When I paid for groceries in Auchan supermarket in Lille this past August, the chip and pin machine showed two currencies and amounts, one in EUR and one in my own currency. You could select the one you wanted. I was not in a tourist area of the city either. The difference in the amount that ended up on my statement vs the amount offered on the chip & pin machine in my own currency was quite alot.

It isn't unique to Europe. We have experienced it a few times in the US. Never been asked, it just happened. Most times I was able to get the payment changed to dollars, but a couple of times the retailer just refused point blank. I argued in one place for half an hour because they said we had to pay in euro. While I was arguing DH went and found an ATM, took out cash and paid them, forgetting the tip. We were really popular there. Luckily we are unlikely to ever visit that town, nevermind the restaurant ever again.

I met it for the first time in May in Belaggio. The shopkeeper actually gave me the choice. I refused and so did an Australian in the queue behind me

Great story hetismij !

As I reported on my TR, EVERY place, and I mean every place, from coffee shops on up in Zurich had their CC machines set to offer USD (default) or CHF. I figured Switzerland must have initiated this scam. Didn't encounter it at all in Italy or France, but just this lunch time in Spain I was asked by the waitress which currency. Will be on the alert now for Spain.

Accompanying friends with foreign cards, I have heard the question about DCC asked maybe 2 or 3 times in France in 10 years. Nobody has ever told me that it was imposed on them.

I have never been with friends checking out of their hotel so it is quite possible that it is a more common question at that time.