Must a Circle K franchisee accept all credit cards designated by TMC?
Circle_K Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Purchaser shall accept all credit cards designated by TMC and will, in addition to the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, be fully subject to and will comply with all card agreements in force between TMC or its affiliates and VISA, MasterCard, American Express, other card issuers and/or any bank, and these card agreements are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 100)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Circle K's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to accept all credit cards designated by TMC. The Credit Network Agreement outlines that franchisees must participate fully in TMC's program for processing payments, including credit cards, debit cards, stored value cards, and any other transaction payment cards approved by TMC or its affiliates. This program may be modified by TMC.
This means a Circle K franchisee has to comply with the credit card processing standards and accept all payment types that TMC approves. Franchisees must also forward all customer applications for Circle K-branded credit cards to TMC for approval. The agreement specifies that the definition of "credit card" includes credit cards, debit cards, stored value cards, and other transaction payment cards approved by TMC.
This requirement ensures uniformity across all Circle K locations in payment processing and allows TMC to manage and update the accepted payment methods. Failure to comply with the Card Guide provided by TMC regarding the use of equipment and the TMC Network constitutes a default under the Credit Network Agreement. The franchisee is also prohibited from discriminating against Circle K credit card holders compared to holders of other credit cards.