A total ban on credit and debit card surcharges? Consumers will be thrilled, but the owners of thousands of cafes, restaurants and shops say they are worried that they will get stuck between the Reserve Bank of Australia’s new rules and big banks who will simply not cut transaction fees.

“The danger for the restaurateur is that we remain the proverbial ‘piggy in the middle’ and we actually pay the cost,” said Peter Papas, who runs Kazzi Beach Greek in Balmoral and Manly on Sydney’s northern beaches.