Even being the president of the United States does not save you from everyone’s nightmare: the shame of having your credit card declined in public.
After signing an executive order for better credit card security against identity theft, Obama regaled the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with the tale of how his card was recently declined at a swanky restaurant in New York.
“I should mention, by the way, that I went to a restaurant up in New York when I was there during the General Assembly [last month], and my credit card was rejected,” Obama said. “Fortunately, Michelle had hers. And I was trying to explain to the waitress, ‘No, I really think that I’ve been paying my bills.’”
“Even I’m affected by it,” he added. “It turned out I guess I don’t use it enough. So they thought there was some fraud going on.”
Although Obama did not specify what restaurant subjected him to this ordeal, the New York Daily News suspects that it was Estela on E. Houston Street in lower Manhattan.
The Obamas dined there on September 24: “The couple had burrata with salsa verde and bread, two endive salads, tomatoes and croquettes before they returned to their hotel shortly before 10:30 p.m., according to Eater New York.”
Based on a careful analysis of Estela’s menu, that probably would have left Michelle paying a $73.00 tab.
