Is there a trick to get an extra discount when paying by card in Istanbul shops?
Based on 2 discussions with 3 participants · Last activity: 26 days ago
TL;DR
Greet the cashier politely in Turkish and ask them to run your card a certain way at checkout — this phrase reportedly triggers a discount in many Istanbul shops.
What the community said
At the register, politely get the cashier's attention with 'Affedersiniz' ('excuse me') before asking about a discount — it helps set a friendly tone.
42 days ago Affedersiniz
When approaching the register, greet the cashier with 'Merhaba! Kolay gelsin!' ('Hello, easy work to you!') — a friendly Turkish greeting that puts the seller at ease.
42 days ago Merhaba! Kolay gelsin!
The key phrase is 'Lütfen kartınızla geçirin, indirim çıksın' — 'Please run the payment on your card so the discount applies.' Ask the cashier to process the payment this specific way.
42 days ago Lütfen kartınızla geçirin, indirim çıksın
According to one traveler's experience, this phrase worked every single time in any Istanbul shop they tried it in — worth attempting at any purchase.
42 days ago