How dare you not have the latest checkout methods ...

[Dreamstalker]

I did that too when stores were still rolling out the chip readers; some stores had the new hardware, but were telling everyone to swipe because it hadn't been set up yet. I lost track trying to remember who had it ready and who didn't. I still have (understandable) brainfarts if a store's chip reader is down yet they don't tell people.

I won't use tap to pay either, as a security type I'm paranoid that way. If I want to keep track of how often I'm using a particular card (either for reimbursement or just keeping tabs on the balance) physically taking the card out each time makes it easier somehow.

[notalwaysright]

I also didn't realize one of my cards had a chip. The card has my name, but is billed to my mom, because she hates shopping and often will have me pick up things for her. (I say that so people don't think I get to charge my mom for my own stuff, I don't.) Anyway, I must have had this card for three years, because it expires soon, and suddenly it was like "insert card" and I looked at it, and there's a chip. I didn't notice for years. It's a credit card, so it asked for a signature. My debit card has a pin, which I much prefer.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Oh gods, the starers... "What do I do?" What does it tell you to do? "It says to remove my card, should I do that?"

Gotta love those RTFS idiots.

[Pixelated]

... the chip was designed to generate a random PIN on each use, thereby cutting down on identity theft. Therefore, it operates best when you don't enter a PIN, instead relying on the chip to do its job.

I've never heard of this. Is it a card from one particular bank/store/corporation, or are all chipped cards like that?

[RealUnimportant]

The chips just hold the card info in a different, more secure manner than the stripes. You still need your PIN to prove that you're the owner of the card. Contactless might run on rotating authentication, but it's not just random because then there'd be no way to confirm that it was sending a valid signal to the bank.

[Minflick]

FWIW, here in the Bay Area in much greater San Jose, I find chip or swipe both need my pin for my debit. Credit card not so much, but I haven't used it in months, and can't recall what I need to do.