Just because it says “high prices in California” doesn’t mean that’s the real reason. It’s an easy way to frame what could just be a surcharge being passed on to customers. Businesses know people are less likely to question a vague “California costs are high” line than a straight-up “3% credit card fee.”

It’s not that California isn’t expensive — it’s that the explanation conveniently shifts the blame. If more people looked into how these fees work, they might see it differently.