Nearly all US card issuers don't do chip&pin, it's chip&signature (yes, useless, I know). So the gas stations have little incentive to upgrade since there's nothing to sign. Another poster on this thread suggests that non-EMV chip transactions (which are the vast majority in the US right now) aren't any more secure than a mag strip swipe, so there's not much of a benefit.
I'm not sure, but I'd expect that if you don't have a US zip code you can just go inside and use your card with the cashier.
Yes, absolutely you can go inside and pay, the annoying part there is that you have to guess how big the tank on the rental car is, especially when returning it full.
Pay with cash, pump, then go inside to collect your change. That’s what I’d do. And if you prepay inside with your card, you still should be able to go inside for change.
Didn't work that way for me - last time I was filling up, I did pay a bit more before than fit into the tank and checked the bank account later - got charged for the full amount.
That's weird, they should just put a hold on for the amount you entered and then charge the actual amount pumped. Sometimes the holds appear as charges? Did you get a refund later?
I'm not sure, but I'd expect that if you don't have a US zip code you can just go inside and use your card with the cashier.