Merging the two concepts from that dinner—the lending of charge cards and not having cash on hand to pay for the meal, McNamara came up with a new idea: a credit card that could be used at multiple locations. 2. The companies who accepted the Diners Club credit card were charged 7 percent for each transaction while the subscribers to the card were charged a $3 annual fee. 3. The concept of a universal credit card had taken root and quickly spread across the world.