A charge showing up as “Core Life,” “CORELIFE,” or something similar out of Franklin, TN on your credit or debit card statement is almost always a purchase at CoreLife Eatery, a fast-casual restaurant at 401B Cool Springs Blvd, Suite 220, in the Cool Springs area of Franklin. The restaurant can be reached at (615) 387-9996 and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.1CoreLife Eatery. Tennessee Locations If the charge looks unfamiliar, it’s usually because the name was shortened by your bank, the amount reflects a tip added after your card was swiped, or someone else in your household ordered through a delivery app.
Why the Name Looks Strange on Your Statement
Banks and card networks display what’s called a statement descriptor, and it rarely matches the storefront exactly. Descriptors are capped at roughly 20 to 25 characters, and some banks truncate them further, down to about 15.2Chargebacks911. Statement Descriptors The descriptor must match the merchant’s legal name, DBA, or URL, but once it’s cut off and reformatted, the result can look nothing like the sign on the door.3Stripe. What Is a Statement Descriptor and How Do I Update It
A few other things can change the appearance. Digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay sometimes prepend “APPLE PAY -” or similar text, eating into the space available for the merchant’s name. Some banks add their own prefixes. And while a charge is still pending, you may see a temporary “soft” descriptor that gets replaced by a different “hard” descriptor once the transaction settles two to five days later.2Chargebacks911. Statement Descriptors A descriptor reading “CORE LIFE FRANKLIN TN” is actually one of the clearer ones, since it carries both the brand and the city.
Why the Amount May Not Match What You Paid
Restaurants place an authorization hold on your card the moment it’s run. That hold shows up right away as a pending transaction. The final amount, which usually includes any tip you added on the receipt afterward, posts separately, often one to two days later.4Ramp. Pending Credit Card Charges
During that gap, your banking app may display both the pending hold and the final charge at once, which looks like a double charge but isn’t. The merchant only processes one of them, and the pending hold drops off once the bank reconciles.5GoTab. Understanding Double Charges and Preauthorizations Debit cards and mobile wallets often hold pending charges longer than credit cards. If a hold hasn’t cleared after five business days, call your bank.
Could Someone Else in Your Household Have Ordered?
Before assuming fraud, check whether a family member ordered through a delivery service. CoreLife’s Franklin location is listed on Uber Eats, which charges a $4.99 delivery fee plus additional service fees.6Uber Eats. CoreLife Eatery Cool Springs A delivery order might appear under the delivery platform’s descriptor rather than CoreLife’s, or bundle food and fees in a way the household member who placed it won’t recognize later.
CoreLife also runs a free loyalty app with no membership fee. It does not carry any auto-reload or recurring subscription charges, so a recurring debit on your account is not coming from the rewards program itself.7CoreLife Eatery. Rewards
Contact the Restaurant First
If the amount is wrong, you see a duplicate that didn’t resolve, or you’re trying to confirm an order, the fastest fix is to call the Franklin store directly at (615) 387-9996.1CoreLife Eatery. Tennessee Locations For corporate questions, CoreLife’s customer service email is info@corelifeeatery.com, with mail going to CoreLife Eatery, 4700 Vestal Parkway E., Vestal, NY 13850.8CoreLife Eatery. Terms and Conditions
Per CoreLife’s terms, refunds, credits, and order adjustments are at the company’s discretion and depend on individual store policies.8CoreLife Eatery. Terms and Conditions Payment processing goes through third-party providers, so if the store can’t resolve the issue, asking which processor handled the charge gives you another thread to pull.
Disputing the Charge With Your Credit Card Issuer
If the restaurant can’t fix it, or you believe the charge is unauthorized, you can dispute it through your credit card issuer under the Fair Credit Billing Act.9Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges The rules that matter:
- Your written dispute must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the charge was sent to you.
- Send the letter to the issuer’s billing inquiries address, not the payment address, with your name, account number, and a description of the error. Include copies of supporting documents, and use certified mail with return receipt if you want proof of delivery.
- The issuer must acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days or two billing cycles, whichever comes first.10Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Do I Dispute a Charge on My Credit Card Bill
- You can withhold payment on the disputed amount and related finance charges during the investigation, but you still have to pay the undisputed portion of the bill.
- Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card charges at $50, and many issuers offer zero-liability policies on top of that.11Discover. Fair Credit Billing Act
One boundary worth knowing: the FCBA covers credit cards and revolving charge accounts, not debit cards or installment contracts.12Fairfax County. Credit Cards Understanding the Fair Credit Billing Act If the Core Life charge hit your debit card, your dispute goes through the Electronic Fund Transfer Act instead, and the protections are narrower. Call your bank quickly either way.
Reporting Fraud or Escalating a Complaint
If you’re confident the charge is fraud rather than a misunderstanding, call the number on the back of your card right away. If identity theft is a possibility, IdentityTheft.gov will generate a personalized recovery plan.9Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges General fraud reports go to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If your card issuer mishandles the dispute itself, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint; companies typically respond within 15 days.13Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Submit a Complaint Because the charge happened in Tennessee, you can also use the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs mediation program, filed online through the Tennessee Attorney General’s website. You have to contact the business first; after you file, the DCA forwards the complaint and the business has 21 days to respond, with the average mediation running about 90 days. The DCA cannot give legal advice, sue on your behalf, or issue binding rulings; if mediation fails, your remaining options are your card dispute or small claims court.14Tennessee Attorney General. File a Consumer Complaint