Card costs for restaurants, cafes and bars.
Restaurant margins leave little room for card fees, and tips complicate every pricing program. Here is how to make the numbers and the guest experience work.
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Tips change the math
Card fees usually apply to the full amount including the tip. A pricing program has to define clearly whether the price difference applies before or after gratuity, and your system needs to calculate it consistently every time.
Menus and checks
With dual pricing, menus can show both prices or state the difference clearly. Guest checks and receipts should show which price was applied. Online ordering and delivery platforms need their own consistent disclosure.
Pay at table and counter service
Handheld terminals and counter tablets must support your chosen program and print or display the right disclosure before payment. Staff should know a one-sentence explanation.
Guest experience
Full-service restaurants with loyal regulars often adopt dual pricing smoothly. Fine dining or highly competitive quick service may prefer lower-rate traditional processing to keep the menu simple.
What we model
Your average check, tip percentage, card versus cash mix and current effective rate, so you can see the likely effect of each option on a typical month.
Frequently asked questions
Does my industry change the right processing setup?
Yes. Ticket size, tips, returns, recurring payments and card-present versus online transactions affect pricing and equipment needs. Describe how your business takes payments before comparing programs.
What should restaurants check before switching?
Check POS compatibility, tip adjustment, split checks, tableside payments, online orders and settlement reporting. Test how any pricing program appears on menus and receipts before launch.
What should retail stores check before switching?
Review inventory integrations, returns, barcode workflows, contactless payments and reconciliation. Compare your average ticket and monthly volume against the complete fee schedule.
What matters for auto-repair payments?
Larger invoices, deposits, remote approvals and payment links may need different tools than a retail checkout. Make sure authorization, documentation and refunds fit your existing service workflow.
Do you promise approval for every business?
No. Merchant accounts and program eligibility depend on underwriting, business activity, location and processor policies. Requesting a review is not a guarantee of approval.