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Card processing built for restaurants and bars.

Food and beverage runs on thin margins and high transaction counts, which makes it one of the most fee-sensitive businesses there is. Tip adjustments, split checks, patio terminals, and seasonal swings all interact with your processing statement in ways a generic sales rep never explains — and every one of them is a place a padded rate hides.

Where the fees hide

• Tip-adjustment creep — Restaurants settle tips after the swipe, and processors that mishandle the adjustment window quietly push transactions into a higher “non-qualified” tier.
• Rewards-card surcharges — A high share of dine-in tickets run on rewards and corporate cards, which is exactly what “non-qual” pricing is built to overcharge.
• Multiple terminals, multiple fees — Bar, host stand, and patio devices can each carry their own batch and statement fee if nobody consolidated the account.
• Seasonal minimums — A flat monthly minimum doesn't care that your patio is closed in February — it charges the same either way.
• PCI non-compliance charges — Full-service restaurants often skip the annual PCI paperwork and get hit with a recurring non-compliance fee instead.

What to look for

• Interchange-plus pricing instead of flat or tiered rates
• A free POS built for menus, tips, and table management — not a bolt-on card reader
• No equipment lease on kitchen or bar terminals
• A cash-discount option modeled honestly against your actual ticket mix

Common questions