Restaurant card terminals: choose around your payment workflow

Payment works differently at the counter, in the bar and at the table. Start with where staff take payment and how many simultaneous transactions the venue needs. The terminal’s shape is only part of the solution.

Three elements need to fit together

The card terminal is the device the guest uses. The POS handles orders, bills and sales receipts. Acquiring and payment processing allow card payments to be accepted and settled to the business.

One supplier may coordinate these elements, but they serve different purposes and have different costs. A terminal does not normally connect to every POS or agreement. Confirm compatibility for the exact model and installation.

Countertop, mobile or Tap to Pay

A countertop terminal suits a fixed payment point. Check placement, cables and comfortable access to the screen and PIN entry.

A mobile terminal can go to the table. Test coverage, battery life, charging and one-handed use. If receipts print on the device, include paper and printer handling in the routine.

Tap to Pay uses a compatible phone for contactless payments. It does not automatically replace every function of a separate terminal, such as a physical card reader or built-in printer. Check supported devices and workflows in Adyen’s documentation and for your POS.

What integration changes

The POS sends the payment amount to the terminal and receives the result. This reduces re-entering the same amount. Staff still need to check the right bill and confirm that payment has completed.

Test what happens when a guest cancels, a card is declined or connectivity breaks during payment. Investigate the existing transaction status before retrying so an unclear screen does not lead to a duplicate charge.

Understand the fee behind the payment

Card costs can include interchange, scheme fees and provider fees. IC++ identifies these components separately; a blended model can package them. Read Adyen’s IC++ explanation and request a calculation using your card mix.

EU interchange caps apply to certain consumer-card transactions, with headline levels of 0.2% for debit and 0.3% for credit within the regulation’s scope. They do not cap the restaurant’s total payment fee. Commercial cards and other exceptions need separate consideration. See EU Regulation 2015/751.

Include terminal charges, fixed fees and service when comparing. Our acquiring-agreement guide explains how to prepare a quote request.

Rehearse real tasks

Process an ordinary payment, a split bill, a tip, a decline and a refund. Check the sales receipt, payment reference and daily report. Have the evening supervisor demonstrate how to investigate an issue and contact support.

Vendion’s card terminals connect to the POS and Vendion’s payment solution with Adyen. Confirm the models, methods and terms offered for your venue. Vendion requires internet, so test at the weakest coverage point too.

See Vendion live and compare countertop and mobile payment during your own service workflow.