Opening a business in Orlando? Get payments sorted before your first customer.

Whether you run a restaurant, shop, salon, or service business in Orlando, FL, here is what to plan for card payments and point of sale, what paperwork to gather, the usual order of steps, and the questions worth asking any processor before you sign.

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What to get right

Match the setup to how you actually sell

A restaurant needs tip adjustment, split checks, and a way to keep tables moving during a rush. Retail needs inventory tracking, barcode scanning, and a clean process for returns and exchanges. A salon or spa needs appointment booking, deposits for no-shows, and tips added to card payments. Service businesses often need invoicing, card-on-file, and mobile payments at the job site. Write down how a typical sale happens in your business, then choose equipment and software around that, not the other way around.

Be ready for every way people pay

Orlando draws visitors as well as locals, so plan to accept chip cards, tap-to-pay, and mobile wallets, and expect some customers to pay with cards issued outside the U.S. If you will sell online, take phone orders, or work at events or off-site, make sure your setup handles those too, ideally with sales flowing into one place so your reporting and bookkeeping stay simple.

Understand your pricing before you sign

Ask for pricing you can read. With interchange-plus pricing, you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, so you can see exactly what goes to the networks and what goes to your processor. If you would rather eliminate processing cost, ask whether a cash discount program fits your business and your customers. Either way, get every fee in writing.

Connect payments to the rest of your business

Think about the tools you will use for accounting, customer lists, and online sales. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee, which means fewer separate systems to manage and less re-entering of data at the end of the day.

How it works

  1. Set up the business basics. Form your business entity, get your EIN from the IRS, and open a business bank account in the business name. Register with the state as required, and check with the City of Orlando and Orange County about business tax receipts, licenses, and any permits specific to your industry, such as food service or cosmetology. Requirements depend on your location and business type, so confirm directly with those offices.
  2. Gather what a merchant account application needs. Have your legal business name and entity documents, your EIN, a voided check or bank letter for the business account, a government-issued ID for each owner, your business address and phone, and a description of what you sell and how you expect to take payments. If you have processed cards before, bring your most recent processing statement.
  3. Talk through equipment and software. Walk through your day with us: counter, tables, chair, or job site; in person, online, or both. We will recommend terminals and POS software that fit. Qualifying merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware, no upfront cost.
  4. Get approved and start processing. Once your application is approved, most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours. Leave time before opening day to set up your menu or product catalog, staff logins, tip settings, and a few test transactions so you are not learning the system in front of customers.

Questions to ask a processor

What will I actually pay, and can I see it line by line?

Any processor should be able to explain every fee in plain terms. With interchange-plus pricing, you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin. If you already have a processing statement, send us your most recent one and we will show you, line by line, what you are paying and beat it, or tell you honestly that we cannot.

Am I locked into a contract?

Ask this of every processor, and read the agreement for terms and cancellation conditions. TouchSuite accounts are month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees.

How long until I can take cards?

It depends on how complete your application is, so have your entity documents, EIN, bank account, and ID ready. Most TouchSuite merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Apply well before your opening date so you have time to set up and test.

Does the system handle the way my business works?

Be specific when you ask. Restaurants should ask about tip adjustment, split checks, and table management. Retailers should ask about inventory, barcodes, and returns. Salons should ask about booking, deposits, and tips. Service businesses should ask about invoicing, card-on-file, and mobile payments. Ask to see the feature, not just hear that it exists.

Will it connect to my accounting, customer, and online sales tools?

Ask which integrations are included and which cost extra. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee.

Is there a way to reduce or eliminate processing cost?

Some businesses use a cash discount program. TouchSuite offers one if you want to eliminate processing cost. Think about whether it suits your customers, and check that your signage and receipts follow card network and state rules.

Planning your Orlando opening?

Tell us what kind of business you are opening and how you plan to take payments, and we will help you put together the right equipment, software, and pricing. If you already process cards, send your most recent statement and we will review it line by line.

An email or a phone number is enough.

TouchSuite · 800-793-3250 · Month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees.