Getting payments and POS ready for your new restaurant or cafe

You have a menu to finalize, staff to hire, and inspections to schedule. This page covers the payment side: what equipment and software to plan for, what to have ready when you apply for a merchant account, how setup usually unfolds, and what to ask any processor before you sign.

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What to get right

Tips that are easy to add, adjust, and pay out

Tips are central to how a restaurant or cafe runs. For table service, you want a system that lets a guest add a tip on the receipt or the terminal and lets you adjust it before the batch closes. For counter service, a tip prompt on the screen is common. Either way, you need clean tip reports by server or shift so payouts and payroll are not a weekly headache. Ask to see how tip adjustment and tip reporting work before you commit.

A POS that matches how you serve guests

A full-service dining room needs table layouts, open tabs, split checks, coursing, and handheld or pay-at-table devices so cards do not leave the guest's sight. A cafe or quick-service counter needs speed: fast item entry, modifiers for things like milk choices and add-ons, and a line that keeps moving at the morning rush. Plan for kitchen or bar printers or display screens so orders reach the right station without someone walking a ticket back.

Menu changes, inventory, and online orders in one place

Your menu will change, especially in the first months. Pick a system where you can update items, prices, and modifiers yourself and mark items as sold out mid-shift. If you plan to take online or pickup orders, or you use accounting or customer software, check how those connect. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee.

Pricing you can read and understand

Restaurant margins are thin, so processing cost matters. Interchange-plus pricing means you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, which makes your statement easier to check. If you would rather eliminate processing cost, a cash discount program is available. Rules for cash discount and surcharge programs can vary by state, so confirm what applies where you operate.

How it works

Talk through your setup. Start with a conversation about your concept: dine-in, counter, bar, catering, delivery, or a mix. We will cover how many stations and devices you likely need, whether you want kitchen displays or printers, and how you want to handle tips. Do this several weeks before opening if you can, so hardware and menu setup are not squeezed into your last few days.
Gather your documents and apply. A merchant account application typically asks for your legal business entity and its formation documents, your EIN, a business bank account for deposits, and a government-issued ID for each owner. Having these ready keeps the review moving. If you are still forming your entity or waiting on your EIN, get those done first. Licenses and permits for food service depend on your city, county, and state, so check with your local offices for what you need and when.
Build your menu and train your staff. Once you are approved, your POS gets set up with your menu, modifiers, taxes, table layout, and employee logins. Sales tax rules depend on your location, so confirm your rates and what is taxable with your state and local tax offices. Run test orders and a mock service with your team so everyone knows how to open a tab, split a check, and add a tip before real guests arrive.
Start taking payments. Most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Qualifying merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware, with no upfront cost. After opening, watch your first statements and deposits closely so you understand what you are paying and when funds arrive.

Questions to ask a processor

How is my pricing structured, and can I see an example statement?

Ask any processor to explain exactly how you will be charged and to walk you through a sample statement. TouchSuite uses interchange-plus pricing, where you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin. If you already have a processing statement from another location or a previous business, 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.

What contract am I signing, and what happens if I want to leave?

New restaurants change quickly, so read the agreement carefully for its length and any cancellation terms. TouchSuite is month-to-month, cancel anytime, with no fees.

How does the system handle tips, tabs, and split checks?

Ask for a demonstration using a real scenario from your concept, such as a table of four splitting a check unevenly with tips added after signing, or a bar tab left open through a shift. Confirm how tip adjustments work, when they need to be finalized, and what tip reports look like for payroll.

Will it connect to online ordering and the other software I use?

If you plan to take pickup or delivery orders online, or you use accounting or customer management tools, ask how each one connects and whether there is an extra charge. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee.

How soon can I start taking payments after I apply?

Timing depends on how complete your application is and how quickly your documents are verified, so have your entity documents, EIN, bank account, and ID ready. Most TouchSuite merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Build some cushion into your opening schedule anyway so you can test everything before your first service.

Can I offset processing costs with a cash discount?

A cash discount program is available if you want to eliminate processing cost. Think about how it fits your guests and your menu pricing, and check the current rules in your state, since requirements for how these programs are disclosed can differ.

Plan your restaurant's payments before opening week

Tell us about your restaurant or cafe and how you plan to serve guests. We will help you sort out the equipment, software, and application steps, explain pricing plainly, and, if you have a current processing statement, show you line by line what you are paying.

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