The Best Credit Card Processors for Restaurants in 2025

We researched the top credit card processing companies for restaurants and selected the best for low rates and fees, simple payments, online ordering, POS devices for tableside payments and excellent customer support. This guide dives into the pricing, features and benefits of our best picks for restaurant credit card processing.

A credit card processor transfers funds from a cardholder’s account to a merchant’s account when a credit or debit card is used for a purchase. The process is quick, but it involves an intricate transfer of data between a business, processor, credit card network and multiple

A credit card processor works in a restaurant when a customer pays for their purchase with a credit or debit card. The transaction involves these steps:

1.  The POS system sends the transaction details to the credit card processor.
2. The processor verifies the transaction with the card issuer to ensure sufficient funds.
3. When approved, the funds are transferred from the customer’s bank account to the merchant’s account, minus processing fees.

The benefits of using a credit card processor in a restaurant include faster checkout service, increased payment security, a higher likelihood of tips and more advantages.

• Speeds Up Service: Restaurants need to move fast to turn over tables and make more sales. Accepting a credit card is much faster than dealing with cash payments, especially with tableside POS devices.
• Leads to More Tips: Credit card processors include the option for customers to leave a tip as they check out, even at fast-food and quick-service eateries. This can help boost employee pay without impacting your bottom line.
• Enhances Restaurant Security: A credit card-only restaurant is less of a target for robbers, which keeps your employees and customers safe. It also prevents employee theft, which is more likely with a cash-based business.
• Creates Incentives for Diners: Many credit cards offer customers rewards for dining-related purchases. Accepting all credit card brands can attract more customers and generate more sales.
• Allows You to Charge No-Shows: Restaurants can take credit card information when a customer makes a reservation. If they don’t show up, you can charge them a fee.
• Streamlines Your Financial Management: You can sync your credit card processing software with your accounting software to ensure all transactions are automatically recorded.
• Accepts Offline Payments: Most credit card processing software lets you continue to accept payments even if your restaurant loses power or internet connectivity. Once power is restored, the payments process normally.
• Ensures You Don’t Miss Sales: Credit card processors make it easy to accept payments across multiple sales channels, including from in-person diners, phone orders, website orders and third-party delivery apps.

The cost of a payment system depends on whether the credit card processing company charges a monthly fee on top of its transaction rates. For example, Helcim doesn’t have a base price, but Clover charges $105 for its lowest-level restaurant plan, in addition to transaction rates.

Credit card processing rates consist of a percentage of the sale plus a small per-transaction fee. On average, these range from 2% to 4% for each transaction. The processor evaluates several factors to determine the fees it charges each restaurant, such as your monthly processing volume, average ticket size, processing history, and your business and personal credit score.

When you accept a credit card payment, you’ll be subjected to the following transaction fees:

• Interchange fees, which are non-negotiable and set by card networks. Rates depend on the type of business and are available on card network websites.
• Assessment fees, which vary by card brand; every processor pays the same amount.
• Processor fees, which are taken by the credit card processor; this is the only negotiable part of the transaction rate.

Credit card processing companies offer several pricing models for restaurant owners. Your transaction fees may be based on:

• Tiered pricing. This model consolidates interchange rates, assessment fees and markups and then groups them into tiers. It is also commonly known as “bundled pricing” or “bucket pricing.”
• Interchange plus pricing. This model, also known as “pass-through pricing” or “cost-plus pricing,” is considered the most transparent. The processor passes on the interchange rates and assessment fees to you at cost and adds a fixed markup.
• Flat-rate pricing. Here, processors charge a fixed percentage rate for each sale, regardless of the card type used. Some may combine this with a per-transaction fee.

Credit card processing companies may also charge you other one-time, monthly or annual fees, such as a statement fee, monthly minimum fee, Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance fee, payment gateway fee and network fee. Batch fees, chargeback fees and nonsufficient funds fees may be assessed on a per-occurrence basis.

Some processors also impose additional fees that aren’t always clear to restaurant owners upfront. Among the most egregious are cancellation fees, club or membership fees, and fees for vaguely defined “additional services” mentioned in the service contract. It’s crucial to thoroughly read your entire credit card processing agreement to ensure no hidden fees are tucked away in the fine print.

We spoke with business owners and industry leaders about the factors to consider when choosing a credit card processor for a restaurant. Restaurant owners can follow this checklist to find the credit card processor that works best for their business.

1. Conduct preliminary research.

Put together a list of the leading credit card processing companies for restaurants. Our expert-backed guide identifies four of the best options (Clover, Merchant One, Helcim and Square), and you can also check out our full list of the best business credit card processors for more vendors. Identify your restaurant’s average monthly sales volume and other business statistics to help determine your budget.

2. Examine rates and fees.

Review what each processor on your list charges per transaction and if there are any other fees or a monthly base rate. Estimate how much you would pay under each processor and rule out any options that don’t fit within your budget.

3. Identify your restaurant’s processing needs.

Ask yourself how your diners typically pay for their food and look for a credit card processor that allows you to best meet their needs. Review which features are included in the software because not all processors provide the tools to accept online orders and other niche food business services.

“Every restaurant has unique needs that only the restaurant operator knows, and the system should fit your specific operation,” said Kyle Hall, who has deployed hundreds of POS systems as the CEO of PayKings.

Hall also recommended looking at the processor’s funding timeline. “In the restaurant business, quick access to your funds is vital for managing daily expenses like inventory and payroll,” he said.

4. Choose your hardware.

Some credit card processors offer their own hardware, while others integrate with third-party equipment. Either way, the hardware should help facilitate your restaurant’s processing needs. If you expect to take payments at a customer’s table, then make sure your processor provides handheld devices.

5. Decide if you will lease or buy equipment.

Some credit card processors offer free equipment while others sell or lease the hardware that restaurants need to accept payments. Purchasing equipment is often more cost-effective and less constrictive in the long run. Be aware that accepting free equipment often requires you to stay locked into a long-term contract.

6. Consider customer service options and real-life user testimonials.

Restaurant owners sometimes need immediate technical assistance with their processing equipment, often outside of normal customer service hours. Unfortunately, some credit card processors have limited support hours and make use of automated customer service systems or live-chat options. Reading user testimonials on independent review sites, such as Trustpilot, can shed light on the customer service a processor delivers versus what it promises.

7. Review the contract.

Credit card processing can be complicated when it comes to the fine print. It’s crucial to read the proposed vendor agreement thoroughly to verify the rates, fees and terms that were quoted to you during any contract negotiations or sales calls.

Contracts typically consist of three components: the merchant application, terms and conditions (or terms of service), and the program guide (or merchant operating guide). On many application forms, you’ll find personal guarantee clauses that allow the processor to conduct credit checks. These clauses also give the processor the authority to collect money directly from you personally if, for any reason, your business becomes unable to fulfill its obligations in accordance with the service agreement.

Restaurants require specific features from their credit card processing service, including the ability to accept payments online, over the phone and in person. You should also look for a payment processor that offers quality POS hardware, high security and third-party integrations.

POS Hardware

The most basic hardware options are mobile readers that allow you to accept payments using a mobile phone. If you’re on a tight budget or if you run a food cart or similar small restaurant business, then you may want to consider a mobile processing solution, such as a Square reader.

Handheld readers and tablets are popular in the dine-in restaurant industry, given their usefulness for accepting tableside payments. You might also consider full registers for restaurants where customers order and pay at a counter.

Online To-Go Ordering

Many restaurant customers prefer ordering online or through an app. The best credit card processors boast software that allows you to build an online-ordering website with an interactive menu, checkout page and online payment technology. You should also be able to accept payments over the phone by using a virtual terminal to key in credit cards.

Multiple Payment Methods

Your credit card processing software should allow you to accept payments in all the ways customers prefer. That includes accepting all major card brands, chip-enabled credit cards, tap-to-pay technology and mobile wallets, such as Google Wallet and Apple Pay. These modern payment methods are faster and more convenient for diners, enabling you to speed up your restaurant’s operations.

Security

Highly rated credit card processing software includes payment security measures to protect you and your customers from data theft. The best options adhere to the PCI Data Security Standard and assist you in achieving PCI compliance. EMV-compliant hardware also helps minimize your vulnerability to fraud. In the event of a security breach, you won’t be held liable for using outdated equipment.

Third-Party Integrations

Integrations with third-party delivery services, such as DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats, can help expand your restaurant’s reach and bring in more sales. Online reservation software integrations can help manage your customer flow. You might also use integrated POS and accounting software to streamline restaurant management.

Several other high-quality credit card processors for restaurants include Paysafe, U.S. Bank and North Payments.

Paysafe

Paysafe specializes in providing tailored credit card processing solutions for various industries. Their expertise and willingness to work with unique businesses make them a valuable option. Top features include next-day funding, the iAccess business portal and solutions for employee and inventory management.

U.S. Bank

U.S. Bank offers affordable credit card processing services with a focus on budget-conscious businesses. They provide free POS hardware rentals and transparent pricing to help businesses get started without breaking the bank. Additionally, their same-day funding feature ensures quick access to processed funds, improving cash flow.

North Payments

North Payments stands out with its user-friendly application process, quick approvals and free equipment. It is also willing to work with businesses in high-risk industries, making it a versatile option. Its Payments Hub platform provides valuable insights into key statistics and offers features like virtual terminals and invoicing. North Payments also offers a cash discount program called EDGE, which can incentivize customers to pay with cash and reduce processing fees.

Our team of financial analysts and business operations experts evaluated 57 credit card processors before choosing four as our top recommendations for restaurant businesses. Our experts carefully evaluated the processors on 31 factors.

We considered various criteria categorized by importance. These categories reflect what business owners typically prioritize when selecting and purchasing business services.

• Rates: (30%): Our team crunched the numbers and compared processing rates and fees to uncover which processor will bring you the most bang for your buck. We looked carefully at monthly subscription prices, as well as processing rates and fees.
• Features (25%): We looked for standard credit card processing functions like recurring billing, PCI compliance, reporting and management, and the availability of different payment methods. Our team also factored in the availability of additional features that are critical for restaurants, including POS hardware for tableside ordering, mobile ordering apps, and integrations with delivery services.
• Ease of Use and Acceptance (25%): We leveraged demos and free trials to test each processor’s ease of use and the intuitiveness of the user-facing software interface. When applicable, we examined the POS hardware used for credit card acceptance. Our team also looked carefully at real customer feedback and the acceptance rate for different types of businesses.
• Customer Service: (20%): To ensure you’re well-supported, we assessed the range of customer service options offered by each processor. This included evaluating phone support availability across different plans and the quality of online resources for self-service.

By evaluating these factors, we identified not only trustworthy credit card processing options but also how each platform best fits specific restaurant business needs. We recognized that some processors excel at certain tasks or cater to particular company types. This analysis led to the “Best For” categories you see on this page, ensuring you can easily find the credit card processor that aligns perfectly with your business goals.

To learn more about our methodology, see our full editorial process.