Credit card processing for restaurants that keeps up with your kitchen
Tip prompts at the terminal, wireless terminals for tableside payments, and interchange-plus pricing that shows what every small check really costs you.
Short answer
Credit card processing for restaurants works like card acceptance anywhere, plus tips: Visa lets restaurants add a tip of up to 20% to the authorized amount without taking on authorization-related dispute liability. Restaurants run many small checks, so per-transaction fees weigh more than in most businesses. Compare quotes by effective rate, and ask for interchange-plus pricing with a disclosed markup.
What restaurant owners deal with
Running a restaurant means thin margins on a good day. At $80,000 a month in card sales, every percentage point of processing cost is $800, money that should be going to food costs, payroll, or your own pocket. Explore ways to reduce fees and keep more of your revenue.
The contract can cost as much as the rate. The FTC has warned about terminal leases that left businesses paying thousands for equipment priced at a few hundred dollars. And when a terminal fails during the Friday dinner rush, a ticket queue is no help: you need a person who picks up.
How Clearo works for restaurants
Every way guests pay
Countertop terminals from partners such as Clover and Helcim take chip, tap and swipe, plus Apple Pay and Google Pay, and Interac debit for restaurants in Canada.
Tip prompts on partner terminals
Helcim terminals can suggest tips as percentages or dollar amounts, and Clover devices can let guests pick the tip on screen before they pay. Ask which setup fits your service.
Tableside payments
Wireless and portable terminals your servers can bring to the table, so the card never leaves the guest's sight.
A rep who knows your restaurant
One dedicated person to call when a terminal acts up during the dinner rush, instead of a ticket queue.
Pricing built for small checks
Restaurants run a high number of small-ticket sales. With interchange-plus pricing you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a disclosed markup, not one flat percentage on every tap.
What credit card processing costs a restaurant
Start with your effective rate: last month's total processing fees divided by last month's card sales. It folds every rate, per-transaction fee and monthly charge into one number you can compare between quotes. Restaurants feel per-transaction fees more than most businesses, because a lunch rush is dozens of small checks, and each one carries its own fixed fee on top of the percentage.
Our guides on calculating credit card processing fees and interchange-plus vs flat-rate pricing walk through the math, and our restaurant credit card processing guide covers what to ask a processor before you sign.
Tips, split checks and service charges
Tips change how a restaurant runs its card payments. Visa's guide for restaurant merchants lets restaurants, bars and fast food merchants add up to 20% to the authorized amount without liability for authorization-related disputes, and recommends a new authorization when the tip goes past that. Partner terminals can ask for the tip before the card is approved instead: Clover's help center describes guests choosing the tip on screen, and Helcim lets you set suggested tips as percentages or dollar amounts. A mandatory service charge is a different animal: the IRS treats it as wages, not a tip.
The front of house runs on the details: a tip added after the card is run, a table of six paying four different ways, an automatic charge on large parties. Our guides explain split tender payments, the difference between a service charge and a tip, and how to choose a restaurant POS system, a bar POS system or a food truck POS system.
Related solutions
Need POS terminals for your restaurant? Ask about surcharging options to offset costs, and see our transparent pricing to understand what you'll actually pay.
Restaurant card processing FAQ
It depends on your card mix, your average check and your pricing model, so the number worth knowing is your effective rate: total processing fees divided by total card sales. Restaurants run a lot of small checks, which is where per-transaction fees pile up. Send us a recent statement for a free review and we will work out yours.
In most U.S. states, yes, within Visa and Mastercard rules, but a few states restrict it, neither network allows a surcharge on debit or prepaid cards, and Quebec bans card fees in Canada. Our surcharging rules by state page lists each state.
Not for payroll taxes. The IRS treats a mandatory service charge as wages rather than a tip, which changes how you report it. Our guide to service charges vs tips explains the difference and how each one shows up on a card receipt.
Yes. We work with restaurants across the U.S. and Canada, and the partner terminals we supply accept Interac debit as well as Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Our guide to restaurant POS systems in Canada covers what to look for there.
See also: surcharging rules by state and restaurant POS in Canada. The surcharge answer follows the rules published by Visa, Mastercard and Quebec's Office de la protection du consommateur.
Sources
The card network rules, tax treatment and partner terminal features on this page come from these sources, checked in October 2026. Confirm current rules with the source before you change how you take tips or fees.
- EMV Contact and Contactless Payment Acceptance for Restaurant Merchants (Visa) (usa.visa.com)
- Credit card processing "deals" may be scams (Federal Trade Commission) (ftc.gov)
- Use the Sale app (Clover Help Center) (clover.com)
- Enable tipping in the Helcim POS app (Helcim) (learn.helcim.com)
- U.S. Merchant Surcharge Q and A (Visa) (usa.visa.com)
- Mastercard Credit Card Surcharge Rules and Fees for Merchants (mastercard.com)
- Paiement par carte : frais interdits (Office de la protection du consommateur) (opc.gouv.qc.ca)
- Tips Versus Service Charges: How to Report (IRS FS-2015-8) (irs.gov)
Disclaimer: general information, not professional advice
This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Rules and rates vary by place and change, so confirm them with the official source and a qualified professional before you act. Full terms are in our Terms of Service.
Other industries we serve
Clearo works with businesses across the US and Canada. Find your industry below.
Related Services
Everything you need to accept payments and reduce costs.
Payment Processing
Transparent interchange-plus pricing
Merchant Services
Full merchant services stack for small business
Credit Card Processing Fees
Understand fees and lower your effective rate
POS Terminals
Countertop, wireless, and portable terminals
Online Payments
Secure website checkout and payment gateway
Mobile Payments
Accept payments from phone or tablet
Virtual Terminal
Phone and remote payment processing
ACH Payment Processing
Bank-to-bank payments for invoices and B2B
Chargeback Management
Tools and a rep to keep disputes in check
PCI Compliance
Support for keeping card data secure
Surcharging Program
Pass processing costs to credit card users
Pricing
See our interchange-plus rates and how we compare
Guides for restaurants and bars
Industries
Service charge vs tip: what changes for your business
Industries
Restaurant credit card processing: tips, fees, and rules
Hardware and POS
POS system for restaurants: a guide for US owners
Hardware and POS
Bar POS system: tabs, tips, and what to look for
Hardware and POS
Food truck POS system: what to look for before you buy
Canada
Restaurant POS in Canada: what to check before you sign
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