Restaurant Credit Card Fee Calculator
Running a restaurant can be challenging, and one of the biggest expenses is credit card processing fees. From interchange fees to monthly service charges, it can be difficult to understand and manage the costs associated with accepting credit card payments. In this article, we’ll break down the different types of credit card processing fees that restaurants typically face and provide tips on how to reduce them.
To help you better understand the costs, we also provide a credit card processing fee calculator that you can use to estimate your fees based on your restaurant’s average ticket size and monthly sales volume.
Whether you’re a small independent eatery or a large chain, this information will help you make more informed decisions about credit card processing.
Here are some terms and definitions used in the calculator below.
An interchange fee is a fee that is paid by the merchant for the privilege of accepting a particular credit card as payment.
This fee is usually a percentage of the total transaction amount, and it can vary depending on the type of card being used (such as a rewards card versus a basic card), the type of merchant (such as a retail store versus an online business), and the method of card acceptance (such as swiped versus keyed-in transactions).
Interchange fees are set by the card networks (such as Visa and Mastercard) and are generally not negotiable. They are the largest component of credit card processing fees that merchant pays.
Many payment providers also charge a small surcharge fee.
This is usually a fixed percentage or dollar amount. It’s meant to be added on a per-transaction basis.
Monthly recurring fees for payment terminals at a restaurant refer to the charges that a merchant must pay on a regular basis to use a specific type of credit card processing equipment or service. These fees are typically charged by the merchant service provider or payment processor and can include costs for rental or leasing of the terminals, software or virtual terminal access fees, and other ongoing maintenance or support charges.
Some examples of monthly recurring fees for payment terminals at a restaurant include:
- Terminal rental or lease fees: This is a fee for the use of the physical credit card terminal at the restaurant.
- Software or Point of Sale fees: This is a fee for access to the software or online platform that allows the restaurant to process credit card transactions.
- PCI compliance fee (other): This is a fee for compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) which includes various security protocols and standards for protecting customer data.
- Gateway fees (other): This is a fee for access to a gateway service that facilitates the connection between the restaurant’s point-of-sale system and the merchant service provider.
- Technical support fees (other): This is a fee for technical support and assistance with troubleshooting or maintenance of the terminals.
It’s important to note that fees can vary widely depending on the type of equipment or service used, the merchant service provider, and the specific terms of the contract. It’s always good to check the terms of the contract and compare the fees with other providers.
Calculator Instructions
This restaurant credit card fee calculator is meant to serve as a tool to help restaurants better understand their fee breakdowns. In general, the left hand side of the calculator are the inputs and can be edited, the right hand side is OrderUp’s current fee structure.
- Input Order Information
- Average number of orders per month
- Average order value (AOV)
- Input your current processing or interchange fees for the listed credit cards
- Input any surcharge fees or fixed amounts per transaction
- Input your monthly recurring fees such as POS, Terminal Rental or “other” (Online ordering, marketing etc)
- Payment breakdown: provide an estimated percent of orders per card type
Once all of these are inputed, the calculator will generate your total monthly fees.
Understanding the different types of credit card processing fees is essential for any restaurant owner looking to manage costs and improve profitability. By being aware of the fees and implementing strategies to reduce them, you can save money and invest in growing your business. We hope that our credit card processing fee calculator will be a useful tool in helping you estimate your costs and make more informed decisions about credit card processing.
As a reminder, OrderUp offers a simple and affordable point of sale for restaurants. We don’t charge any monthly fees, and don’t have any add-ons. When you use OrderUp, you have access to our full platform, for $0/month.
