How Much Should a Card Machine Cost for a UK Restaurant in 2026?

If you run a restaurant, pub, cafe, or any food and beverage business in the UK, card fees are one of those costs that can quietly eat into your margins without you ever sitting down to properly question them. Most business owners sign up with a provider early on, accept the rates they're given, and never look at the small print again.

This post breaks down what a card machine actually costs, what you should be paying in processing fees, and the questions worth asking before you sign anything.

What Are the Different Costs Involved?

Card machine costs tend to fall into a few distinct categories, and providers often bundle them together in ways that make it hard to see what you're actually paying for.

1. The Device Itself

A card machine can be purchased outright, rented on a monthly subscription, or provided as part of a wider merchant services contract. Outright purchase typically costs anywhere from a few hundred pounds, depending on the device. Monthly rental is often lower upfront but adds up over time, so it's worth doing the maths on the full term.

For hospitality specifically, a portable or mobile device is usually the right choice. Taking a card machine to the table rather than having customers come to a fixed terminal is now standard practice and something customers expect.

2. Transaction Fees

This is where most of the cost sits, and where most providers are least transparent. Every time a customer pays by card, a percentage of the transaction goes to your payment processor. The key things to understand here are:

• Debit vs credit: Debit card transactions cost less to process than credit cards. A provider that charges the same flat rate for both is likely overcharging you on debit.

• Consumer vs commercial cards: Business and corporate cards attract higher fees. Make sure you understand how your provider handles these.

• Flat rate vs tiered pricing: Flat-rate pricing is simple but often more expensive. Tiered pricing based on your revenue can work out significantly cheaper as your business grows.

3. Monthly Fees and Minimums

Some providers charge a fixed monthly fee on top of transaction costs. Others have minimum monthly processing requirements. Both add to your effective cost per transaction, particularly in quieter months.

4. Hidden Charges

This is the one that catches most businesses out. Authorisation fees, PCI compliance fees, chargeback fees, early termination fees, and statement fees can all appear on a bill that looked straightforward when you signed up. Always ask for a full breakdown of every charge before agreeing to a contract.

What Should a UK Restaurant Actually Be Paying?

There is no universal answer, but there are reasonable benchmarks. As a rough guide:

If you are paying a flat rate above 1.5% on all transactions regardless of card type, it is worth reviewing your current arrangement. The difference on a restaurant taking £30,000 a month could be several hundred pounds.

Does Settlement Speed Matter?

Yes, particularly for hospitality businesses managing tight cash flow. The standard for many providers is 2 to 3 working days before funds reach your account. Next-day gross settlement means the full amount of your takings, before any fees are deducted, lands in your account the following business day. For a busy restaurant, that difference in cash flow is meaningful.

Which Card Machine Is Right for a Restaurant?

Through BoonPay, restaurants have access to a range of devices suited to different setups. Here are the two most relevant options for table service and counter environments:

PAX A50 - Portable and Reliable for Table Service

The PAX A50 is a compact mobile card machine weighing just 161g with a 4.5" touchscreen and an all-day battery. It connects via 4G, WiFi, and Bluetooth, meaning it works reliably across the floor without needing to be near a router. It accepts all major card types and digital wallets including Apple Pay and Google Pay, and can send email receipts directly to customers.

PAX A920 Pro - Full-Featured for Busier Operations

For higher-volume restaurants or those needing a built-in receipt printer, the PAX A920 Pro is the stronger option. It has a 5" HD screen, a built-in 80mm thermal printer, a 5250mAh battery, and connects via 4G LTE and dual-band WiFi. It also supports full EPOS integration, making it a solid choice for restaurants managing orders, covers, and payments in one place.

Both devices are available through BoonPay with transparent tiered pricing, next-day gross settlement, and 7-day UK-based support.

Questions to Ask Your Current Provider

If you are already with a payment provider and want to understand whether you are getting a fair deal, these are the questions worth asking:

• What is my effective rate across all card types, not just the headline rate?

• Am I being charged separately for debit and credit transactions?

• What additional fees appear on my monthly statement beyond transaction costs?

• How long does settlement take, and is it net or gross?

• What are the terms if I want to leave the contract early?

If the answers are unclear or take a long time to come, that tells you something about how transparent the provider is being.

Ready to See What BoonPay Can Do for Your Restaurant?

We work with restaurants, pubs, cafes, and hospitality businesses across the UK, offering straightforward tiered pricing, next-day gross settlement, and the kind of support that actually picks up when you call.

Get in touch through our contact page and we will give you a clear, no-obligation breakdown of what you would pay with BoonPay compared to what you are paying now.

www.boonpay.uk/contact | 0161 394 1393 | ethan@boonpay.uk