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A restaurant needs a card machine that goes to the table, copes with a busy Saturday and pays out quickly. Here is what to look for and what the published offers cost, read 26 October 2026.
Published rates from every major UK card machine provider, plus the quoted rates that only come on request. You see them side by side, on your own takings.
The short answer
Most restaurants need a portable card machine that can be taken to the table, with tips and split bills, and a provider with fast payouts. On £6,000 a month of card sales, published card fees are £72.00 with Dojo at 1.2%, £89.40 with Flatpay at 1.49% and £101.40 with SumUp at 1.69%. Over £100,000 a year, Dojo and Teya quote (read 26 October 2026).
Published prices read 26 October 2026 from each provider's own pricing page. Quote only means the provider gives rates on request; we obtain those for you.
| Provider | In-person card rate | Monthly fee | Card machine | Contract | Payouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dojo Source | 1.2% blended under £100k a year; custom above | £0 Essential; Plus £11.99 new customers (£25 list) | Go Max £149 or £25 a month; Pocket £239 or £20; Wired £179 or £15 | 30-day rolling or 12-month fixed (custom rate) | Next day |
| Teya Source | Quote only | Not published | Not published | No lock-ins stated | Next day, weekends included |
| SumUp Source | 1.69% pay as you go, or 0.99% on Payments Plus (domestic cards) | £0, or £19 on Payments Plus | Solo Lite £25, Solo £79, Terminal £135 (ex VAT), bought outright | None, cancel anytime | Next day, 7am, weekends included |
| Flatpay Source | 1.49% all cards (terminal, under £200k a year) | £0 | Payment terminal free to start | Not published | Daily |
| Square Source | 1.75% UK cards; +1.5% non-UK cards | £0, or Plus £29+ | Reader £19; Terminal £149 (ex VAT) | None, cancel anytime | Next day free; instant for 1.95% |
| Clover Source | Quote only | Rental only | Flex Pocket £15, Mini £20, Station Duo £30 a month + VAT | Not published | Next business day |
VAT is excluded where the provider states it. Rates are for in-person UK consumer cards unless stated. Our service is free to you. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose; it never changes the price you pay.
Tell us about your business. We compare the whole market, including the providers that only quote on request, and come back with the lowest total cost for your takings and the right machine. You keep a named account manager who looks after you after setup.
Our service is free to you. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose; it never changes the price you pay.
Table service changes everything. Customers expect to pay at the table, so you need a portable machine: one that connects by wifi or mobile data and can be carried around the room, rather than a countertop machine wired to the till. In a larger restaurant you may need one machine per section.
Three features matter at the table. Tipping on the machine, so the customer can add a tip before paying. Split bills, so a table of six can each pay their share. And a good link to your till system, also called EPOS (electronic point of sale), so the bill on the machine matches the bill on the till and staff do not type amounts by hand.
Then think about your trading pattern. Restaurants take most of their money in the evening and at weekends, so check when your takings are paid out and whether support is open when you are. A high average bill, often £40 to £80 for a table, means percentage fees matter far more than small fixed fees per payment.
Several providers publish portable machines suited to table service. Dojo lists the Dojo Pocket at £239 upfront or £20 a month and the Dojo Go Max at £149 upfront on a launch offer or £25 a month. Clover lists the Clover Flex and Clover Flex Pocket at £15 plus VAT a month each, and the Clover Station Duo at £30 plus VAT a month; its transaction rates are quote only. Square lists the Square Handheld at £169 plus VAT and a Kitchen Display System, screens that show orders in the kitchen, from £15 per device a month.
Teya quotes each restaurant on volume, sector and average sale. It publishes next-day payouts every day including weekends and bank holidays, 24/7 UK-based support and links with more than 200 till systems.
Flatpay offers a PAX A920 Pro terminal at £0 with 1.49% on all cards under £200,000 a year, or full till packages from £995 at 1.69%. SumUp sells the SumUp Terminal at £135 excluding VAT and its POS Plus till software at £39 a month.
Card fees only, on published rates read on 26 October 2026, before machine costs. SumUp Payments Plus assumes UK debit and credit cards at 0.99%; premium and American Express cards stay at 1.69%.
A restaurant that takes half its week on Friday and Saturday nights needs that money quickly. Teya pays the next day, every day, including weekends and bank holidays. SumUp pays into its SumUp Business Account by 7am the next day, including weekends and public holidays. Dojo says you get your takings the next day. Clover offers next-business-day settlement as standard. Square transfers as soon as the next day, or instantly for a 1.95% fee.
Support hours matter when a machine fails at 9pm on a Saturday. Teya and Flatpay both state 24/7 support. Clover includes 7-day phone support. Dojo promises a real person in the UK within minutes but does not state hours. Square lists a phone number, 0800 098 8008, without hours.
Before you sign, ask each provider whether its machine handles tips and split bills on your till system, how it behaves if the wifi drops mid-service, and how long the battery lasts on a full shift. These details are not on the pricing pages we read, and they matter more in a restaurant than almost anywhere else.
If you already have a till system you like, you only need card machines that link to it. Teya lists more than 200 till integrations, so check yours is covered. This route keeps your menu, staff and reports where they are.
If you are opening or replacing everything, an all-in-one system can be simpler. Square publishes every part: free till software, Plus plans from £29 a month, the Square Register at £699 plus VAT, kitchen screens from £15 per device a month and self-order kiosks. Flatpay's POS Pro package is £1,495 and POS Premium is £2,495 for onboarding and installation, with card fees at 1.69%. Clover rents its Station Duo at £30 plus VAT a month alongside the Clover Flex at £15 plus VAT a month.
Compare the full monthly bill over at least two years, adding machine rental, software and card fees together. A cheaper rate can be outweighed by higher software charges, and the reverse.
Restaurants over £100,000 a year are quoted by most of the market, so the published rates above are a starting point, not your final price. We compare the whole UK card payment market, including Dojo, SumUp, Teya, Flatpay, Paymentsense, Square, Worldpay and others, against your real card sales, your average sale and the way you trade. Where a provider only gives quotes, we request the quote for you and negotiate the rate, so you compare real numbers rather than list prices.
When you have chosen, we handle the switch: the application, the paperwork and the timing with your current provider, so you keep taking payments throughout. You then get a named account manager who stays with you after setup, checks your statements and deals with the provider when something needs fixing. You pay us nothing. We may receive a fee from the provider you choose.
Most restaurants need a portable machine that goes to the table, handles tips and split bills and links to the till. Published options include Dojo Pocket, Clover Flex, Square Handheld and Flatpay's PAX A920 Pro. The best choice depends on your till and takings, so compare quotes.
Machines range from £0 with Flatpay to £239 upfront for a Dojo Pocket, or monthly rental such as £15 plus VAT for a Clover Flex. Card fees on £6,000 a month run from £72.00 with Dojo to £105.00 with Square on published rates read 26 October 2026.
Many restaurant card machines support split bills, but none of the pricing pages we read state it as a feature with a price. Ask each provider to show split bills working with your till before you sign.
For table service you need a portable machine that works away from the till, using wifi or mobile data. A countertop machine suits counter service or a takeaway. Many restaurants use portable machines on the floor and one fixed machine at the bar.
Teya pays the next day, every day, including weekends and bank holidays. SumUp pays into its business account by 7am the next day, including weekends and public holidays. Others state next day or next business day.
A POS machine, or point of sale system, is the till that takes orders, sends them to the kitchen and produces the bill. Card machines take the payment. Some providers, such as Square, Clover and Flatpay, sell both together.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.