What card machine is best for my restaurant?
The first contactless card was introduced in 2007 by Barclaycard, with a maximum spend of £10. Fast forward to 2024, and 93% of all card payments under £100 are contactless. We opt for contactless payment as it's secure, seamless, and convenient. In 2022, Barclays recorded a 90.5% increase in the total value of contactless payments in restaurants. At UTP, all our card machines accept contactless payments. Here’s our best card machines for restaurants:
The UTP Max
This card machine accepts contactless payments in under two seconds. It's powered by Android 10 and created by Ingenico, the global market leader for point of sale.
Your customers can choose to pay contactless with either a physical card or digital wallet. Digital wallet payments are when your credit or debit card is stored on your smartphone or smartwatch.
You can also accept traditional chip and PIN payments, magstripe, and QR-code payments. We see contactless payments as fast, easy, and efficient, which is why they are our preferred way to pay.
Yet, it isn't only the contactless option that makes the UTP Max one of our best card machines for restaurants.
The UTP Max has multiple connectivity options, including 3G, 4G, GPRS, WiFi, and Bluetooth. With this, you can serve your customers in and around your premises, from providing pay-at-the-table services to taking payments outside in the warmer months. Taking payments like this is proven to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Customers feel like they are getting better service when the bill's brought to them and when they are offered alternative payment options.
Ingenico worked with the Royal National Institute for Blind People when designing this card machine. The six-inch ergonomic touchscreen on the UTP Max has large, bold characters and full accessibility features for visually impaired people. It's important your restaurant is inclusive and considerate of everyone.
The UTP Pro
The UTP Pro can accept contactless payments exactly like the UTP Max. Contactless payments are popular amongst all age groups. In fact, over 65 is the fastest growing segment for contactless payments. This shows that no matter your demographic, contactless payments are appealing to everyone.
The UTP Pro has many connectivity features too, including a roaming SIM card. Restaurants that provide on-the-go services, such as mobile food vans, use these SIMs. The UTP Pro automatically connects to the strongest signal to ensure you never miss a sale. This is a great way to earn some extra income, expand your business, and reach more customers.
The UTP Pro has a huge 5150 mAh battery to ensure you can take sales all day without worrying about running out of battery.
A feature that differentiates the UTP Pro from the UTP Max is EPOS. With the UTP Pro, your business can manage stock, set up age restrictions on items, and pick discounts, such as happy hour. Restaurants use EPOS to help keep everything running smoothly for both staff and customers.
Virtual Terminal
Not quite a contactless card machine, but our Virtual Terminal is a great addition to your restaurant.
A Virtual Terminal enables you to take payments when your customer is not present. Restaurants often use this to take deposits for bookings. It makes sure that if a customer cancels, they do so in a timely manner. Otherwise, they won't get their deposit refunded. This is often used for large groups, as if they were to cancel last minute, the business could lose a lot of money.
Restaurants also use Virtual Terminals to take food collection or delivery orders. This saves the customer from having to come to your store to make the payment, keeping customer satisfaction high. Offering a food delivery or collection service can widen your customer base. Throughout the quieter days, like weekdays, many businesses offer delivery deals. Customers are then more inclined to order if they believe they are getting a discount and they have the option to eat at home.
Our Virtual Terminal can be used in two ways. Either by phoning your restaurant and the customer reading out their card payment details out for you to key in, or by sending a payment link and the customer typing in their own details.
You don't need any additional terminal to use our Virtual Terminal; it can be accessed on any internet-enabled device.
Do you need a contactless card machine in your restaurant?
Get in touch with us today to receive your free quote.