Best card machine for restaurants UK 2026
See the pick and alternatives for restaurants below, then get matched quotes from the UK acquirers most likely to approve you.
The best UK card machine for restaurants in 2026 is Dojo Go, on Dojo. Dojo dominates UK hospitality for table-side flow, split-bill and tip handling. Same-next-day settlement helps cashflow. Pricing competitive at £15k+ monthly volume. Typical restaurants card payments run £35 to £85 per transaction with ~55% of transactions contactless. Evening + weekend peaks. December and summer tourist surges. Card flow strong. Alternatives that fit lower-volume restaurants: Square Terminal (independents); SumUp Solo (small cafés).
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman against our ranking methodology. Last reviewed 2026-04-26.
Our pick
Dojo Go
Acquirer: Dojo
Dojo dominates UK hospitality for table-side flow, split-bill and tip handling. Same-next-day settlement helps cashflow. Pricing competitive at £15k+ monthly volume.
Read full Dojo Go reviewWhat restaurants card payments look like
- Cashflow shape
- Evening + weekend peaks. December and summer tourist surges. Card flow strong.
- Average transaction
- £35 to £85
- Contactless share
- ~55% of transactions
- Recommended acquirer
- Dojo
Alternatives for restaurants
- Square Terminal (independents)
- SumUp Solo (small cafés)
Watch outs specific to restaurants
- Tip-handling rules vary by acquirer; confirm before signing.
- Split-bill UX varies.
- Some acquirers cap contactless tips at £100 transaction limit.
FAQs
What is the best card machine for restaurants in the UK?
The best UK card machine for restaurants in 2026 is Dojo Go on Dojo. Dojo dominates UK hospitality for table-side flow, split-bill and tip handling. Same-next-day settlement helps cashflow. Pricing competitive at £15k+ monthly volume.
How much does a card machine cost for restaurants?
Card-machine cost for restaurants comprises hardware (free to £229 upfront), monthly fee (£0 to £25), per-transaction rate (0.8% to 1.95% typical for restaurants), plus chargeback and scheme fees. Headline rate is one input; total 12-month cost depends on monthly card volume, average transaction size, and contract length. Use our /fees-calculator/ to model the blended cost.
Average transaction size in restaurants?
£35 to £85. Evening + weekend peaks. December and summer tourist surges. Card flow strong..
What contactless share do restaurants businesses see?
~55% of transactions. Restaurants card-payment kit should prioritise contactless reliability over chip-and-PIN throughput; tap-to-pay reliability after 10pm is the differentiator on late-night trade.
What should restaurants owners watch out for when choosing a card machine?
Tip-handling rules vary by acquirer; confirm before signing. Split-bill UX varies. Some acquirers cap contactless tips at £100 transaction limit.
Need a full till, not just a card machine?
If you also need stock, menus or kitchen tickets, see restaurant POS systems compared on published UK pricing.
How we rank
Rankings are built by desk research from each provider's published rates, upfront costs, contract lengths and settlement terms, held in a dated record per terminal (last-reviewed date shown on this page) and re-checked when published pricing changes. We do not hands-on test every device; specs are taken from provider documentation and cited. No provider pays for inclusion or position. MerchantHQ is an introducer: acquirers, including some brands ranked here, pay us commission on completed introductions. Commission never affects a ranking. See our methodology and how we are funded.
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director, Best Business Loans Ltd. Last reviewed: 2026-04-26.