The restaurant industry is always booming, which also means the competition is fierce. People are constantly on the go and working round the clock, so there’s less time to eat meals at home. Quick-serve and casual dining restaurants, as a result, have a lot of potential to grow their franchises, but only if their customer service is top-notch.

A solid restaurant merchant services provider can help you find the sweet spot for offering premium customer service. If you partner with the right provider, you can set up payment solutions that make customer transactions easy and convenient. The best restaurants are the ones where customers can focus on enjoying their meals, whether with company or on the go. But how do you know which restaurant merchant services provider is the most viable option for your business?

Read on for tips on choosing a restaurant merchant services provider that will streamline your payment solutions and promote customer satisfaction.

Are You a Quick-Serve or a Casual Dining Restaurant?

Knowing your restaurant environment can clear up a whole lot of questions regarding what merchant services provider is best for you. The type of restaurant you are determines the kind of foot traffic and common customer behaviour pattern you deal with daily. If you’re a quick-serve restaurant that focuses on speedy delivery to a lot of people, then you need a merchant services provider that has high-volume solutions.

Casual dining or “sit-and-serve” restaurants obviously need solutions that allow customers to stay in their seats and bask in the ambiance during a meal.

Some payment solutions that you should look for as a quick-serve are:

• Countertop terminals with a contactless transaction option
• Mobile terminals that can be used during deliveries

Some payment solutions that you should look for as casual dining are:

• Mobile terminals with contactless, chip & pin, and magnetic swipe options for customers to pay with ease from their tables
• Mobile payment apps allowing customers to pay on the go and in advance of their delivery

A good restaurant merchant services provider should be willing to offer custom solutions that suit your individual business operation. If a provider only offers one-size-fits-all package deals, be wary. You don’t want to deal with extra fees for services you don’t require.

Does the Merchant Services Provider Have a Good Rate?

This question is especially important to ask of a merchant services provider if you’re a quick-serve that deals with a high-volume of customers. Some providers appear to have a good monthly plan because their rates appear low, but it’s a misconception that the lowest rate makes the best choice.

You need to have an optimal balance between payment terminals offered, how reliable a provider’s customer service and support is and a rate that makes sense for your transactions per month. In other words, if the services provided don’t match up with the confusing breakdown of monthly fees, you should look elsewhere for a better provider.

There are providers that offer all-inclusive pricing plans that have an agreeable rate of 2.1% for your monthly credit sales volume. This type of plan accounts for all costs upfront (terminals, paper costs, debit) and comes with protection up to $1000 for chargebacks. Always consider what is included in any provider plan (and whether the costs square out logically).

Can Your Provider Meet Your Industry’s Standards?

The bottom line of choosing the merchant services provider that’s best for your restaurant is if they can keep up with your business demands. The restaurant industry is constantly evolving and to stay in the competition, let alone getting ahead of your competitors, your transaction environment must remain agile.

If your payment provider can give you customized payment solutions, a streamlined monthly statement, and offer ongoing support in implementing your solutions, then you’re in good hands.