Pay-at-Table Terminals vs QR Payments: Costs and Fit
Compare staff-operated terminals with customer phone checkout, including processing channels, till connections and the practical table-service workflow.
The short answer
A pay-at-table terminal lets staff take payment at the table; a QR payment flow lets customers open a checkout on their own device. Either may connect to your EPOS, but integration and tariffs vary. Compare the full payment mix and retained equipment, then test split bills, completion checks and customers who need assistance.
In this guide
A QR code is the route into a checkout
A terminal takes the customer’s card or wallet payment through the supported in-person process. A QR code can open a website checkout, a bill-payment page or an ordering service. The code itself does not determine the payment method or the fee.
Dojo’s pay-at-table documentation describes retrieving open EPOS orders and recording payment results. Square’s payment-link page describes QR codes opening an online checkout with its ecommerce tariff. These examples show why you must check the actual product: a customer sitting inside the restaurant does not automatically make every phone checkout an in-person terminal payment.
Test the whole table-service journey
| Task | What to demonstrate |
|---|---|
| Find the bill | The correct table and current items appear. |
| Split payment | The remaining balance stays accurate when several guests pay. |
| Change an order | New items or corrections do not create an incorrect amount while payment is underway. |
| Confirm completion | Staff see a reliable payment result against the right bill. |
| Support the customer | There is a practical alternative for a flat battery, weak connection or accessibility difficulty. |
Paying an existing bill and ordering food through a QR menu are different tasks. If you need both, ask for both to be demonstrated and priced. Keep the kitchen, front-of-house and payment records aligned when orders change.
Worked example: a mixed terminal and QR setup
Fictional offers. Assume £30,000 monthly sales across 1,000 equal £30 bills. Terminal processing is 1.1%; two terminals cost £40 monthly together and their integration costs £15. QR checkout is 1.4% plus 25p per payment with an extra £20 platform fee.
| Cost | All terminal payments | 40% QR, 60% terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal processing | £330 | £198 |
| QR processing | £0 | £168 + £100 = £268 |
| Retained terminals and integration | £55 | £55 |
| QR platform | £0 | £20 |
| Monthly total | £385 | £541 |
Adding QR checkout increases the monthly cost by £156 in this example. If 400 QR payments each remove 30 seconds of useful staff handling, they release 3 hours 20 minutes. At an illustrative £18 per hour, that is £60 of capacity value, not a £60 wage saving.
Use measured customer uptake and your actual quote. Do not remove terminal rental from the budget unless the equipment and its commitment really end.
Ask which invoices and charges will change
- Confirm the processing rate and fixed fee for each actual checkout method.
- Include EPOS integration, ordering subscriptions and any additional platform charges.
- Ask how split payments affect transaction counts and fixed fees.
- Check refund handling and whether tip or service-charge amounts affect the fee basis.
- Confirm setup costs, support ownership and cancellation terms across suppliers.
A QR service may justify its cost through customer choice or improved service. Treat those as benefits to assess, rather than claiming that fewer staff trips to a table must create cash savings.
Run a controlled service trial
Try the workflow across a representative service, including a split bill, changed order, failed payment and refund. Compare completion, staff assistance and reconciliation with the current process. Keep a clear alternative for customers who cannot or prefer not to use phone checkout.
Use the calculator’s separate in-person and remote/online figures when they match the quoted methods. Allocate the same total sales between channels and retain shared costs once. Keep time saved in a separate operational comparison. See our restaurant cost guide for the wider budget.
Common questions
Are QR payments always cheaper than a card machine?
No. The processing channel, fixed fees, platform subscription, retained machines and customer usage determine the total. Compare the complete mixed setup you will operate.
Does any QR payment link automatically close the correct restaurant bill?
No. A generic payment link and an integrated bill-payment system are different. Check how the service identifies the table and records full or partial payment in your EPOS.
Put your own figures to work.
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Sources and how to use this guide
Primary references checked on 15 October 2026:
- Dojo: pay-at-table integration and order handling
- Square UK: payment links, QR checkout and applicable payment channel
Worked examples are original fictional scenarios, not customer results, market averages or provider quotations. Unless stated otherwise, they use a consistent VAT basis and include only the costs listed. Provider prices, eligibility and terms can change. Check your written agreement before deciding.
Our guides explain costs and comparison methods. They do not rank the whole market or claim hands-on product testing. Source links are references, not a claim of partnership. Read the calculation method and limitations, or about the service.