1min
Running a restaurant in the United Kingdom has its own special flair. Customers expect that perfect balance between a friendly, relaxing environment and impeccable service. But if there’s one universal truth about British diners in 2025, it’s this: they want fast, convenient, and secure payment options. Enter the smart payment terminal. This device goes beyond taking cards; it can optimise your entire payment process—from tipping to loyalty integration to instant reviews.
According to UK Hospitality, nearly 70% of face-to-face restaurant transactions are now contactless. And that trend is only climbing. Gone are the days when guests would patiently wait for the bill or dig around for loose change. They want to tap and go—or better yet, scan a QR code and pay from their phone. If you’re still using outdated payment methods, you might be missing out on the new wave of customer satisfaction. Below, we’ll explore why a modern, intelligent payment terminal could be the best upgrade your restaurant makes this year.
Think of a busy Saturday afternoon in your London café. Tables are full, staff are stretched, and orders are flooding the kitchen. The last thing you need is a queue at the till while diners fumble around with cards or notes. A smart payment terminal slashes transaction times, allowing your team to stay focused on delivering fantastic service, rather than racing to the card machine.
When guests can settle the bill quickly—often through contactless or mobile payments—you improve both the diner’s experience and your table turnover rate. This isn’t just about convenience; it can have a tangible impact on your profits. A 2022 study by UK Finance showed that faster payment processes directly correlate with improved customer satisfaction, leading to more repeat visits and a higher average spend. That’s a win-win outcome. The next time your Saturday rush hits, you’ll be glad you invested in speed.
We’ve all been there: You’re out for a casual meal, the server was fantastic, but you’re unsure how much to tip or whether the system allows for gratuities. This awkwardness often leads to missed opportunities for staff to earn what they truly deserve. A smart payment terminal takes the guesswork out of tipping by prompting diners with suggested tip amounts, such as 10%, 12.5%, or 15%. According to many restaurant owners, these prompts can lift average tip values by up to 20%, giving your team an instant morale boost.
Even better, solutions like sunday let your guests easily add a tip on their phone after scanning a simple QR code. No rummaging for coins, no typing in random numbers. It’s all there on the screen, integrated into a user-friendly flow. By giving people an effortless way to reward great service, you’re actively promoting staff satisfaction—and happy staff often create an even more welcoming atmosphere for your diners.
Contactless used to be a perk; now, it’s an expectation. After a few years of heightened hygiene awareness, many diners prefer to reduce hand-to-hand contact with shared devices. They’d rather tap a card or phone than pass cash back and forth. A modern card machine answers that call.
When you provide frictionless, contactless transactions, you’re sending a message that you care about their comfort and well-being. This small gesture helps build trust, a vital asset in the restaurant business. Plus, since diners now frequently pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and bank apps, you’re catering to a broad audience’s established habits. Giving people the option to use the payment methods they already love results in fewer payment hiccups—and fewer headaches for you.
Picture a group of six friends enjoying a birthday dinner at your restaurant. The conversation is lively, the drinks keep flowing, and everyone’s having a blast—until the moment the bill arrives. Suddenly, you’re faced with multiple cards, “I only had two cocktails,” and a flurry of phone calculators trying to figure out who owes what. It’s a scenario that can quickly dampen the mood.
A smart payment terminal can split the bill with a few taps. Better still, if you choose a solution like sunday, each diner can scan the same QR code from their phone, see their individual items, and pay their share right away. No confusion, no friction, and no awkward debates. If your staff had to manually calculate everything, they’d spend precious minutes on admin. With intelligent bill splitting, they can focus on what they do best—looking after guests.
Security remains a top priority for diners. They entrust you with their payment details, and a breach could do more than just cause financial loss—it could destroy your reputation. Fortunately, modern payment terminals come with built-in security features like point-to-point encryption and compliance with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).
In the UK, the National Cyber Security Centre regularly warns that small and medium businesses are prime targets for cyberattacks. By adopting a secure device, you’re not only safeguarding your revenue but also communicating to your patrons that you value their trust. In an era when data leaks make headlines, robust encryption gives diners peace of mind. This reassurance might not be as thrilling as a flambé demonstration at tableside, but it’s no less important for your reputation.
If you’ve scrolled through restaurant listings on Google lately, you know how crucial online reviews have become. They can lure in new customers—or turn them away. Asking for feedback days or weeks after a meal, however, tends to yield fewer responses. Diners get busy, they forget details, and even an enthusiastic customer may never get around to leaving that glowing review.
That’s where a smart terminal offering immediate feedback prompts makes a difference. Right after paying—whether on a handheld device or via a QR code—guests can leave a quick review. The memory of your impeccable service is still fresh, so they’re more likely to share those positive thoughts. And if they have a minor concern, you can address it swiftly before it becomes a public grievance. You transform the end of the meal into an opportunity to strengthen your online reputation, one tap at a time.
Running a restaurant is a balancing act of art and science. While your culinary flair and customer rapport are crucial, data can give you insights that intuition alone can’t. A smart payment terminal often integrates with your point-of-sale system, allowing you to track peak times, average transaction sizes, top-selling menu items, and even how tipping fluctuates between lunch and dinner.
For example, you might discover that your Monday lunch crowd rarely orders dessert, while your weekend diners love sweet treats after their mains. Armed with this information, you can tailor your staffing levels, stock control, and menu specials to match real-world demand. Data-driven decisions typically lead to increased profitability and smoother operations. No more guessing; you can base your decisions on facts rather than gut feelings alone.
Imagine your regular guests instantly earning loyalty points every time they tap to pay, or receiving a gentle prompt to try the new seasonal dessert. A smart payment terminal makes these features feel organic, not forced. Rather than juggling separate systems or requiring staff to remember complicated discount codes, everything flows seamlessly.
One compelling advantage of sunday is the ability to incorporate these marketing touches right within the payment process. It’s not invasive or pushy; it’s an easy nudge that says, “You could save £5 next time,” or “Don’t forget to try our new dish.” Over time, these micro-interactions can lead to stronger customer relationships and more repeat visits.
Let’s talk about your team’s daily challenges. They’re answering the phone, taking orders, running food, mixing cocktails, and ensuring the tables are clean. Add an outdated or buggy card machine to the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for frustration. When employees spend unnecessary time on fiddly payment steps, they have less bandwidth for the personal touches that make your venue shine.
By bringing in a smart terminal, you’re effectively handing them a tool that minimises manual chores. The system calculates bills, prompts for tips, splits payments, and records loyalty points automatically. That way, your staff can concentrate on creating a delightful atmosphere—welcoming regulars by name, recommending the perfect wine, or sharing the story behind a locally sourced ingredient. Good technology doesn’t replace human connection; it amplifies it by removing tedious tasks.
The restaurant world is ever-evolving. From the rise of takeaway apps to contactless everything, innovations pop up faster than a batch of freshly made scones. A smart payment terminal is more than just today’s convenience—it’s your gateway to tomorrow’s trends. Many modern devices can be updated remotely, so you can add new features as they emerge.
For instance, if your customers begin embracing digital wallets beyond the usual suspects—maybe a new wave of fintech apps—your intelligent terminal will likely integrate with them seamlessly. That means you won’t have to reinvest in brand-new hardware every time the market shifts. Think of it as preparing your kitchen for future menu expansions: the better equipped you are, the faster you can adapt to changing tastes.
Now that we’ve covered the benefits of a smart payment terminal, let’s discuss a solution that’s already making waves in the UK: sunday. This platform takes payment simplicity to another level by allowing guests to scan a QR code, split the bill, add a tip, and even leave a Google review before they exit the building. The entire process happens on their smartphone, which most people have within arm’s reach at all times.
This approach eliminates waiting time, eradicates confusion around who pays for which items, and shortens queues. Meanwhile, the restaurant maintains complete oversight of the transaction as it integrates with existing POS systems. The result is an elevated customer experience that’s fuss-free and future-facing—something diners are increasingly drawn to in an era of quick convenience.
Moreover, sunday doesn’t just solve the payment puzzle. It also gives you access to useful analytics, so you can see how your different menu items perform or how quickly tables turn over. It’s like having a mini data scientist in your pocket, offering insights to tweak your operations for optimal results.
While a smart payment terminal might seem like a “nice extra,” it can quickly become a crucial part of your operational strategy. Whether you run a small family café or a Michelin-starred restaurant in central London, efficient and flexible payments can set you apart. If you think about it, the payment stage is often your final contact with a guest—why not make it a good one?
Take time to weigh the features that matter most to you. Are you primarily interested in contactless speeds, or does loyalty integration top your list? Would your business benefit from immediate review prompts, or do you want deeper data insights on diner habits? By identifying your priorities, you can choose a solution—like sunday—that fits hand-in-glove with your restaurant’s unique offerings.
It’s easy to focus on menu design, interior décor, and social media promotion. Yet the payment experience can be the silent hero (or villain) of your establishment. A clunky process can overshadow an otherwise fantastic meal, while a swift, intuitive one can leave guests with the best possible last impression.
A smart payment terminal doesn’t just shuffle money around. It can raise staff morale through increased tips, attract and retain customers through loyalty programmes, gather online reviews that amplify your reputation, and provide the data you need for fine-tuning your menu or staff scheduling. In short, it’s a small device that can lead to big transformation.
So, if you’re serious about growing your restaurant and delighting your customers, it’s worth considering how a modern card machine could fit into your broader strategy. It’s not just about replacing an old terminal with a new gadget. It’s about rethinking how you approach service, efficiency, and customer engagement. That shift can turn your restaurant from a “good place to eat” into an unforgettable dining destination.
Drop us your details below and we’ll reach out within the next 24
Connected to your POS, we offer the only payment terminal specifically designed for restaurants.
