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In the UK, the upper limit for contactless card payments recently rose to £100. Previously, it stood at £45 (and before that at £30), so this is the most significant increase since contactless was introduced. According to government sources, the rationale is to help customers pay faster and easier, while still maintaining robust security measures. The shift is in response to growing consumer demand for speed and minimal friction.
For restaurant owners, this jump creates a unique opportunity. By removing small hurdles at the point of payment, higher contactless limits allow diners to settle their bills quickly and efficiently, making it simpler to enjoy the experience — and more likely to order that extra dessert. In a fast-paced environment, every second saved in the payment process can impact turnover, table turnover speed, and, ultimately, the bottom line.
Contactless technology itself isn’t new. What is new, though, is how comfortable diners have become with tapping their cards or phones to pay for daily items, including a two-course meal and drinks. Many diners expect this as standard. Now that the limit has climbed, they can also use contactless for larger bills. Here’s how that helps you:
The key point to remember is that contactless is more than just tapping a card; it can include mobile wallets, smartwatch payments, and even advanced restaurant payment solutions that use QR codes. For restaurants ready to adapt, these rising limits offer a chance to redefine the way you collect payments.
Imagine it’s a busy Friday evening. You’re juggling multiple bookings, and a few walk-ins are lining up at the host stand. Your staff are working at full tilt, and the last thing they need is each table taking ten minutes to settle the bill. A higher contactless limit means immediate payment for the majority of bills, taking pressure off your staff and wrapping up the customer experience more effectively.
From a practical standpoint, customers might be more inclined to go for that extra bottle of wine if they know it’s still within the contactless reach of £100. This is especially relevant in mid-range to premium establishments where the average bill can easily creep over the older limits of £30–£45.
Contactless technology has historically caused some security concerns. Many people worry about unauthorised payments being taken from their cards if they walk past a malicious reader device. In truth, the banking industry invests heavily to safeguard consumers. For instance, at random intervals, cardholders may be asked to enter their pin to verify identity. Additionally, banks track unusual spending habits and block suspicious transactions.
For restaurants, emphasising these security measures can help reassure your guests. Showcasing official guidelines, such as those from UK Finance, can be a good way to foster trust and alleviate concerns. The bottom line is that contactless technology has kept pace with consumer demand precisely because it’s proven both convenient and secure.
Whether you’re a traditional gastro pub or an avant-garde eatery, here are some practical steps to ensure you embrace the new contactless limit effectively:
A table of enthusiastic diners has polished off their last bite. They’re impressed by the service and fancy adding a tip. With contactless, tipping is seamless. In fact, research shows that when people pay digitally, they’re often more inclined to add a gratuity. Higher limits mean they can painlessly include a tip if they wish.
To make sure your team benefits from this, consider the following:
Contactless tipping also means you don’t have to handle the separate “cash jar” scenario. You can keep things central, track tips more accurately, and ensure transparency with staff tip distribution. Everyone wins.
A higher contactless limit doesn’t just help you collect money easily; it opens the door to incremental guest engagement. Here’s where advanced digital payment solutions step in. Instead of a purely transactional relationship, you can use the moment of payment to prompt diners to sign up for a mailing list, leave a review on Google, or even suggest a loyalty programme. If they tap or scan a QR code at their table, this can lead them to a branded page where they can:
Think of it as turning the final taste of your menu into a rich aftertaste, one that keeps diners coming back for more. With the limit increased, you can entice a guest to try a wider variety of items on their next visit, all the while capturing valuable data in a way that’s user-friendly and respectful of privacy.
You can transform the end of a guest’s meal from a potential waiting game into a smooth exit. Let’s walk through a sample scenario:
This streamlined checkout has no friction points. In moments, your diners are on their way, and your staff can focus on turning tables without the tedium of passing a card reader around or wrestling with split-bill complexities.
If your establishment sees a lot of foot traffic — perhaps you operate a quick-service restaurant, café, or fast-casual chain — then every second your staff isn’t dealing with payment overhead can be spent upselling or checking on the next table. A higher contactless limit ensures a single payment method can accommodate the average diner’s spend, even if that total includes a starter, main, dessert, and drinks.
Opting for the right payment solution can also help reduce abandoned tables when it’s time to settle up. You’d be surprised how many potential repeat customers can be lost simply because the end-of-meal process is awkward or time-consuming. Contactless streamlines the whole experience and takes away a classic frustration: waiting ages for the card machine to arrive.
Let’s look at “The Breezy Bistro”: a fictional independent restaurant on a busy thoroughfare in Manchester. Prior to the new limit, average bills often topped £65, so contactless wasn’t always an option for the entire bill. Guests frequently had to enter PIN codes for amounts above £45, leading to longer table turnover times.
“The Breezy Bistro” discovered that a smooth exit strategy can be just as enticing as an innovative starter or an Instagram-worthy dessert.
Sometimes, veteran restaurant employees may worry that new payment technologies could complicate their workflow or reduce their chances of earning tips. In reality, the opposite is often true. Higher contactless limits drastically reduce the fiddling around with card machines and speed up everything from taking payments to flipping tables. Staff can serve more tables in the same amount of time, and digital tipping can be tracked and shared more transparently.
For maximum buy-in, schedule a short, hands-on training session. Let your servers go through a few mock transactions so they understand every step. Encourage them to provide feedback. Explain that by peeling time away from the payment process, they can engage more personally with diners — which generally means higher tips and a better work environment overall.
QR codes have rapidly become the next stage in contactless dining. Even if your guests still have the option to tap their cards, you can offer them an instant, fuss-free alternative that also helps you gather valuable insights. Sunday, for example, lets you place discreet QR codes at each table, enabling guests to pay when they’re ready, from their own smartphones. No app download required, no queue for a card reader, no searching for the server at the end of the meal.
Beyond the immediate payment, QR codes can direct customers to special promotions, set-menu deals, or an online feedback form. By integrating these features, you make the most of that crucial final few minutes of the dining journey — turning what could be idle time into constructive engagement.
Restaurants that adopt new payment technologies — including contactless, QR codes, or smartphone wallets — often discover an entire digital ecosystem to tap into. For instance:
The best part? You can keep it discreet. Your staff can continue to offer a personal, face-to-face service, while the contactless and digital elements silently aid efficiency and gather feedback in the background.
If you’ve been on the fence about adopting or upgrading your contactless setup, here are five tangible ways to ease the transition:
Security measures are continually evolving alongside the increasing limit. Banks will sometimes require a PIN to confirm identity, and suspicious usage patterns are swiftly investigated. Reassuring your guests with factual information on these measures helps them feel confident.
While there’s no guarantee that every customer will spend more, it does remove a potential friction point. Diners no longer need to think about whether their bill exceeds the previous cap. This can subtly influence them to order an extra dish or a bottle of wine.
You can set up your payment terminal or QR payment system to suggest tip percentages. Guests confirm the amount by tapping their card or phone. This method is transparent, trackable, and usually boosts tip amounts because it’s hassle-free.
Involve them early. Provide hands-on training and share how this shift can make their jobs easier, more efficient, and potentially more rewarding financially. Emphasise that the personal touch remains under their control, with technology handling only the mechanical parts of the transaction.
Most modern contactless solutions are designed to be user-friendly, with clear on-screen instructions. Still, keep a traditional card payment terminal on hand. Offering both ensures everyone feels comfortable, regardless of their familiarity with digital tools.
In a world where diners crave speed, convenience, and a memorable experience, harnessing the power of rising contactless limits can give your restaurant the edge. By embracing the tools at your disposal — from modern POS devices to QR code payments — you ensure your team devotes their time to hospitality rather than chasing down payments. And that, ultimately, is what keeps guests coming back for more. Bon appétit, and happy tapping!
