Card machines for fast food

Contactless in under a second, competitive rates on high volumes, and a terminal that handles the pace of quick-service trading.

Common challenges

  • Speed at the counter is everything — slow payments lose customers
  • High daily transaction count means small fee differences add up
  • Need reliable contactless for the majority of transactions
  • Long trading hours so the terminal must be dependable
  • Want better rates than the current provider

Published:

Recommended solutions

Shift4

Pax A800

Portable/countertop Android terminal with 5.7-inch touchscreen and Payment & POS functionality. Built-in Wi-Fi & 4G connectivity, along with thermal printing. Includes merchant branding on-screen, an intuitive over-the-phone payment flow, on-board POS features, and is configurable for full POS integration.

  • 5.7-inch HD touchscreen
  • Built-in printer
  • Wi-Fi & 4G
  • Contactless, Chip & Pin, over-the-phone
  • Fast contactless transacting
  • Integrates with its provider's own POS only
  • Android POS and payments
Contract
negotiable

Dojo

Pax A920

Portable/countertop Android terminal with 4.9-inch touchscreen, built-in Wi-Fi & 4G connectivity, and thermal printing. Its form-factor means it's ideal when payments need to be taken away from the counter. Easily handles over-the-phone payments, and is configurable for full POS integration with many third-party POS systems.

  • 4.9-inch HD touchscreen
  • Built-in printer
  • Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity
  • Contactless, Chip & Pin, over-the-phone
  • Can be integrated with multiple POS systems
  • Android payment-only terminal
Contract
negotiable

Why fast food outlets choose uno

Fast food is about speed - customers expect to tap and go. Your card machine needs to match that pace and handle hundreds of contactless transactions a day without dropping a beat.

Counter speed

The Shift4 PAX A800 is free for your first machine and handles contactless in under a second. Wired connection means no Wi-Fi drops during the lunch rush.

Multiple tills

If you’re running more than one serving point, the Dojo PAX A920 connects over Wi-Fi or 4G, giving you flexibility to add terminals where you need them without extra cabling.

Rates for volume

With high daily transaction counts, even a fraction of a percent difference in rate saves real money over a month. We compare providers to find the pricing that works for your volume.

What you get from uno

  • Terminals matched to high-volume quick-service trading
  • Rates compared across providers for your transaction count
  • On-site installation and setup
  • UK-based support

Common questions from fast food owners

How fast is the card machine during a lunchtime or post-school rush?

Contactless payments take under one second. In a fast food environment where you're serving a customer every 30–45 seconds during peak, the card machine isn't the bottleneck - food prep is. The terminal keeps pace with however fast you can serve.

The kitchen environment is hot and greasy - will the terminal survive?

We position the terminal at the counter, not in the kitchen. The customer-facing side of a fast food shop is a standard retail environment. The terminals are touchscreen devices used in thousands of food businesses daily. Contactless means neither staff nor customers need to physically handle the device during most transactions.

Most of our orders are £5–£8 - are card fees still worth it?

At a blended rate of 1.25%, a £6 order costs you 7.5p in processing. The question isn't the 7.5p - it's the growing number of customers who won't queue if they can't pay by card. Fast food customers expect speed and convenience. Contactless is part of that expectation now.

General questions about uno
Which card machine is right for my business?

It really does depend on how your business operates - there's no one 'best solution' for all, as a Fine Dining restaurant in Covent Garden has completely different operational requirements to a Market Trader in Glasgow's bustling Barras, or a Cardiff Arms Park pub. We make the effort to truly understand how your business actually operates - before recommending the best solution from a range of providers, not just one.

How much does a card machine cost?

It varies by provider and model. With some providers, your first card machine comes with no upfront cost, no monthly rental, and no per-transaction fees - so your only cost is the processing rate on each sale you make. Additional terminals - or those from other providers - may well carry rental or per-transaction fees. The exact cost depends on your terminal type, provider, and monthly card turnover. Because uno works across multiple providers, we compare the real-world, overall costs and then find the most competitive deal for your specific situation.

How long will it take for me to receive my takings?

We know for many UK independent businesses cashflow is a daily struggle. We can offer various options, with settlement times ranging next morning, to the full three days it takes providers to actually receive your customers money. Whatever your working requirements are, we'll find the ideal solution to match those needs.

Do all uno card machines accept contactless payments?

Yes. Every payment terminal we recommend accepts contactless payments, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and standard contactless cards. Contactless is now the default way most customers pay in the UK.

Will I be able to take 'over-the-phone' payments?

For most merchant-types this will be offered as a default payment option, available on-screen along with contactless and Chip & Pin. There are a small number of exceptional businesses operational-types where this is not the case - but for most, 'over-the-phone' payments will be offered as standard.

How can we process refunds?

Any terminal uno suggests would allow you to easily identify the original transaction. If still within the same day as the sale, then the transaction could then be 'voided'(aka 'reversed'). Voids/Reverses are typically instantaneous. However, if that trading day's 'banking window' had closed (typically at Midnight) then it would technically be classed as a 'refund' - which would then be subject to the bank's standard 3-5 day processing timeframe to complete.

Will we need to do complicated PCI compliance like we do with our current provider?

The great news for you is none of the providers uno works with have complicated anything! For those that require PCI of any sort at all, it really is a simple, painless process that just takes a few minutes per year!

Am I locked into a contract?

Not with every provider. Several of the solutions we offer have no long-term contract - you can switch or cancel without penalty. We'll always be upfront about contract terms before suggesting you commit to anything.

How long does it take to get set up?

Most businesses are up and running within a few days. We handle the supply, installation, and configuration so you can focus on serving your customers. We walk you through everything on-site - so you're confident from day one.

Why go through uno instead of going direct to a provider?

Going direct means you only see a single provider's products, at a single provider's prices. Because uno works across multiple providers, we can genuinely compare options and recommend the solution that suits your business - not just the only one we happen to sell! You also get a dedicated point of contact for ongoing support.

Ready to find the right card machine?

We make the effort to understand how your business works, and only then recommend the solution that genuinely fits - not the one with the biggest commission.

Get Started 07395 451520