Card machine for your fish and chip shop

Fast contactless at the counter, competitive rates on high daily volumes, and a terminal built for the pace of a busy chippy.

Common challenges

Long queues at peak times need fast contactless
High transaction count means fees add up quickly
Low-to-medium average values make per-transaction costs matter
Terminal needs to handle the pace of a Friday night rush
Want something reliable and simple — no time for tech issues

Why fish & chip shops choose uno

Chippies are queue-driven businesses - especially on a Friday evening. Your card machine needs to keep up with the pace and process contactless payments fast so the queue keeps moving.

Fast counter payments

The Shift4 PAX A800 is free for your first machine and processes contactless in under a second. Wired for reliability, it won’t let you down when you’ve got a queue out the door.

Portable option

If you serve at a counter and a separate collection point, or run a delivery service, the Dojo PAX A920 gives you flexibility to take payment wherever it’s needed.

Low-cost alternative

The SumUp Solo at £79 outright with no monthly fees suits smaller chippies watching overheads. You pay 1.69% per transaction and nothing else.

What you get from uno

A countertop terminal matched to high-volume counter service
Rates compared across providers for your transaction volume
Simple installation - we handle everything
UK-based support

Common questions from fish and chips owners

Friday night is our busiest by far - will one card machine cope?

One terminal handles the processing speed easily - contactless is under a second. The question is whether one terminal creates a bottleneck in your service flow. If you're running a queue at the counter and a separate collection point, a second terminal at collection can speed things up. We can set up both on the same account.

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.

Can I take card payment for phone-ahead orders?

Yes. Over-the-phone payments are supported on the terminals we supply. A customer calling in a £12 fish supper order can pay by card on the phone and collect when it's ready. Saves time for them and eliminates the risk of no-shows.

We sometimes sell from a hatch - can the terminal work outside?

Yes. A portable terminal with 4G connectivity works at a serving hatch, at a seaside counter, or at a festival pitch. It doesn't need to be connected to your shop's Wi-Fi - the 4G handles the connection independently.

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 buinesses cashflow is a daily struggle. We can offer various options, with settlement times ranging from just a few hours, 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'n'Pin. There are a small number of exceptional businesess 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 be subject to the bank's standard 3-5 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 atall, 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 your business, understand how you take payments, and recommend the solution that genuinely fits - not the one with the biggest commission.

Call 07395 451520 Get in touch