Hospitality Industry Guide

Best Payment Processors for UK Restaurants, Cafés & Bars

Compare fees, speed, and features from the top payment processors for hospitality businesses in the UK.

What Hospitality Businesses Should Look For

Transaction Fees

For retail stores with high transaction volumes, even a 0.5% difference in fees can save thousands annually. Lopay's 0.79% rate saves £90/month vs 1.69% on £10K sales.

POS Features

Consider if you need inventory management, employee management, or customer loyalty programs. Square and Zettle offer comprehensive POS, while Lopay and SumUp focus on payments.

Hardware Quality

Reliable card readers are essential for retail. Look for fast contactless payments, long battery life, and durability. SumUp and Zettle have excellent hardware reputations.

Hospitality Payment Processor Comparison

Best Value

Lopay

Cost-conscious retailers with high volume

4.7Trustpilot
Transaction Fee
0.39%
Monthly Fee: £0
Pros
Lowest UK rate
No monthly fees
Fast payouts
Cons
Newer provider
Limited POS integrations
Full Review

SumUp

Small retailers & market traders

4.6Trustpilot
Transaction Fee
1.69%
Monthly Fee: £0
Pros
Popular in UK retail
Simple setup
Good card readers
Cons
Higher rate than Lopay
Limited reporting
Full Review

Square

Retailers needing full POS system

4.5Trustpilot
Transaction Fee
2.6%
Monthly Fee: £0
Pros
Comprehensive POS
Inventory management
24/7 support
Cons
Higher fees
Can hold funds
Full Review

Zettle

Mobile & pop-up retailers

4.5Trustpilot
Transaction Fee
1.75%
Monthly Fee: £0
Pros
PayPal integration
Good hardware
Easy to use
Cons
Limited features
Average support
Full Review

Real Cost Comparison for Hospitality

Monthly SalesLopay (0.79%)SumUp (1.69%)Square (2.6%)Your Savings
£5,000£39.50£84.50£130£45-90/mo
£10,000£79£169£260£90-181/mo
£20,000£158£338£520£180-362/mo
£50,000£395£845£1,300£450-905/mo

Example: A café processing £15,000/month in card payments would save £135-271 per month (£1,620-3,252 per year) by switching from Square to Lopay.

Find Your Perfect Payment Processor

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