To compare kiosk payment quotes, apply each offer to the same expected mix of orders, payment amounts, and tenders. Then account separately for guests who must pay at the counter. A lower card rate can be offset by a higher per-transaction charge or by the cost of handling cash elsewhere.
Ask each provider for written rates and a clear list of accepted payment methods before you choose. The goal is a comparable operating-cost estimate, not a kiosk payback calculation. Keep hardware, software, installation, and other charges visible alongside the payment estimate rather than hiding them inside a single fee percentage.
Build a realistic mix of card and cash orders
Start with a period that is useful for your restaurant, such as a typical day or month. Count orders that you expect guests to place through the kiosk, then split them by how guests would want to pay. Use your current transaction records as a starting point, but check whether kiosk guests are likely to behave differently from guests ordering at the counter.
For each tender, record the number of orders and the amount paid. The order count matters because a fixed charge applies per transaction. The payment amount matters because a percentage charge generally depends on the amount processed. Ask the provider exactly which amount its percentage applies to, including how tips, refunds, and adjustments are treated.
Keep card types separate when their quoted rates differ. Also ask whether the offer distinguishes debit, credit, contactless wallets, gift cards, or other methods your guests use. A wallet payment should not automatically be treated as having a distinct rate; ask how the underlying transaction is priced.
Hypothetical example: A restaurant expects 100 kiosk-originated orders in a typical day, each totaling $20 before any excluded charges. Guests want to pay for 75 orders by card and 25 by cash. That is $1,500 in card payments and $500 in cash payments, or $2,000 in sales. Sales are not payment fees and are not a deposit to the restaurant’s bank account.
Quote A accepts card at the kiosk but sends cash guests to a staffed counter. Quote B assumes the offered kiosk setup accepts both card and cash. Both quotes are hypothetical, including their rates and cash-handling arrangements; they are not claims about Fleksa or any other provider.
Calculate each quote on the same transactions
For a tender with both a percentage and a fixed charge, multiply the amount processed by the percentage, then add the transaction count multiplied by the fixed charge. Repeat for every tender with a different rate. Do not apply a card processing percentage to cash unless the written quote specifically includes a cash-related charge.
The worksheet below compares the hypothetical daily mix. It includes card transaction fees and an assumed incremental staffing cost. It excludes hardware, software, installation, cash equipment, maintenance, other payment charges, taxes, tips, refunds, and any other cost not stated in the example. Those exclusions could change the decision.
| Daily measure | Quote A: card kiosk, counter cash | Quote B: card and cash kiosk |
|---|---|---|
| Card payments | 75 orders; $1,500 | 75 orders; $1,500 |
| Card rate | 2.2% plus $0.10 per transaction | 2.0% plus $0.20 per transaction |
| Card fees | $33.00 plus $7.50 = $40.50 | $30.00 plus $15.00 = $45.00 |
| Cash payments | 25 orders; $500 at counter | 25 orders; $500 at kiosk |
| Assumed incremental cash-service labor | $9.00 | $0.00 |
| Included daily cost | $49.50 | $45.00 |
Quote A has the lower card fee by $4.50 a day. Its assumed counter service adds $9.00, making its included cost $4.50 higher. That result is not a recommendation for Quote B: the comparison does not yet include the price of its cash-accepting equipment or other excluded costs.
Check the math for your own average ticket. On a smaller payment, a fixed charge takes up a larger share of the transaction. On a larger payment, the percentage has more influence. If your menu includes both small drinks and large family orders, calculate more than one order-size scenario instead of relying only on the average.
Also check whether the quote uses one blended rate or several rates. If it provides different card categories, ask for enough detail to estimate each category separately. If a rate can change, request the conditions and a way to identify the current rate on an actual statement.
Price the staffed cash fallback separately
A card-only kiosk can still be useful when guests pay cash, but the handoff needs a workable path. Ask whether a guest can enter an order at the kiosk and complete payment at the counter, and what staff must do to find and finish that order. If that path is unavailable, the guest may need to place the whole order with an employee instead.
In the example, the 25 cash orders take an assumed 1.2 minutes each of additional paid staff time. That is 30 minutes, or half an hour. At an assumed $18 per paid hour, the incremental cost is $9. The calculation assumes that the extra half-hour is actually added to paid time. If existing staff can absorb the work without adding paid time, record the incremental labor cost as $0 and still consider the effect on the line.
Conversely, do not assume a cash-accepting kiosk eliminates cash work. Ask who loads change, clears the cash, resolves a jam, reconciles the drawer, and helps a guest whose payment is not accepted. Put any additional paid time or service charge into the comparison when you have a reasonable estimate. Keep cash handling separate from card processing fees so the source of each cost remains clear.
Capacity also matters. Twenty-five redirected cash orders spread through a day may be manageable; the same number during a short rush may compete with counter orders and pickup questions. Note the busiest period in your worksheet, the staff position responsible for the handoff, and where a guest waits. A low estimated labor cost does not settle whether the process is practical.
For the wider equipment decision, use the related buying guide to compare installation and restaurant fit. For this payment worksheet, add a separate line for each recurring or one-time quote item rather than mixing those costs into a card rate.
Request written rates, exclusions, and settlement terms
Send every provider the same order mix and ask for an itemized quote. Specify the transaction volume, typical payment size, expected tenders, and whether you need guests to pay cash. Ask the provider to show the calculation as well as the resulting amount. This makes it easier to spot a quote based on a different number of transactions or an assumed tender mix that does not match yours.
- Rates: What percentage and fixed amount apply to each card or other tender? Are there different rates by card category, payment method, or transaction size?
- Other payment charges: Are there monthly minimums, account fees, dispute charges, refund charges, or charges for failed transactions? What triggers each one?
- Cash: Can the quoted setup accept cash at the kiosk? What equipment and service charges are required? If cash is paid at the counter, how is the order completed?
- Settlement: When are card proceeds deposited, what can delay a deposit, and how are fees shown? Ask how to reconcile the deposit against sales, refunds, tips, and fees.
- Changes and exit: When can rates or terms change, what notice applies, and what charges or obligations apply if you stop using the service?
- Scope: Which hardware, software, installation, support, and payment services are included, and which need separate quotes?
A deposit is not the same figure as sales or processing fees. For reconciliation, ask for a sample statement showing the provider’s actual presentation of each component. Confirm whether fees are deducted before deposit or billed separately. Do not assume the deposit schedule or net amount from the headline rate.
Request the full quote total over the same period for each offer, with one-time and recurring items identified. For Fleksa’s published plan details, check plans and pricing; the page was checked in November 2026. Ask for a current written quote for your particular kiosk, hardware, setup, and payment requirements. Where contract or tax treatment affects your decision, consult a qualified adviser.
Record an acceptance test before signing
Turn the tender comparison into a short pass-or-fail checklist. Agree with the provider on the intended setup and the people who will resolve exceptions. A simulated check should use a sandbox, demo, or other non-live method: it must not charge a real card, send a guest message, or dispatch a courier.
- Card order: Enter a typical order and simulate an approved card payment. Pass if the order and simulated payment status are visible where staff expect them, and the provider can explain which quoted rate would apply.
- Cash route: Enter an order for a guest who wants to pay cash. Pass if staff can follow the quoted kiosk-cash or counter-payment route without losing the order or entering it twice. For practice, use simulated payment only.
- Exception: Simulate a declined payment or canceled order. Pass if staff can identify its status and know the next action without treating an unpaid order as paid.
- Reconciliation: Review a sample statement or test report. Pass if the team can identify transaction counts, payment amounts, fees, and the expected settlement treatment.
- Rush handoff: Walk through several simulated cash and card orders with the staff positions you expect to use. Pass if each handoff has an owner and the waiting area and counter workflow are workable.
Record the result, the setup used, unresolved questions, and the provider’s written response. A simulated check verifies the demonstrated workflow, not actual service performance. If you later run a live service pilot, plan it separately with staff and the provider, agree on real payment and settlement procedures, and review actual statements afterward.
Before you request final quotes, map where orders and payment statuses need to appear. Ask how the kiosk connects with your restaurant POS system and how paid and unpaid orders reach the kitchen display system. Confirm the specific setup rather than assuming every combination of equipment will work.
Bring your completed tender mix, written quotes, and acceptance checklist to a product discussion. Compare your kiosk requirements with Fleksa’s restaurant kiosk workflows, including the payment and cash fallback you need.
Frequently asked questions
Is the lowest card percentage always the cheapest offer?
No. A fixed charge per transaction, other payment fees, and the mix of order sizes can change the result. Apply each written quote to the same transaction counts and amounts.
Should cash orders be included in a kiosk fee comparison?
Yes. They may have no card processing fee, but they can require equipment, staff time, or a counter handoff. Show those costs separately from card fees.
Can I use deposits to estimate transaction fees?
Not reliably on their own. Deposits can reflect sales, refunds, tips, fee deductions, and timing differences. Ask for a statement that shows each component and how it reconciles.
