USA
Tap to pay is normal at trucks, and tips at the reader are expected at many. Cash still matters at events. Card rates vary by processor and plan, so compare a few.
Mobile card reader? Bring the one you like.
Tap, chip and swipe go through your processor at your rate. We record the sale and take nothing from it.
Who does what when a card taps
- You, in the POS
Ring the order, choose Card, the total is ready. Add a tip line if the customer asks.
- Your processor's reader
The customer taps, dips or swipes. Your processor authorises it and settles the money to your bank on their schedule.
- Back in the POS
Mark it paid. The sale counts under Card in your close-out, so the report and the processor batch can be matched line for line.
Some processors connect their reader to point-of-sale software directly; others run the reader on its own. Either way works. Which one you get depends on your processor: see the setup guide.
Three kinds of reader, three kinds of truck
| Reader type | Good for | Think about |
|---|---|---|
| Tap to pay on a phone | Carts, pop-ups, a second register at rush | Contactless only; check your processor and phone model support it |
| Bluetooth pocket reader | Most trucks: tap, chip and swipe, fits on the counter | Charge it every night; pairs with one device at a time |
| Countertop or handheld terminal | Busy windows and catering with its own SIM or Wi-Fi | Bigger, pricier, sometimes on a contract with the processor |
Five questions to ask a processor before you sign
- What is the in-person rate, and is there a monthly fee or minimum?
- Does the reader have an offline or store-and-forward mode, what are its limits, and who carries the risk if a stored card later declines?
- How fast do funds reach my bank, and is there a fee for faster payouts?
- Is there a contract length or an early termination fee?
- Do you serve my country? Processors differ in the USA, the UAE and Pakistan.
Card habits in our three markets
UAE
Cards and Apple Pay dominate in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Menus and receipts show VAT-inclusive prices. Choose a processor licensed in the UAE.
Pakistan
Cash leads at most stalls, with cards growing in city centres. JazzCash and Easypaisa transfers are recorded as their own payment types so the count stays clean.
Card reader questions
GetFoodTruckPOS works with your processor, so the reader you use is the one your processor supports. We do not sell or process cards ourselves, which means you keep the processor and reader you already have or pick a new one on your own terms. Before signing up for a processor, ask whether their reader works with your phone or tablet. Our /help/connect-a-card-reader/ guide covers the setup.
Nothing. We take 0% of your card sales. Card fees are between you and your processor, and the only thing we charge is the flat software fee for your plan. That means a busy festival weekend does not raise your POS bill. Compare your processor's rate separately; a small difference in rate on a high-volume truck adds up over a season.
Yes, if your processor's reader supports contactless. Apple Pay, Google Pay and tap cards run through the processor's reader, not through us, so check that your reader handles them. In the USA and UAE most customers expect tap, so a contactless reader is worth having. In Pakistan, card tap sits alongside cash, JazzCash and Easypaisa, which you can record as their own payment methods.
That depends on your reader, so ask your processor. Many processors' readers have their own offline or store-and-forward mode that holds card payments and sends them when signal returns, usually with limits and some risk of declines later. GetFoodTruckPOS itself needs a data connection to ring sales. If signal dies, take cash, note the sales and enter them once you are back online.
Each sale is recorded with its payment method, so card, cash and any custom method appear as separate lines in your close-out. You then compare the card total with your processor's daily batch to make sure they match. If they do not, the sales by payment method report shows which tickets were marked as card. Settlement timing and deposits are handled by your processor.
Yes. Because GetFoodTruckPOS is not your processor, switching processors does not touch your menu, customers, stock or reports. Set up the new processor's reader, check it works with your device and start ringing card sales with it. Keep the old processor active until the last batch has settled. Owners often switch when a better rate comes along, and this keeps that choice open.
No. You can sign up, build your menu and ring test sales before you have a processor sorted. You do need a processor or merchant account before taking real card payments, since we do not process cards. In the meantime, many trucks open with cash only for a few days. Read /blog/food-truck-card-readers-explained/ for plain-English help choosing one.
Yes, in two ways. You can add the tip as its own line on the sale, or use your processor's tip prompt on the reader if it has one. Recording tips as a line keeps them visible in your reports, which helps when you split tips with staff at the end of the day. Check how your processor reports tips so the totals match at close.
Yes, as long as your local processor supports it. In the UAE, card and Apple Pay payments run through a local processor's reader, and prices on our side include 5% VAT. In Pakistan, cards work through a bank or processor reader, and cash, JazzCash, Easypaisa and bank transfer are recorded as custom payment methods. See /uae/ and /pakistan/ for local notes.
Keep your rate. Lose the lock-in.
Sign up, add your truck and your menu, and ring a test sale before your next service.
30 days free, no cardMonth to month0% of your card sales
