FAQ
Questions restaurants ask
Straight answers about pricing, payments, your POS and your team. Can't find yours? Email sales@paytabl.com.
Pricing
What does Paytabl cost my restaurant?
On the Pay and Order plan, nothing beyond card processing: no monthly fee and no restaurant fee. Card processing is what Stripe charges your own account for each payment, and we add nothing to it.
How much is card processing?
Whatever Stripe charges your restaurant's account for each payment: 2.9% + 30¢ for most US cards. It is kept from each payment before it reaches your bank, and Stripe doesn't return it on a refund.
Do guests pay a fee?
Yes: a service fee on their share and tip, 0.5% unless your settings change it. It is shown as its own line on the bill before they pay, it goes to Paytabl, and a refund gives back its share.
How is the Group plan priced?
It's quoted for each group, because it adds loyalty, reporting across venues and a named contact for setup. Card processing stays at cost on each restaurant's own Stripe account. Book a demo for a quote.
Is there hardware to buy?
No. Guests use their own phones, the staff app runs in your team's phone browsers, and you print the table QR codes from the dashboard.
Payments and payouts
Where does the money go?
Every payment is made on your restaurant's own Stripe account, and Stripe pays it out to your bank. Payments, payouts and card processing are listed in your dashboard under Accounting.
How do I set up payments?
In the dashboard, open Settings and choose Set up payments under Card payments and payouts. Stripe asks for your business details, a representative's ID and a bank account; it takes about ten minutes.
Which ways can guests pay?
Apple Pay, Google Pay and cards. Card details go straight to Stripe: neither your restaurant nor Paytabl stores a full card number.
How do refunds work?
Refund all or part of a payment from the dashboard or the staff app. It goes back to the guest's card in 2–4 business days, from your Stripe account. The guest service fee's share comes back from us; Stripe keeps its card processing fee.
What happens if a guest disputes a payment?
Stripe takes the disputed amount and its dispute fee from your account and puts the amount back if you win. You get an alert with the deadline, and you answer the dispute in your own Stripe Dashboard.
Your POS
Which POS systems do you work with?
Square is a confirmed POS partner, and its connection is coming soon. Other POS systems are still to confirm, and none is live yet. The Integrations page keeps the list up to date.
Can I use Paytabl without a POS connection?
Yes. In standalone mode your staff key the bill in, or guests type the total from their paper check and a server confirms it. Guests scan and pay as usual, and the staff app tells the server when the table has paid.
What if a payment doesn't reach the POS?
The guest's payment is complete, so never charge them again. We retry, then alert the table's server and the managers. Enter the payment on the POS by hand with the Paytabl payment type, and it is matched to the phone payment so the cash-up counts it once.
What if the bill changes while a guest is paying?
Before a payment goes through, the bill is checked again against your POS. If the guest's share has changed, they see the new amount before anything is charged.
Your guests
Do guests need an app or an account?
No. The bill opens in the phone's browser when they scan the code on the table, and anyone at the table can pay without signing in.
Can a table split the bill?
Yes. Each guest pays for their items, an even share or a set amount from their own phone. What's already paid is taken off for everyone else.
Can guests order from the table?
Yes, if you turn it on: they order from your menu, and the order goes to your POS like any other. Click and collect lets guests pick a pickup slot and pay ahead.
Do you hide low ratings?
No. Every rating is stored and shown to you, whatever the score. Guests who rate their visit at or above your minimum stars (4 unless you change it) are offered your Google review link; everyone can send you private feedback.
Your team
What does the staff app do?
It shows each table's bill and payments live, sends alerts when something needs a person, handles refunds within limits and cash at the table, and keeps each server's tips in view. It installs from the phone's browser, with no app store.
Who can refund a payment?
Owners and managers refund directly. Servers refund up to a limit you set ($50 unless you change it) within 24 hours of the payment; above that, a manager approves it in the staff app.
Can we pause paying by phone?
Yes. An owner or manager pauses it in the staff app under More, Paying by phone. Guests are asked to pay their server until you resume, and payments already under way still go through.
Can one account run several restaurants?
Yes. A group's owner sees every venue, and each person's access can be one venue or all of them. Group reporting across venues is part of the Group plan.
How is sign-in kept safe?
Staff sign in with a 6-digit code we email them, with no password. Anyone can add two-factor sign-in on top: a code from an authenticator app or by text message.
Still have a question?
The help centre has step-by-step guides for your team and your guests.
