by Matt Rej
TouchBistro is a well-known point-of-sale (POS) software and restaurant management system. It’s versatile enough to support a range of restaurant types, including quick service, full service, bars, breweries, and more.
And like similar POS systems on the market, TouchBistro’s software runs more efficiently if you’re integrating the POS with payment processing. Technically you could use the software as more of an ops-only tool. Closing checks for cash-only sales or using a standalone card machine that isn’t integrated with the POS.
But the vast majority of restaurants using or considering TouchBistro want payment processing as part of the setup. And there are essentially two core ways to set this up:
- Use TouchBistro Payments (the software’s branded payment solution)
- Integrate your own processor with the POS
TouchBistro is actually one of the more business-friendly options on the POS market when it comes to payment integrations.
I’ll explain how your decision ultimately impacts your processing costs that will far exceed the software expense.
The Short Answer
If your restaurant is already set up for credit card payments, it’s in your best interest to keep your current processor. TouchBistro integrates cleanly with:
- Chase Payments
- Moneris
- TSYS
- Worldpay
- TD Merchant Services
- Square
For those of you starting from scratch without a merchant account, TouchBistro Payments is actually a decent option to consider. The setup is unique compared to other branded payment systems out there, giving you more control of your costs and merchant account.
What’s Behind TouchBistro Payments
When you peel back the curtain, there are three entities doing three specific jobs for TouchBistro Payments:
- TouchBistro is the POS software provider and the brand behind the payment solution, but they don’t actually move any money.
- Payment processing runs through Chase behind the scenes.
- Payrix is the embedded payments platform that allows all of this to work, so a software like TouchBistro can have its own branded merchant portal with a third-party payments layer running on top of it.
Worth noting that Payrix is a Worldpay solution. But this is completely independent of Worldpay’s merchant integration with TouchBistro.
As a restaurant operator, you don’t have control over any of this.
But understanding how it works gives you added context when deciding whether it’s better to use TouchBistro Payments or bring your own processor.
Two Advantages of TouchBistro Payments You Typically Don’t See in This Category
Normally, I never recommend using a branded payment solution that’s coming from a non-processor. These setups are typically expensive and offer zero flexibility.
And while TouchBistro Payments will still be pricier than standalone processing, there are two standouts that work in your favor. Both are unique and rarely seen from non-payment software providers. Seeing them both at the same time is even more uncommon.
1. Cost Plus Pricing
TouchBistro Payments offers interchange-plus pricing. This means that you’ll pay the wholesale interchange and network assessment costs, plus a set markup per transaction.
It’s the most transparent and cost-effective model in payment processing.
We typically see software providers use flat-rate pricing under their branded payment offerings because it’s “easier” for merchants. When in reality, they do this because it’s more profitable for them.
So the fact that TouchBistro Payments advertises IC+ to everyone instead of just custom arrangements is a huge benefit.
2. Processing Agreement Directly With the Processor
If you look closely at TouchBistro’s merchant terms, it says that your processing goes through one of TouchBistro’s bank partners or processing providers, and the arrangement is between the merchant and processor.
Now this is a general agreement with lots of boilerplate language, and says that the merchant signs directly with the provider “when the provider requires it.” So it’s not necessarily a catch-all, and you can’t make assumptions until you see your own contract.
But having a merchant agreement directly with Chase is much better than having TouchBistro as a go-between in a PayFac setup. So when you’re negotiating rates or have any support issues, you can go straight to the source instead of dealing with a non-payments middleman.
Make sure this arrangement is confirmed if you use TouchBistro Payments. Don’t assume it’s automatic.
But Your Markup Will Still Be Inflated Compared to a Standalone Setup
All of that said, an integrated setup via TouchBistro Payments is still going to be more expensive than traditional credit card processing.
- Even if you’re on a cost-plus (IC+) pricing model
- Even if you have a direct agreement with Chase
Why?
It goes back to what’s happening behind the scenes. Mechanically, there are three distinct companies all involved in the process:
- TouchBistro
- Chase
- Payrix
TouchBistro has to pay Payrix for the underlying infrastructure setup. And Chase’s margin needs to be high enough to give TouchBistro a cut while still profiting.
For example, we’ve seen Chase Payments merchant accounts getting charged as low as 0.05% + $0.02 per transaction with a direct IC+ setup. But for an integrated setup like this, markups might start closer to 40 bps on the lower end.
Bringing Your Own Processor to TouchBistro
This is the ideal setup if your restaurant already has a merchant services agreement in place. Everything stays the same, and the integration runs through an API facilitated between TouchBistro and your provider.
TouchBistro remains the POS software provider, and your processor continues handling all of the credit card money movement on the backend.
In this case, your POS subscription and payment processing are completely independent. But it’s common for your processor to give something to TouchBistro for allowing this (even though it’s not always confirmable). So there’s some justification for a slight rate increase (around 5-10 bps at the absolute most). Anything else is egregious.
And since TouchBistro supports a wide range of terminals, you might even be able to keep your existing hardware.
Chase
In addition to Chase powering TouchBistro, Chase can also be integrated directly with TouchBistro if you’re already using them.
It’s the only option that’s available to merchants in both the US and Canada. Though technically speaking, the acquiring service runs under a different name:
- Chase USA
- Chase Merchant Services for Canada
But it’s essentially the same thing.
Moneris
Moneris has been integrated with TouchBistro for longer than anyone else on this list. Their partnership dates all the way back to 2013, just a couple years after TouchBistro first launched.
Two important things to know about this integration:
- It’s only available for Canadian merchants.
- Ownership is about to change.
Francisco Partners has entered an agreement to acquire the processor, and the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027. It’s common to see rate increases and more aggressive pricing within the first year or two of an acquisition like this. As it’s the easiest lever to pull as stakeholders attempt to claw back an ROI on their $2 billion investment.
TSYS
Lots of TSYS merchant accounts run through an ISO. So if you’re currently using them, there’s a good chance you didn’t sign up with TSYS directly.
If that’s the case, you already have someone sitting between you and the backend acquiring bank. So markups are going to be higher.
We also tend to see TSYS increase its rates annually. And some line items are designed to look like pass-through fees but they’re actually processor markups (like their Transaction Network Access Fee).
So you’ll need to keep a close eye on your statements to ensure you’re getting a fair rate. It’s not guaranteed just because you have a merchant agreement outside of TouchBistro.
Worldpay
Separately from the Payrix platform that provides TouchBistro the ability to offer its own branded payment solution, Worldpay also integrates with TouchBistro on the merchant side.
Here’s what’s interesting about this.
Worldpay is now owned by Global Payments. And despite the fact that Global sold the issuing side of TSYS during this transaction, Global still retained merchant processing/acquiring business from TSYS accounts.
So now two of the integrated processors on this list are owned by the same parent company. This usually isn’t great news in the sense that it creates false competition. But there are enough alternative options here that Worldpay/Global shouldn’t be able to muscle you into unfair rate territory.
But they’re certainly going to try. Worldpay’s rate tactics have been getting more aggressive over the last year or so. And I have a separate guide that explains how you can get lower rates while keeping Worldpay as your processor.
TD Merchant Services
TD only integrates with TouchBistro for merchants in Canada.
It’s a newer integration that was announced back in November in 2024. And it’s aimed squarely at TD’s existing banking customers.
Despite it being offered in Canada, TD’s own page says that TouchBistro isn’t available in Quebec and it’s not supported in French.
Square
Square is the outlier on this list. It’s a flat-rate processor and payment facilitator (PayFac), which means your restaurant processes under Square’s master account instead of holding its own agreement with an acquirer.
Square also has its own restaurant POS. So this setup means running on one POS company’s software and a competitor’s hardware.
This doesn’t make sense for most restaurants, and I’m not quite sure why it’s even an option.
For those of you already on Square, you’re better off just using their POS. And do whatever you can to negotiate yourself to a custom IC+ pricing plan instead of the flat-rate model.
What if You Want to Keep Your Processor But They’re Not on TouchBistro’s Integration List?
Don’t assume that you can’t bring your own processor to TouchBistro just because their name isn’t shown above.
With the exception of Square, every other provider is an acquirer. Which means they power a range of other payment processing setups, even if their name isn’t technically on your statement.
There’s a very good possibility that you could be going through one of these processors through an ISO, subsidiary, local bank, or gateway.
So talk to your processor first. Tell them you want to integrate with TouchBistro, and find out what your options are. You want to keep them, and they don’t want to lose your account. There’s a very good possibility that this can be worked out, and the fact that TouchBistro is so flexible and accommodating is also a good sign for you.
Payrix, while not fully processor-agnostic, does support a range of other third-party acquirers.
For large accounts, TouchBistro may be willing to give you a customized setup instead of putting you through Chase. Fiserv, for example, is a provider that’s compatible with Payrix but not on the list anywhere else. But that’s all totally dependent on what TouchBistro is willing to do for you.
How Your Setup Changes the Costs and What’s Negotiable
POS software costs are marginal when you look at your big-picture operating expenses. What it costs you to process credit card payments at your restaurant are far more important, and that’s why the underlying processing arrangement can’t be taken lightly.
Here’s what you have to understand:
No matter what’s happening on the backend, interchange and assessments are always the same. The only part that moves is the markup. That’s where you can negotiate, and that’s what’s dependent on your setup.
Bringing your own processor keeps TouchBistro out of the rate conversation entirely. The only thing to watch out for is a processor increase tied to the integration.
On TouchBistro Payments, you need to confirm exactly who you’re contracted with. If you have a direct agreement with Chase, it means you have a real merchant account and real markup you can negotiate with them. If it’s from TouchBistro, there’s an added layer to account for.
If you’re still not sure what’s best or what’s going to be the most cost-effective option for your restaurant, keeping your current processor should be the first step. From there, it’s about identifying extra charges beyond the non-negotiable network and bank fees. And then working to keep your markup as low as possible.
That conversation will look slightly different depending on the backend processor. It’s something our team here at MCC can help you out with to ensure you’re actually getting a fair rate.