Scaler Technologies_
    [01]_SCALER PAY
    RESTAURANTS

    Your Restaurant Paid Around $8,400 in Processing Fees Last Year. Here's How to Get That Back.

    A restaurant processing $25,000/month in card revenue at 2.75% pays $687/month — $8,244/year — in processing fees. That's one full-time server's annual wage handed to Visa and Mastercard. Scaler Pay's cash discount program brings that to zero. Card customers see a disclosed service fee at the terminal. Your take stays whole. Funds settle the next business day.

    Free rate check

    Get set up in 3 business days.

    Tell us about your business — we'll call you with rates and answer any questions. No commitment required.

    [02]_THE MATH

    What Your Restaurant Is Actually Paying.

    With Scaler Pay: $0 in processing fees on any of these volumes.

    Restaurant TypeMonthlyAnnual
    Small café$412/mo$4,944/yr
    Casual dining$825/mo$9,900/yr
    Higher volume$1,650/mo$19,800/yr
    With Scaler Pay$0/mo$0/yr

    Estimates based on 2.75% average rate. Actual fees vary by card mix and processor.

    [03]_TIPS & GRATUITY

    Tips, Gratuity, and the Cash Discount Price — Exactly How It Works at Your Restaurant.

    When a guest pays by card, the terminal shows the card price (which includes the built-in service fee). The tip prompt appears after the guest confirms the card price. Tip percentages are calculated on the card price — the same price the guest already agreed to. The receipt shows the subtotal, service fee, tip amount, and total.

    SAMPLE RECEIPT
    Subtotal$62.00
    Service fee+$1.86
    Card price$63.86
    Tip (20%)$12.77
    Total charged$76.63

    WHAT TO TELL YOUR SERVERS

    "The terminal works exactly as before. Guest sees the price, confirms, adds a tip. Nothing changes for the table service flow."

    CASH CUSTOMERS

    Cash customers pay the cash price (without the service fee) — their receipt shows the discount they received.

    [04]_POS COMPATIBILITY

    Works With Your Current Setup.

    If your restaurant uses a POS system with an integrated card terminal, we confirm compatibility on your setup call before anything ships.

    Toast
    Square
    Clover
    Lightspeed
    PAX Terminals

    Don't see your POS? Confirm compatibility on your setup call — we work alongside most restaurant terminal setups.

    [05]_COMPLIANCE

    What the Required Signage Looks Like — and Where It Goes.

    Federal rules and card network guidelines require that the cash discount be posted at the point of entry and at the point of sale. Scaler Pay provides compliant signage with your terminal package — you post it, we handle the template.

    • 01Front door sticker Notifies guests before they enter: "Cash discount available — ask your server."
    • 02Register sign Posted at the payment terminal. Shows both the cash price and card price clearly.
    • 03Receipt disclosure The terminal automatically prints the service fee line item on every card receipt.

    Wondering how this compares to surcharging? See the full cash discount vs. surcharge comparison →

    [06]_FAQ

    Questions, answered.

    Yes. Cash discount programs are permitted in all 50 states when the cash discount is properly disclosed at point of entry and point of sale. Scaler Pay terminals handle point-of-sale disclosure automatically, and compliant signage is included with your terminal package.

    Savings depend on monthly card volume. A restaurant processing $30,000/month in card payments at 2.75% saves approximately $825/month — $9,900/year — by switching to Scaler Pay's cash discount program.

    The tip prompt appears after the guest confirms the card price (which includes the service fee). Tip percentages are calculated on the card price. The receipt shows the subtotal, service fee, tip amount, and total. The flow for servers and guests is unchanged from a standard terminal.

    Cash discount programs are designed for in-person, point-of-sale transactions where the card and cash prices are disclosed before the customer confirms. Online orders and third-party delivery platforms (DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.) operate under different fee structures and are separate from your in-house terminal program.

    Surcharging adds a fee on top of the listed price for card users. Cash discounting starts from a higher base price and offers a reduction for cash payers. Surcharging is prohibited in CT, MA, and ME and cannot apply to debit cards — cash discounting is legal in all 50 states and applies to all card types.Full comparison: cash discount vs. surcharge →

    No. Cash discount programs do not require advance notice or registration with Visa or Mastercard. Surcharging requires 30 days' advance notice — cash discounting does not.

    Most restaurants see minimal guest pushback when the program is disclosed clearly — at the door and at the terminal. Guests who notice ask about it, get the one-line explanation, and typically move on. Clear posted signage (included with your Scaler Pay package) handles most questions before they're asked.

    Scaler Pay terminals work alongside Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, and PAX terminal setups. If your restaurant uses a POS with an integrated card terminal, we confirm compatibility on your setup call before anything ships.
    [07]_APPLY

    Get Your Restaurant Off the Processing Fee Treadmill.

    Apply in 2 minutes — we'll call you within one business day with your rates and setup details. Learn more about Scaler Pay.

    Free rate check

    Get set up in 3 business days.

    Tell us about your business — we'll call you with rates and answer any questions. No commitment required.

    Payment processing services provided through licensed processing partners. Approval subject to review. Cash discount programs are permitted in all 50 states when disclosed at point of sale.