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Food & beverage

Restaurants are overpaying by $2,140/year on processing. We find every dollar.

On a 5%-margin full-service restaurant, every percentage point of processing markup is 20% of your bottom line. The 47-page statement no one reads is, by design, where that margin disappears. We read it line by line.

  • $500 Guarantee
  • Free, no commitment
  • Independent audit firm
  • Report in 24-48 hours
By the numbers

What we find auditing restaurants.

  • $2,140

    Median annual overcharge across audited restaurants

  • 15 to 40%

    Typical overpayment range, restaurant verticals

  • $400 to $1,200

    Tip-handling surplus per year, typical

  • 4 minutes

    To upload your statement, decide later

Common patterns

How it shows up in restaurants

Four overcharge patterns we find on nearly every restaurant statement. Each is independently verifiable on your own bill once you know where to look.

  1. 01

    Why do tip-handling fees add up so fast?

    Tip handling is a deliberate margin lever. Some processors charge a flat fee per tipped transaction; others apply a percentage uplift on the tipped portion of every check. On a restaurant doing 8,000 tipped transactions a month, even a $0.05 per-transaction surcharge becomes $400 a month. We flag every line.

  2. 02

    What is debit-card markup and why is it on my statement?

    Regulated debit cards are capped at roughly 0.05% plus $0.21 per transaction (Durbin Amendment). Some processors apply credit-card-tier rates to debit transactions and pocket the spread. Restaurants run high debit ratios. The markup is invisible unless you know what to look for. The audit pulls every line.

  3. 03

    Why is my AmEx rate higher than my Visa rate?

    AmEx OptBlue routes your AmEx volume through your standard processor instead of AmEx direct. The processor sets the markup over interchange, anywhere from 0.3% to 1.5%, with no published benchmark. Restaurants with high AmEx mix can pay $200 to $600 a month in OptBlue surplus alone.

  4. 04

    Why do my pay-at-table terminals cost so much?

    Pay-at-table devices are sold at premium lease rates because the processor knows the operational lift is worth it to you. Lease premiums of $40 to $80 per terminal per month are typical. A six-terminal restaurant pays $240 to $480 a month in hardware overcharge. Often recoverable by buying outright.

What we have found

Audit findings across restaurants.

Three illustrative composite audits drawn from the structural patterns we surface in this vertical. Specific savings figures reflect the median range of recoverable processing overcharges.

  • Buffalo NY
    Full-service restaurant
    $42,000/month

    Tier inflation on debit transactions: $171/mo recoverable

    $4,884
    Saved annually
  • Tampa FL
    Quick-service breakfast cafe
    $18,000/month

    OptBlue markup on AmEx volume: 0.7% over interchange

    $1,680
    Saved annually
  • Phoenix AZ
    Casual dining, 2 locations
    $58,000/month

    Terminal lease premium across 6 terminals: $89/mo each

    $3,260
    Saved annually

Illustrative composite. Drawn from structural patterns Payzium audits surface. Not a real customer case.

Free tools for this vertical

Built to help you read your own statement.

AI Statement Decoder

Upload any statement. Get a plain-English breakdown of every fee in 60 seconds.

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FICA Tip Credit Calculator

Restaurants: claim the federal tax credit you're already owed. Most don't.

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Run your audit

Find your number.

Upload your most recent processing statement. We read every line, benchmark you against restaurants we have audited, and send a written report by email. If we cannot lower your costs, we pay you $500.

What happens after you click

Three steps. Roughly four minutes total.

  1. Step 1

    Upload your statement

    PDF, PNG, or JPG. Most merchants take less than 2 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Tell us about your business

    60 seconds. Business name, role, monthly volume range, contact info.

  3. Step 3

    Get your written report

    24-48 hours. Delivered by email. Yours regardless of whether you switch.

Run my free audit

Free. No phone calls. No fine print.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

See also

Related verticals.