Insights

Revolutionizing Restaurant Pricing: Game-Changing Benefits of TrueMargin

Mark Hardwick
Chief Product Officer
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Quick-service restaurants and bars face a significant challenge: managing the costs associated with credit card processing. With over 80% of transactions paid by card and processing fees ranging from 2.5% to 3.5%, these costs can significantly impact a business's bottom line. Enter TrueMargin Pricing, a revolutionary technology solution that's changing the game for restaurant owners. Let's explore the key benefits of this innovative approach to pricing.

1. Consistent Profit Margins Across Payment Methods

One of the primary advantages of TrueMargin is its ability to ensure consistent profit margins regardless of the payment method used. Here's how it works:

  • The system automatically generates menu prices for card payments, including the cost of processing on a per-item basis.
  • For cash payments, it offers a discount, incentivizing this traditional payment method.
  • The result? You earn the same margin when selling items, regardless of whether the customer pays by card or cash.

This consistency in margins provides financial stability and predictability, crucial for any business's success.

2. Automated and Accurate Pricing

Determining the actual cost of processing for each menu item can be a complex task, given the varying rates and transaction fees. TrueMargin takes the guesswork out of this process:

  • It automatically calculates and adjusts menu prices based on your desired margins for cash sales.
  • The system accounts for the intricacies of credit card processing fees, ensuring accuracy in pricing.
  • This automation saves time and reduces the potential for human error in pricing calculations.

3. Enhanced Customer Experience

TrueMargin doesn't just benefit the business; it also improves the customer experience:

  • Transparent pricing: Customers see clear, upfront pricing that includes all costs.
  • Cash discounts: By offering discounts for cash payments, customers feel they have options and can save money if they choose.
  • Simplified transactions: With prices that already include processing fees, there are no surprises at checkout.

4. Increased Revenue

By offsetting the cost of processing all card payment transactions, TrueMargin effectively increases your revenue:

  • You're no longer absorbing the 2.5% to 3.5% processing fees on card transactions.
  • This can lead to a significant boost in overall revenue, especially considering that over 80% of transactions are card-based.

5. Compliance and Legal Security

In an era of increasing regulatory scrutiny, TrueMargin stands out for its commitment to compliance:

  • As of April 15th, 2023, Visa has heightened its enforcement of surcharge regulations.
  • Many "Non-Cash Adjustment" programs are actually considered surcharging by Visa, which comes with strict regulations and potential fines for non-compliance.
  • TrueMargin's unique approach shields merchants from these non-compliance risks, ensuring a legally sound business environment.

6. Flexibility in Payment Acceptance

Unlike traditional surcharging methods, TrueMargin offers greater flexibility:

  • It can handle both credit and debit card transactions without running afoul of regulations that prohibit surcharging on debit cards.
  • This allows you to cover processing costs across all types of card transactions, maximizing your ability to maintain margins.

Conclusion

In a landscape where quick-service restaurants operate on thin profit margins, TrueMargin Pricing offers a powerful solution to the challenges posed by credit card processing fees. By ensuring consistent margins, automating pricing, enhancing the customer experience, increasing revenue, maintaining compliance, and offering payment flexibility, TrueMargin is truly revolutionizing restaurant pricing.

For restaurant owners looking to navigate the complexities of modern payment processing while maintaining profitability, TrueMargin represents not just a tool, but a strategic advantage in an increasingly competitive industry.

Mark Hardwick is the Chief Product Officer at Radish. As one of the founders, he has been a driving force behind Radish's innovative quick-service restaurant technology. Mark combines his UI/UX design expertise with a deep understanding of agile software development to help lead the product team in crafting intuitive, efficient POS solutions. Mark holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Washington State University.