Taking payments on a smartphone: Tap to Pay for restaurant owners
Accepting a card without a card terminal is now possible with just a smartphone. In a restaurant, that helps on the terrace, at the counter or during a rush. It is not the answer to everything, though. Here is how Tap to Pay works, what you need, what it costs and when to keep a terminal.
What Tap to Pay is
Tap to Pay lets a phone accept a contactless payment through its NFC chip. The guest holds their card, phone or watch near your smartphone, and the payment goes through as it would on a standard terminal. There is no reader to connect.
The phone is not enough on its own: it needs a payment app and an account with a provider. Viva, for example, offers this service in France with its Viva.com Terminal app. On iPhone, Viva has also accepted cards on the French CB network since 2024.
What you need
- A payment account in your business’s name. The provider checks your business before enabling payments.
- An iPhone XS or XR or newer, running iOS 16.7 or later, according to Viva’s help centre.
- Or an Android phone with NFC, running Android 8.1 or later. Viva publishes the list of supported models.
- The payment app installed on that phone and signed in to your account.
- An internet connection, over Wi-Fi or mobile data.
iPads have no NFC chip, so they cannot take payments this way. If your POS runs on an iPad, you need an additional phone or a terminal.
How a payment works
You open the order, start the payment, then show the phone to the guest. They hold their card or phone near it. The result appears within seconds.
When a PIN is needed, an entry screen appears and the guest types their PIN on your phone. The contactless limit depends on the card and its bank, and Viva states that transaction limits may apply. Tell your team: handing over a phone for PIN entry takes some getting used to.
What it costs
You don’t pay for a terminal, but each payment has a cost. On 9 November 2026, Viva’s published rate in France was 1.69% per in-person payment for consumer cards from the European Economic Area, with a €0.10 minimum per transaction. This public rate may change and Viva also offers custom packages: check its website.
To compare with your current terminal, add up rental, any subscription and bank fees over a typical month. Small baskets are hit hardest by a per-transaction minimum: run the numbers on your coffees and takeaway desserts.
The limits to keep in mind
- No internet, no payment. Plan another method for outages: cash or a standalone terminal.
- Contactless only. A card with no contactless chip cannot be accepted, and the app may decline some cards.
- Battery. A phone taking payments all service long has to last until the end. Keep a charger within reach.
- One payment at a time. During a rush, a fixed terminal at the counter is still more comfortable.
Tap to Pay or terminal: how to choose
Tap to Pay works well as a backup: terrace, market, event, second payment point. It also suits a small business starting out that wants to avoid renting a terminal.
A terminal keeps the edge when you take many cards per service, when your guests still insert their card, or when you need to take payments during an internet outage. The two complement each other: nothing forces you to pick one over the other.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a business account?
Yes. The payment provider opens an account in your business’s name and checks your details before enabling payments.
Does the guest need to install anything?
No. They pay with their contactless card, or with the wallet on their phone or watch.
Can it take meal vouchers?
It depends on the provider and the type of voucher. Check with Viva and your voucher issuer before offering it to guests.
This guide provides general information. It doesn’t replace advice from your accountant or a lawyer.