Contactless Payments Hospitality: SoftPOS vs QR [2026]

Which payment solutions accept contactless payments and are suitable for hospitality? The short answer: almost every modern payment solution accepts contactless payments (debit card, credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay), but they differ enormously in who does the paying. SoftPOS turns an ordinary smartphone or tablet into a card reader, so your team takes payment without a separate terminal. QR payments at the table let the guest scan, split, tip and pay themselves, without waiting for staff. SoftPOS replaces the terminal, QR payments replace the waiting.

Your team is running, and still table 12 is waiting for someone with the card reader. Sound familiar? That is exactly what this choice is about. And it can be solved without hiring extra staff. In this guide we compare contactless payments in hospitality honestly: how SoftPOS and QR payments work, what they cost you in time and hassle, which payment solutions accept contactless payments, and which one fits your type of venue best. You will learn when SoftPOS makes sense, when QR payments win, and why many hospitality venues eventually choose a combination.

What does contactless payment mean in hospitality?

Contactless payment means the guest holds their card, phone or smartwatch against a reader. No PIN for small amounts, no card inserted into a device. In hospitality this has become the standard. Most guests pay contactless or use Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Contactless payments in hospitality come down to two things: speed and convenience. The fewer steps at checkout, the sooner your table is free again. And the less your team has to lug a card reader around, the more time is left for hospitality.

The technology behind it is NFC (Near Field Communication). That chip sits in almost every modern payment card, phone and smartwatch. Both SoftPOS and QR payments build on this contactless base, but in a completely different way.

In short, the two routes differ like this:

• SoftPOS: your team holds a device near the guest, the guest taps their card or phone against it.
• QR payments: the guest scans a code on the table and pays themselves on their own phone, contactless via the payment method they choose.

So both accept contactless payments. The difference is not in the technology, but in who does the work. That difference ultimately decides which solution fits your hospitality business.

What exactly is SoftPOS?

SoftPOS stands for Software Point of Sale. The idea is simple: you use the NFC chip that already sits in almost every modern smartphone and tablet to accept contactless payments. No separate terminal, no extra box. You install an app and your device becomes a card reader.

The guest pays the way they are used to: debit card, credit card, phone or smartwatch against your device. The transaction runs through a payment provider, just like a classic terminal.

Where SoftPOS stands out:

• No separate hardware needed. Your existing phone or tablet is enough, as long as it has NFC.
• Mobile ready. Handy on a terrace, at a food truck or during an event.
• Quick to get started. Downloading and setting up an app can be done in a short time.

SoftPOS is therefore mainly a modern variant of the card reader. It solves the hardware problem: no more buying expensive terminals. But it does not automatically solve the biggest hospitality pain point. Someone from your team still has to walk to the table with the device to take payment.

Does SoftPOS work on every device?

Not every device is suitable. You need a phone or tablet with NFC and an operating system that supports the SoftPOS app. Apple has opened Tap to Pay on iPhone to providers, and on Android SoftPOS has been running longer. Check with your payment provider whether your specific devices are supported and what the current terms and costs are. These differ per provider and change regularly.

Who was SoftPOS designed for?

SoftPOS was originally intended mainly for small businesses and mobile situations: the market stall, the food truck, the freelancer who takes payment now and then. For that group it is a blessing, because an expensive fixed terminal is overkill. In a restaurant with many tables and busy peak moments things are a little different. There it is less about the cost of the device and more about the speed of the entire payment process.

What SoftPOS does not solve

Let us be honest: SoftPOS is a terminal in a different jacket. The workflow does not change. Your staff still walk to the table, wait until the guest is ready, and handle the payment. With large groups who want to split, the puzzling with amounts still begins. Want to know how to solve that splitting smartly? Read our complete guide to group payments in restaurants.

What is QR payment in hospitality?

With QR payments the guest scans a QR code on the table with their own phone. They see the live bill, choose what they want to pay, add a tip if they like, and settle up right away. No app download, no waiting for your team.

The big difference from SoftPOS: with QR payments the guest does the work, not your staff. Your team no longer has to walk back and forth with a device. The table pays itself when it is ready.

What QR payments at the table typically offer:

• Splitting the bill without mental maths or payment requests, per dish or evenly divided.
• Tipping through smart suggestions during checkout.
• Paying instantly with iDEAL, Apple Pay or credit card.
• A Google review requested at the moment the experience is still fresh.

At venues that work with the QR payment solution from Splitty we see checkout drop from around 13 minutes to about 15 seconds. That saves more than time, it changes how your evening runs. More table turnover, more tips and more positive reviews, without your team having to work harder.

No app, no hassle

An important misconception: guests do not have to download anything. The QR code opens a web page in the browser. Scan, pay, done. That also makes it suitable for international guests, because the page is multilingual and simply works on any modern phone. How QR payments take the pressure off your floor, you can read in our article on QR payments and reducing staff workload.

QR payments and your POS

A good QR payment solution works alongside your existing POS, not instead of it. The bill is pulled automatically from the POS system and the payment flows straight back. No retyping, no double payments. Splitty connects with Lightspeed, unTill, Vectron and MplusKASSA. Want to see how such a connection works? For example, check out our explanation of connecting the unTill POS to Splitty or how you pay faster with the Vectron connection.

SoftPOS vs QR payments: the direct comparison

Both systems are modern and contactless. But they solve a different problem. SoftPOS replaces the terminal, QR payments replace the waiting. Below are the core differences in the SoftPOS vs QR payments comparison.

Feature	SoftPOS	QR payments at the table
Who operates it	Your team, with a device	The guest, with their own phone
Hardware	Smartphone or tablet with NFC	None, QR stand on the table
Splitting	Manual, per amount	Automatic, per item or evenly
Tips	Enter manually	Smart suggestions, on average 5x more
Guest waiting time	Waits for staff	Pays instantly themselves
Reviews	Not standard	Automatic review request after payment
Peak hours	Team stays the bottleneck	Tables pay in parallel
Suitable for	Food trucks, small venues, mobile	Restaurants, cafés, bars, terraces

The table shows the core. SoftPOS is a smart upgrade of your card reader. QR payments are a different way of working. With SoftPOS your staff remain the hub of the payment. With QR payments you shift that moment to the guest, which frees up your team for hospitality.

Neither is by definition better. It depends on your type of venue, your busyness and your biggest pain point. We will get into that now.

The real problem: the payment moment costs you revenue

Checkout seems like a small moment, but it is a hidden revenue leak. Think of an average evening: guests are done, want to pay, and then the waiting begins. Someone has to fetch the bill, bring the card reader, come back for the tip, and with groups split the whole amount.

That costs time at exactly the wrong moment. Those minutes tick away during your peak hours, when every free table counts. As long as a table is waiting for the bill, you cannot seat new guests there.

The costs stack up in three ways:

• Lost table turnover. A table that waits 10 minutes to pay is a table you are not turning over. On a busy evening that costs covers. More about this in our guide on increasing table turnover and getting more covers.
• Fewer tips. If checkout runs messily, there is little room for a good tip. With digital tip suggestions we actually see on average 5x more tips.
• Missed reviews. The best moment for a review is right after a good experience. Without a system that asks automatically, you let that slip. How you do capture those moments, you can read in our guide on more Google reviews for your restaurant.

This is where the real difference between SoftPOS and QR payments lies. SoftPOS makes card payments cheaper and more mobile, but the checkout moment stays with your team. QR payments take that moment away from your staff and put it with the guest. For a busy hospitality venue, that is often exactly the problem that needs solving.

When does SoftPOS fit your venue?

SoftPOS is a good choice in specific situations. It is about mobility and low hardware costs, not about speed during heavy busyness. Choose SoftPOS especially if you recognise the following:

• You are mobile. Food truck, market stall, festival or pop-up. A fixed terminal is then awkward and expensive.
• You have few tables. In a small venue with a handful of tables the checkout bottleneck is less significant.
• You take payment irregularly. If you only take card payments now and then, an expensive fixed terminal is overkill and SoftPOS is a cheap solution.
• You want to get rid of your old terminal. SoftPOS saves the purchase and maintenance of separate hardware.

In these cases SoftPOS makes sense. You save on hardware and keep flexibility. For a food truck that moves between locations, a phone that takes card payments is simply practical.

Where SoftPOS fits less well is busy table service. As soon as you have many tables and fill up during peak moments, your staff remain the bottleneck. The device does not make card payments faster, because someone still has to carry it to the table. And splitting for large groups remains manual work. Want to weigh that choice more broadly? Also read our comparison of a payment kiosk or QR payments.

When do QR payments win in hospitality?

QR payments win as soon as speed, table turnover and tips become more important than just the cost of your card reader. For most restaurants, cafés and bars with table service, that is exactly the case.

Choose QR payments especially if you recognise this:

• You are full at peak moments. Friday and Saturday evenings your venue fills up and every minute counts. Guests who pay themselves free up tables faster.
• You serve many groups. Groups of friends, birthdays, business dinners. Splitting without hassle saves your team a lot of time and frustration.
• You want more tips for your team. Digital tip suggestions work. At venues with Splitty we see on average 5x more tips.
• You want more reviews. Every payment automatically becomes a chance for a Google review, at the moment the guest is satisfied.
• You have a staff shortage. If your team is already busy, QR payments take tasks off their plate without you having to hire anyone.

With QR payments the guest does the paying themselves. That means multiple tables can pay at the same time, without your staff having to walk around for it. On a busy evening, that is the difference between chaos and calm. Venues with Splitty process on average around 450 transactions per month via QR, which shows how often guests choose the self-checkout option.

An added benefit: you lose nothing of your guest contact. Guests still order from staff as normal. Only the payment moment moves to the guest's phone. How you even win guests back after payment, you can read in our guide on winning guests back after payment.

Which payment solutions accept contactless payments? All options

This is the core question: which payment solutions accept contactless payments and are suitable for hospitality? Virtually all modern solutions accept contactless payments. The difference is in who does the paying and how well it fits busyness and table service. Below are the main options in a row.

1. Classic card terminal

The trusted fixed or wireless terminal. Accepts contactless payments, debit card, credit card and mobile wallets. Reliable and familiar, but your team still has to carry it to the table. With large groups splitting remains manual work. A fine base, but no solution for the waiting problem.

2. SoftPOS

Your smartphone or tablet as a card reader, without separate hardware. Accepts contactless payments via NFC. Ideal for mobile situations and small venues. For busy table service, however, it remains a terminal: your team stays the bottleneck.

3. Payment kiosk or self-service terminal

A self-service kiosk where guests pay themselves. Works well for fast food and takeaway, less so for table service where people prefer to stay seated. Requires fixed hardware and space. Want to make that trade-off? Read our comparison of a payment kiosk or QR payments.

4. QR payments at the table

The guest scans, sees the live bill, splits, tips and pays themselves. Accepts contactless payments via iDEAL, Apple Pay and credit card, all on the guest's phone. No extra hardware, no waiting. The strongest option for restaurants, cafés and bars with table service. Want to know more? Read the complete guide to QR payments in your restaurant.

5. Payment requests and manual splitting

Technically guests can accept payments this way too, but it is not a real payment solution for your venue. It puts the burden of calculating and collecting on your guests, and you do not receive the money directly. Handy privately, not as a hospitality system.

The conclusion: almost everything accepts contactless payments. For hospitality with table service, QR payments and the classic terminal give the most certainty, with QR payments being the only one that also solves the waiting problem and the splitting.

Costs and considerations per payment system

When choosing a payment system it is about more than the purchase price. Look at the full picture: hardware, transaction costs, installation and what it delivers in time and revenue.

Key considerations:

• Hardware. Classic terminals and payment kiosks require purchase and maintenance. SoftPOS and QR payments work without extra hardware, though with QR you do need neat QR stands on the table.
• Transaction costs. Every payment method has costs per transaction. These differ per provider and per method. Always request the current rates from your provider, because they change regularly.
• Installation and integration. How well does it connect to your POS? A system that connects automatically with your POS prevents retyping and errors. For example, the MplusKASSA connection saves your team a lot of manual work.
• Return. Do not look only at costs but also at what a system delivers. More table turnover, more tips and more reviews weigh into the real cost-benefit analysis. The data from your POS counts too: read our 9 insights from POS data that really matter.

A practical tip about the pricing model: watch out for hidden fixed monthly costs. Splitty works without fixed monthly costs, you only pay per transaction. That makes costs predictable and tied to what you actually use.

Remember: the cheapest device is not always the cheapest solution. A system that frees up your tables faster and delivers more tips often pays for itself in extra revenue per evening.

Why a combination is often the smartest choice

You do not have to choose between one or the other. Many venues run best with a combination: QR payments as the standard, with a terminal or SoftPOS as backup.

That works like this:

• QR payments as the standard. Most guests pay themselves at the table. That frees up tables quickly, delivers more tips and collects reviews. Your team is freed up for hospitality.
• Terminal or SoftPOS as backup. For the guest who prefers not to pay by phone, or wants to pay cash. QR payments are an extra option, not an obligation. Guests can always still simply pay by card at the counter or in cash.

This approach gives you the best of both worlds. You reduce workload at peak moments with QR payments, and you keep a familiar option on hand for those who prefer it. No one feels obligated, and you capture the gains where you can.

Important: QR payments do not replace your POS and do not force anything. It works alongside it. Your staff can still manage or close bills manually as always. That way you introduce something new without turning your familiar workflow upside down.

Practical example: the busy terrace

Situation. Imagine: a brasserie with a large terrace of 40 tables on a Saturday evening in summer. It fills up, the kitchen is running at full speed and the staff are rushing.

Problem. Around dinner time, dozens of tables want to pay at roughly the same time. Staff have to fetch the bill per table, bring the card reader, wait, and with groups split the amount. A queue of waiting tables forms. Guests who want to leave stay seated because they cannot pay. New guests wait for a free table. And tips stay meagre, because in the rush there is no room for a good finish.

Solution. The brasserie deploys QR payments as the standard. Every table gets a QR stand. Guests scan themselves, see the live bill from the POS, split per item or evenly, tip via the suggestions and pay contactless with Apple Pay or iDEAL. The terminal stays as a backup for those who prefer to pay by card at the counter.

Result. Tables now pay in parallel, without staff running around. Checkout drops from an average of 13 minutes to about 15 seconds per table. Tables free up faster, so more covers fit into the evening. Tips rise sharply thanks to the digital suggestions, on average 5x more at venues with Splitty, and after each payment a Google review is requested. The team has time left for hospitality instead of running around with the card reader. This is exactly why many busy venues eventually choose QR payments over a standalone terminal solution.

How to choose the right payment system in 6 steps

Unsure which payment solution fits your hospitality business? Run through these steps and you will have clarity quickly.

1. Determine your biggest pain point. Is it in hardware costs (then SoftPOS is interesting) or in waiting and workload at checkout (then QR payments win)?
2. Look at your type of venue. Mobile or small? SoftPOS makes sense. Table service with peak hours? QR payments fit better.
3. Count your groups. Many groups splitting? Then automatic splitting is worth gold and QR payments score high.
4. Check your POS. Does the solution work with your current POS system? Splitty connects with Lightspeed, unTill, Vectron and MplusKASSA, so you do not have to switch.
5. Calculate the return. Do not look only at costs, but also at table turnover, tips and reviews. That return weighs in.
6. Consider the combination. QR payments as the standard with a terminal as backup covers almost every situation.

Run through these six steps and you will know which payment solutions accept contactless payments and fit your hospitality business best. For most venues with table service, QR payments rise to the top, possibly supplemented with a trusted backup.

Want to know what this concretely means for your venue? Feel free to get in touch for honest advice with no obligations.

Summary

• Contactless payment is the standard in hospitality. Almost all modern payment solutions accept it.
• SoftPOS turns a smartphone or tablet into a card reader. Ideal for food trucks, mobile situations and small venues. It solves the hardware problem, not the waiting problem.
• QR payments let the guest pay themselves at the table: scanning, splitting, tipping and paying without waiting. The strongest option for restaurants, cafés and bars with table service.
• SoftPOS replaces the terminal, QR payments replace the waiting. That is the core difference in the SoftPOS vs QR payments comparison.
• The checkout moment secretly costs you revenue: lost table turnover, fewer tips and missed reviews.
• At venues with Splitty we see checkout drop from 13 minutes to 15 seconds, on average 5x more tips and more Google reviews.
• A combination is often the smartest: QR payments as the standard, terminal or SoftPOS as backup.
• Choose based on your biggest pain point, type of venue, number of groups, POS integration and return.