Accepting crypto payments can be a wonderful marketing ploy for your restaurant, which will also significantly reduce your costs and increase profits. Learn how to accept crypto payments as easily as bank cards, as well as what are the pros and cons of this type of payment.
Key Points:
- Accepting crypto payments is even easier and more profitable than bank cards.
- NOWPayments provides an opportunity for brick-and-mortar business owners to accept crypto via a virtual PoS terminal.
- Despite the obvious advantages, the cryptocurrency still has a number of disadvantages that need to be carefully analyzed.
How do crypto payments work?
To begin with, let us remind you how payments in cryptocurrency work. Payment requires only the address of the recipient’s crypto wallet. The payer must copy this address to the appropriate field in his/her own wallet, enter the amount, and confirm the transaction. (When using a QR code, the process becomes even easier.) The transaction goes through several confirmations, after which the funds are transferred to the recipient’s wallet.
Usually users also need to pay a small network fee, which depends on a particular blockchain, and sometimes also on urgency. With some cryptocurrencies, for example, nano or IOTA, the consumer does not need to pay transaction fees at all.
Should your restaurant accept crypto payment?
The total number of crypto users in the world is growing rapidly. So, in the period from 2015 to 2021, the number of blockchain wallet users increased from 3 million to 68 million. In a few years, paying for purchases in BTC can become as commonplace as using a bank card or PayPal.
At the same time, accepting payments in crypto is much easier than it might seem. The integration of crypto processing takes only a few steps, while efforts and costs are minimized. The merchant only needs to choose in which cryptocurrency he/she wants to receive funds and the service will do the rest for him/her.
How to process crypto payments in a restaurant
Every mass consumer is familiar with PoS terminals, as today you are unlikely to find a place where you cannot pay with a credit or debit card. With NOWPayments, you can install a virtual PoS terminal to accept cryptocurrency payments as easily as VISA/Mastercard payments. In order to start accepting crypto payments in your restaurant, you just need to follow a few simple steps:
- Log in/sign up for your NOWPayments account.
- Specify the recipient’s wallet address and generate an API key.
- Navigate to the “Store Settings” section >> POS terminal link.
- Create a link.
To issue an invoice:
- Specify the order amount.
- Choose the preferred cryptocurrency.
- Generate a QR code.
- The client scans the QR code, after which he/she can make a payment.
Pros and cons of accepting crypto
Pros
Customization
Taking into account the needs and wishes of the client is the golden rule of a successful business owner. Especially in such a highly competitive field as the restaurant business. Therefore, expanding the available payment methods is a great step that will lead to the expansion of your customer base.
Saving on the installation of expensive equipment
Many business owners are broken out in a cold sweat from the bills that are issued by payment systems for the installation of physical PoS terminals. With a virtual PoS terminal, you can breathe a sigh of relief, because such a terminal can be run on a laptop, tablet, and even a mobile phone. Thus, the merchant does not need to pay huge amounts of money for the installation or rental of equipment.
Interactive element
Cryptocurrency has entered many areas of our life and many companies accept crypto for payment. Nevertheless, the possibility of paying with cryptocurrency is still something new and interesting for the average user. Such a marketing ploy is used by many companies that hang signs “Bitcoin is accepted here” right on the doors of their stores. Be assured that many consumers appreciate the fact that their favorite restaurant allows them to pay in the way they wish. In addition, in such cases, word of mouth will undoubtedly work, which will bring a crowd of new clients to you, so sharpen your knives, it will be hot!
Cons
Speaking about the disadvantages and pitfalls of crypto, the following aspects should be taken into account:
Volatility
Cryptocurrencies are volatile; therefore, most sellers prefer to instantly sell digital assets for fiat money. However, in some cases, the volatility of cryptocurrencies only plays into the hands of entrepreneurs.
Speed issues
When paying with a bank card through a physical terminal, funds are credited to your account almost immediately. In the case of cryptocurrency, it may take a few minutes. However, there are such cryptocurrencies, transactions with which are made at lightning speed.
Legislation
Most countries are on the way to adopting digital currencies as legal payment instruments, but the number of countries that prohibit crypto payments is still large.
Final words
According to Deutsche Bank’s forecast, by 2030, cryptocurrency payments can replace fiat in developed countries. Therefore, companies that support crypto payments right now will get a serious competitive advantage. And the sooner you integrate crypto payments on your website/store/restaurant, the more you will benefit from the upcoming crypto transformation of the business.