Accept cashless payments at food trucks and market stalls in Switzerland

The vast majority of Swiss consumers prefer to pay contactlessly — anyone who only accepts cash at their food truck loses revenue. But which solution suits your stand? Card terminal, Tap to Pay, TWINT QR code, or a food webshop? Our four guides show you step by step how to set up each option, what it costs, and who it is suitable for.

This overview page summarises the four guides and helps you find the right payment solution for your business model — whether walk-in customers at the weekly market, pre-orders via Instagram, or catering jobs via QR-bill.

Guide 1: Mobile Card Terminal for Food Trucks and Market Stands

Hardware · 4G SIM · Receipt printing · Continuous operation

A physical card terminal with an integrated SIM card and rechargeable battery is the most robust solution for daily use — whether at the weekly market, festival, or company premises. The guide explains what you need to look out for regarding battery life, connectivity, and card acceptance, compares purchase vs. hire (from EUR 39 one-off purchase or EUR 25/month), and shows which payment methods are mandatory in Switzerland: Debit Mastercard, Visa Debit, TWINT, and contactless wallets.

For whom: Year-round businesses with consistent turnover, food trucks with high transaction volume, businesses that need to print receipts or regularly accept cards without NFC (older Maestro cards with chip).

Core topics: Battery (min. 2500 mAh / 300+ transactions), 4G SIM vs hotspot vs event Wi-Fi, Debit Mastercard/Visa Debit migration, purchase vs hire, daily closing and CSV export, practical tips on battery care and hygiene.

→ To the guide: Mobile card terminal for food trucks and market stands

Guide 2: Tap to Pay — Card Payments with Your Smartphone

No hardware · NFC · Android · SoftPOS

Tap to Pay (SoftPOS) turns your smartphone into a contactless Lector de tarjetas — with no additional device, no fixed costs. The guide shows which iPhones and Android devices are compatible, how secure the technology is (CPoC-certified, PCI DSS), and when the checkout process takes under 5 seconds. Ideal as an entry-level solution for seasonal businesses or as a backup alongside a terminal.

For whom: Beginners without a budget for hardware, seasonal businesses that are only active for a few months, existing terminal users looking for a backup during peak times.

Core topics: How NFC/SoftPOS works, Android 8.1+, CPoC security standard, practical test under 5 seconds, Tap to Pay vs terminal comparison, provider overview (Payrexx, SumUp, Worldline, Stripe), multi-device usage.

→ To the guide: Tap to Pay in Switzerland

Guide 3: TWINT QR Code for Food Trucks and Market Stands

No internet required · Sticker · Lowest fees · Ready for immediate use

A TWINT QR sticker at the stand enables cashless payment entirely without a terminal and without your own internet connection — the payment runs via the customer's mobile network. With a 1.3% transaction fee and zero fixed costs, this is the most cost-effective entry-level solution. The guide explains the difference between static and dynamic QR, shows setup via TWINT directly or via Payrexx, and covers pitfalls such as amount limits and scan issues.

For whom: Micro-businesses without a budget, farm shops, clubs, market stands at locations without Wi-Fi, food trucks that only need TWINT (and no card terminal).

Core topics: Static vs dynamic QR, setup via TWINT directly or Payrexx QR Pay, offline capability, fees for micro-transactions (EUR 0.07 on EUR 5.00), amount limits (max. EUR 5000 variable / EUR 200 fixed), refunds, tourist acceptance via PSP.

→ To the guide: TWINT QR code for food trucks and market stands

Guide 4: Food Webshop for Pre-orders, Collection, and Delivery

Online ordering · Collection time slots · Catering · Central Dashboard

A dedicated food webshop enables food trucks, snack bars, bakeries, and catering businesses to accept orders online — whether for pre-orders with collection, lunch menu subscriptions, or corporate catering. The guide shows how you can set up a simple ordering webshop without programming knowledge, which payment methods you should activate (TWINT, credit card, QR-bill), and how to manage online orders alongside on-site payments at the stand via a single Dashboard.

For whom: Food trucks with regular customers and recurring locations, catering businesses with pre-orders, snack bars and bakeries that want to process collection orders online, mobile catering businesses that accept Instagram and Google orders.

Core topics: Three scenarios (pre-order + collection, walk-in customers, catering), webshop provider comparison (Payrexx Pages, woocommerce, shopify, SumUp), one Dashboard for online and offline turnover, practical example with concrete costs, accounting in the Swiss SME chart of accounts, social media marketing (Instagram, Google Business).

→ To the guide: Combining a food webshop with on-site payment

Which solution suits your stand?

All four options at a glance — sorted by barrier to entry, costs, and typical use.

All prices excl. VAT. Fees apply to Swiss consumer cards (Visa/Mastercard). As of 2026, indicative values.

Accounting and Settlement for Mobile Businesses

Whichever payment solution you choose — at the end of the market day, the till must balance. Modern PSPs provide you with an online Dashboard featuring daily closing, CSV export, and breakdown by payment method. This makes working with your fiduciary considerably easier.

Posting in the Swiss SME chart of accounts SME: You post PSP transaction fees as bank charges (account 6840) — without VAT deduction, as payment services are exempt from tax under Art. 21 para. 2 item 19 MWSTG. A transit account (e.g. 1090) cleanly maps the time delay between customer payment and payout.

In Switzerland, there is no general cash register requirement for SMEs, but from an annual turnover of EUR 500,000, the statutory accounting obligation applies under Art. 957 CO. Even below this threshold, verifiable documentation of revenue — both cash and cashless — is strongly recommended.