On-site payment at the food truck and webshop — how does the combined solution work?

Swiss food trucks, market stalls, and catering businesses can combine a simple online ordering shop with an on-site payment solution without running two separate systems. To do this, you use a Payment Service Provider (PSP) that offers both online payments and card terminals or Tap to Pay — ideally with a shared Dashboard for all sales in EUR. Depending on the payment method, transaction fees range between 1.3 % (TWINT) and 2.5 % (credit card) per payment.

This guide shows you step-by-step how to set up an online shop for pre-orders, connect the on-site payment method, and manage both via Una cuenta — with concrete costs, provider comparisons, and a practical checklist for the Swiss mobile catering business.

1. Why food trucks and market stalls must sell online and on-site today

The Swiss gastronomy sector is changing. According to the Swiss Payment Monitor, over 70 % of Swiss consumers regularly use cashless payment methods. For food trucks and mobile stalls, this means: those who only accept cash lose customers. At the same time, regular customers increasingly expect the option to pre-order online and collect their food at the desired time.

The combination of online shop and on-site payment solves several problems at once: queues at the stall become shorter because pre-orderers just pick up their food. Walk-in customers can pay spontaneously by card, TWINT, or smartphone. And you as the operator see all sales — online as well as offline — in one place.

Particularly for recurring locations (weekly markets, company sites, festivals), a pre-order system is a competitive advantage: you can plan stock levels better and reduce food waste. At the same time, you build a digital customer relationship through the online shop that goes beyond physical contact at the stall.

2. Three scenarios: pre-ordering + pick-up, walk-in customers, catering orders

Scenario A: Pre-ordering and pick-up

Your customer orders a lunch menu via your online shop the evening before or in the morning, pays online via TWINT or credit card, and picks up the prepared food at an agreed time from the food truck. You prepare the order specifically and avoid overproduction. This model is particularly suitable for weekly markets with regular customers or food trucks on company sites.

Scenario B: Walk-in customers on-site

A passerby discovers your stall and orders spontaneously. They pay contactlessly by debit card, credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or via TWINT QR code. For this, you need a mobile card terminal or Tap to Pay on your smartphone. Tap to Pay means that your iPhone or Android device itself becomes a card reader — without additional hardware.

Scenario C: Catering and event orders

A company orders catering for 30 people via your online shop and pays by QR-invoice or in advance. On the day of the event, you deliver the food and, if necessary, collect additional orders from guests on-site via terminal. In this scenario, you also need the ability to create invoices with a QR reference, which many Swiss PSPs offer.

3. Setting up a simple online ordering shop — without programming skills

For most food truck operators, a fully-fledged online shop with inventory management is oversized. What you need is a simple product page with a shopping cart, where your customers can choose a menu or individual dishes, specify a collection time, and pay online.

Several Swiss providers make this possible without programming skills. The most common options are:

The crucial point for the combination solution: choose a provider where the online shop and on-site payment run through the same account. This way you avoid double billing and have a single Dashboard for all sales. If you combine a separate online shop provider (e.g. WooCommerce) with a separate terminal provider (e.g. SumUp), you have two separate systems and two billings.

Regardless of the provider, you should keep the following points in mind when setting up the online shop: limit the product range to a few, clearly described products. Offer pickup time slots so you can plan the preparation. Activate at least TWINT and credit cards as payment methods — this covers the majority of Swiss customers. And link the online shop prominently on your Instagram profile or your Google Business page.

4. Seamlessly connect on-site payment: terminal, Tap to Pay or TWINT QR to the same account

For payment at the stall, you have three common options in Switzerland:

Mobile card terminal

A physical device (e.g. from SumUp, Worldline or via Payrexx) that accepts debit cards, credit cards, and contactless payments. The devices cost between EUR 16 and EUR 400 as a one-off, depending on the range of functions. A SumUp Air costs around EUR 16 without contract commitment; a Worldline terminal is often rented (from approx. EUR 25–40/mth.).

Tap to Pay on the smartphone

Tap to Pay turns your smartphone into a card terminal. The customer holds their card or smartphone to your device, and the payment is processed via NFC. Various PSPs offer this function — with Payrexx, Tap to Pay is available, for example, from a EUR 49 one-off verification fee, and with SumUp via the app. Tap to Pay is particularly suitable for businesses that want to carry as little hardware as possible.

TWINT QR code

A TWINT QR sticker at your stall enables payments directly via the customer's TWINT app. The fee for the basic QR sticker is 1.3 % of the transaction amount — with no monthly fixed costs. Alternatively, TWINT runs via your PSP, in which case their TWINT conditions apply (e.g. 1.25 % + EUR 0.18 with Payrexx Standard or 1.30 % + EUR 0.30 with Payrexx Free).

The key to the combined solution: the on-site payment method should run through the same PSP as your online shop. Then all transactions flow into one Dashboard, and you receive a consolidated statement. When choosing, make sure that the PSP supports both online payments and physical payments (terminal or Tap to Pay).

5. One Dashboard, all sales: manage online and on-site payments centrally

The biggest operational advantage of a combined solution is central management. Instead of reconciling two statements from two providers at the end of the month, you see in a single Dashboard:

All online orders from the webshop, all on-site payments by terminal or Tap to Pay, all TWINT transactions — whether online or at the stall — as well as the entire daily, weekly, and monthly sales broken down by payment method.

This not only simplifies bookkeeping but also planning: you quickly recognize what proportion of your sales comes from preorders and what comes from walk-in customers. If you work with an accountant, you can use the consolidated statement directly as a basis for booking.

Payout to your Swiss bank account (IBAN) takes place daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the PSP. For correct booking in the Swiss SME chart of accounts, a transit account is recommended (e.g. account 1090), which reflects the time delay between customer payment and payout. You book the transaction fees of the PSP as bank charges (account 6840), without VAT deduction, since payment services are exempt from tax in accordance with Art. 21 para. 2 no. 19 MWSTG.

6. Practical example: How a food truck uses Payrexx for weekly market and Instagram orders

Lisa runs a poke bowl food truck in the Zurich Region. On Saturdays, she stands on the weekly market in Bülach, and during the week on a company site in Wallisellen. This is how she has set up her combined solution:

Webshop for pre-orders: Lisa created a one-page shop via the Payrexx Storefront, on which her five poke bowls (each EUR 18.50) and three drinks are listed. Customers choose a pick-up time slot (e.g. 11:30–12:00) and pay via TWINT or credit card. She shares the shop link every Wednesday evening in her Instagram story.

On-site payment at the market: At the weekly market, Lisa uses Tap to Pay on her iPhone. Walk-in customers hold their debit card or smartphone to Lisa's phone and pay contactlessly. In addition, she has a TWINT QR sticker on the counter for customers who prefer to pay via the TWINT app.

Central billing: All payments — the Instagram pre-orders and the spontaneous purchases at the market — run through the same Payrexx account. Lisa sees in the Dashboard that around 35 % of her sales now come from pre-orders. She exports her weekly billing as a CSV for her accountant.

Monthly costs: Lisa uses the Payrexx Standard plan for EUR 15/mth. With a monthly turnover of around EUR 8,000 (of which approx. EUR 5,000 card/TWINT), she effectively pays between EUR 65 and EUR 115 in transaction fees, depending on the payment mix — plus the EUR 15 subscription fee.

7. Keeping costs under control: What the combined solution costs for small businesses

The costs of a combined online and on-site payment solution consist of three components: recurring monthly costs (subscription), transaction fees per payment, and any hardware costs for a terminal. The following table compares the relevant providers for a typical food truck with EUR 5,000 monthly card turnover:

All prices exclude VAT. The specified credit card fees apply to Swiss consumer cards (Visa/Mastercard). Business cards and foreign cards can trigger higher fees.

A concrete example calculation: With a monthly turnover of EUR 5,000, 60 % of which is credit card/debit card and 40 % TWINT, Payrexx Standard results in a total monthly cost of around EUR 90–100 (EUR 15 subscription + approx. EUR 50 card fees + approx. EUR 25–35 TWINT fees). With SumUp without a subscription (card payment only, no TWINT), you are looking at around EUR 75–125 in pure transaction fees — however, without an online shop function with integrated TWINT.

Keep in mind: The lowest transaction fees are of little use if you have to manually reconcile two separate systems for them. The time required for double invoicing, manual reconciliations, and separate exports can quickly eat up the cost advantage. Calculate for your specific turnover whether an individual solution or a combined solution is more profitable.

8. Checklist: Setting up an online shop + on-site payment for your food truck

• Check business structure: As a sole proprietorship or GmbH, you can register directly with most Swiss PSPs. A commercial register entry accelerates activation.

• Select a PSP that offers online and on-site payments from a single source. Make sure that TWINT, Visa/Mastercard, and debit cards are covered.

• Set up the online shop: enter products, prices in EUR, pick-up time slots, and contact details. Less is more — keep the range clear.

• Activate payment methods in the online shop: at least TWINT and credit card. Check whether the QR-invoice makes sense for catering orders.

• Set up the on-site payment method: order a terminal, activate Tap to Pay, or apply for a TWINT QR sticker.

• Run a test order: order from your own online shop, check the payment process, and test the terminal or Tap to Pay before the first use.

• Enter payout account: enter Swiss IBAN and determine the payout frequency (weekly is recommended for food trucks with ongoing stock purchases).

• Promote online shop link: Instagram bio, Google Business Profile, flyers at the stall, QR code on the menu.

• Prepare bookkeeping: set up transit account 1090, book fees to account 6840. For small volumes, a monthly collective booking is sufficient.

• Evaluate after the first month: how much revenue comes online, how much on-site? Is the payment mix right? Adjust the subscription or payment methods if necessary.

How you combine webshop and on-site payment for your food truck with Payrexx

As a Swiss PSP, Payrexx offers a combination solution for precisely this scenario: via the Payrexx Storefront, you create an ordering webshop without programming knowledge, activate TWINT, credit cards, and other payment methods, and at the same time accept on-site payments via Tap to Pay or terminal.

All transactions — online and at the stall — run through one account with a consolidated statement and payout to your Swiss IBAN account. The Free-Plan is suitable for trying out, while the Standard plan from EUR 15/mth. offers lower transaction fees and API access for advanced integrations.

You can test Payrexx for 30 days free of charge, without a credit card or obligation.