TouchBistro Credit Card Processing Reviews & Complaints

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Company Overview

Launched in 2011, TouchBistro is an iPad-based point-of-sale (POS) system designed specifically for the merchant accounts in the restaurant industry. TouchBistro operates on a local wireless network and can run on either a single iPad or on multiple iPads connected to a local server, which can be an iMac or a MacBook. TouchBistro is partnered with Moneris, Chase PaymentechSquare, Worldpay , iZettle, Tyro, Premier Payments, PayPal Here, and RBC Caribbean as its preferred payment processors, so it appears that merchants will need to open a merchant account through one of these companies in order to use TouchBistro at this time.

TouchBistro POS System

The TouchBistro systems include the following: Tabletop systems, digital menu boards, customer-facing displays, self-serve kiosks, kitchen display systems, online ordering and reservations, and gift and loyalty programs.

TouchBistro is a point-of-sale (POS) system designed specifically for restaurants, bars, and cafes. It combines iPad-based software with a suite of features aimed at streamlining operations, enhancing customer service, and improving the overall guest experience. TouchBistro's credit card processing services integrate seamlessly with the POS system.

Integration with Multiple Payment Processors

TouchBistro is compatible with various payment processors, giving merchants the flexibility to choose a provider that meets their specific requirements. The integration enables merchants to process credit card transactions directly through the TouchBistro POS system.

Mobile Payments and Tableside Ordering

The TouchBistro POS system supports mobile payments and tableside ordering. Using the iPad-based system, servers can take orders and process payments directly at the table, reducing wait times and enhancing the guest experience. The software is compatible with popular mobile wallets and contactless payment methods, making it easy for customers to pay using their preferred method.

Customizable Payment Settings

TouchBistro's credit card processing services can be tailored to suit the unique needs of each business. Merchants can customize settings such as tip suggestions, receipts, and tax calculations to align with their specific operational requirements. This flexibility allows businesses to optimize their payment processing and streamline their financial management.

Secure and Compliant Payment Processing

TouchBistro prioritizes security and compliance by adhering to industry standards, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). The system employs end-to-end encryption and tokenization to protect sensitive customer data and minimize the risk of fraud.

Location & Ownership

The company is headquartered at 85 Richmond St W Suite 1100, Toronto, ON M5H 2C9, Canada, and also maintains offices in Vancouver, LA, New York, and Chicago. Alex Barrotti is listed as the founder and Samir Zabaneth is the CEO of TouchBistro.

TouchBistro Review Video Summary

TouchBistro point-of-sale
TouchBistro is a leader in the restaurant point of sale industry

TouchBistro FAQ

Is TouchBistro a good company to work for?

Employee reviews are generally positive and customers of TouchBistro appear to be satisfied with the company's employees. It appears that it is a good company to work for.

Does TouchBistro have gift cards?

Yes, TouchBistro has a full gift card program that allows customers to purchase gift cards directly from your restaurant for later redemption by a customer.

Does TouchBistro integrate with Quickbooks?

Yes, the company claims to integrate with Quickbooks. However, exact details regarding which versions of Quickbooks can be integrated and how such integrations take place have not been published openly by TouchBistro

Is TouchBistro cloud based?

Yes, most of POS System functionality is handled in the cloud. This means that a reliable internet connection will be necessary to use TouchBistro.

Is TouchBistro a public company?

No, currently TouchBistro is privately owned and has not announced any plans to go public.

Pros & Cons
Pros: Cons:
Integrates with existing hardware Internet-dependent payment processing​​.
24/7 support (phone, chat, email)​​. Automatic contract renewal​​.
Built for restaurants​​. Long customer service response times​​.
Offers offline mode capabilities​​. Limited reporting features​​.
Flexible processor options (Square, TSYS, Worldpay)​​. Not all-in-one POS​​.
No misleading advertising or sales tactics​​. Limited large business suitability​​.

TouchBistro Customer Reviews

Here's What Their Clients Say

Customer Reviews Summary
Total Online Complaints 10+
Live Customer Support Yes
Most Common Complaint Product Malfunctions
Recent Lawsuits No

User Reviews of TouchBistro

Numerous TouchBistro reviews have been located, providing a mixed perspective valuable for POS System evaluation. The app currently holds a rating of 2.4 out of 5 stars in the iTunes App Store, a slight decrease from a previous 2.8 rating. Negative reviews frequently mention hardware and software issues, limited features, challenging customer support experiences, and problems with syncing and updates. On the positive side, many reviewers commend TouchBistro for its user-friendly interface, affordability, and effective customer support. We encourage you to add your own TouchBistro review in the comments below to contribute to the discussion.

TouchBistro Lawsuits

Our research indicates no outstanding class-action lawsuits or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaints against TouchBistro. Merchants who prefer a non-litigious approach to resolving issues with the company may consider reporting to relevant supervisory organizations.

Customer Support Offered by TouchBistro

TouchBistro distinguishes itself by offering 24/7 phone support to all users, a notable service level for an iPad-based POS system. This provision aligns with our criteria for excellent merchant services customer support.

Contact Information for TouchBistro Customer Service

  • (888) 342-0131 – North America Toll-Free General Customer Service
  • +44 0800-051-3311 – UK Support
  • +1 416-363-5252 – Rest of the World
  • (855) 363-5252 – Sales Inquiries

Additional TouchBistro Support Channels

TouchBistro Online Ratings

Here's How They Rate Online

Online Ratings Summary
BBB Reports 23

One BBB Complaint

TouchBistro currently has an “F” rating with the Better Business Bureau on one profile and an “F” on another, and it has not received BBB accreditation. Across the 2 profiles, there are 23 complaints.

What Business Owners Say

TouchBistro has also received 5 negative informal reviews on its BBB profile. The negative review describes issues with charges and customer service:

We signed up to use Touch Bistro beginning April of 2020 then the pandemic hit and we were forced to close. We attempted on multiple occasions to put a hold on the charges and the representatives kept telling us they would but never did and ended up charging us $9,000 in a little over a year. We have still not reopened and we ended up having to close our card that they were charging the fee to just to get them to stop. Good luck ever actually speaking to anyone at this company who can help you with anything. This company should be investigated.

Excellent customer service can help users better understand how to effectively integrate their merchant account services into their business. This is especially true for POS systems which require often include expensive setup fees.

An “A” Performance

In light of this information, we agree with the BBB’s rating for the purposes of this review, but business owners should be aware that there are valid reasons to be skeptical of the BBB’s reviews.

TouchBistro Fees, Rates & Costs

A Closer Look at The Contract

Cost & Fees Summary
Cancellation Penalties No
Monthly & Annual Fees Yes
Processing Rates Variable
Equipment Leasing Yes

TouchBistro Pricing Plans

TouchBistro offers pricing starting at $69 per month, with plans that include customized flat monthly pricing when billed annually. These plans can be for software licenses only or bundled options that also include hardware.

The software license fee does not cover the costs associated with credit card processing through TouchBistro Payments or its partner processors, which offer tailored rates. Business owners are advised to discuss all potential fees, as terms may vary significantly depending on the chosen processing partner. While Worldpay and Moneris, known partners of TouchBistro, are not typically considered low-cost merchant account providers and may impose early termination fees, they might offer special conditions for TouchBistro clients. TouchBistro incorporates a $200 setup fee for new accounts. Given the lack of specific complaints regarding contract terms from TouchBistro’s processing partners, it’s inferred that most clients are content with the pricing and fees offered. TouchBistro’s advertised partners include Chase Paymentech, TSYS, and WorldPay, with the referenced rates pertaining to Chase Paymentech as a primary partner.

TouchBistro Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs

Should You Work For Them?

Jobs & Marketing Summary
Uses Independent Resellers No
Telemarketing No
Misleading Marketing No
Discloses All Important Terms Yes

No Sales Complaints

TouchBistro primarily relies on conventional advertising and a network of resellers to market its services. The company hands over most of its credit card processing pricing to its payment partners and does not employ a team of independent sales agents. As a result, there is a very low likelihood of encountering unethical sales tactics from TouchBistro. This is confirmed by the overall lack of negative TouchBistro reviews related to the company’s salesforce.

No Misleading Advertising

We also have not found any misleading rate quotes or guarantees on the TouchBistro website or in its ads. It prominently displays its pricing on its website and offers transparency that compares TouchBistro favorably to top-rated iPad POS systems. We therefore will assign the company an “A” rating in this category.

Our TouchBistro Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts

TouchBistro rates as a solid iPad POS credit card processing option for small- to medium-sized restaurants according to all available information. The service is available for a reasonable monthly cost and offers a number of useful functions for the day-to-day front-end operation of a restaurant. The service is not recommended for larger businesses at this time, mostly due to its limited feature offering for administrative purposes. It is also possible that contract terms through the company’s partner processors may vary, so merchants should be sure to read their agreements carefully. Restaurant owners considering TouchBistro should compare the service to highly-rated payment processors that come packaged with restaurant POS software to get the best fit for their needs.

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Which is Most Important for You?

If you had to pick one, which quality would you say will be the most important with your next credit card processor? Tap or click your selection to register your vote:

  1. Low Transaction Fees
  2. No Monthly Fees
  3. No Contract
  4. Reliable Customer Support
  5. Quick Signup

Testimonials & Complaints

How Did TouchBistro Treat You?

8 User Reviews

  • Shoira

    Shoiya’s Specialty Chicken, Wings N' Things

    Do not sign up with them. They are not honest and do not honor any thing they say. They kept misspelling my name and business name and are now contacting me on the email that I told them to remove as it’s a junk email since I’ve asked to cancel the contract. They took funds from my account and claim that they have no records of it on their system. Had a manager name Michelle reach out on December 18 2023 and promised to cancel the contract with no penalties, a full refund of all fees as well as a full refund of the hardware and that I can keep the hardware as an apology for the experience I’ve had. Told me that the cancelation department will call me shortly after our conversation and when no one did by the end of the month I called in and was told there’s no way of being transferred over and no extension for that department. She did not document what she promised to the account and is now telling me the following:
    “I do apologize for any miscommunication but we would not be able to issue a refund for hardawre you received and opened. We are making an exception to take a look and see if your hardware qualifies for a return. Please see your inbox and reply to my colleague Alex from Hardware.

    Once we can determine if your hardware is eligible, reimbursement will be issued to you for the hardware aspect. The reimbursement would occur once we have the hardware back on our end.”
    They upsell other services that charge an exuberant amount just to integrate into the TouchBistro system and you will still have to pay all the other fees of whatever services you are trying to integrate. I’ve had Chase cancel my contract and reimbursed me all fees because they saw that I was pressured into signing a contract I did NOT need or use.
    I was unable to use TouchBistro system or hardware because things were not setup properly and the necessary changes couldn’t be made. I couldn’t process an order or card payments.

  • Chris Schaefer

    This company is extremely problematic. From day one I quickly realized my mistake in signing on with them. Glitchy software have caused unending delays in service at my bar and their tech support is not able to solve even the most basic issues. My credit card processors recently stopped working all but halting service during the holidays. They found a new processor that they say will work but I had to fight with them for a half hour for them to agree to replace them free of charge. Im stuck in a 3 year contract with zero recourse, lawyer is next…

  • Ariela Lyttle

    APKK LLC.

    They breached their contract and I had the same issues with their hardware/software as another person mentioned. They didn’t do anything to fix it and I had to close for the day to switch back. Since then, the communication has been awful.

  • Jocelyn

    Stay away from Touch Bistro and of the offers that they would give you. They would just as quickly make you repay your discounts once you are under contract if you dont sign up to their add ons not originally in your contract and push you to pay more monthly fees!. I regret signing up in July 2021. We were blown away on this POS by their extremely generous offer to discount the cost of hardware for a Solo plan ($1100) that we needed to set a new Mom &Pop type takeaway restaurant. We were told the discount was a limited time offer for signing up for a 2 year contract and using Online Ordering with Online Payments by Chase. So great! And the sales person GUARANTEED to me that we would not be paying anymore than what was agreed to be the quarterly payments! Wow, i thought… ok! That was in July… during the onboarding process 1 month down the line … I asked them about in-venue payments They yold me I would get a call from Chase but they said the hardware for the payment processor was an extra rental fee monthly. I waited… no one called. so I bought a Square terminal just in case we needed an invenue card payment which is inter
    grated with Touch Bistro Payments and no added rental fee. As soon as the Onboarding Specialist found this out they said…oh if I dont pay additionally for Chase Payment Processor they would take away the duscount. Suddenly just like that and long after the agreement was signed! I was still fighting with them 2 month after signing, arguing that what they are doing os against their agreement with me. An additional 40 dollars a month for the processor is nothing but in principle they should not be allowed to bully anyone using their payment processor or any add on if its not part of the original agreement and the discount being conditional to this not disclosed in the agreement or by the sales person even when asked “what’s the catch?”. BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN DEALING WITH THESE PEOPLE! You dont need this extra headache when you busy trying to set up a new restaurant! They will call you endlessly even you say NO and practically threaten with paying back the $1100 discount.And in their contract terms they can just freeze your Ipad and deny you access to the software at any time! I ended up deciding to just pay back the discount. The software is great! Its the unprincipled and unethical way they are doing this that made me just want to scream! You dont need the aggravation and you dont have the time when you are newly setting up!

  • Tammy Giuliani

    I regret signing up with Touch Bistro! I have three restaurants using the TB system and 50 employees signing in/out to track hours for payroll. The TB system is riddled with problems. Reports are inaccurate making it impossible to rely on them for tracking hours for payroll, etc.. TB is aware of the problem and every time I call, they assure me the problem will be fixed, but it never is. Over the past 10 weeks I’ve had to call support 8 times, spending on average, 45 minutes to 1 hour on hold each time. I’m always told my problem has the “highest priority” only to find out the next day that is still wrong, having to start from scratch waiting on hold again. Small business owners don’t have hours to waste trying to track down accurate reports. Do yourself a flavour and look elsewhere for a POS. I’d have been better served by a pad and pencil.


    This post will help: Best Restaurant Merchant Accounts

    -Phillip

  • Karen

    We wanted to put a POS system in our fairstand. Checked it out and liked that TouchBistro specifically mentioned fairstand and small businesses. The person who answered the phone told us they weren’t interested and said he would send us the name of another company that we may want to call. Really!!! And he didn’t even do that! The real test of a company is how they treat the smallest of customers, and apparently they do not value their customers enough to even sell them the tools needed, not to mention the program.

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