The short answer
Hospitality businesses typically need portable or countertop card machines (often with a POS for orders), business electricity and gas contracts that suit kitchen equipment and opening hours, and reliable broadband for payments, bookings and guest Wi-Fi. Reviewing these together around their contract end dates makes them easier to manage.
Card payments for hospitality
Portable card machines suit table service; countertop machines suit counter service; mobile machines suit deliveries.
- Table service: portable terminals let customers pay at the table.
- Busy counters: fast contactless at the till, often linked to a POS for orders.
- Deliveries and events: mobile terminals using mobile data.
- Useful features, where supported: tipping prompts, splitting bills and integration with your ordering system.
Business gas and electricity for kitchens
Commercial kitchens often use gas for cooking and electricity for refrigeration, dishwashers and coffee machines, so both contracts matter — and neither is covered by the household price cap.
- Note the end dates and notice periods for both contracts.
- Compare unit rates and standing charges against your actual usage.
- Agree new contracts before your current ones end to avoid out-of-contract rates.
- If you qualify as a microbusiness, Ofgem rules give you extra protections when dealing with suppliers and brokers.
Water
Kitchens and washrooms can make water a noticeable cost. Check that bills are based on actual meter readings rather than repeated estimates. In England, most businesses can choose their water retailer; in Scotland there is a separate business market; in Wales only very high-usage customers can switch.
Broadband, Wi-Fi and phones
Payments, bookings, delivery-platform tablets and guest Wi-Fi all depend on your connection.
- Choose a connection that can handle card payments, bookings and order tablets at peak times.
- Keep guest Wi-Fi on a separate network from your card machines and business systems.
- Consider mobile data backup so card payments keep working if the line fails.
- Move any traditional phone lines to digital services before the analogue network closes on 31 January 2027.
Hospitality checklist
| Service | What to check | When |
|---|---|---|
| Card payments | Total monthly cost, terminal terms, settlement time | Before your contract or terminal agreement renews |
| Electricity and gas | End dates, notice periods, unit rates and standing charges | Well before each contract ends |
| Water | Actual vs estimated reads, retailer service | When bills look unusual, or annually |
| Broadband and phones | Reliability, backup, analogue lines | Before 31 January 2027 for analogue lines |
How Meridian can help
Meridian Merchant & Energy Solutions Ltd helps UK businesses explore card payments, energy, water and connectivity from the third-party providers we work with, explains the options and costs in plain English, and tells you who you would be contracting with before you decide.
Meridian acts as an introducer, broker or reseller depending on the service. The provider supplies the service under its own terms and carries out its own eligibility checks. We may receive commission from providers — you can ask us about it at any time, and it is disclosed where the rules require. Submitting an enquiry is free and does not commit you to anything.
Related solutions
Frequently asked questions
What card machine is best for table service?
Portable card machines are designed for table service, connecting over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth within your premises. Check the range covers all your tables.
Should a café have separate guest Wi-Fi?
Yes, it is good practice to keep guest Wi-Fi on a separate network from your card machines, tills and business devices, for security and performance.
When should a restaurant review its energy contracts?
Well before each contract ends. Check the end date and notice period in your contract so you can compare options and avoid out-of-contract rates.
Sources and further reading
- Ofgem — Third Party Intermediaries: what your microbusiness needs to know
- GOV.UK — What is happening in the water market
- Openreach — PSTN switch-off (31 January 2027)
This guide is general information for UK businesses, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules and prices change — check the sources above and your provider’s terms before making decisions.