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 a webshop for pre-orders, integrate on-site payments, and manage both via one account — complete with specific costs, provider comparisons, and a practical checklist for mobile catering in Switzerland.

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

The Swiss gastronomy landscape 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 pick up their food at the desired time.

The combination of a webshop and on-site payment solves several problems at once: queues at the stall become shorter because pre-orderers only have to pick up their food. Passing trade can pay spontaneously by card, TWINT, or smartphone. And you, as the operator, can see all sales — both online and offline — in one place.

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

2. Three scenarios: pre-order + pickup, passing trade, catering orders

Scenario A: Pre-order and pickup

Your customer orders a lunch menu via your webshop 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: On-site passing trade

A passerby discovers your stall and orders spontaneously. They pay contactlessly using a debit card, credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or via a 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 any additional hardware.

Scenario C: Catering and event orders

A company orders catering for 30 people via your webshop and pays by QR invoice or prepayment. On the day of the event, you deliver the food and, if necessary, collect additional orders from guests on-site using a 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 ordering webshop — without coding skills

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

Several Swiss providers make this possible without any coding skills. The most common options:

The crucial point for the combined solution for events: choose a provider where the webshop and on-site payment run through the same account. This way, you avoid duplicate bookkeeping and have a single Dashboard for all sales. If you combine a separate webshop provider (e.g., WooCommerce) with a separate terminal provider (e.g., SumUp), you have two separate systems and two statements.

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

4. Seamlessly integrating 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 a one-off fee between EUR 16 and EUR 400, depending on the range of functions. A SumUp Air costs around EUR 16 without contractual obligation, while a Worldline terminal is often rented (from approx. EUR 25–40/mo.).

Tap to Pay on the smartphone

Tap to Pay turns your smartphone into a card terminal. The customer holds their card or smartphone against your device, and the payment is processed via NFC. Various PSPs offer this feature — with Payrexx, for example, Tap to Pay is available from a one-off verification fee of EUR 49, 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 allows payments directly via the customer's TWINT app. The fee for the basic QR sticker is 1.3 % of the transaction amount — without 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 webshop. 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: centrally managing online and on-site payments

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

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

This not only makes accounting easier but also planning: you quickly see what proportion of your sales comes from pre-orders and what comes from passing trade. If you work with a fiduciary, 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 KMU chart of accounts, a transit account (e.g., account 1090) is recommended, 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 of the Swiss VAT Act.

6. Practical example: how a food truck uses Payrexx for weekly markets and Instagram orders

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

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

On-site payment at the market: At the weekly market, Lisa uses Tap to Pay on her iPhone. Passing customers hold their debit card or smartphone against 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.

Centralized 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 statement as a CSV for her fiduciary.

Monthly costs: Lisa uses the Payrexx Standard plan for EUR 15/mo. With a monthly turnover of around EUR 8’000 (of which approx. EUR 5’000 card/TWINT), she pays effectively 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: monthly fixed costs (subscription), transaction fees per payment, and potentially hardware costs for a terminal. The following table compares the relevant providers for a typical food truck with EUR 5’000 in monthly card sales:

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

A concrete example calculation: with a monthly turnover of EUR 5’000, of which 60 % is credit card/debit card and 40 % is TWINT, the total monthly cost with Payrexx Standard is 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 about EUR 75–125 in pure transaction fees — however, without a webshop function with integrated TWINT.

Keep in mind: the lowest transaction fees are of little use if you have to manually reconcile two separate systems. The time spent on duplicate statements, manual reconciliation, 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 cost-effective.

8. Checklist: setting up a webshop + on-site payment for your food truck

• Check legal structure: as a sole proprietorship or GmbH, you can register directly with most Swiss PSPs. A commercial register entry speeds up the activation process.

• 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 webshop: enter products, prices in EUR, pickup time slots, and contact details. Less is more — keep the product range clear.

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

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

• Perform a test order: order from your own webshop, check the payment process, and test the terminal or Tap to Pay before the first live use.

• Store payout account: enter Swiss IBAN and set the payout frequency (weekly is recommended for food trucks with ongoing inventory purchases).

• Spread the webshop link: Instagram bio, Google Business Profile, flyers at the stall, QR code on the menu.

• Prepare accounting: 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 turnover comes from online, how much from on-site? Is the payment mix correct? Adjust the subscription or payment methods if necessary.

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

As a Swiss PSP, Payrexx offers a combined solution for exactly this scenario: via Payrexx Storefront, you create an ordering webshop without coding skills, activate TWINT, credit card, and other payment methods, and simultaneously accept on-site payments via Tap to Pay or terminal.

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

You can test Payrexx for 30 days free of charge, with no credit card or obligation required.