The short answer
Cash-only businesses that begin accepting cards typically see a rise in average ticket and total sales, offset by processing cost of roughly 2-3%. Dual pricing or a cash discount program preserves margin where legally permitted, and small-ticket structures matter if baskets are small.
Model it before you commit
Estimate the share of sales that will move to card, multiply by your expected effective rate, and compare against expected uplift plus reduced cash handling, banking trips and shrinkage.
Keep cash attractive
Dual pricing lets you keep a genuine cash price while accepting cards. Customers who prefer cash still get the better price and you protect the margin on the rest.
Key takeaways
- Card acceptance typically lifts average ticket
- Model uplift against cost before deciding
- Dual pricing preserves margin where permitted
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