Because the average sale is so low, fixed costs hit cafes harder than almost any other merchant. A flat per-tap fee or monthly minimum that barely registers on a $90 restaurant bill becomes a real margin drain across thousands of $5 coffees. This page explains the indicative fee ranges cafes face in Australia and what to weigh when comparing providers.
Why cafes fees sit where they do
Cafes typically sit in the lower-to-mid blended band because debit and eftpos taps dominate the card mix and those carry cheaper interchange than premium credit or Amex. The catch is fixed costs: a flat per-transaction fee of even 10-15c is proportionally huge on a $4.50 coffee, effectively adding 2-3% on its own. With extreme transaction counts, fixed fees and monthly minimums can outweigh the percentage rate, so the true cost depends heavily on average ticket size and fee structure, not just the advertised percentage.
What to look for in a provider
Cafes are usually best served by providers offering simple flat-percentage pricing with no or low fixed per-transaction fees and no monthly minimums, since those fixed components punish tiny tickets. Look for terminals that route taps via the cheaper eftpos network (least-cost routing) to trim debit costs at high volume. Fast, reliable contactless hardware suits the morning rush, and transparent surcharging tools help if you pass fees on. Bundled all-in-one rates can simplify budgeting, but always model them against your real average ticket and daily count rather than the headline rate.