Card machine features
Specific feature questions UK SMBs ask before signing. Apple Pay, AMEX, multi-currency, tipping, tabs and pre-auth, which acquirers support what, and what to watch for at sign-up.
Apple Pay
Every modern UK card terminal that takes contactless takes Apple Pay. Apple Pay is just NFC contactless using a tokenised card, to the terminal it looks identical to a tap-and-pay card. The question is rarely "does it support Apple Pay" and almost always "does the contactless reader work properly".
AMEX
American Express is accepted by every major UK acquirer but at higher fees than Visa or Mastercard. UK SMBs sometimes turn AMEX off to manage costs; high-value or business-customer-heavy merchants leave it on. Knowing which acquirers price AMEX well matters.
Multi-currency
Multi-currency card terminals let UK merchants take payments in EUR, USD or other major currencies and settle to GBP. Useful for tourist-area retail, hospitality near airports, and online-plus-in-person hybrids selling internationally.
Tipping
Card terminals that prompt for a tip on the customer-facing screen before final payment. Standard in UK hospitality and increasingly in salons, taxis and food trucks. The right tipping flow materially affects average tip percentage.
Tabs and pre-auth
Card terminals that support pre-authorisation (holding a card on file) and open tabs / bills. Essential for bars, hotels, car rentals and any business where the final amount is not known at the start of the transaction.