Apple Pay Headed Directly to Restaurant Tables With 'PrestoPrime EMV' Terminals

Pay-at-table terminal manufacturer E la Carte today announced that Apple Pay is coming to its new state-of-the-art "PrestoPrime EMV" line, thanks to an included NFC reader that will also support Android Pay, Samsung Pay, and mobile wallets that use QR codes. E la Carte's previous terminals included NFC, but lacked EMV certification, which Apple Pay requires since it complies to the latest EMV standards for tokenizing transactions.

With the addition of Apple Pay support, restaurant guests will be able to pay for their meal at the table with a quick tap of their iPhone. Users can also pay with a traditional swipe method, or use the new EMV chip reader to insert any newly-issued credit card with a chip inside of it. The terminals also have a "store and forward" ability that allows guests to continue to pay for food and drinks even if the restaurant loses power or internet connectivity.

presto prime emv

“Brick-and-mortar payments and security requirements have changed dramatically in the last 5 years. We wanted to take a leadership role in helping our partners navigate these volatile waters, while also generating direct operating benefits that offer a real hard dollar ROI to recoup their investment,” said Raj Suri, CEO and founder of E la Carte. “Combining robust security with a frictionless user experience, PrestoPrime EMV sets the bar as the best tabletop platform available to restaurant operators.”

Pay-at-table terminals have become more popular over the years, with companies like E la Carte and Ziosk offering customers quick access to menus and payment methods at restaurants like Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, Olive Garden, and more. Most of the terminals, including PrestoPrime, also include limited paid gaming features intended to pass the wait time for food orders.

E la Carte's reach in the industry currently extends to over 1,800 restaurants across the United States, centering on Applebee's and Outback Steakhouse locations.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Popular Stories

2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...
airtag purple

Apple's Website Lists AirTag 4-Pack at Shockingly Low Price [Updated]

Friday November 7, 2025 6:40 am PST by
Apple's online store in the U.S. is suddenly offering a pack of four AirTags for just $29, which is the same price as a single AirTag. This is likely a pricing error, and it is unclear if orders will be fulfilled. Apple has not discounted the AirTag four-pack in any other countries that we checked. Delivery estimates are already pushing into late November to early December, suggesting...
Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more. Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features. Liquid Glass Toggle iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass. In the Settings app, under Display...
ikea smart home devices

IKEA Debuts 21 HomeKit-Compatible Smart Bulbs, Sensors, and Controls

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:08 pm PST by
IKEA today announced the upcoming launch of 21 new Matter-compatible smart home products that will be able to interface with HomeKit and the Apple Home app. There are sensors, lights, and control options, all of which will be reasonably priced. Some of the products are new, while some are updates to existing lines that IKEA previously offered. There are a series of new smart bulbs that are...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple to Hide Selfie Camera Under Display of 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday November 10, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display. Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will...
maxresdefault

In-Depth iPhone Battery Experiment Pits Slow Charging Against Fast Charging

Friday November 7, 2025 1:19 pm PST by
HTX Studio this week shared the results from a six-month battery test that compared how fast charging and slow charging can affect battery life over time. Using six iPhone 12 models, the channel set up a system to drain the batteries from five percent and charge them to 100 percent over and over again. Three were fast charged, and three were slow charged. Another set of iPhones underwent...

Top Rated Comments

gmcalpin Avatar
113 months ago
Oh that's going to fit right in…
:rolleyes:
They're in places like Chili's and Applebee's. Not exactly fine dining, man.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheAppleFairy Avatar
113 months ago
How is this different from handheld wireless POS machines that already support tap-to-pay? Restaurants around here have had those for a few years.

The first one sits on the table and you can order food from it as well and see your entire bill, pay for overpriced games too.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arkitect Avatar
113 months ago
Oh that's going to fit right in…
:rolleyes:



Edit: And you can play games? Even less reason for people to have a conversation while sharing a meal.

Edit 2: And I can only imagine servers/waiters are going to get stiffed royally.

Edit 3:
allows guests to continue to pay for food and drinks even if the restaurant loses power or internet connectivity.
As opposed to heading straight for the exit under cover of darkness.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dwaltwhit Avatar
113 months ago
Another product that most restaurants in America are going to have a really hard time justifying. (Notice how it's only the bigger chains that buy the tableside tablets?)

I'm telling you: pay at the table is going to be relatively uncommon in the US compared to elsewhere. Why should most places spend the extra money on even the handheld terminals mentioned above when tip adjust is still possible and PIN isn't mandatory with the chip? Restaurants that want to accept Apple Pay are almost better off doing so via an app like OpenTable, as at least they won't have to buy anything new that way.

(Note: this is based on my experience with chip at US restaurants so far, which admittedly isn't all that many places. My card was still taken away and brought back at nearly every single one, however.)
I think the benefit of these is it seems like it would increase orders. If I have an easy way to order extra stuff without having to wait for a server, I'm probably more likely to spend more money.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheAppleFairy Avatar
113 months ago
Then why call them restaurants? Surely Fast food joints is more appropriate?

"…divided by a common language… ;)
They aren't fast food places....just chain restaurants, not terrible, not great. Just average food.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0970373 Avatar
113 months ago
How is this different from handheld wireless POS machines that already support tap-to-pay? Restaurants around here have had those for a few years.

These still aren't used in the US. I don't get the aversion to this in the States.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)