How to Cut Credit Card Fees & Increase Profits: A Smart Strategy for Small Businesses

May 13

3 min read

If you're a business owner—whether you run a restaurant, a boutique, a service-based company, or a food truck—you probably don’t think twice when customers swipe their cards. But here’s the thing: every card swipe is silently draining your profits.

With credit card processing fees ranging from 1.5% to 3.5%, it’s not uncommon for small businesses to lose thousands each year just to accept payments. These costs have more than doubled since 2012—and they’re still rising.

So what’s the solution? A smart, compliant program that lets you take back control without raising your prices: Cash Discounting.

Why Credit Card Fees Are Hurting Small Businesses

Let’s face it—customers expect to pay with cards. But as a business owner, those convenience fees are anything but convenient. A business processing $50,000 a month could easily be spending $12,000 or more annually on payment processing. That’s money you could be investing in your team, your products, or your growth.

You’ve likely searched for the best credit card processing for small business or even looked into switching credit card processors—but those options often come with the same fees in different packaging.

That’s where cash discounting changes the game.

What is a Cash Discount Program?

Dejavoo P1 terminal with dual pricing setup by Wingman Payments for small business credit card processing, showing cash discount and card price options on screen. — The Dejavoo P1 terminal, powered by Wingman Payments, seamlessly displays both cash and card prices with a fully compliant Dual Pricing program.

A Cash Discount Program flips the script. Instead of absorbing card processing fees yourself, you build them into your pricing. Here’s how it works:

You set a standard price that includes card processing costs.
When a customer pays with cash, they receive an instant discount at checkout.
Your point of sale system automatically applies the discount and prints it clearly on the receipt.

It’s fully transparent, customer-friendly, and—when done correctly—100% compliant in all 50 states.

💡 Important: Cash Discounting is not a surcharge. You're not adding fees—you're offering a discount for cash. This distinction makes it legal and well-received by customers.

Why Business Owners Love This Strategy

✅ Massive Savings

Businesses that switch to a Cash Discount Program report reducing their credit card fees by as much as 90%. That means more money stays in your pocket.

✅ Better Cash Flow

Cash transactions are settled instantly, improving liquidity and helping you manage expenses more efficiently.

✅ Transparent Pricing = Customer Trust

Your customers see what they’re paying and why. No hidden charges. No confusion. Just a clear reward for paying with cash.

✅ Works Across Industries

Whether you run a boutique, a busy bar, or a mobile food truck, modern point of sale systems for restaurants and bars, or POS systems for food trucks, make implementing this program seamless.

Why Wingman Payments is Your Trusted Merchant Services Provider

At Wingman Payments, we help businesses across the country—especially right here in Atlanta—make the switch with confidence.

We’re not just another merchant services provider. We’re your partner. We provide:

The right point of sale systems for your business
Clear signage and training for your team
Fully compliant implementation that keeps you aligned with card brand rules and federal regulations
Ongoing support and transparent pricing—no gimmicks, no hidden fees

And whether you’re comparing point of sale systems cost or just exploring payment processing for small business, our goal is the same: help you keep more of what you earn.

What Happens if You Do Nothing?

You keep handing over thousands of dollars every year—dollars that could go toward growth, hiring, inventory, or marketing. The cost of doing nothing is real.