In restaurants, bars, and hotels, card payments are still too often handled the old-fashioned way: a staff member takes a guest’s card away to a back terminal, adjusts the tip later, and closes the bill manually.
On the surface it seems harmless, but in compliance terms it’s a serious red flag.
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PCI DSS Requirement 9.9 clearly states that businesses must protect cardholder data from unauthorised physical access. If your team is walking away with customer cards, you’re not meeting that requirement.
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Visa VAMP (Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program) now monitors merchants closely for non-compliant behaviour. Under MCC 5812 (restaurants), venues that still rely on delayed tip adjustments risk fines, disputes, and even restrictions on card processing.
For a sector already under cost pressure, the risks go beyond paperwork. Outdated tipping workflows can cause:
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Mishandling of cardholder data
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Chargebacks and costly disputes
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Increased fraud exposure
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Loss of customer confidence
Meet TipLink™ – A PCI DSS-Compliant Tipping Solution
TipLink™ is designed specifically for hospitality businesses to remove tipping from the compliance grey area. Instead of relying on manual adjustments or cards leaving the customer’s sight, TipLink™ makes tipping digital, seamless, and fully secure.
How TipLink™ Works
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Guests receive a bill folder with a printed QR code or optional NFC tag unique to their table.
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They scan or tap to open a secure, mobile-first checkout page.
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They confirm the bill and add a tip using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or their banking app.
Everything is authorised instantly. No app downloads, no terminals, and crucially, no card ever leaves the customer’s control.
Compliance-Safe by Design
| Traditional Risk | TipLink™ Fix |
|---|---|
| Card leaves customer’s sight | Guest pays from their own device |
| Tip added after authorisation | Tip included before authorisation |
| Manual entry & storage risks | Tokenised, no card data stored |
| Non-matching authorisation vs settlement | Amounts matched in real time for Visa VAMP compliance |
The Business Benefits
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Eliminate Compliance Risk – Designed around PCI DSS 9.9 and Visa VAMP requirements.
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Faster Table Turnover – No waiting for card machines; bills close themselves.
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Higher Tip Conversion – Suggested amounts and smooth UX encourage tipping.
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Modern Customer Experience – Guests pay securely on their phone in seconds.
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Flexible Use Cases – Works for dine-in, outdoor service, takeaways, minibar, or room service.
Built with Smart, Scalable Tech
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PCI DSS Level 1 certified gateway
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Tokenisation and HTTPS checkout for data security
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Real-time POS sync or standalone dashboard
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Branded payment pages for trust and familiarity
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Low-cost QR or NFC hardware — no tablets required
Who Benefits from TipLink™?
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Restaurants and Bars
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Coffee Shops and Beer Gardens
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Hotels and Hospitality Venues
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Takeaways and Delivery Services
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Any business handling multi-user tipping workflows
Say Goodbye to Tip Adjustment Risks
With TipLink™, tipping becomes part of the payment journey, not a manual afterthought. You reduce the compliance burden, protect your venue from Visa VAMP penalties, and give customers a faster, safer experience.
This isn’t just about payments — it’s about protecting your business reputation, keeping margins safe, and future-proofing against ever-tighter PCI standards.
Ready to modernise your tipping process and stay ahead of compliance changes?
Book a TipLink™ demo today and see how hospitality leaders are transforming tipping into a secure, customer-friendly experience.
SECURE YOUR FREE DEMO TODAY
