Why 2026 Is the Best Time for Seattle–Tacoma Businesses to Reevaluate Their POS Contract

Why 2026 Is the Year to Reevaluate Your POS Contract

Seattle–Tacoma Restaurants, C‑Stores, and Retailers Are Seeing Big Changes—Here’s What to Watch For

If you run a restaurant, convenience store, smoke shop, or neighborhood market in the Seattle–Tacoma area, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of major shifts in the POS world. National POS providers are rolling out new contract terms, raising processing fees, and pushing hardware refresh cycles that many operators didn’t see coming.

For a lot of businesses, this is the perfect moment to pause and ask a simple question:
Is your POS contract still working for you—or is it quietly costing you more than it should?

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1. Fee Creep Is Real—and It’s Accelerating

Over the past year, many national POS companies have introduced:

• Higher monthly software fees
• New “compliance” or “support” surcharges
• Increased payment processing rates
• Mandatory add‑ons that used to be optional

These increases often show up mid‑contract, buried in fine print, or disguised as “industry adjustments.” For operators already dealing with rising labor and food costs, these surprise fees hit hard.

2026 is the year to pull out your contract and look closely at what you’re actually paying.

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2. Hardware Refresh Cycles Are Being Forced Earlier

Several national POS brands are sunsetting older terminals and printers, pushing operators to upgrade hardware sooner than expected.

The problem?

• The new hardware is often locked to their software
• You may be required to sign a new multi‑year contract
• “Free hardware” usually means higher processing rates or long-term commitments

If your system is working fine, you shouldn’t be forced into a refresh just because a national provider wants to boost revenue.

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3. Support Quality Has Declined While Wait Times Have Increased

This is one of the biggest complaints we hear from Seattle–Tacoma operators switching to NBS.

Many national POS companies have:

• Outsourced support
• Reduced on‑site service
• Increased reliance on chatbots or email-only help
• Longer wait times during peak hours

When your system goes down at 6:30 p.m. on a Friday, you need a real technician—not a ticket number.

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4. Contract Auto‑Renewals Are Catching Operators Off Guard

A lot of POS contracts now include:

• 1–3 year auto‑renewals
• 30‑day cancellation windows
• Early termination fees that can exceed $1,000

If you don’t review your contract before renewal hits, you may be locked in for another multi‑year term without realizing it.

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5. You Have More Local Options Than Ever

The biggest misconception we hear is:
“I thought I had to go with a national POS company.”

Not true.
Local POS providers—like National Business Systems—offer:

• Transparent pricing
• No long-term contracts
• Local technicians who show up on-site
• Hardware you own, not rent
• Real relationships with operators in the Puget Sound region

In a year of rising fees and shrinking support, local matters more than ever.

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How to Review Your POS Contract in 2026

Here’s a simple checklist you can use today:

Look for these red flags:

• Processing rate increases
• New monthly fees
• Auto‑renewal clauses
• Required hardware upgrades
• Long-term commitments tied to “free” equipment
• Support limitations or offshore-only service

Ask yourself:

• Are you paying more than you were a year ago?
• Are you getting the support you were promised?
• Do you feel locked in?
• Does your POS partner actually know your business?

If the answer to any of these is “no,” it’s time to explore alternatives.

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Final Thought

2026 is a turning point in the POS industry. National providers are tightening contracts and raising fees, but Seattle–Tacoma operators don’t have to accept that as the new normal.

A quick contract review could save you thousands—and give you the freedom to choose a POS partner who actually shows up when you need them.

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Ready to Review Your POS Contract? Talk to a Local Expert Who Actually Shows Up.

If you’re unsure whether your current POS contract is costing you more than it should, National Business Systems can help. We’ve supported restaurants, convenience stores, smoke shops, and neighborhood markets across the Puget Sound for over 45 years — with transparent pricing, no long‑term contracts, and real local technicians who come on‑site when you need them.

Call National Business Systems at 800‑863‑2274 or visit www.nbsystems.com to schedule a free contract review.
No pressure. No sales gimmicks. Just honest guidance from a local team that puts your business first.

Toast Raises Fees Again: Why Washington Restaurants Are Paying More and What Local Alternatives Offer

Toast Quietly Raises Fees Again — And Washington Restaurants Are Paying the Price

Running a restaurant in Washington has never been easy, and the last thing operators need is another round of surprise cost increases. Yet that’s exactly what Toast has delivered. According to reporting from Reforming Retail on February 10, 2026, Toast quietly raised both its credit‑card processing rates and its software subscription fees, adding new expenses for restaurants without offering any additional value in return.

For a typical Washington restaurant doing about $1.1 million in annual sales, these changes add up quickly—and most operators won’t notice the impact until it’s already hitting their bottom line.

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1. How Much More Will Restaurants Pay in Processing Fees?

Toast increased processing rates by:

• +10 basis points on Visa and Mastercard
• +21 basis points on American Express

Using a realistic card mix—80% Visa/Mastercard and 20% Amex—the math is straightforward:

[ 1{,}100{,}000 \times (0.8 \times 0.001 + 0.2 \times 0.0021) = 1{,}342 ]

That means the average Washington restaurant will now pay about $1,342 more per year in processing fees alone.

This isn’t tied to new features, better service, or improved reliability. It’s simply a cost increase passed directly to restaurants.

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2. Toast Also Raised Subscription Fees by 5%

Toast’s software pricing varies widely, but most single‑location restaurants in Washington end up paying around $200–$250 per month once they add the modules Toast strongly encourages—online ordering, gift cards, loyalty, marketing, etc.

Using a realistic average of $225/month, a 5% increase adds:

• $11–$12 more per month
• ≈ $135 more per year

It’s not a huge number on its own, but combined with the processing increase, it becomes part of a much bigger pattern.

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3. Total Annual Impact: About $1,475 More Per Year

When you combine:

• $1,342 in new processing fees
• $135 in subscription increases

The average Washington restaurant on Toast will now pay around $1,475 more every year—again, with no added value.

For an industry where margins are already razor‑thin, these quiet increases matter.

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Why National POS Providers Keep Raising Fees

Toast isn’t doing anything unusual for a national POS provider. Their business model depends on:

• Bundled payment processing
• Long‑term contracts
• Add‑on modules that increase monthly spend
• Fee increases that most operators don’t notice until renewal

When a company serves hundreds of thousands of restaurants nationwide, even a small increase—10 basis points here, 5% there—translates into massive revenue gains.

For the restaurant, though, it’s just another unexpected cost.

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Why Local POS VARs Are Becoming the Smarter Alternative

Washington restaurants don’t have to accept this “take it or leave it” model. Local POS value‑added resellers (VARs) offer a fundamentally different approach—one built on transparency, accountability, and long‑term relationships.

Here’s how local VARs stand apart:

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1. Transparent, Predictable Pricing

Local VARs don’t rely on hidden fees or surprise increases.
Pricing is:

• Clear
• Stable
• Discussed openly
• Based on what the restaurant actually needs

When something changes, operators hear it from a real person—not a billing notice.

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2. Real Local Support (Not a Call Center)

When a restaurant’s POS goes down on a Friday night, they don’t need a chatbot or a ticket number—they need someone who can actually show up.

Local VARs provide:

• On‑site support
• Fast response times
• Technicians who know the restaurant’s setup
• A relationship, not a queue number

This is the kind of service national providers simply cannot replicate.

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3. No Forced Processing Bundles

Most local VARs let restaurants choose their own payment processor—or at least offer transparent, competitive rates.

That means:

• No surprise basis‑point increases
• No locked‑in processing contracts
• No “take it or leave it” pricing

Restaurants regain control over one of their largest expenses.

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4. A Relationship, Not a Subscription

National POS companies scale by volume.
Local VARs grow by reputation.

That difference shows up in:

• How they answer the phone
• How they train staff
• How they handle emergencies
• How they treat long‑term customers

Restaurants aren’t just accounts—they’re partners.

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The Bottom Line

Toast’s latest fee increases may look small on paper, but for the average Washington restaurant, they add up to nearly $1,500 in new annual costs—with no added value. It’s a reminder that national POS providers are built to serve shareholders, not local operators.

Local POS VARs offer a better path: transparent pricing, real support, and a relationship‑driven approach that puts restaurants first.

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Call to Action: Choose a Partner Who Actually Shows Up — National Business Systems, Inc.

If you’re tired of surprise fees, long hold times, and one‑size‑fits‑all national systems, it’s time to work with a team that’s been supporting Washington restaurants for over 40 years.

National Business Systems, Inc. is a locally owned, relationship‑driven POS provider serving Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Everett, and the entire Puget Sound region. We offer:

• Transparent, stable pricing
• On‑site installation and support
• Flexible processing options
• Real technicians who know your business
• A long‑term partnership—not a contract trap

When your restaurant needs help, we’re not a call center.
We’re your neighbors.

Contact National Business Systems, Inc.
📞 (253) 839‑9636
🌐 www.nbsystems.com

If you’re ready to take back control of your POS costs and work with a team that puts Washington restaurants first, reach out today.

How Toast’s Rising Credit Card Rates Hurt Restaurants — And the Local Alternative That Doesn’t

 Toast vs. SpotOn vs. National Business Systems: Why Seattle Restaurants Are Choosing Local Over National POS Giants

Seattle and Puget Sound restaurant operators are some of the most resilient in the country. They navigate high labor costs, strict regulations, and intense competition — all while trying to deliver unforgettable dining experiences. What they shouldn’t have to navigate is a POS provider quietly raising fees once they’re locked in.

Yet that’s exactly what many restaurants experience with national POS companies like Toast and SpotOn.

National Business Systems (NBS) offers a fundamentally different model — one built on transparency, local accountability, and long-term partnership. Here’s how the three stack up, especially when it comes to the issue hurting restaurants most: credit card processing rate hikes.

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1. Credit Card Processing Rates: The Silent Profit Center

Toast

Toast has become widely known for raising credit card processing rates after restaurants are fully onboarded. Operators across the PNW report the same pattern:

• Rates start competitive
• Then they increase — sometimes multiple times
• Restaurants have no ability to negotiate
• And no way to stop the increases

Why? Because Toast controls both the POS and the payment processing. Once a restaurant is locked into their ecosystem, Toast can adjust rates at will. And because the contract ties hardware, software, and processing together, restaurants can’t opt out without paying steep penalties or replacing their entire system.

In other words: once you’re in, you’re stuck — and Toast knows it.

SpotOn

SpotOn also uses processing as a major revenue driver. While their increases may be less publicized, operators still report:

• Variable processing rates
• Sudden changes in monthly fees
• Limited transparency about how rates are calculated

SpotOn’s model still ties restaurants to long-term agreements that make switching costly and disruptive.

National Business Systems

NBS takes the opposite approach:

• Transparent, stable processing rates
• No surprise increases
• No forced processing contracts
• No “gotcha” clauses that trap restaurants

Restaurants stay with NBS because they’re supported — not because they’re locked into a payment contract they can’t escape.

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2. Support: Local Accountability vs. National Call Centers

Toast

• Remote-only support
• Long wait times during peak hours
• No local technicians to show up when hardware fails

SpotOn

• Mix of remote support and limited field reps
• Hardware issues often require shipping equipment back and forth

National Business Systems

• Local, on-site technicians across Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Everett, and the entire Puget Sound
• Fast response times
• Real relationships with operators

When your kitchen printer dies at 6 p.m. on a Friday, a call center isn’t going to save your dinner rush. NBS will.

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3. Contracts and Flexibility

Toast

• Long-term contracts
• Auto-renewal clauses
• Early termination fees
• Hardware and software tightly bundled

This is why restaurants can’t stop Toast from raising rates — the contract structure gives them all the leverage.

SpotOn

• Multi-year agreements
• Early termination penalties
• Bundled features that make switching difficult

National Business Systems

• Flexible agreements
• No predatory contract terms
• No forced processing
• No penalties designed to trap restaurants

Freedom matters — especially in a market as dynamic as Seattle.

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4. Understanding the PNW Restaurant Landscape

Toast & SpotOn

• National companies with national priorities
• Limited understanding of Washington labor laws, Seattle service models, or local compliance requirements
• One-size-fits-all approach

National Business Systems

• 40+ years serving the Pacific Northwest
• Deep knowledge of local regulations and workflows
• Systems configured correctly the first time

Local expertise isn’t a bonus — it’s essential.

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5. Long-Term Partnership vs. Short-Term Revenue

Toast & SpotOn

• Venture-backed
• Growth-driven
• Dependent on increasing processing revenue

National Business Systems

• Family-owned
• Community-rooted
• Focused on long-term relationships, not squeezing merchants

Seattle restaurants value partners who show up, stand behind their pricing, and treat them like neighbors. That’s NBS.

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The Bottom Line: Seattle Restaurants Deserve Better Than Rate Hikes They Can’t Stop

Toast and SpotOn offer slick marketing and national branding — but their business models rely on locking restaurants into long-term contracts and raising rates once switching becomes too painful.

National Business Systems offers something fundamentally different:

• Transparent, stable pricing
• No forced processing
• Local accountability
• Real relationships
• A team that shows up when you need them

In a region built on independent restaurants, creativity, and community, NBS is the POS partner that reflects those values — not exploits them.

National Business Systems

📞 (253) 839‑9636

🌐 www.nbsystems.com

Should you select a local POS company over a National provider

Why Restaurants in the PNW Should Choose a Local POS VAR

The Pacific Northwest restaurant scene is built on relationships, trust, and community. When it comes to choosing a POS system, operators in Washington and Oregon have a clear advantage when they work with a local POS Value‑Added Reseller (VAR) instead of a national provider. Here’s why partnering locally makes all the difference.

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1. The PNW Runs on Relationships, Not Call Centers

Restaurant owners in the PNW don’t want to wait on hold with a support agent in another time zone. They want a real human who understands their business and their community.

A local VAR provides:

• Personal relationships
• On‑site support
• A familiar face who knows the local restaurant landscape

When the dinner rush hits and something breaks, that matters.

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2. Faster Response Times — Because You’re Actually Here

National POS companies promise “24/7 support,” but that usually means:

• Long hold times
• Scripted troubleshooting
• No physical presence

A local VAR can often be on‑site same day, sometimes same hour. In a region where service expectations are high, that speed is a major advantage.

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3. Local Knowledge of Regulations and Workflows

The PNW has unique operational requirements:

• Washington’s labor laws
• Oregon’s no‑sales‑tax environment
• Local health department rules
• Regional tipping norms
• High minimum wage compliance

A local VAR understands these nuances and configures systems correctly the first time. National providers simply can’t match that level of regional expertise.

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4. Better Support for Independent Restaurants

The PNW is known for:

• Chef‑driven concepts
• Craft breweries
• Food trucks
• Family‑owned restaurants
• Multi‑concept local groups

These operators value personalized service, not cookie‑cutter solutions. A local VAR can tailor workflows, train staff on‑site, and build long‑term relationships that national companies aren’t structured to provide.

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5. True White‑Glove Service

Local VARs don’t just ship boxes. They:

• Install hardware
• Run cable
• Mount terminals
• Configure printers and KDS
• Train staff
• Stay until the restaurant is fully comfortable

This level of care is something national POS companies simply don’t offer.

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6. The PNW Weather Makes Remote Support Unrealistic

Power outages, storms, and connectivity issues are common in the region. When something goes wrong, a local VAR can physically troubleshoot. A national provider can only say, “Try rebooting.”

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7. Local Accountability Beats National Bureaucracy

With a local VAR:

• You know who to call
• You know who will show up
• You know the person is invested in your success

With a national provider:

• Reps churn
• Support teams rotate
• Promises get lost

Local VARs build trust, not transactions.

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8. Supporting the Local Economy Matters

Restaurants in the PNW care about community. Choosing a local VAR means:

• Supporting local jobs
• Keeping money in the region
• Strengthening the local hospitality ecosystem

It’s a values‑aligned decision.

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Restaurants in the Seattle area choose National Business Systems because they want a POS partner who actually shows up, understands the local restaurant landscape, and delivers true white‑glove service. With decades of experience in the PNW, NBS provides fast on‑site support, expert installation, and personalized guidance that national POS companies simply can’t match. Seattle operators trust NBS because they’re local, reliable, and committed to keeping restaurants running smoothly—day after day, rush after rush. Call us at 253-839-9636 or visit our site Local POS provider in the PNW

Cash Register Express Systems and support in the Seattle Tacoma Area

 

National Business Systems Inc, is your place for Cash Register Express sales and support

With now over fifty years experience in the POS business National Business Systems has come to be the POS dealer the Pacific NW leans on for Cash Register Express. If you are looking for a POS system that is feature rich than look no further that Cash Register Express (CRE). You will find CRE has features that the flashy cloud based systems still don't have. We have replaced many cloud based systems with CRE because it does retail right. Just as an example CRE sorts EBT eligible items the proper way inside a single sale . CRE has Case/Pack inventory management, CRE scans price embedded bar codes and much more.

Other things end-users of CRE really appreciate is that it is not cloud based. You can also purchase CRE outright instead of paying for it as a subscription like the cloud based systems. Most importantly is you can use any credit card processor you want, you won't be trapped to a single processor like all the other systems.  

Here at National Business Systems, we help end-users with CRE but we also help ISO's and Banks with their customers CRE. Give us a call at 800-863-2274 if you are looking to buy a CRE system or perhaps get support or need to switch processors. Lets talk about it and see if we can help you. You can also find us here Cash Register Express in Seattle. 

Do you need help getting your restaurant online? Heartland restaurant POS is what you need.

 

Add Online Ordering for your restaurant quickly at a great price

Now that we are pretty deep into the Covid-19 lock down restaurants are still behind the curve in getting their restaurants online. Sure outdoor dining is OK, but lets face it we are in Seattle and outdoor dining does not last very long! A standard feature of the Heartland Restaurant Point of Sale is Online Ordering. Even if you already have a POS system you could just add this product just for the Online Ordering.

Heartland Restaurant Online Ordering is mobile friendly too.

Your guest want to place an order from where they are, in the car, the office or from home. Our Online Ordering system (OLO) is responsive so regardless of the device your guest are ordering from we make it easy. The ease of use does not stop there though, we have made it easy for you too, the restaurant operator. Don't worry that you don't know anything about website hosting we have you covered.

Low cost and quickly deployed Heartland Restaurant Online Ordering will have guest placing orders before you know it.

In the Seattle Tacoma Area contact us to arrange a demonstration of this amazing system. We can practice social distancing using Zoom! Even our meeting to implement your system will all be done remotely. Call us at 253-839-9636 and ask to speak to someone regarding Heartland Restaurant Point of Sale system. Learn more about restaurant online ordering here. 

Welcome Heartland Retail Point of Sale system to Seattle!

 

Heartland Retail Point of Sale Now Available in Seattle 

Are you ready for a complete omni-channel retail Point of Sale system in the Seattle Tacoma area? Of course you are, we have all been waiting for a complete POS system that connects your bricks and motar store to your website. Now your customers can shop your store regardless of where they are, online, in person, mobile all come together now. 

A Cloud Based POS system built for the modern retailer

The Heartland Retail System unchains you from the restraints a common POS has kept you in for years. Your customers will be able to shop your online store with confidence that the items they buy from you will be in stock and shipped right away. That is because Heartland Retail is truly a omni-channel POS system with interfaces to the powerhouse online retail giants like Shopify, BigCommerce or Magento. Whether you sell an item online or in your store your inventory will be accurate and you will know what to order. 

Find out more from your local Seattle Tacoma area Point of sale dealer

National Business Systems in your local Heartland Retail Point of sale dealer. Give us a call at 800-863-2274 to schedule a demonstration or to have your questions answered. We can arrange an in-person demo or online of course. For more information click on the Heartland Retail Point of Sale System in Seattle