TAMPA Fla. For reasons of security and guest convenience, Carrabba's Italian Grill, based here, is deploying multiple On The Spot portable payment terminals from VeriFone Holdings Inc. for use in the curbside carryout program at each of the chain's 239 restaurants, the vendor said.
"Providing fast, efficient and secure transactions is a key part of good customer service and a pleasant dining experience," said Bill Allen, chief executive of Carrabba's parent OSI Restaurant Partners. "No matter how or where customers place or pick up their orders, we are committed to making it convenient and secure so they are free to enjoy the quality of the food."
San Jose, Calif.-based VeriFone said the On The Spot VX 670, which is intended for curb and tableside applications, is worn on a belt by servers. They present it to patrons, allowing them to swipe their own payment card to close out a transaction, thereby reducing the likelihood of card data skimming or identity theft. Sources at the company said the system reduces the number of steps needed to close out checks, thus accelerating transaction-processing times, and uses encryption to protect the financial data transmitted across a restaurant's wireless Wi-Fi network.
