How to Accept Card Payments at Your Concession Stand

The Cash Problem at Concession Stands

Picture this: it’s halftime at a Friday night football game. Parents are pulling out their phones looking for a Venmo option, or worse, walking past your concession stand because they don’t have a $20 bill. Sound familiar?

According to a Pew Research Center study, 41% of Americans make no cash purchases in a typical week. For community organizations running concession stands at school events, that translates directly into lost revenue.

The question isn’t whether your concession stand should accept cards. It’s how to do it without spending a fortune or creating a hassle for your volunteers.

Your Options for Accepting Card Payments

Not all payment solutions are created equal — especially for community organizations that rely on volunteers, run events sporadically, and need to keep every dollar for their programs.

Option 1: Square

Square is the most well-known POS system, and it works fine for retail stores and coffee shops. But for booster clubs, there are some downsides:

• Your organization pays 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction — that adds up fast at high-volume events
• No event-specific features (open/close events, event reports)
• Designed for retail, not volunteer-run concession stands
• Support is self-serve — good luck resolving hardware issues on game night

Option 2: Zeffy

Zeffy positions itself as “100% free for nonprofits” and it’s a great tool for online donations and event ticketing. But:

• No in-person card reader support — Zeffy is online-only
• Revenue comes from optional donor tips, which can be awkward
• Not built for concession stand point-of-sale operations

Option 3: BoosterHub / Blitz Concessions

These are purpose-built for booster clubs, but:

• BoosterHub charges $500+/year for a license
• Focus is on event management and online ordering, not in-person POS
• Your organization still absorbs the processing fees

Option 4: SpiritPay (the zero-cost option)

SpiritPay takes a different approach:

• Free to download from the App Store — no license, no subscription, no setup fee
• The customer pays the fee (5% + $0.05 service fee added to their total), so your organization keeps 100% of every sale
• Purpose-built for concession stands with event tracking, volunteer-friendly UI, and real-time reports
• Works with the Stripe M2 card reader ($59) for tap, chip, and swipe
• Built-in AI support available 24/7

The key difference: With Square, your booster club pays ~2.6% + $0.10 on every transaction. With SpiritPay, a $5 hot dog rings up as $5.30 for the customer — and your organization keeps the full $5.00.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Card Payments with SpiritPay

Step 1: Download the App

SpiritPay is available as a free download on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. No account required to explore — there’s a full demo mode (try “Riverside Wolves”) that lets you see exactly how it works before committing.

Step 2: Create Your Organization

Sign in with Apple or Google, name your organization, and you’re set up in the app. This takes about 2 minutes.

Step 3: Connect Stripe

SpiritPay uses Stripe — the same payment infrastructure used by Amazon, Shopify, and Lyft — to process payments. The app walks you through creating a Stripe Connected Account, which means:

• Funds go directly to your organization’s bank account
• SpiritPay never holds your money
• PCI Level 1 security — the highest standard in the industry

The Stripe onboarding process takes about 10 minutes and requires basic information about your organization (name, EIN or SSN, bank account for payouts).

Step 4: Get a Card Reader

You’ll need a Stripe M2 reader (~$59 from Stripe directly, or ~$79 shipped through SpiritPay). The M2 connects via Bluetooth and accepts:

• Contactless tap (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
• Chip cards
• Magnetic swipe

Step 5: Build Your Menu

Add your concession items right in the app — hot dogs, popcorn, candy, drinks, whatever you sell. Set prices, organize by category, and your volunteers will see a clean grid they can tap to ring up sales.

Step 6: Start Selling

That’s it. Your volunteers tap items, customers tap their card or phone, and the money flows directly to your Stripe account. After the event, you get a detailed report showing exactly what sold and how much you made.

What Does It Actually Cost?

Let’s break down the real costs for a typical booster club running 15–20 events per year:

The SpiritPay fee is slightly higher in total, but since it’s added on top of the purchase price and paid by the customer, your organization literally pays zero.

Common Questions

Do customers mind paying the service fee?

In practice, no. At a concession stand, the fee on a $5 item is $0.30 — less than the sales tax people pay without blinking. Most customers prefer the convenience of tapping their card over digging for cash, and they’re happy to pay a small fee for it.

Do we need Wi-Fi at the venue?

Yes — card payments require an internet connection. Wi-Fi or a mobile hotspot from your phone both work great. Most school gyms and outdoor venues have sufficient coverage.

Can volunteers really use it without training?

Yes. SpiritPay is designed so a new volunteer can pick up the iPad or iPhone and start ringing up sales within 2 minutes. Tap the item, tap “Charge,” customer taps their card. Done.

What about cash sales?

Keep taking cash! SpiritPay handles the card side, and you can log cash transactions in the app too for complete event reporting.

The Bottom Line

Every game night, fundraiser, and community event is a revenue opportunity. If you’re only accepting cash, you’re turning away 15–20% of potential sales from parents who don’t carry bills anymore.

The solution doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. Download a free app, connect your bank account, pair a $59 reader, and start collecting revenue that would otherwise walk past your stand.