On Wednesday (Oct. 15), restaurant management platform SpotOn announced a partnership with Visa to embed Visa Direct into its DayCheck payout solution. The integration allows restaurant owners to automate tip payouts and send earnings directly to employees’ bank accounts or debit cards, eliminating the need for cash counting or manual spreadsheets.
The move targets one of the industry’s biggest pain points: balancing cash flow management for owners with fast access to earnings for workers.
“Independent restaurants are under pressure to do more with less, and that includes finding ways to support their teams,” said Doron Friedman, Chief Innovation Officer at SpotOn. “By working with Visa to bring Visa Direct into DayCheck, we’re giving operators a way to simplify tip payouts and cash flow, while empowering employees with flexibility to access their earnings rapidly.”
How DayCheck Works
SpotOn’s DayCheck solution, launched last month, combines instant payments technology with workforce management tools. With the Visa integration, tip disbursements are processed through Astra’s instant payment rails, allowing funds to be moved without prefunding or manual handling.
Here’s how it works:
- End-of-shift data from SpotOn’s POS system is synced with payroll.
- The total tips for each worker are automatically calculated.
- Using Visa Direct, the system sends tips to employees’ debit cards instantly.
- Transactions are logged for accounting and compliance, creating a digital audit trail.
| Feature | Benefit for Restaurants | Benefit for Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Instant Tip Payouts | Reduces cash handling and payroll lag | Access funds immediately after a shift |
| Automated Calculations | Eliminates manual errors | Transparent digital records |
| No Prefunding Required | Preserves business liquidity | Ensures reliability and consistency |
| Visa Direct Integration | Widely compatible and secure | Works with most debit accounts |
“Owners get a solution that enhances their cash flow and streamlines operations, while employees gain the flexibility to access their money when they need it,” said Matt Hyman, CEO of SpotOn.
Solving Restaurant Cash-Flow Challenges
According to PYMNTS Intelligence, nearly 60% of U.S. restaurant operators report that managing payroll timing and cash availability remains one of their top three administrative burdens.
Tips make up a substantial portion of restaurant wages — especially in quick-service and casual-dining formats — but managing them efficiently has traditionally been complex.
Manual processes increase errors, delay employee payments, and create compliance risks. Instant digital payouts, by contrast, remove that friction.
“It’s a win-win that strengthens both restaurants and the people who power them,” Friedman added.
For many independent operators, cash handling is also expensive. SpotOn’s integration could help reduce armored-car fees, reconciliation time, and the risk of theft or accounting mistakes.
Instant Pay Is Becoming a Worker Expectation
The rise of earned wage access (EWA) and instant pay solutions across industries has changed employee expectations. A joint PYMNTS Intelligence and Ingo Payments study found that 85% of workers who have received instant payouts said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the experience.
Among hospitality workers, the preference is even stronger:
- 81% prefer instant payments for convenience.
- 74% said they value instant pay to secure their earnings immediately.
A separate PYMNTS/Ingo Money report, “Instant Loyalty: The Growing Necessity of Earned Wage Access Amid Uncertainty,” noted that 83% of workers aged 18–44 would rather have access to wages as they earn them than wait for traditional paydays.
| Age Group | Prefer Instant Access to Wages |
|---|---|
| 18–24 | 86% |
| 25–34 | 84% |
| 35–44 | 80% |
| 45–54 | 71% |
“Companies facing staffing shortages or high turnover see EWA or instant pay as a differentiator,” PYMNTS noted earlier this year. “Millennials and younger workers expect this kind of flexibility.”
This is particularly relevant in hospitality, where turnover can exceed 70% annually. Instant payout options can boost morale, reduce attrition, and help restaurants compete for labor.
Visa’s Expanding Role in Real-Time Pay
Visa Direct — the payment network’s real-time push payments platform — has become a cornerstone of modern disbursement systems. It enables businesses to send funds instantly to debit cards and bank accounts in more than 180 countries.
The SpotOn partnership highlights Visa’s growing presence in B2B and payroll infrastructure, extending beyond its traditional role in consumer payments.
“Visa Direct helps companies deliver money movement experiences that are fast, secure and reliable,” said Yanilsa Gonzalez-Ore, Head of Visa Direct for North America, in earlier comments on the company’s payout partnerships.
By integrating directly into SpotOn’s restaurant management ecosystem, Visa continues to embed itself deeper into verticalized fintech stacks — an important competitive strategy in a crowded instant-payments market.
Meeting the Needs of Modern Restaurant Workers
The timing of this collaboration reflects a broader shift toward financial wellness tools for frontline workers. With inflation pressures, rising living costs, and variable tip income, many hospitality employees live paycheck to paycheck.
SpotOn’s DayCheck aims to provide predictable, same-day access to earnings — bridging the gap between hourly shifts and financial stability.
“Cash-out at the end of the night isn’t just a convenience,” said hospitality analyst Tina Mahoney of Restaurant Finance Monitor. “It’s a retention tool. Workers value employers who respect their time and pay them quickly.”
As restaurants compete to attract talent, offering instant access to tips can strengthen loyalty and improve overall satisfaction scores.
Industry Impact: Fintech Meets Food Service
The SpotOn–Visa partnership is part of a growing trend of fintech–hospitality integrations that simplify operations and empower employees. Other restaurant technology firms have experimented with similar instant pay systems, but SpotOn’s move combines Visa’s global reach, Astra’s instant payment rails, and SpotOn’s point-of-sale analytics into a single package.
For small and mid-sized restaurants, which often lack dedicated HR or payroll departments, this “plug-and-play” model can be transformative.
“Restaurants can focus on guest experience rather than counting tips or managing multiple payout platforms,” Friedman said.
Analysts expect more restaurant tech companies to embed financial services directly into their POS and workforce systems, blurring the line between HR software and banking.
FAQs
1. What is SpotOn DayCheck?
DayCheck is an instant tip payout solution for restaurants. It automates end-of-shift tip calculations and delivers funds directly to employees through Visa Direct.
2. How does Visa Direct enhance DayCheck?
Visa Direct provides the instant payment rails, allowing employees to receive their earnings within minutes rather than days.
3. Do restaurants need to prefund accounts?
No. Using Astra’s infrastructure, SpotOn moves funds without requiring prefunding, helping restaurants manage cash flow efficiently.
4. Who benefits most from this integration?
Independent and mid-sized restaurants that rely heavily on tipped staff will see faster payouts and simpler bookkeeping. Employees benefit from instant access to their money.
5. How does instant pay improve staff retention?
Data from PYMNTS shows that 83% of younger workers prefer flexible access to wages — and restaurants offering instant pay report higher retention and satisfaction rates.
6. Is the system secure?
Yes. Transactions are processed through Visa’s secure network and logged digitally for compliance, minimizing errors and fraud risk.