Shift4 Duo FAQs

What is Shift4 Duo?

Shift4 Duo is a cutting-edge pay-at-the-table solution that combines state-of-the-art hardware with simple and intuitive software to deliver an exceptional experience for restaurant servers and customers. Shift4 Duo is fully integrated with the POS system for seamless operation.

What features does Shift4 Duo include?

• View a list of all restaurant checks or filter by server
• View check details
• Reorder existing items from the check (full ordering functionality coming soon)
• Guest-facing pay-at-the-table
  • Pay in full or split payment
  • Add tips
• Send e-receipts or print receipts with a built-in printer
• Customer satisfaction survey with immediate manager notifications to facilitate guest engagement and avoid negative online reviews
• Email collection auto-populates the customer database in the Shift4 Customer Hub

What are the benefits of Shift4 Duo?

• Increase operational efficiency - Serve customers and turn tables faster by eliminating the need for your servers to walk back and forth to the POS system.
• Improve your online reputation - Prompt customers to rate their experience and alert management when a patron isn’t satisfied.
• Build your marketing database - Collect customer email addresses to populate your marketing database and increase repeat business.
• Secure your payments - By utilizing EMV chip technology with point-to-point encryption, you can ensure your payment data is protected.

What payment types can be accepted through Shift4 Duo?

Shift4 Duo supports EMV chip cards, NFC mobile payments or contactless cards, and traditional swiped card transactions.

Where do I access back-end settings for Shift4 Duo?

Shift4 Duo is fully integrated with the Customer Hub, and that is where you can adjust various Shift4 Duo settings. Adjustable settings include:

• Business logo
• Default tip percentages
• Manager alert threshold for customer ratings
• Manager phone number and email for rating alerts
• Additional customer information fields
• Ability to split payments

Does Shift4 Duo have a cellular connection if I am outside the Wi-Fi range?

Yes - Shift4 Duo supports 4G connectivity for areas outside Wi-Fi coverage, including for delivery drivers, outside dining areas, and other scenarios.

Can I use my existing Wi-Fi network?

Yes! Since all transactions processed with Shift4 Duo utilize PCI-validated point-to-point encryption, any internet connection can be used. However, to ensure reliable performance, the connection should be at least fast enough to handle normal internet use without any lag.

What are the benefits of using 4G? 

Using 4G with Shift4 Duo will maximize the distance where Shift4 Duo can be used. This is helpful if you have a patio area or would like to use the device for Delivery purposes. 

If you are out of WiFi Range, will it roll over to 4G? 

Yes, the Shift4 Duo device will roll over to 4G if it is out of WiFi range. 

Am I able to choose my own provider?

No. Shift4 Duo is only certified to work with the T-Mobile SIM card that Shift4 provides.

Can 4G be used as a backup if the internet/WiFi goes down?

Yes, 4G can be used as a backup if the internet goes down at the location. Right now, this will only allow you to close tickets that were open prior to the internet outage but will have more functionality when order-at-the-table is released.

Are there any differences in functionality between WIFI and 4G? 

Shift4 Duo has the same functionality regardless if it’s on WIFI or 4G.

Do I have to purchase my own SIM card?

No, the SIM card comes pre-installed.

Who should I contact for assistance if I have any issues?

You should contact your sales representative first. If you need additional assistance, you can call 866.276.2108 or contact Support online.

What happens if a device breaks?

Contact Shift4 support at 866.276.2108 or visit our online Support. A replacement device will be provided at no charge (only shipping charges apply) as long as the damage was due to normal usage.

How often should I charge my Shift4 Duo devices?

We recommend that you recharge your Shift4 Duo devices daily, although they should hold a charge longer than that.

Can I increase the default tip amount?

Yes, all settings can be adjusted in the Customer Hub.

Can I put my logo on the receipt and screen?

Yes, branding customization can be updated in the Customer Hub.

How do I receive software updates on my Shift4 Duo devices?

Your Shift4 Duo devices must be powered down to receive software updates, so we recommend shutting them off each night or at least once a week to ensure your software is up to date.

What is the Shift4 Application Communication Layout? 

Below you'll find a visual representation of how Shift4 Duo communicates with all the different software that the application is able to integrate with. This should help give you an idea on how all the different pieces of Shift4 Duo come together to send and receive orders to and from your POS terminal, as well as process payment and close out tickets, respectively.

What type of paper does Shift4 Duo use?

The Shift4 Duo uses thermal paper rolls with the specifications of 2 1/4 inches by 74 feet. 

Does Shift4 Duo Support Coursing?

No, Shift4 Duo does not support coursing at this moment.

Does Shift4 Duo have offline functionality in cases when there is no Internet connection or a WiFi connectivity issue?

No, Shift4 Duo (PAX A800 or PAX A930) communicates with the POS system. If the internet is down at the location, Shift4 Duo will not be able to communicate and process reorders or payments to the POS system.

Internal Shift4 Duo FAQs

Is Shift4 Duo offering both a device and software?

Yes. The device is a PAX A930 that is exclusive to Shift4 and will have a custom color. The software is both a pay-at-the-table (PATT) and order-at-the-table (OATT) solution optimized for Food and Beverage. 

Are there WiFi requirements for Shift4 Duo?

Yes, the password will have to be WPA2 or better, and as a result, it must be 8 or more characters long.

What router are we deploying to merchants?

We will be deploying the TP-Link Archer C7 Gigabit router. 

Are we deploying routers to all Shift4 Brands?

No, We are only deploying the Archer routers to Shift4 merchants. This will affect the pricing for Shift4 merchants, and you can see that here. 

Will an order placed into a POS terminal or tablet be available for reorder with Shift4 Duo?

Yes, any order placed into a POS terminal/tablet will be available for the customer to reorder.

Will open checks on a POS terminal or tablet be available for pay-at-the-table with Shift4 Duo?

Yes, open checks will be available from the POS terminal/tablet to be paid at the table.

Will menu items that are reordered with Shift4 Duo print to kitchen/bar printers and be added to the respective open check on a POS terminal or tablet?

Yes, reordered menu items will act as a ticket that was added through the POS terminal/tablet.

Does Shift4 Duo have offline functionality in cases when there is no Internet connection or a WiFi connectivity issue?

No, Shift4 Duo communicates with the POS system. If the internet is down at the location, Shift4 Duo would not be able to communicate and process reorders or payments to the POS system.

How would payments get processed or menu items reordered if there is no Internet connection or a WiFi connectivity issue?

Use a POS terminal/fixed workstation.

Can Shift4 Duo be used for multiple MIDs?

No, this is because the PAX A930 is configured by the factory for a specific MID.

How can I tell which MID the A930 Device is connected to?

You will not be able to tell from the software or even from Archos. You will need to put a ticket into IG to receive that information. Even though a Serial number is boarded to a MID in Archos, it may be associated with another MID on the back end. 

Does Shift4 Duo support cash payments?

No, all cash transactions must be processed on a POS terminal.

Are Shift4 Gift Cards supported by Shift4 Duo?

No (we are working with PAX to unencrypt gift card data, we intend to support the Shift4 Gift Cards as soon as possible, no ETA at this point).

Are non-Shift4 Gift Cards supported by Shift4 Duo?

No, non-Shift4 Gift Cards are not supported by Shift4.

Does Shift4 Duo provide ordering capabilities?

Yes.

Can Shift4 Duo be used by delivery drivers to take payment at a customer’s home or place of business?

Yes, provided a SIM card has been installed on the device.

Can Shift4 Duo be used at a resort or golf course away from a Wifi to take payment or perform a reorder?

Yes, provided a SIM card has been installed on the device.

Is there an extra cost to having a SIM card with Shift4 Duo?

There will be a 15$/month per device fee once the cellular data is used on the device.

Can the A930 handle cold and hot weather?

Yes, the device can be used between 14 & 122 F.

Will Shift4 provide SIM cards for the A930 device?

Yes, each device will come loaded with a T-Mobile SIM card. 

What if reports are showing on the Hosp POS but not in the Customer Hub?

You will need to wait until a full sync is completed for the reports to show up on the Customer Hub.

Does Shift4 Duo support partial payments/split payments?

Yes. Please note that menu items on the check cannot be moved to another check on the device. This would need to be done on a POS terminal. This capability is under review for inclusion in a future release.

Can any user of the POS terminal use Shift4 Duo?

Yes, Shift4 uses the same PIN or employee card used at the POS terminal. There is no setup needed to use Shift4 for each employee, provided they are a POS user.

How much setup is there for a merchant to use Shift4 Duo?

Very little. Device configuration is set to the MID from our factory before shipment. The remaining minimal setup is done on the Customer Hub (not on the device), which includes specifying the pre-arranged tip amounts (e.g., 10% 15% 20%) and the tip default (e.g., 20%).

Will the Customer Hub be the sender of email receipts to guests?

Yes, the Customer Hub will send email receipts to the guests.

Once an email is entered into Shift4 Duo, is it saved by Shift4, and if yes, why?

Yes, For the initial release, the email is permanently stored for tracking purposes only.

Is it possible that a restaurant employee or guest can load other software onto the A930 device?

No. As an FYI, all apps loaded onto the A930 have to be done via the PAX app store, and that requires an account and a lengthy review process with PAX to deploy new apps.

Once an email address is provided by the guest when using Shift4 Duo, thus opting-in to email receipts, will subsequent email receipts be sent whenever the same credit card is used from any POS or PMS system that uses a Shift4 payment device?

Prefilling the email address field is now available.

Does the app run in Kiosk mode?

Yes. The only way to break out of the application is to power up the device.

Why doesn’t the app launch automatically when powering up the A930 device?

To have access to other apps that we might deploy on the PAX A930 device and those that come with the device.

Can the built-in camera(s) on the A930 be used to take a picture of the wait staff (for purposes of showing on the tip screen)?

No, not on the initial release. We will add this feature later this year.

What makes Shift4 Duo so different than any other pay-at-the-table (PATT) offering, and why hasn’t PATT been adopted much in the USA?

The short answer is that it is “free” cost was the number barrier to mass adoption in the USA. The longer answer is that other solutions require multiple vendors to put the solution together. These other offerings are clunky to configure, set up, and use in addition to high cost. Additionally, some of the other offerings try to get too fancy with features. Shift4 Duo was designed to be intuitive, much like using a credit card at the gas pump. We felt that simple is much better than complicated.

Pay-at-the-table (PATT) is commonplace outside of the USA; why is that?

There is usually no tipping involved outside of the USA. PATT is usually performed by a wait staff carrying an old-fashioned payment terminal with cryptic software. They stand at the table while you insert your card. There is no need for the guest to enter a tip, which would be awkward with the server standing right there. Shift4 Duo provides a rich, easy, and fun experience for the guest to operate the system without having the server nearby.

Can the server operate Shift4 Duo instead of the guest?

Yes, however, it would be awkward having the guest enter a tip in front of the server. We suspect that servers may on occasion use the device to process the payment. One of the features we will add is the ability to print the check without going into the payment flow/cycle. This will help make this Use Case (the server operating the unit) a little less awkward. 

In what event will there be a lag from the POS tickets to Shift4 Duo?

There is generally a 60-second delay for tickets to show up on Shift4 Duo when the platform client is restarted.  These are the events that would cause that.  

• platform-client configuration change
•  brain restart
• Once an hour - there can be up to a 90 second lag as the brain service automatically restarts
•  connection failures

To find out whether if the platform client has recently been restarted, check C:\Shift4\Lighthouse 4 Platform Client\logs\brain 

And look for a message similar to, "info: restarting in 60000 ms…”

Shift4 Duo 4G SIM FAQs

Who is eligible? 

Any business that is eligible to use Shift4 Duo could make use of the 4G SIM cards. Specifically, the following brands and software can utilize this feature: 

• Shift4 Hospitality 
• Edgewater (Shift4 Bar & Restaurant (HBR), CirroTouch, Duet) 
• FuturePOS 
• POSitouch
• Restaurant Manager 
• Micros 

What is the pricing? 

In order to use Shift4 Duo the merchant will be charged the following: 

• $20 per month per device for the Shift4 Duo equipment
• $20 per month per device software support fee 

In addition, when signing up for the 4G SIM Card program, the merchant agrees on the Pay-at-the-Table Addendum to the following data plan costs: 

• Upfront: FREE 
• Monthly: $15/month up to 200MB
• Additional: $15 for access for another pool of 200MB of Data above the initial 200MB

Important: Sales Partners and Resellers can markup the dealer service fee. 

What paperwork is required to get the Shift4 Duo 4G SIM?

One 4G is enabled on the Shift4 Duo device, the business will begin being billed the $15 per 200MB of data per month. There is no signature required, all terms and conditions for this program will be on Exhibit A and an insert will be placed in each Shift4 Duo device. 

Is there a Data cap?

There will be a $15 additional charge for every 200Mb past the initial 200Mb if the business goes over.

How do I get a SIM card for a current Shift4 Duo merchant?

Contact the Shift4 Support Team at 866.276.2108 or visit our online Support page.