What is Keyed Entry?

Keyed Entry is a payment method in which card information is manually entered into a POS system instead of the card being swiped, tapped, or inserted. This typically occurs when the card reader cannot read the physical card or when a payment is processed remotely, such as over the phone.

Restaurants use Keyed Entry to process transactions when standard card-reading methods are unavailable. It ensures that payments can still be completed without relying on card-present interactions.

How Keyed Entry Works in Restaurant POS Systems?

In a keyed entry transaction, the cashier or merchant manually enters the card details into the POS system interface. The transaction is then routed through a payment gateway for processing, similar to other card transactions.

A typical keyed entry includes:

• Card number
• Expiration date
• Card verification value (CVV)
• Billing ZIP or postal code (if applicable)
  
  

Keyed entry is commonly used for phone orders, manually processed online payments, or situations where the card reader is unable to read the card.