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ForkLine Docs

Frequently Asked Questions

Pricing and billing

What does ForkLine cost? $49.99 per month, flat. No per-order commission, no contract, no minimum volume. See Subscription & Billing.

Do you take a cut of my orders? No. ForkLine takes no percentage and no per-order fee. The only per-transaction cost is Stripe's card processing fee, which goes to Stripe — ForkLine adds no markup. See Processing Fees Explained.

Is there a free trial? Yes, 30 days. You're emailed three days before it ends.

Is there a contract? No. Month to month, cancel any time from Admin → Subscriptions.

What happens to my data if I cancel? It stays. Menu, order history, and customers remain if you come back. Ask support if you want it permanently deleted.

Payments

What are the card processing fees? Stripe's standard published rates: 2.9% + 30¢ online and 2.7% + 5¢ in person, per successful US domestic transaction. See Processing Fees Explained.

Why is in-person cheaper than online? A card physically present at a reader carries much lower fraud risk than a number typed into a form.

When do I get paid? Your first payout typically takes about 7–14 days after your first charge — Stripe holds it on every new account. After that, payouts are typically daily, arriving about 2 business days after each day's sales. See Payouts & Timelines.

Why doesn't my payout match my ForkLine sales? Processing fees, refunds, cash orders (never processed by Stripe), and the rolling delay. See Payouts & Timelines.

Does my $49.99 come out of my payouts? No — it's billed separately to the card on file.

Do I need my own Stripe account? Yes, and ForkLine creates it during setup. You're the merchant of record and money goes to your bank. See Setting Up Stripe Payments.

Can customers pay cash? Yes — at the counter on the register, and online if you allow pay-at-pickup. See Ordering Settings.

How do I refund? From Admin → Orders, whole order or individual items. Requires Owner access. Card-reader and cash payments are refunded outside ForkLine.

Getting started

How long does setup take? Account and restaurant setup is about fifteen minutes. Stripe verification is another ten. Building your menu takes longest — budget an hour or two. See Creating Your Account.

Can I import my existing menu? There's no self-serve import, but onboarding support is included — contact support with your current menu.

What do I need before going live? Work the Go-Live Checklist.

Can I try it without taking real orders? Yes. Build your menu with ordering turned off, then place a test order yourself before opening up.

Hardware

Do I need special hardware? No. ForkLine runs in a browser on any tablet, laptop, or phone. A receipt printer and card reader are optional but usual for a counter.

What printer do I need? A Star CloudPRNT-capable receipt printer, such as the TSP143 series. See Receipt Printer Setup.

Can I use my existing printer? If it's a Star CloudPRNT model, yes. Others won't work.

What about a cash drawer? Any standard drawer with an RJ12 connector, plugged into the printer. See Cash Drawer.

Do I have to buy hardware from ForkLine? No. Buy compatible hardware anywhere.

Staff

How many staff accounts can I have? Unlimited, at no extra cost. See Users & Roles.

Can I stop staff seeing revenue? Yes. Kitchen and Staff roles don't see financial data; only Owners reach billing.

Several people share one register — do they each need a login? No, and they shouldn't. Use Register Accounts: the device signs in once, and each person enters a short passcode so sales are attributed to them.

Can I see who did something? Yes — the Activity Log.

Orders and operations

Can customers schedule orders in advance? Yes, within a window you set. See Ordering Settings.

Can I stop taking orders when we're slammed? Yes — turn off Accept online orders and set a closed message. Remember to turn it back on.

How do customers know their order is ready? Automatically, when you mark it Ready. No manual texting.

Do I need a kitchen display? No. You can print tickets, use the screen, or both.

Can I do delivery? Yes, through Nash couriers — you don't hire drivers. See Delivery Setup.

Can I do table service? Yes, with dine-in enabled. See Tables & Dine-In.

Switching to ForkLine

Can I keep my delivery apps? Yes. Many restaurants run ForkLine for direct orders alongside marketplaces, and shift customers over gradually.

How do I get customers to order direct? Put the link everywhere — Google Business Profile, Instagram, the door, receipts. Rewards give people a reason to come back direct, and email marketing reaches them afterwards.

Do I own my customer data? Yes. Contacts are yours. See Customer Records.

Can I run multiple locations? Yes — each is its own restaurant with its own subscription, and one login can reach several. Ask support about multi-location setup.

Still stuck?

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