Jaipur

“We don’t even think about payments. That’s the best compliment I can give,” says Rupa Dewan, director of the Jaipur group of restaurants. “It’s all so smooth and seamless, we just don’t need to worry about it. We only think about payments if anything goes wrong – and we rarely, if ever, have any kind of problem.”

In 1995, Rupa, who had grown up in Ireland, married Asheesh Dewan. As a chef who had worked in the best hotels in India, Asheesh subsequently moved to Ireland. “The plan was always to introduce that authentic Indian cuisine to Ireland in the form of fine dining restaurants,” Rupa explains. Her parents owned the iconic Dockrells building on Dublin's South Great George’s Street. In 1998, they kindly offered the city-centre building’s corner unit for the first Jaipur restaurant. The group has since expanded to four locations and long maintained a partnership with Elavon.

This shift to mobile and contactless payments has also streamlined operations for staff. “Our team can focus on hospitality rather than handling cash or waiting for card authorisations. It’s faster, cleaner and more efficient.”

Scaling with simplicity

The team at the Jaipur group has always sought to bring authentic Indian cuisine to Irish diners. The aim is to offer a relaxed experience with exceptional food that shows off the range and nuance of Indian cuisine.

Though the city-centre location had to close due to redevelopment, the group continued to grow. Jaipur Dalkey opened in 2002, followed by a Malahide branch in 2003. Chakra by Jaipur launched in the County Wicklow town of Greystones in 2005, and Ananda opened in Dublin’s Dundrum Town Centre in 2008.

Dependability powers the business

Smooth, secure payments are essential in hospitality, according to Rupa. “The process is invisible for the customer, but seamless for us too. We need prompt funding to cover costs like rent and VAT, and to pay our trusted suppliers – we only use the highest quality ingredients, so we depend on them. With Elavon, we know the money will be there the next day. That gives us predictable, reliable cashflow.”

Rupa describes the supplier relationship as “symbiotic”. If suppliers aren’t paid promptly, it affects everyone. “Payments are the gears that keep it all going. It keeps everyone in business. When our suppliers are happy, we’re happy – and that ultimately translates to a better experience for our guests, which is the end goal.”

Reliability and responsiveness are also critical. “Our worst nightmare would be a payments outage at our busiest time on a Saturday night – and trying to deal with an acquirer that can’t help us over weekends, or outside of office hours. The fact that I don’t have to worry about payments is Elavon’s biggest selling point; that’s their USP."

“I know payments will go through immediately and securely; I know the money is going to be in my account the next day so I can pay my suppliers and staff. We’re never left waiting – whether it’s for a payment to go through or for settlement. We can depend on Elavon. That peace of mind is priceless.” 

This reliability extends to customer support. “Whether it’s a technical query or a request for more terminals, the team is always quick to respond. That lets us focus on our guests, knowing our payments infrastructure is in good hands,” she explains. “It’s not just about the technology – it’s about the people behind it.”

Mobile payments go mainstream

The Jaipur group has seen a shift in how customers pay: what were formerly termed ‘alternative’ payment methods like Google Pay and Apple Pay are now mainstream – and mobile payments have overtaken cards.

“Digital wallets are just easy – and now people trust them more, in terms of security. It’s all about convenience and confidence. I’d say it’s probably 60% phone payments and 40% cards in our restaurants,” Rupa estimates. “People don’t want to touch cash anymore and contactless is fast, hygienic and intuitive.”

Invisible, indispensable payments

The Jaipur group is keen to explore new opportunities – from showcasing lesser-known regional Indian dishes to considering new locations. But one thing remains constant: their commitment to a flawless dining experience, supported by a payment system that just works.

“We picked Elavon back in the day because they had the best reputation – and they’ve exceeded that ever since. Our payment system is invisible and indispensable. In the end, the best technology is the kind you don’t notice.”