Squirrel Systems Completes U.S. EMV Implementation for Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants

Squirrel Systems, a technology provider to the hospitality industry, announced the successful implementation of EMV payments using the Merchant Link gateway with Copper Cellar Restaurant Group at Calhoun’s in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Squirrel Systems and Merchant Link have implemented a semi-integrated EMV payment architecture in which no cardholder data is transmitted through or stored in the point of sale system, reducing PCI scope. Copper Cellar is currently using wired payment devices that accept chip cards to securely process payments. The multi-unit and multi-concept restaurant group is looking forward to eventually rolling out wireless pay at the table devices as well.

“The team at Squirrel Systems were so knowledgeable in the EMV process since they already had it implemented in Canada. Although Copper Cellar hasn’t experienced any fraud or security issues, the industry is buzzing about the growing percentage of chargebacks and fraudulent transactions that restaurants are now liable for,” Mike Gaston, MIS Director at Copper Cellar Corporation, said. “Squirrel Systems and Merchant Link have assisted us in creating an EMV solution that meets our security needs while minimizing the impact on our customer experience.”

Squirrel Systems was the first to introduce the secure semi-integrated architecture in the Canadian restaurant market in 2010 and is leveraging this expertise now that EMV has been mandated in the US. Squirrel is proud to have partnered with Merchant Link to provide EMV solutions in the US.