New Partnership Delivers First-Ever Unified Payments Processing Platform to the Restaurant Industry

PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Restaurant Association®, state restaurant associations and Heartland Payment Systems®, one of the nation’s largest payments processors, are forming a strategic partnership that will deliver the first-ever unified payments processing platform to the restaurant industry. This alliance will provide restaurateurs nationwide with effective tools, solutions and resources that will help them reduce their expenses, improve operations and increase profitability ― all from one source with integrated technology product platforms.

“The synergy between our organizations ― and the resultant products and services we develop together ― bring a powerful value proposition to the industry, enabling restaurateurs to improve and grow their businesses.”

The partnership’s “Full Course Business Solutions^SM” offering is initially launching with an exclusively endorsed suite of payments products ― including card processing, payroll, check management and tip reporting and compliance services. This suite of solutions is supported by Heartland’s national sales and servicing organization of 1,800 professionals located in communities across America and its 1,600 service, information technology and administrative employees.

“We are pleased to announce our partnership with industry leader Heartland Payment Systems and offer this valuable suite of products to our members,“ said David Gilbert, chief operating officer, National Restaurant Association and executive director, National Restaurant Association Solutions. “Saving time and money is critical to every operator, and Heartland’s products will help boost our members’ profitability. In addition to best-in-class products, Heartland’s nationwide staff will provide unparalleled service and support.”

“The goal of this strategic alliance is to upgrade and control the costs of the crucial business services needed by every restaurateur,” detailed Bob Carr, Heartland’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Heartland’s national sales and servicing organization of restaurant specialists ― combined with our proprietary processing platforms for payments and payroll ― enables us to provide ever-evolving solutions for our business partners. This strategic partnership, together with our long history of organic growth, provides clear evidence of the value of Heartland’s ‘fair dealing’ business model and of its Merchant Bill of Rights.”

Heartland founded the Merchant Bill of Rights in 2006 as a public advocacy initiative to protect the rights of business owners and help them control the costs and complexities of payments processing. Doing business according to the tenants of the Merchant Bill of Rights has proven to benefit the 250,000 business locations nationwide currently serviced by Heartland. Heartland processes one of every seven restaurant transactions in America.

Heartland offers a variety of other integrated products and services that help restaurateurs drive additional revenue including gift-marketing programs, online payments and more. Its end-to-end encryption solution ― E3™ ― is designed to protect cardholder data throughout the lifecycle of a payments transaction from the moment of card swipe to the card brands ― helping business owners improve data security and reduce the cost of PCI compliance. Heartland’s existing product line and integrated technology platforms will enable the Full Course business offering to broaden in scope as the needs of restaurant owners continue to develop in this changing era of regulation and security.

“Heartland is entrenched in the restaurant industry, and much like the National Restaurant Association and state restaurant associations, its business is focused on advocating for restaurant owners and helping them succeed,” concluded Gilbert. “The synergy between our organizations ― and the resultant products and services we develop together ― bring a powerful value proposition to the industry, enabling restaurateurs to improve and grow their businesses.”

About The National Restaurant Association

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our website at Restaurant.org.

About Heartland Payment Systems

Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. (NYSE: HPY), the 5th largest payments processor in the United States, delivers credit/debit/prepaid card processing, payroll, check management and payments solutions to more than 250,000 business locations nationwide ― including restaurants. Heartland is the founding supporter of The Merchant Bill of Rights, a public advocacy initiative that educates merchants about fair credit and debit card processing practices. For more information, please visit HeartlandPaymentSystems.com, MerchantBillOfRights.org, CostOfABurger.com and E3secure.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements of a forward-looking nature, which represent our management's beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are based on information currently available to us. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements due to many factors. Information concerning these factors is contained in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to, the Company's annual report on Form 10-K, or Form 10-Q as applicable. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

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