Heartland Payment Systems Inc. and Micros Systems Inc. have reached an amicable settlement in a 2007 antitrust and unlawful competition lawsuit the Princeton, N.J.-based processor filed against Micros. Other defendants included Chase Paymentech Solutions LLC and its subsidiary Merchant Link LLC.
Heartland and Micros, a Columbia, Md.-based provider of point-of-sale systems, now have a restructured business relationship in which the companies will work together to provide payment products in the restaurant, lodging and retail industries. The companies are working to integrate Heartland’s processing services and Micros’ point-of-sale system and expect to complete the process this summer.
A Heartland representative confirmed the companies reached a settlement this month but declined to share additional settlement details because the terms are confidential.
Micros did not respond to requests for comment by PaymentsSource deadline.
In its complaint filed in a U.S. District Court in New Jersey, Heartland alleged that Merchant Link entered into an exclusive contract with Micros in which it became the only method of access for credit card processing for Micros POS systems in the restaurant industry.
Micros then allegedly used its market power to require its customers to use Silver Spring, Md.-based Merchant Link’s payment gateway as a condition for using its POS system, according to the complaint. Heartland also said in the lawsuit that Merchant Link charged a gateway fee to processors instead of to merchants, thereby creating an added cost for all processors except Dallas-based Paymentech.
