A middleman refers to someone whose role in the transaction is to bring the actual transacting parties together. While credit card processors are involved in t

A middleman refers to someone whose role in the transaction is to bring the actual transacting parties together. While credit card processors are involved in the transaction between the customer and restaurant, they are not a middleman to the transaction because they don't bring the parties together; the parties or a third party does that. Additionally, credit card processors provide services to both sides of the transaction: they provide non-cash payment collection services to restaurants, and they provide customers a means to pay for things without immediately exchanging cash or other assets.