A few years ago an article was written on a mussar haskel from the Enron collapse which made the point that there is a big problem with the business paying the auditors (or kashrus supervisors) to report that everything is kosher. The author suggested a return to a system he claimed existed in Europe in previous generations where the local Bais Din employs the mashgichim and are paid by a tax on the populace. This would certainly improve the kashrus scene as far as independence as it is a strain to think how a very low paid mashgiach is expected to report to a Rav HaMachshir information that may at worst end his job and at least disturb his boss, the restaurant owner. Unfortunately I do not see the system changing anytime soon. I have experience in the field for over ten years where I worked for both a large hechshers, a local Vaad and small private local hechsher and I can say for local retail establishments I found that by far the best, most hands on and supportive hechsher with the best result was a private Rav HaMachshir, a posek with a small staff who was constantly reachable for shailas. I will also advise the OP that this type of hechsher could sometimes be more reasonable and flexible with fees. But if you want the trust of the public it is neccessary to allocate funds for kashrus just like for your other expenses. Kashrus today is complex and requires time and money and the public is well aware of this and so expects to see a reliable hechsher on a kosher eatery. Do some research and perhaps there is another hechsher which you could request in a respectful manner to work with your situation.
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