A successful restaurant isn’t just about offering exclusive cuisine and a comforting atmosphere. It includes behind-the-scenes operations that run smoothly. With today’s fast pace in the dining business, you need the best restaurant POS (Point on Sale) system to either make or break your business.
There are so many options, but how are you to choose one fit for your needs? From a cozy bistro to a bustling fast food joint or a fancy fine dining establishment, this guide helps in finding the top restaurant POS systems to simplify operations, increase efficiency, and most importantly, improve customer experience. Let’s dive in!
How to Choose the Best Restaurant POS System?
Ease of Use
A user-friendly interface is essential. The system that you create should enable your staff to use the system without much training and order errors to affect smooth service. Time is saved and productivity is boosted through an intuitive system.
Hardware Compatibility
Find out whether the POS system software supports common hardware such as tablets, printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners. Ignore systems that demand expensive proprietary hardware unless mandatory.
Cost and Scalability
Examine the pricing model—whether it’s a fixed monthly fee or a percentage of sales. Look for a system that falls in line with your budget and scales easily with your restaurant.
Customer Support
Reliable 24/7 customer support is crucial. Lost sales or frustrated customers can result from any downtime. Select providers who know how to respond and act quickly.
Security and Compliance
Make sure the POS system is PCI compliant and capable of secure payment processing to protect customer data. Trust is built and business is safeguarded with a secure system.
List of Best Restaurant POS Systems
1. Toast POS
Toast POS is an all-in-one restaurant management system suitable for different types of restaurants. On the other hand, it is a cloud-based operation that comes with features such as online ordering, table management, loyalty programs, and other reporting tools.
It is a reliable, excellent hardware system known for reliability and is a good system for quick service and full-service houses. It presents us with an intuitive interface that helps delay workflows, enhance the customer experience, and maximize inventory control.
Toast POS offers customizable menus and improved employee management, focusing on increasing restaurant profits and efficiency. The US market is particularly popular with the segment.
Features
- Cloud-based system
- Customizable menu management
- Tableside ordering & payment
- Inventory management
- Employee management & scheduling
- Online ordering & delivery integration
- Loyalty & gift card programs
- Real-time reporting & analytics
- Offline mode available
- CRM tools for customer data
Pricing
- Starter Kit: $0/month
- Point of Sale: $69/month
Build Your Own: Custom Pricing
2. Square for Restaurants
Square for Restaurants is a simple, easy-to-use POS system that was built for restaurants, cafes, and bars. It has a simple user interface, efficient table management, modification of the orders, and real-time reporting.
Square’s payment processing integration means that it’s seamless for transactions, and add-ons such as online ordering and delivery add to service. For a small to medium business that wants affordable and scalable solutions, the system is ideal.
The cloud-based functionality means that owners can control its operations remotely. New and growing restaurants favor Square because of their transparent pricing and no long-term contracts.
Features
- Simple, user-friendly interface
- Table & order management
- Menu customization
- Integrated payment processing
- Online ordering & delivery integrations
- Inventory management
- Employee time tracking
- Tip splitting
- Real-time sales reporting
- Customer loyalty programs
Pricing
- Starter Kit: $0/month
- Plus: $29+/month
Premium: Custom Pricing
3. Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed Restaurant is the cloud POS system that any fine dining restaurant or multi-location establishment will love. Besides its advanced tools such as table mapping, real-time inventory tracking, loyalty programs, and analysis of performance, it is also easy to use. The flexibility comes with having Lightspeed integrate well with such payment processors and third-party apps.
Restaurant owners have the ability to customize the system to their needs, as it is highly customizable. In offline mode, there is no reason to stop working in the absence of the internet. Strong back-office features in managing staff, sales, and stock make it the appropriate choice for small eateries and bigger chains, making working with it easy to manage.
Features
- Cloud-based POS
- Multi-location support
- Customizable floor plans & tables
- Tableside ordering with mobile devices
- Menu management & modifiers
- Inventory tracking with ingredient-level detail
- Integrated payments
- Employee & shift management
- Detailed reporting & analytics
- Online ordering integrations
Pricing
- Essential: 189 USD
- Premium: 399 USD
- Enterprise: Custom
4. TouchBistro
TouchBistro is a POS system specifically tailored for the food service industry, and it works exclusively on iPads. It caters to a simple, user-friendly interface for the staff, thus simplifying the process of taking orders, managing tables, and taking payments. Customizable menus to choose from, real-time reporting, inventory admin, and staff scheduling are some of its features.
The system is offline, so services may not be interrupted. Because it balances affordability, focuses on restaurant-specific tools, and has a known customer base, it is a favorite amongst small to mid-sized restaurants, food trucks, and bars. Third-party apps for delivery and accounting are also used with TouchBistro and provide an around efficient solution.
Features
- iPad-based POS system
- Easy table & floor management
- Menu customization with images
- Tableside ordering & payment
- Inventory management
- Staff management with roles & permissions
- Customer relationship management
- Integrated loyalty programs
- Real-time sales & performance reports
- Offline functionality
Pricing: Starting From $69/month
5. Revel Systems
Revel Systems is a robust, cloud-based POS platform and is ideal for a restaurant, quick-service restaurant chain, or a larger enterprise. It has advanced features like kitchen display systems, customer relationship management (CRM), inventory tracking, etc.
The customized workflows of Revel’s iPad interface are highly customizable. Its tools for multi-location management make it excellent for growing brands. There are numerous payment processors supported out of the box, and it even supports integration with accounting, marketing, and delivery apps.
Features
- Cloud-based POS with hybrid support
- Detailed inventory & ingredient-level tracking
- Multi-location management
- Tableside ordering capabilities
- Delivery management tools
- Employee scheduling & management
- Advanced CRM & loyalty programs
- Real-time analytics & custom reporting
- Integration with third-party delivery apps
- Mobile order taker feature
Pricing: Connect with the Team
6. Clover POS
Clover POS is a multi-faceted, all-in-one system for small to medium restaurants and cafes. This provides customizable hardware options along with a large app marketplace for improving things such as table management, employee scheduling, loyalty programs, and inventory tracking.
Real-time sales and performance data from Clover’s cloud-based system. It handles multiple payment options, including contactless payment. One of the reasons why it is used by independent restaurants is due to its ease of use, scalability, and relatively cheap pricing. Clover is also easily paired with other apps to help streamline operations.
Features
- Modular hardware options
- Table & floor management
- Menu customization
- Built-in payment processing
- Inventory tracking & stock alerts
- Employee management & time tracking
- Loyalty programs & customer database
- Online ordering capabilities
- Third-party app marketplace
- Customizable reporting dashboards
Pricing: Connect with the Team
7. Upserve POS (by Lightspeed)
Upserve POS is a restaurant POS system geared towards powerful management and analytics for all restaurant owners. It is designed for full-service restaurants with features such as table management, menu optimization, loyalty programs, and staff performance tracking.
Payment processing and third-party tool integration make things easier to work with. This platform also offers online ordering and marketing features; therefore, it would match restaurants that want to improve service and profitability. Reliable, scalable, and with a wonderful user-friendly interface, Upserve POS is a well-known name.
Features
- Restaurant-specific design
- Menu optimization tools
- Tableside ordering & payment
- Inventory management with food cost insights
- Shift & staff scheduling
- Sales & labor reporting
- Loyalty & guest engagement programs
- Online ordering integrations
- Real-time analytics & dashboards
- Offline functionality
Pricing
Monthly Plan
- Basic: 109 USD/month
- Core: 179 USD/month
- Plus: 339 USD/month
Yearly Plan
- Basic: 89 USD/month
- Core: 149 USD/month
- Plus: 289 USD/month
8. POSist
POSist is a cloud-based POS solution for restaurants, cafes, and QSR chains. Has all the required functions, such as real-time stock control, CRM, kitchen display systems, and multi-location control.
All outlets get a simplified, centralized dashboard that updates menus, order processes, and the performance of outlets in a centralized manner. It integrates into the payment gateway, delivery apps, and accounting software to give you a full package.
It is perfectly scalable and able to handle both small eateries and large restaurant chains. In fact, POSist also focuses on data security as well as offline functionality, so it’s totally ready to run seamlessly even if the power goes off.
Features
- Cloud-based POS with offline mode
- Multi-outlet & franchise management
- Menu management with bulk upload
- Integrated kitchen display systems (KDS)
- Inventory & raw material management
- CRM with customer feedback tools
- Online ordering integration
- Employee & shift management
- Real-time reports & analytics
- Mobile POS support
Pricing: Connect with the Team
9. Lavu POS
Lavu POS is an iPad-based restaurant POS system for easy, pain-free ordering, payment, and kitchen workflow. Some of the key features are table management, customizable menus, real-time reporting, inventory control, and employee management.
Additionally, it is easy to integrate with several payment processors, accounting software, and third-party apps. If there is no internet, then Lavu supports operating in offline mode. The system is perfectly scalable to small cafes, medium-sized restaurant chains, and very large ones. The flexibility and the interface of Lavu make it a business preferred for control and efficiency.
Features
- iPad-based POS system
- Menu & modifier customization
- Table layout & order management
- Ingredient-level inventory tracking
- Online ordering & delivery integration
- Employee management & permissions
- Loyalty & rewards programs
- Real-time reporting
- Payment processing integrations
- Offline mode support
Pricing: Connect with the Team
10. Loyverse POS
Loyverse POS is a free, cloud-based POS solution that is very popular among small cafes, food trucks, and restaurants that offer quick service. Fulfillment includes key attributes such as sales tracking, inventory management, customer loyalty programs, as well as real-time analytics.
Users can order and make payments from mobile devices, thereby giving the staff the freedom to manage their orders on the go. Its user-friendly interface and the product are very affordable, so it’s suitable for startups and small businesses.
There are also add-ons available for affordable rates, such as advanced inventory and employee management. If you are a small, budget-conscious restaurant seeking a solution to contain the basic POS factors, then Loyverse is for you.
Features
- Free POS system with premium add-ons
- Sales tracking & reporting
- Inventory management with low-stock alerts
- Customer management & loyalty program
- Employee management with role permissions
- Multi-store management
- Offline functionality
- Kitchen display system support
- Mobile device compatibility
- Real-time analytics dashboards
Pricing: Free Plans
Ending Note
If you are investing in the new Restaurant POS Systems, here is a reason for you to live up to the name by revolutionizing the efficiency and profitability of your restaurant as well as the customer experience. A powerful POS system is like the backbone of your operations, where you can manage orders, streamline and process payments, and much more.
It’s important to remember that the most expensive does not mean the best; rather, it means the one that fits seamlessly with your restaurant’s needs and growth goals. It’s ok to take your time, think and analyze the possibility a lot, and pick a solution that adds value to your current workflow as well as your future ambitions.
Today, a smart POS investment may be the key ingredient to the success of your restaurant in the long term.
FAQs
Are restaurant POS systems secure?
Reputable restaurant POS systems have encryption rules to pay, and they comply with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) regulations.
Does a POS system need an internet connection?
Most modern POS systems have now incorporated the option of offline mode, which means you can proceed with business as usual even if the internet is down. When the connection is reestablished, data syncs automatically.
What is the cost of a restaurant POS system?
Depending on features, hardware, and provider, costs differ. Some of them charge a flat monthly fee, while some would also opt to take a percentage of sales. Hardware costs and add-ons such as loyalty programs or integration also drive the price. The best way to choose is to compare options based on the size and budget of your restaurant.
What is the best POS system for small restaurants or food trucks?
For small businesses and food trucks, systems such as Square for Restaurants, TouchBistro, and Loyverse POS are affordable, easy to use, and offer the bare minimum of features without long-term commitments.
