A POS system is critical to a restaurant's survival. It's like an all-rounded manager who's responsible for orders, sales, marketing, staff and even customer experience. Someone who cannot afford to falter even for a single day. But finding the best POS system for a food business can be a challenging feat for those who are new to the industry. So if you're looking for a well-rounded manager in a software, this list of Best POS Systems for Restaurants should get you started on the right foot...

But what exactly is a POS Software Restaurant?

Which is the best POS system in the market?

And how can you find one for your food business?

Let’s help you find answers to these most common questions that would eventually help you make an informed decision.  Shall we?

What is a POS Software for Restaurants?

A modern restaurant POS software is a cloud-based system used to handle day-to-day transactions in a restaurant setting. It is designed to handle all aspects of restaurant management, including order taking, payment processing, inventory management, customer data management, and sales reporting.

With the advancement in technology, cloud-based POS software has become more popular as they allow for both online and offline operations. These modern POS systems are not just limited to traditional point-of-sale functions but are also equipped with other features like kitchen display systems, online ordering, customer loyalty programs, CRMs, and more. These features make restaurant operations more efficient and enable full digitization of the restaurant management system.

Since a majority of best POS systems for restaurants are cloud-based, all the data from your restaurant - sales, inventory, menu prices, reservations, etc are stored on a secure internet server.

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5 Best POS Systems for Restaurants

We recognize that different food businesses have different needs. So before we jump into the nitty-gritty of the best POS systems for restaurants available on the market, we’d like to summarise our picks for different categories. This will assist you in identifying the appropriate tool for your specific business.

Summarizing our Picks

Best POS System for all Restaurants - Square POS

Best POS System for Bars & Cafes - Epos Now

Best POS System for Food Trucks - Upserve

Best POS for QSRs Chains - Clover

TouchBistro

If you’re looking for a POS system that also takes care of Customer Relationship Management - TouchBistro is the answer. But of course, all great answers come at a price.

If you're willing to pay the price, there's no other POS system in the market as great as TouchBistro. Hence, it earns the top spot on our list of best POS systems for restaurants in 2023. The customer-centric POS system really helps restaurants deliver the best service to their customers - across all verticals.

Pros

• It delivers its promise
• A good solution for restaurants planning to scale operations
• High focus on guest experience
• Timely updates by the vendor
• Excellent customer service

Cons

• It no longer offers self-service kiosk software
• Steep learning curve if you don't have staff that understands technology
• It can quickly get expensive with add-ons and customizations
• Limited options for vendor integrations
• Not suitable for small restaurants, food trucks, and cafes.

Pricing

The basic plan starts at $69/mo that includes features menu management, floor plan and table management, tableside ordering, staff management, reporting and integrations. The hardware charges are not included in either of the plan mentioned on the website. It's best advised to book a demo for a customized plan that suits your particular business needs.

👉Also Read: Elevate Your POS Systems With Online Ordering Integration

Square POS

Started a decade ago as merely a mobile payment solution, the Square POS system has become one of the most sought-after choices for SMBs in the restaurant industry. It’s easy to use, straightforward and cost-effective.

A long list of features and a diverse hardware lineup are the two main USPs of the Square POS system. The most fascinating element of Square Hardware units is that restauranteurs get a variety of options to customize and devise a checkout experience for their customers, which automatically improves the business's bottom line.

Square POS software's line of features is also quite interesting. Besides taking care of all the essentials of POS software, Square POS also supports features such as loyalty programs, payroll, email marketing, and appointments. All these collectively ensure that your business looks professional on the outside.

Pros

• Value for money for the vast array of features they offer
• The app offers robust security to all customer data.
• Offer seamless integration with all major eCommerce and payment solutions
• Their Chargeback feature is quite popular amongst vendors that automatically increase the trust value

Cons

• On Reddit and G2 many people have complained about their customer support
• Many users have also complained about the POS software getting slow in case of large transaction request
• Not suitable for large organizations and high-traffic restaurant chains

Pricing

Square offers a Free Plan where you get access to all the basics features you need for day-to-day service. This includes both online ordering and POS. The plan also offers Unlimited countertop POS devices applicable for unlimited locations. However, the customer support hour for Free Plan users is restricted to Monday-Friday, between 6 am and 6 pm.

Paid plans start from $60 per month and include 24/7 customer support along with other advanced features such as coursing and unlimited access to Square KDS devices.

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Upserve (Now LightSpeed)

Upserve, formerly known as BreadCrums, does everything one expects a robust POS system to and then a lot more. If you’re someone who likes to play around with analytics and considers marketing a strong pillar to success, Upserve POS will help keep your resources aligned.

But isn’t it expensive? - said a lot of people we asked to review Upserve. It indeed is, but for all the good reasons, primarily the control it offers over one’s business. And all good things come at a price. At the outset, it’s definitely not a solution for restaurants still struggling to maintain a steady bottom line.

With built-in features like payment processing, restaurant management, and customer management, you'll be able to run your restaurant like a well-oiled machine. The 'Upserve Live' feature allows users to track sales, guest behavior, sales items, discounts, and week-over-week trends that eventually help restauranteurs make informed marketing decisions. And let's not forget about the mobile app, it's like a sous-chef for business leaders, providing real-time reporting on the fly. And the best part? You can even equip your servers with compact mobile POS devices for tableside ordering and payment, making the serving process as smooth as a velvety bisque.

Pros

• Get access to unlimited user accounts across all plans
• Recipe costing features take the brownie points
• They are best known for their customer support

Cons

• It doesn’t offer a free trial
• A lot of critical features are available at extra cost
• A bit expensive than other tools on the market
• It is not compatible with third-party payment processing

Pricing

Upserve doesn’t offer any free or trial plan. The base plan starts at $119/mo which may seem a bit expensive for small businesses. The base plan, however, doesn’t even deliver the requirements for a mid-sized business with multiple sales channels. They’ll have to opt for Upserve’s Standard Plan which is about $169/mo. The standard plan includes e-commerce and accounting which is a must for any business to run operations in today’s time and age.

Epos Now

TechRader touts Epos Now as the "ideal cloud-based POS system for retail and hospitality", but the software prides itself on being one of the easiest POS in the world.  

There is no doubt about it that Epos Now is one of the biggest names in the restaurant industry with 30,000 businesses in 71 countries using the software to meet their requirements. Epos Now also integrates with hundreds of third-party applications which makes it a pretty convenient option for most omnipresent businesses. In addition to it, you also get access to their sturdy, versatile hardware that includes but is not limited to terminals, handheld devices, tablet systems, and kitchen display systems.

The platform is popular for offering well-rounded features at an affordable price of $39/mo making it a sought-after choice for small to medium-sized food businesses.

The best part is that the company offers a free 30-day trial and there is no contract, so you can test the system for yourself and cancel at any time without incurring an early cancellation fee.

Pros

• Incredibly user-friendly and lets you manage all aspects of your business from one system
• Seamlessly integrates with third-party platforms - delivery, loyalty programs, and even online ordering
• Reporting features are on point delivering a holistic view of operations
• Authorization level controls make it quite a temptation for restaurants with multiple locations and high staff ratio

Cons

• A complete package - hardware + software can be quite expensive
• Even though they offer impeccable customer support, it’s only applicable to paid members

Pricing

EPOS Now offers a 30-day free trial, which can be a good place to start for beginners. The best part is that it doesn’t even ask for a credit card during the trial period. The basic plan starts at  $39/month ($24/month for each additional register) which is quite affordable given other POS systems in the market.

👉Also Read: Why Integrating POS Software With Online Ordering Website Is A Good Idea

Clover

A popular choice amongst new restaurants, Clover POS has managed to gain decent traction in a short period of time. Even beginners find it user-friendly and are confident to use most of the features to run day-to-day operations seamlessly. Most importantly, Clover offers a leasing plan on its hardware that makes it easy for beginners to start operations without being worried about the hefty investment in hardware.

In terms of features, Clover POS equips you with all the necessary features such as floor planning, menu management, remote order firing, open tabs, third-party delivery integrations, online ordering and order/item-level discounts, as well as add-ons like reporting tools and integrations that make processes easier. Clover also offers financial services in the form of Rapid Deposits and Clover Capital that truly support businesses on their tough days.

Oveall, Clover POS is an intuitive system that offers impeccable hardware options, but the pricing is not as transparent as we would like it to be. Be sure to read your agreement terms clearly before committing to any plans. The combined cost of hardware and software can vary on different factors that can quickly go out of your budget.

Pros

• Extremely easy to use and set up
• It integrates with over 450+ apps
• High customization options

Cons

• Too many plans to choose from and unclear pricing
• Steep upfront and maintenance cost
• It is only compatible with Clover Hardware
• Contract lengths and canceling a subscription can be a little difficult especially if you’re buying from a merchant service provider.
• Lots of hidden fees

Pricing

The starting plan for a Full-service dining restaurant starts at $150/m which includes both software and hardware. However, the basic plan only includes one piece of hardware i.e. Station Solo 14" merchant-facing POS. There’s also a processing fee of 2.3% + 10¢ for card-present transactions and 3.5% + 10¢ for Card-not-present transactions. As mentioned above, Clover can quickly become expensive for restaurants when you add additional fees over and above the pricing plans.

In conclusion, POS systems have become an essential tool for businesses to manage transactions and customer data. There are many options available on the market, but the 5 best POS systems for restaurants highlighted in this article are some of the best for 2023. Each of these systems offers a unique set of features and benefits, making it easy for you to find the right one for your business.

Whether you're a small business just starting out or a large enterprise looking to upgrade, one of these POS systems will help you streamline your operations, increase efficiency, and boost your bottom line. It's important to evaluate the unique needs of your business and research the various options available to find the best POS system for your specific requirements.

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