The Ultimate Guide To The Best Restaurant POS Systems

PaymentsToast offers integrated payments withall of its POS packages, making it a onestop-shop for your POS and paymentprocessing needs. However, it’s importantto note that Toast is not compatible withother payment processors, and you’rerequired to sign a multi-year contract.For many restaurants, this can be a bigcommitment to make upfront – especiallyif your business is relatively new.It’s also important to know that Toast’sprocessing fees are structured accordingto a fixed rate pricing model. This meansthat Toast charges your restauranta fixed rate regardless of card type,processing volume, and other factors.In other words, it doesn’t matter if yourcustomers are using low-cost cards likedebit cards or credit cards, you pay thesame fee per transaction regardless.On the plus side, this pricing structuremakes your payment processing fees morepredictable and easier to budget. However,it also means you pay more becausethe rates are priced higher than that ofother payment processors to cover thefluctuating interchange fees associatedwith the type of card and type of payment.15

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsToastPricingbased restaurant POS systems,The Best POS For:Enterprise-Level RestaurantsToast’s monthly software fees areWith its robust features andin line with most other providers.numerous third-party integrations,Though Toast does have a basicthere’s no doubt that Toast is asubscription that starts at 0 perwell-equipped restaurant POS. Themonth, this package is primarilysystem is especially well suiteddesigned for food trucks and cafesto enterprise-level restaurantsbecause it includes very limitedwith multiple units that need thefeatures. Toast’s more completekind of bespoke POS solution thatoffering is its Essentials package,Android technology can support.When compared to other cloud-which starts at 165 per monthand is best suited for restaurants.While Toast’s monthly softwarefees are reasonable, they aren’t theonly costs to take into account.Remember that you’re also obligatedto use Toast as your paymentprocessor, which comes with its ownset of fees. Additionally, you alsoneed to purchase Toast’s proprietaryhardware in order to use the POS– something that you might notneed to do if you switch from oneiPad-based POS system to another.16However, Toast is less suited toindependent restaurants due toits entirely cloud-based system,which can result in major serviceinterruptions when the WiFiconnection is down. Toast’s highpayment processing fees and longterm contracts can also be a challengefor smaller restaurants with thinnerprofit margins and tighter budgets.

Key TakeawaysToastA strictly cloud-basedPOS systemRuns on an Androidoperating system andToast’s proprietaryhardwareStrong multi-locationmanagement featuresthat make it easy to runmultiple venuesRequired to use Toast’sintegrated paymentprocessing solution andsign a multi-year contractBest for enterprise-levelrestaurants17

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsSquare forRestaurantsStrengthsSquare’s biggest strength has alwaysbeen that its products are easy to useand quick to learn. Square’s POS setupOverviewconsists of Apple iPads and proprietarySquare for Restaurantshardware like the Square Terminal.is restaurant-specificThis hardware not only makes for asoftware from thequick setup process, but the devicespopular mobile paymentare intuitive enough for virtually anycompany Square. Likestaff member to pick up and learn.the company’s otherproducts, Square forAs most restaurateurs would probablyRestaurants is designedagree, Square’s other major draw is itsfor simplicity, combiningprice. Square for Restaurants is one of thean iOS-based POS systemmore affordable restaurant POS systemswith Square’s signatureon the market, starting at just 60 perpayment processingmonth for one device, and another 40services. Though Squareper month for each additional device.itself is available inThe company even boasts a free versionmany countries, Squareof its software, though you still need tofor Restaurants is onlypay for Square’s hardware and paymentavailable in the U.S. andprocessing fees in order to use it.Canada.18

19

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsSquare forRestaurantsWeaknessesWhile Square’s simplicity andAnother drawback to Square for Restaurantsaffordability are part of the reasonis that the system is entirely cloud-based.why it’s one of the top restaurantCloud-based systems are indeed a majorPOS systems, all this comes at a cost.improvement over the legacy systems ofSquare for Restaurants is a muchthe past, because they are faster, moremore basic POS system than manyflexible, and can be used remotely. However,of its competitors. This means thatentirely cloud-based systems are fullymany of Square POS features are lessreliant on a strong Internet connection.robust and lack some of the uniqueThis means that if your WiFi goes down,functions available with other systems.Square for Restaurants goes down withit. And with many restaurants contendingFor instance, Square’s inventorywith slow, spotty, or unreliable WiFifeature has limited capabilities andconnections, this can be a major problem.lacks complex functions like trackingfood and ingredient costs. SquareA final weakness of Square for Restaurantsalso lacks an in-house reservationsis that you’re obligated to use Square’smanagement feature, which is a productpayment processing services. Thoughthat a growing number of FSRs rely on,there are benefits to using an integratedespecially in the wake of COVID-19. Allpayment processor, it also means thatthis means that restaurants that needyou don’t have the freedom to use othermore built-out features are forced topayment processing partners that mayrely on Square’s third-party integrationoffer better rates, such as those offeringpartners, instead of in-house solutions.cost plus pricing.20

PaymentsWhen you sign up for Square forRestaurants, you also sign up with Squareas your payment processor. Square isan aggregator, which means it chargeshigher payment processing fees becauseit assumes liability for its merchant base.In other words, the fees are structuredaccording to a fixed rate pricing model soyou have to pay the same rate for everytransaction, even if your customers areusing low-cost cards like debit cards orcredit cards. For restaurants that processhigh ticket items or do a lot of processingvolume, this means that you will probablybe paying higher fees than necessary.21

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsPricingSquare forRestaurantsPricing is one area whereThe Best POS For:Food Trucks and CafesSquare for RestaurantWith its affordable monthly softwareshines. Unlike most of thefees and easy iPad setup, Squaretop restaurant POS systems,for Restaurants is one of the bestSquare actually offers a freerestaurant POS systems for newversion of its software with nofood service venues that are lookingmonthly charges. However,to get up and running very quickly.the free version of Square forIts simple and streamlined designRestaurants has very limitedalso makes it a great option forcapabilities and you still needrestaurants that process lower ticketto pay for the necessaryitems or process a lower volume,hardware and Square’ssuch as cafes and food trucks.payment processing servicesin order to use the system.However, Square for Restaurantshas much more limited capabilitiesA more comparable offering isthan other restaurant POSSquare’s Plus package, whichsystems. For many FSRs and QSRscosts 60 per month per– especially those that plan tolocation, and 40 per monthscale – this means that Square forper added device. This packageRestaurants’ POS and reportingcomes with all of Square’s corefeatures may not be robust enoughPOS features, full reporting,to support their busy operations.and 24/7 support. Though youstill need to account for thecost of hardware and Square’spayment processing fees,Square for Restaurant is oneof the most affordable POSprograms for restaurants.22

Key TakeawaysSquare forRestaurantsA strictly cloud-basedPOS systemSeamless integrationsbetween iOS softwareand Apple iPad tabletsMore basic POS featuresand add-on solutionsAffordable monthlysoftware fees, but highpayment processing feesBest for smaller foodservice venues such asfood trucks and cafes23

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsStrengthsThere’s no question that Revel’srobust list of enterprise-level featuresRevelis a major plus for many restaurants.Overviewfunctions, Revel’s features are powerfulRevel is an iPad-basedenough to handle just about anyPOS system that’s usedaspect of restaurant management.across North America, andThis is ideal for managing multi-unitin a number of countriesrestaurant chains because it allowsin Europe and Asia.you to compare data and insights fromRevel is best known fordifferent venues in different locations.From its bespoke menu managementfeatures to its advanced reportingits robust POS featuresand its enterprise-levelcapabilities. The POSsystem is particularlypopular among majormulti-unit QSR chainsin the U.S.Another major advantage that Revelhas over some restaurant POS systemsis that it runs on Apple’s iOS operatingsystem and uses iPads as its POSterminals. Unlike Android systems,iOS apps and iPads boast a seamlessintegration, and updates are rolled outautomatically across devices so younever have to worry about your softwarebeing out of date. Not to mention,iPads are extremely user-friendly, whichcan speed up the training process.24

25

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsRevelWeaknessesWhile Revel’s impressive list ofIn addition to the high monthlypowerful POS features is a plus forsoftware fees, there’s also the feessome restaurants, more isn’t alwaysassociated with Revel’s paymentbetter. For smaller restaurantsprocessor, Revel Advantage. Revelwith more straightforward needs,Advantage is structured accordingRevel’s extensive and complexto a fixed rate pricing model, whichfeatures can make navigating themeans that you pay a fixed ratesoftware overwhelming and toughregardless of card type, processingfor new staff to learn. In manyvolume, and other factors. For smallcases, independent restaurants willrestaurants that have customersnot need all the bells and whistlesprimarily using low-cost cards like no-that come with Revel’s software.fee credit cards and debit cards (versuspremium or rewards-based cards),And for smaller restaurants, payingyou could end up paying much morefor features you won’t use comes atin credit card fees than necessary.cost. Of all the cloud restaurant POSsystems on the market, Revel’s monthlysoftware fees are on the higher end.Revel’s monthly software fees start at 99 per month for just one terminaland installation costs start at 649.For smaller restaurants with thinprofit margins, these high fees cansignificantly eat into monthly profits.26

PaymentsAs mentioned, Revel does support someother payment processing partnersin addition to its in-house paymentprocessing solution, Revel Advantage.Revel Advantage is structured accordingto a fixed rate pricing model, whichmeans that you pay 2.49%, plus 0.15 pertransaction – regardless of what type ofcard is used. On the one hand, a fixed ratepricing model means that your paymentprocessing rates will be more predictableand easier to budget. The tradeoff isthat you pay more on a per-transactionbasis than other pricing models.27

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsPricingRevelAt 99 per month for oneThe Best POS For:Multi-Unit QSR Chainsterminal, Revel’s monthlyWith some of the most robust andsoftware fees are higher thancustomizable POS features outmany other POS programsthere, Revel is an excellent optionfor restaurants. However, thisfor multi-unit establishments,higher cost does mean youespecially major QSR chains.get a bit more bang for yourUnlike other POS providers, Revelbuck as all of Revel’s plansoffers enterprise-level capabilitiescome with a robust suite ofsuch as an extensive third-partyPOS features, reporting andpartner network, an open API,analytics, 24/7 support, andstandardized hardware bundles,personalized onboarding.and even consultative services.Beyond its monthly softwarefees, it’s also important toaccount for the other costsof using Revel’s POS system,including installation fees,hardware, and the paymentprocessing fees for RevelAdvantage. While you may beable to offset some hardwarefees if you’re switching fromanother iPad-based POSsystem, Revel is still oneof the priciest restaurantPOS systems out there.28Of course, not every restaurantneeds the kind of bespoke POSsystem that Revel provides. Forindependent restaurants withone or just a few locations, theprice of Revel’s POS systemmay be too steep for featuresthat can’t or won’t be used.

Key TakeawaysRevelA hybrid POS system thatcontinues workingwithout the InternetRuns on an iOSoperating system andApple hardwareRobust, enterprise-levelPOS featuresHigh fees for integratedpayment processingBest for multi-unitbusinesses, such asmajor QSR chains29

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsStrengthsClover’s most unique feature, andperhaps its biggest strength, is its appClovermarketplace. Clover’s App Marketplace isOverviewdownload to customize your system. AsClover POS is a cloud-a result, you can build a bespoke POSbased POS system thatsolution made up of only the features youruns on an Androidneed to run your specific restaurant. Theoperating system andClover API is even available to developersproprietary hardware.if you want to build a custom feature.stocked with a wide variety of in-house,restaurant-specific apps, which you canUnlike other restaurantPOS systems, the CloverBecause Clover is essentially run onsystem is made up of aapps, it comes as no surprise that theseries of apps that cancompany supports a lengthy list of third-be downloaded to meetparty partners. This means that even ifthe needs of restaurants,Clover doesn’t offer an in-house solutionretailers, and otherfor a specific feature, there are plentysmall businesses.of third-party providers you can use.30

31

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsCloverWeaknessesWhile Clover’s unique app-basedCost is also an issue when it comes tosystem is a plus for many restaurants,Clover’s integrated payment processingit can also be a drawback. In manysolution. Clover was acquired by thecases, the free versions of the Cloverpayment processing company Fiservapps have very limited capabilities,(First Data), which means that Fiserv ismeaning you need to pay to accessthe only integrated payments solutionmore robust POS features – featuresyou’re able to use. Not only does thisthat generally come standard onmean you have less flexibility to useother POS systems. For restaurantsother payment processors, but Fiserv’sthat need many different featuresfees are also structured according to ato run their business, the cost of allfixed rate pricing model, which tendsthese apps can quickly add up.to be more expensive for restaurants.Finally, there’s the issue of the POSsystem itself. Unlike many otherrestaurant POS systems, Clover wasnot specifically designed for the needsof restaurants. Clover serves a widevariety of industries and places a heavyemphasis on its retail solutions. As aresult, Clover does not always havethe advanced features or capabilitiesto support growing restaurants.32

PaymentsAs mentioned, Fiserv is the onlyintegrated payments solution that youcan use with a Clover system. Thismeans you don’t have the option to shoparound for other payment processorswith better rates unless you want to usean unintegrated solution – a situationthat is less than ideal for restaurants.Fiserv’s fees are structured accordingto a fixed rate pricing model, whichmeans you pay a fixed rate pertransaction regardless of card type,processing volume, and other factors.The benefit to this model is that yourrates are predictable, but the downsideis that you pay more than you wouldwith a cost plus pricing model.33

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsPricingCloverrestaurant you operate, CloverThe Best POS For:Retail-FocusedRestaurant Conceptscan be a highly affordableWith its unique app ecosystem, CloverPOS solution. The company’sis one of the most flexible and versatileCounter-Service Restaurantsrestaurant POS systems. The uniquepackage starts at just 38.95set up allows restaurants to pick andper month for two systems,choose from a wide variety of apps,while its Table-Serviceincluding extensive retail and ecommerceRestaurant package starts atfunctions. As a result, Clover is well 69.95 per month.suited to restaurants that focus more onDepending on the type ofretail sales, and less on dine-in service.In addition to Clover’smonthly software fees, it’sWhile Clover’s app-based system isalso important to factor in theperfect for unique restaurant conceptscost of hardware. Clover useslooking for a bespoke POS solution,proprietary Android hardware,it’s less useful for more traditionalwhich means that you needrestaurants. QSRs and FSRs may findto invest in Clover’s hardwarethat many of Clover’s apps lack theupfront in order to use therobust capabilities of the core featuressystem. For restaurants that arefound on other restaurant POS systems.currently using Apple hardware,As a result, these kinds of venues maythis is a major consideration.quickly outgrow their Clover POS.34

Key TakeawaysCloverRuns on an Androidoperating system andproprietary hardwareUnique app ecosystemthat allows restaurateursto customize theirPOS systemIn-house POS solutionshave limited capabilitiesRequired to use Clover’sintegrated paymentprocessing solution, whichis structured according to afixed rate pricing modelBest for retail-focusedrestaurants concepts withless of an emphasis ondine-in service35

The Ultimate Guideto the Best Restaurant POS SystemsStrengthsOne of Lightspeed’s biggest strengths isthat the system runs on an iOS operatingsystem and uses Apple hardware. UnlikeAndroid, iOS is generally considered amore reliable and user-friendly operatingsystem because Apple owns both theLightspeedOverviewLightspeed is a popularall-in-one iPad-based POSsystem that’s used acrossCanada, the U.S., Mexico,and Europe. Unlike someother POS systems on themarket, Lightspeed

for restaurant people, by restaurant people. Used in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Mexico, and over 100 other countries, TouchBistro is one of the best restaurant POS systems for independent restaurants. It has even been featured as Gordon Ramsay's POS system of choice on the hit show Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back. TouchBistro .