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Choosing A POS System For Your Restaurant
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Written by: Hilary Young | Published: May 7th, 2024
Choosing the right Point-of-Sale (POS) system is one of the most important decisions you will make for your restaurant. The right POS will keep everything flowing and moving as it should, but the wrong choice will cost you time and money in the long run.
With so many different options on the market these days, it can be hard to figure out which POS systems will truly allow you to make smarter decisions for your business. That's why we've done the research for you; there's no need for you to spend hours combing reviews on the internet no matter your size or stage of business.
Why Use A POS System?
A POS, or Point-of-Sale, system is a major upgrade from the analog process of managing restaurant operations with pen and paper. More than just a digital cash register, a POS system has the ability to directly communicate orders from waitstaff to the kitchen, track inventory and improve daily operations by giving you access to important data that can help inform decision-making.
But finding the right POS system for your restaurant is another story.
What To Consider Before Investing In A POS System For Your Restaurant
Not all POS systems were created equal. Depending on your type of restaurant, size, and the kind of integrations you need, your choice of POS system will vary.
For example, food trucks, quick service restaurants and coffee shops don’t have much of a need for a complicated system including multiple handheld devices but dine-in restaurants that get busy during peak hours would benefit from having more robust options.
Or, for chain restaurants or restaurant groups with multiple locations to manage, considering a more customizable POS solution with a centralized dashboard for easy access to important data could be ideal.
VETTED AND APPROVED BY BACK OF HOUSE EXPERTS
Our Top Picks
Feeling overwhelmed by all the options out there? We’ve got you covered. Our team of experts have identified their top choices for website builders for you. As you review, pay close attention to more than just price–from the level of your own involvement in the process to the other types of integrations that work well with each platform, it’s important to take your restaurant needs into careful consideration before making an investment.
Any paid partnerships have no influence on our evaluations and suggestions. All our opinions are our own.
GREAT ALL-AROUND SYSTEM FOR SMALL & MEDIUM BUSINESSES
Toast’s straightforward interface, array of features, and seamless integration with apps for staff management make it an ideal choice for restaurants wanting an established POS system. It’s easy to use and allows you to scale with one POS provider.
Payment Processing
Offline Capabilities
Available
Setup
Online Ordering
Available
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Features
- Handhelds and contactless ordering
- Payroll and team management solutions
- Collect valuable data for marketing and loyalty programs
- Customized interface and integrations
- Robust reporting
- Continue service during a network disruption with offline mode
Payment Processing
Toast will work with you to build a custom payment processing rate that fits your restaurant's unique characteristics and needs. Their hardware and software is equipped with technology to help you prevent fraud and protect your and your customers’ data.
Integrations
Toast offers integrations with almost 90 of the most-used restaurant software solutions for scheduling, accounting payroll, inventory, and delivery. You can explore all Toast integrations to see for yourself.
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Support
Toast offers 24/7 support for all of their restaurant partners, so you can call them at any time to troubleshoot a problem. You can choose between self-service onboarding or onsite + remote onboarding with a dedicated consultant to get started. They also have an online Customer Care center with articles, walkthroughs, system updates, and relevant news to stay up-to-date.
GREAT FOR HOTEL & NON-COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS
Up to 50% off hardware
Lightspeed’s flexibility, non-proprietary hardware, and ability to see across multiple touchpoints make it a solid choice if you’re managing multiple restaurant locations.
Payment Processing
Offline Capabilities
Available
Setup
Online Ordering
Available
Features
- Offline mode
- Data for multiple locations from one touchpoint
- Informative insights about your menu and staff performance
- Configure screens/menus/floor plans/inventory
to improve your workflow - QR code capabilities
- Create customer profiles for guests
- Launch personalized deals and promos based on customer behavior
Payment Processing
Lightspeed has a flat rate for integrated payment processing if you’re using the “Starter” or “Essential” packages: 2.6% + 10 cents per transaction. For those with a “Premium” or “Enterprise” package, custom rates are available.
Integrations
Lightspeed has 25 integrations for their Restaurant (U Series) POS. You can check out the full list of integrations by software type on their website.
Support
“Essential” and “Premium” plans receive personalized, 24/7 customer support. They’ll help you set up your menu and hardware during a 1:1 onboarding session.
GREAT ADD-ONS & INTEGRATIONS
Up to $1000 off
SpotOn is a POS company first, with a large suite of a-la-carte solutions and adaptable hardware that gives restaurants flexibility in their operations.
Payment Processing
Offline Capabilities
Available
Setup
Online Ordering
Available
Features
- Offline mode
- Easily integrate with 30+ partners
- Digital waitlist and reservations
- Reporting
- QR code capabilities
- Market research capabilities
- Seamless transitions with 4G LTE connectivity
- Online ordering
- Labor management
- 90 fully interactive reports
- Custom website builds
Payment Processing
SpotOn’s standard payment processing rate is 1.99% + 25 cents per transaction. For Reward, international, corporate, and keyed-in cards, the rate is 2.99% + 25 cents per transaction. You can also talk through custom rates with the SpotOn team, and month-to-month contracts mean you aren’t locked in for multiple years and stuck with rate increases.
Integrations
SpotOn has 30+ integration partners that enable online ordering, digital waitlists and reservations, staff management, and reporting. You can check out all of the integration partners on SpotOn’s website.
Support
SpotOn offers white glove support, 24/7 support, in-person hardware installation, face-to-face staff training, ongoing virtual training, and support for staff and management.
GREAT FOR MOBILE OR COUNTER SERVICE
Try Square for Free
Square’s straightforward, powerful interface, detailed and organized onboarding, and low setup costs make it a fantastic choice for cafes, food trucks, and smaller, simpler operations looking to get started with a POS system.
Payment Processing
Offline Capabilities
Available
Setup
Online Ordering
Available
Features
- Server-friendly interface
- Mobile POS kit
- Floor and kitchen management tools
- Optimize your menu, view live sales, and get
service reports - Menu and online ordering customization options
- Sync orders from anywhere
- Live reporting functionality
- Compatible with iPad and industry kitchen printers, receipt printers, cash drawers & routers
Payment Processing
Square uses PCI compliant hardware, end-to-end encryption for payments, and fraud prevention software. They have transparent, set processing fees that apply to each transaction. The processing rate varies depending on the type of transaction.
Integrations
Square’s nearly 40 integrations include management solutions for restaurant operations, delivery and ordering, items and inventory, and accounting and tax. Learn how you can be more efficient and attract customers by exploring their full list of integrations.
Support
Square gives you plenty of detailed guides to get started with their POS system, or you can enlist 1:1 setup services (in-person or remote) starting at $1,399. For restaurants using the “Free” tier services, customer support is available M-F 6:00am-6:00pm PT. Those in the “Plus” tier have access to 24/7 support via phone or email.
