Top 7 Restaurant POS Solutions for Small Businesses in 2025

What are the Top Restaurant POS Systems?

1. Square.

Key Features:

• Create a free custom website for online orders.
• Use QR codes for online ordering, reservations, and meal deliveries.
• Integrate all aspects of your business to save time and improve efficiency.
• Accept payments, coordinate deliveries, and prepare orders to serve more customers.

Pricing

2. Toast.

Key Features:

• Manage multiple locations efficiently with Toast Multi-Location Management, streamlining your business across various outlets.
• Built-in payroll and team management features make staff training and scheduling straightforward, helping you maintain the service standards you desire.
• The affordable, cloud-based Toast POS Reporting and Analytics system supplies practical insights, empowering you to run your restaurant more effectively.
• Data-driven decision-making allows you to identify opportunities, boost customer satisfaction, and improve your profitability.

Pricing

• Pay as You Go: Free entry-level plan with flexible billing options.
• Essentials: Starting at $165 per month for basic features.
• Growth: Beginning at $272 per month, offering advanced functionality for scaling businesses.

3. Revel POS

Key Features:

• Includes on-screen division of station-specific operations to streamline workflow.

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To prepare your restaurant for success, you can streamline your processes to ensure nothing gets overlooked. Revel’s powerful reporting tools make it easy to monitor where your income is coming from and identify areas that need improvement. Having accurate insights into staff performance, inventory levels, and busy hours helps you cut costs and reduce waste. With Revel’s comprehensive restaurant management system, you can oversee one or multiple locations from any computer worldwide.

Pricing details on their website include three main components:
– Initial POS Software Fee: $99 per month per terminal
– Processing Fee: a flat rate
– Implementation Fee: onboarding starting at $674

For a personalized quote tailored to your business needs, it’s best to contact Revel directly.

Lightspeed Restaurant is designed to deliver an outstanding customer experience. With this system, diners can order by scanning a QR code, allowing them to manage their dine-in experience without waiting for a traditional menu. The system integrates with social media platforms, enabling you to connect with customers where they spend most of their time. It also offers digital menus and contactless payments directly at the table—which provide a secure environment thanks to end-to-end encryption and multi-layered security measures.

With fewer staff needed, your restaurant can boost sales and efficiency by letting guests place orders and make payments via their phones. Lightspeed supports modern hospitality features like contactless, tableside ordering, payments, delivery services, and even integration with your eCommerce platform.

Key features include:
– Customizable menus to meet customer preferences
– Flexibility to handle last-minute reservations and special requests
– Fair tip distribution for staff
– Advanced performance and revenue analysis through detailed reports

Their pricing starts at $59 per month when billed annually, with the option to add multiple registers for just $34 each month. Additional features can be included through:
– Add-ons: $12/month
– Premium Add-ons: $39/month

These options allow your system to grow alongside your restaurant’s needs.

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Let me know if you want me to focus on specific sections or further simplify certain parts!Lightspeed Restaurant.

5. TouchBistro POS.

This system is ideal for restaurants looking to leverage modern technology for improved efficiency.



TouchBistro is an all-in-one POS solution designed specifically for restaurants, enabling you to streamline operations, boost sales, and enhance customer satisfaction. The platform can be customized with optional add-ons to expand its core functionalities, providing a comprehensive system that helps you manage more efficiently. By reducing waste, increasing revenues, and delivering exceptional service, you can grow your business with ease. The POS system also features tools for tracking staff shifts, allowing for better scheduling, and sending order updates directly to the kitchen to ensure smooth service. Integrating all your restaurant technology into one system helps you operate more seamlessly and effectively.

Key Features:

• Intuitive tools and detailed reports help you control costs, minimize food waste, improve communication between front and back of house, and enhance staff performance.
• TouchBistro Loyalty offers advanced loyalty features designed to help independent restaurants increase repeat business.
• An integrated overview of your POS, kitchen, and bar allows easy operation management and order adjustments.
• The loyalty module helps you maintain control over customer relationships and revenue streams.

Pricing



Starting at $69 a month, TouchBistro provides essential management features to operate your restaurant efficiently. Additional functionalities are available via add-ons, including:

• Reservations: $229/month
• Online ordering: $50/month
• Gift cards: $25/month
• Loyalty programs: $99/month
• Self-service kiosks: $69/month
• Digital Menu Boards: $20/month

Get started with TouchBistro.

6. Epos Now.

This platform is perfect for restaurant owners who need to manage their business from any location.



Epos Now allows you to adapt, attract new customers, and grow profits while offering a user-friendly interface and simple setup process. Even those unfamiliar with complex systems can quickly get started, onboard staff, and begin managing their restaurant efficiently.This means you can focus more on training your staff rather than troubleshooting software problems.

Epos Now partners with leading brands in the restaurant sector, ensuring that it has already addressed major challenges successfully.

You can access important business insights from any device, anywhere, allowing you to easily see what’s working well and what needs improvement.

Epos Now also offers multiple payment options, including secure contactless methods that are simple to implement.

Since it operates in the cloud, Epos Now can easily scale with your business, helping you grow without requiring major system overhauls.

Key Features:
– Access real-time data on staff, customers, sales forecasts, profit margins, and more to support quick decision-making.
– Its scalability allows your business to expand seamlessly without altering your existing operations.
– Integration with various apps, such as payment processors and accounting software, either alone or combined.
– Enhance sales with features like mobile ordering, pickup options, website integration, and delivery services.

Pricing:
Epos Now offers three pricing plans, some with lifetime payment options. Their pricing options include:
– Handheld System: No initial cost with a $44/month fee, or a $189 upfront payment plus $24 monthly.
– Complete System: $449 upfront or $39 monthly.
– Tablet System: $599.

Clover:
Ideal for managing a restaurant from a single device, Clover simplifies customer interactions and helps build loyalty. Its connection to your POS system allows you to monitor all store activities.

Whether you run a takeout business, several coffee shops, or a fine dining restaurant, Clover ensures customer transactions are safe and secure.

Customers can place orders, track their deliveries, and pay bills using the Clover POS. It can be used as a standalone device or integrated into your existing Clover system to streamline daily operations.

Clover applies consistent low rates to all card payments, including AMEX and rewards cards, avoiding extra fees and simplifying payment processing.

Key Features:
– The Clover POS system makes running your business easier by enabling order taking, payment processing, and inventory management through a sleek, all-in-one interface.
– Organize your product offerings while nurturing customer relationships by gathering feedback and making adjustments for growth.
– Use Clover’s analytics tools to gain real-time insights into revenue and sales trends.
– Supports credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, and contactless payments, functioning either as a complete POS or a stand-alone payment method.

Pricing:
Clover’s pricing details require direct contact with their sales team, as costs vary depending on the specific products and services chosen.

What is a Restaurant POS System?
A restaurant POS system helps eateries take orders, manage kitchen workflows efficiently, and handle payments smoothly. This setup is especially vital for quick-service restaurants, where fast order processing and timely service are essential.









Why Choosing the Right Restaurant POS System Matters

With numerous options available today, understanding the key benefits and features to look for can make your decision easier when selecting a POS system for your restaurant. An effective system helps streamline operations, manage customer preferences efficiently, and foster positive relations with your patrons.

Streamlined Inventory Control

By utilizing advanced inventory management features, you can always stay on top of your stock levels—monitoring ingredients and dishes, preventing shortages, and planning future purchases accurately. Better inventory oversight enables smarter decision-making, reducing waste and optimizing the number of meals prepared by tracking sales trends in real-time on your mobile device or computer through an internet-connected POS. If a product is particularly popular, you may even be able to adjust your stock before it runs out.

Simplified Payment Processing

Automated payment systems eliminate manual data entry, reducing errors and increasing efficiency. They also enhance safety; card readers are more secure than handling large amounts of cash. When choosing a POS provider, look for one offering competitive transaction rates, so your costs remain manageable. Many systems only pass along service fees, ensuring transparency and affordability.

Enhanced Customer Service

Modern POS technology allows you to automate tasks that improve the customer experience. You can implement special offers, discounts, and promotions effortlessly—even during busy times. Delivering exemplary service supported by advanced features can attract more repeat customers and encourage positive reviews.

Easy Menu Management and Updates

As your cuisine evolves, updating your menu swiftly keeps customers happy and eliminates frustration from outdated options. Cloud-based POS systems enable you to modify menu items across all terminals instantly, ensuring consistency and reducing manual effort. This seamless updating process keeps your staff aligned and allows quick adaptation to culinary trends.

Efficient Employee Management and Communication

Today’s POS solutions facilitate better management of employee tasks, assignments, and internal communication. You can assign tasks directly through the system, monitor performance in real-time, and promptly identify areas needing improvement. As your business grows, a flexible POS system can scale with you, handling increased transactions and users without lagging or failure, ensuring smooth operations at all times.

Effective Table and Reservation Management

Advanced POS systems simplify managing reservations, seating plans, and customer details. Staff can access the latest floor plans and customer preferences from their devices, reducing confusion and increasing efficiency. Mobile POS tools enable servers to take orders or make adjustments without returning to the register, allowing more focus on delivering excellent service.

The Risks of an Inadequate Restaurant POS System

Choosing the wrong POS system can lead to significant issues that hinder your restaurant’s growth and customer satisfaction. Understanding these risks helps prevent costly mistakes.

Poor Scalability

A basic POS might seem sufficient initially, but as your restaurant expands—adding more staff, locations, or services—the system may become restrictive. An inflexible POS can hamper your ability to adapt to increased demand, handling larger orders, staff, and customer data smoothly. Without a scalable solution, you’ll face operational bottlenecks and potential disruptions as your business grows.

Subpar Customer Support

An inadequate POS system may lack reliable support, leaving you stranded when issues arise. Slow or unresponsive customer service can lead to downtime, delays, and frustrated staff and customers. To ensure smooth daily operations, choose a system with prompt, effective support that can assist you quickly when needed.Are you prepared to react promptly to issues? What happens during busy peak hours when problems arise? Resolving everything could take a long time, causing disruptions and delays.

By choosing a system that effectively manages both hardware and software aspects, you won’t have to worry about these hiccups. Support is available around the clock, ensuring that any problems are fixed quickly—often within moments rather than hours or days.

Difficulties with paying staff can quickly lead to bigger issues. If employees aren’t paid correctly or on time, motivation drops, and attendance may decline. Poor communication with customers can cause long queues and slow service during downtime, further discouraging staff. Additionally, if your POS system isn’t capable of handling scheduling and payment issues, managing payroll discrepancies becomes complicated. A system that can’t manage basic tasks will struggle with more complex ones like resolving pay disputes.

Many restaurants and cafés expand over time, opening new locations across different areas or countries. Managing multiple branches can become challenging if your POS system doesn’t integrate seamlessly across all outlets. For example, without the ability to connect via mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones, inventory management becomes problematic. To oversee stock levels in real time across all locations, you need a robust POS system that offers comprehensive features like inventory tracking with just a press of a button. It should work flawlessly across all branches, regardless of their location or size, so staff can keep inventory and ordering processes running smoothly without sacrificing service quality.

Protecting customer credit card information is crucial. Ensuring that all hardware is encrypted and software is trusted significantly reduces the risk of data breaches. Leveraging customer loyalty programs and discount cards helps in tracking purchasing behaviors, which builds trust. When customers feel they’re rewarded or valued, they’re more comfortable sharing sensitive details like credit card info, knowing their data is secure.

Training staff can often be a lengthy process, especially with complex systems. One of the advantages of restaurant iPad POS systems is their quick deployment—getting your operation up and running almost immediately. For staff to manage everything without needing extensive manuals, the system must be user-friendly, offering control and options accessible at all times. When your business requires multiple devices, custom-developed solutions may be preferable to off-the-shelf software, as they can streamline setup, training, and integration with tools like barcode scanners and receipt printers.

Accepting card payments efficiently is vital in today’s market. If EFTPOS or credit card processing is problematic, it must be addressed quickly. Customers may choose competitors if their transactions don’t go smoothly, leading to lost business. Offering multiple payment options — cash, credit, mobile payments, etc. — gives your establishment a competitive edge. Customers tend to prefer flexibility, and failing to provide it could mean losing potential sales to more adaptable venues.

In conclusion, avoid opting for the cheapest POS solutions, as they often lead to higher costs down the line due to repairs, updates, and replacements. The ideal system should be feature-rich, capable of replacing multiple tools, and include all the functionalities needed to satisfy customer expectations.

Currently, some of the top restaurant POS systems include:
– Square: Great for those wanting to lead innovation in the restaurant industry
– Toast: Designed to enhance productivity in your restaurant environment
– Revel POS: Ideal if you operate multiple revenue streams within your business

Choosing the right system ensures your operations run smoothly and consistently. Which POS system appeals most to you and why? Share your thoughts in the comments!

If you’re planning to start a restaurant and need advice on selecting the best business credit card, check out this guide on the top business credit cards for 2025.