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Best POS Systems For Restaurants

These restaurant POS systems are all easy to use, priced well, and built with all the tools you need to run your restaurant efficiently.

    Nicolette Kier
  • Last updated onUpdated

  • Matt Sherman
  • REVIEWED BY

    Matt Sherman

    Lead Staff Writer

Our content reflects the editorial opinions of our experts. While our site makes money through referral partnerships, we only partner with companies that meet our standards for quality, as outlined in our independent rating and scoring system.

Restaurant POS systems help business owners take orders, accept payments, create menus, manage inventory, and generate sales reports. The best restaurant POS systems have online ordering capabilities, a loyalty program builder, advanced inventory and menu management, offline payment acceptance, and several software integrations.

We reviewed several of the best POS systems for restaurants based on pricing, ease of use, restaurant POS hardware options, and niche features to help you find the system for your business. Keep on reading to find out more about our top choices.

Learn More About Our Top Picks

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  • Best low-cost restaurant POS
  • $0-$60+/month
  • Monthly contracts, no early termination fee
  • Best low-cost restaurant POS
  • $0-$60+/month
  • Monthly contracts, no early termination fee

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  • Best built-in reservation and catering software
  • $69-$399+/month
  • Custom contracts, early termination fee
  • Best built-in reservation and catering software
  • $69-$399+/month
  • Custom contracts, early termination fee

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  • Easiest to customize software, hardware, and payment processing
  • $44.95-$84.95+/month
  • Custom contracts
  • Easiest to customize software, hardware, and payment processing
  • $44.95-$84.95+/month
  • Custom contracts

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  • Best for fast casual restaurants & hotels
  • $189-$399+/month
  • Monthly/custom contracts, early termination fee
  • Best for fast casual restaurants & hotels
  • $189-$399+/month
  • Monthly/custom contracts, early termination fee

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  • Best for large multi-section restaurants
  • $0-$69+/month
  • Standard two-year contract, early termination fee
  • Best for large multi-section restaurants
  • $0-$69+/month
  • Standard two-year contract, early termination fee

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  • Best for large restaurants, franchises, and drive-thrus
  • $198+/month
  • Two-year standard contract, early termination fee
  • Best for large restaurants, franchises, and drive-thrus
  • $198+/month
  • Two-year standard contract, early termination fee

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  • Best budget POS for full-service restaurants
  • $0-$99/month
  • Monthly/annual contracts, no termination fee
  • Best budget POS for full-service restaurants
  • $0-$99/month
  • Monthly/annual contracts, no termination fee

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Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

7 Best POS Systems For Restaurants In 2024

Restaurant POS Systems Comparison

PricingOnline OrderingLoyalty ProgramFree Trial
Square For Restaurants$0-$60+/monthFree$35+/month
TouchBistro$69-$399+/month$50/month$50/month
Clover POS$54.95-$84.95+/month$0+$0+
Lightspeed Restaurant$189-$399+/monthEssential plan+$0
Toast POS$0-$69+/month$0-$75/month$0-$50/month
Revel POSCustomCustomCustom
talech POS$29-$99+/month$0-$49/monthStandard plan+

Square For Restaurants: Best Low-Cost Restaurant POS

Square For Restaurants

Total Rating 4.8
Pricing4.8

Ease Of Use4.9

Features4.9

Customer Service4.6

User Reviews4.5

Pricing

Contract

Hardware Cost

Get a free card swiper from Square at no cost when you create a free account. Claim your card reader.

Pros

  • Free POS software plan
  • Free online ordering for pickup/delivery
  • Unlimited POS devices on free plan
  • Affordable hardware options

Cons

  • No perishable inventory management
  • No built-in reservation management
  • No built-in self-serve kiosk software available

Why We Picked Square For Restaurants As The Best Low-Cost Option

Square POS hardware iPad stand

Square tablet POS iPad stand with a built-in card reader. (Source: Square)

Square is one of the best low-cost restaurant POS systems, earning a 4.8/5 pricing score. The company offers the best free restaurant POS system due to its free POS software, free online ordering site for takeout and delivery, and unlimited number of POS devices allowed.

The paid Square plan is highly affordable and includes a 30-day free trial, unlimited kitchen display systems, advanced employee management, and more inventory management features. Plus, the company offers affordable POS hardware with no-interest financing.

Pricing

Square For Restaurants Plans Price  When To Use
Free $0/month Use if you need the basics in restaurant POS software plus simple processing
Plus $60/month/location Use if you need advanced inventory and 24/7 customer service
Premium $165/month Use if you process more than $250,000 a year

Additional Square fees include:

  • Payment Processing: 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person payments; 2.9% + $0.30 for online payments
  • POS Hardware: Ranging from $59 (Square card reader) to $1,089 (full Square Restaurant Station)
  • Additional POS Devices: $40/device/month (only applicable on the Square Plus plan)
  • Kitchen Display System: $20/device/month (only applicable on free plan; unlimited free KDS on paid plan)
  • Gift Card Transaction Fee: 2.75% of gift card sale amount
  • Delivery Fee: $0.50 for in-house delivery management; $1.50 for delivery through DoorDash Drive

Related: Read our Square POS hardware guide to learn more about the hardware and financing options Square offers.

Features

Square For Restaurants Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty Add-on
Marketing Tools Add-on
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Square earned a 4.9/5 feature score because it has almost every restaurant management feature built into the software and third-party integrations for niche restaurant needs.

Square’s best features include:

  • Free customizable online ordering platform for pickup and delivery orders
  • Link your Square site to your Google Business profile so customers can order when they find your restaurant in search results
  • Delivery through your own fleet or Square partnership with DoorDash Drive
  • Third-party delivery service integrations
  • Kitchen display and expo software to manage orders
  • Automated inventory tracking
  • Auto-86 items/modifiers when an ingredient runs out
  • Start a loyalty program with Square Loyalty (great for coffee shops)
  • Free team management (up to five team members)

Related: Compare Square to our other choices for the best coffee shop POS systems.

Who Should Use Square For Restaurants

  • Restaurants and cafes looking for free POS software
  • Businesses that need low-cost POS hardware
  • Restaurants looking for a free online ordering platform

Get Started With Square For Restaurants

Read our in-depth review

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TouchBistro: Best For Reservations & Catering

Total Rating 4.3
Pricing4.0

Ease Of Use4.6

Features4.9

Customer Service3.9

User Reviews4.1

Pricing

$69/month plus add-ons

Contract

None but one-year requirement may be needed for lower processing rate

Equipment Cost

Custom bundles available

Pros

  • Excellent in-house reservation and waitlist system
  • Offline mode with locally-installed software
  • Upsells and recommendations for servers
  • Best pricing for large staff numbers

Cons

  • Add-ons can get pricey
  • Not many third-party software integrations
  • Early termination fee

Why We Picked TouchBistro For Reservations & Catering

TouchBistro restaurant POS waitlist/reservation settings

TouchBistro restaurant POS waitlist/reservation settings. (Source: TouchBistro)

We picked TouchBistro for managing waitlists, reservations, and catering orders because the company includes built-in waitlist and reservation software, catering order and delivery settings, and an offline mode so caterers can sell on-location. The company earns a 4.9/5 feature score because of these built-in niche features, so most restaurants will find what they need without paying for third-party software integrations.

Pricing

TouchBistro earns a 4.0/5 pricing score, mostly because the company does not offer a free trial and charges an early termination fee for canceling contracts.

TouchBistro fees include:

  • POS Software Plan: Ranging from $69/month (one software license) to $399/month (unlimited software licenses)
  • Payment Processing: Custom; depends on your chosen payment processor
  • Online Ordering: $50/month
  • Reservations & Waitlist: $229/month
  • Loyalty Program: $50/month
  • Gift Cards: $25/month
  • Marketing: $99/month
  • Kitchen Display Systems: $19/device/month
  • Setup Fee: $200

Expert Tip: While TouchBistro reservation and waitlist management is a high monthly fee, there are no per-cover fees like other third-party reservation and waitlist software charges, which may save you money in the long run.

Features

TouchBistro Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards Add-on
Customer Loyalty Add-on
Marketing Tools Add-on
Online Ordering Add-on
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

TouchBistro’s standout features include:

  • Accept reservations from a branded web app, your Google Business profile, and over the phone
  • Send reminder emails and phone messages about upcoming reservations
  • Floor plans made for managing reservations
  • Custom reservation questions/requirements (list any allergies, whether children are coming, etc.)
  • Customers can add themselves to your restaurant’s waitlist
  • Send customers text updates about their waitlist status
  • Customer accounts for charging one-time or recurring catering services
  • Charge more depending on catering order delivery distance to account for gas usage
  • Schedule catering orders in advance
  • Create automated upselling prompts for servers
  • Offline mode to sell food, drinks, or retail items on-location

Related: Compare TouchBistro to our other best food truck POS systems.

Who Should Use TouchBistro

  • Restaurants looking for built-in reservation and waitlist software
  • Restaurants and food trucks offering catering
  • Restaurants with a large staff

Get Started With TouchBistro

Read our in-depth review

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Clover POS: Best Payment Processing Options

Total Rating 4.3
Pricing4.0

Ease Of Use4.8

Features4.5

Customer Service4.4

User Reviews4.1

Pricing

Contract

Hardware Cost

Pros

  • Potential for very cost-effective payment processing rates
  • Full-service and quick-service software plans are available
  • Free online ordering module
  • Loyalty program included

Cons

  • Potential for bad contract terms
  • Not all Clover sellers are reputable
  • Hardware can get expensive

Why We Picked Clover POS For Payment Processing Options

Clover online ordering platform on laptop and smartphone

Clover online ordering platform on a laptop and smartphone. (Source: Clover)

We like that Clover offers several POS hardware, software, and payment processing options for restaurant owners. Many merchant services providers sell Clover software and hardware and give you the best payment processing rates for your business. Clover also offers a free basic loyalty program, a free online ordering module, and free/low-cost POS integrations, making Clover a more affordable POS option in terms of monthly software fees.

Expert Tip: Choose one of our best Clover merchant services providers to get your business the best contract terms and payment processing rates.

Pricing

Clover POS Plans Price  When To Use
Clover Payments $0/month If you only need to process payments and don’t need any POS hardware
Clover Essentials $14.95/month If you have a small retail/service-based business and don’t take returns
Clover Retail Growth $84.95/month If you have a small to mid-size retail/service-based business and need more POS features
Clover Counter Service Restaurant $54.95/month If you have a quick-serve restaurant, cafeteria, or mobile food service business
Clover Table Service Restaurant $84.95/month If you have a full-service restaurant or bar

Additional Clover fees include:

  • Payment Processing: Depends on your merchant services provider
  • POS Hardware: Ranges from $599 (Clover Flex handheld restaurant POS) to $1,799 (Clover Station Duo)
  • Kitchen Display System Software: $25/device/month
  • Clover Integrations: $0-$400/month depending on integration from the Clover App Market

Clover earned a 4.0/5 pricing score overall. We awarded points because Clover charges no added fees for using a third-party payment processor. The system lost points because there is no free trial and Clover POS hardware is more expensive than many competitors.

Expert Tip: Many Clover resellers offer POS hardware leasing. You typically pay more over time with hardware leasing than if you purchase the hardware. We recommend getting a small business loan or line of credit to pay for your hardware if necessary.

Features

Clover POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support Unknown
Contactless Payments Unknown
Multi-Channel Selling Unknown
Gift Cards Unknown
Customer Loyalty Unknown
Marketing Tools Unknown
Online Ordering Unknown
Inventory Management Unknown
Reporting Unknown
Menu Management Unknown
Delivery Management Unknown
EBT Acceptance Unknown
Employee Management Unknown
Text Messaging Unknown

Based on our research, Clover earned a 4.5/5 feature score. The best Clover features include:

  • Integration with several third-party payment processors
  • Free basic loyalty program
  • Free online ordering module for pickup and delivery orders
  • Integration with your Google Business profile
  • Large app market for POS integrations
  • Strong floor planning features
  • Integration with third-party delivery platforms
  • Scan-to-order and scan-to-pay QR code setup
  • Shift management
  • Cost tracking by item
  • Kitchen display system software available

Related: Compare the free Clover ordering module with our other best online ordering platforms.

Who Should Use Clover

  • Restaurants looking for a custom payment processing rate for no added fee
  • Restaurants and cafes that want well-designed POS hardware
  • Restaurants looking for a basic free loyalty program and online ordering
  • Businesses looking for a POS system with many popular integrations

Get Started With Clover POS

Read our in-depth review

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Lightspeed Restaurant: Best For Fast Casual Restaurants & Hotels

Lightspeed Restaurant

Total Rating 4.0
Pricing3.1

Ease Of Use3.8

Features5.0

Customer Service4.3

User Reviews4.7



Pros

  • Free loyalty program
  • In-depth ingredient management
  • Several integrations, including hotel management
  • Built-in self-serve kiosk software

Cons

  • Early termination fee
  • Add-ons can get expensive

Why We Picked Lightspeed Restaurant For Fast Casual Restaurants & Hotels

Lightspeed Restaurant tablet ordering system

Lightspeed Restaurant self-ordering menu for customers to order with a tablet stationed at their table or a standing kiosk.

We picked Lightspeed Restaurant for fast casual restaurants because it has a free loyalty program on all plans, strong inventory management features, buildable menus for selling items like burritos and salads, self-serve kiosks to reduce lines, strong kitchen display system software, and a quick-serve POS interface.

We also like Lightspeed for hotels because the POS system integrates with several hotel management software products, includes hotel revenue management functions, and allows guests to order from their room, the pool, at the bar, or anywhere in your hotel.

Pricing

Lightspeed Restaurant Plans Price  When To Use
Essential $189/month Restaurants with one or more locations looking for online ordering capabilities
Premium $399/month Larger restaurants & hotels looking for custom payment processing rates

Additional Lightspeed Restaurant fees include:

  • Payment Processing: 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person orders; 2.9% + $0.30 for online orders
  • POS Hardware: $129-$519
  • Third-Party Online Order Management: $119-$249+/month (Deliverect) or $89-$219+/month (Otter integration)
  • Kitchen Display System Software: Custom pricing

We awarded Lightspeed Restaurant a 3.1/5 pricing score. The POS system earned points because you can use your own iPads as POS hardware, but lost points because the system has no free trial and an early termination fee.

Features

Lightspeed Restaurant earns a perfect 5/5 feature score because the software offers several built-in features and integrations, including integrations for hotel management.

Lightspeed’s best fast casual restaurant features include:

  • Free loyalty program on all plans
  • Forced and optional modifiers and add-ons (free and paid options)
  • Display nutritional information and allergens (or lack thereof) on every menu item
  • Automated inventory management
  • Alerts that trigger purchase orders when you run out of menu items
  • Convert an iPad register to a standing kiosk or tableside ordering tablet
  • Manage in-house deliveries and third-party delivery services
  • Manage all order types on iPad kitchen display screens
  • Order pickup screen to display takeout and delivery order status

Lightspeed’s best hotel management features include:

  • StayNTouch, Mews, and WebRezPro hotel integrations
  • Hotel bar management
  • Guests can order from their room, the pool, or a table with QR codes
  • Create different menus for dine-in, room service, and poolside service
  • Hotel revenue management

Related: Compare Lightspeed Restaurant to our other best kitchen display systems.

Who Should Use Lightspeed Restaurant

  • Fast casual restaurants selling buildable items
  • Hotels and inns with restaurants
  • Restaurants looking for built-in self-serve kiosk software
  • Restaurants and cafes with a free loyalty program

Get Started With Lightspeed Restaurant

Read our in-depth review

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Toast POS: Best For Large Multi-Section Restaurants

Total Rating 4.0
Pricing2.6

Ease Of Use4.7

Features5.0

Customer Service5.0

User Reviews4.1

Pricing

Contract

Hardware cost

Pros

  • Excellent seat, table, and tip management
  • Strong kitchen display systems
  • Durable heat-resistant and spill-proof hardware
  • Excellent loyalty program

Cons

  • A long-term commitment with early cancellation fees
  • High transaction fees for online orders
  • Proprietary hardware is more expensive

Why We Picked Toast POS For Large Multi-Section Restaurants

Toast online ordering on smartphone, Toast admin dashboard on PC, Toast KDS, Toast Go 2 handheld POS, Toast countertop POS

Toast online ordering on smartphone, Toast admin dashboard on PC, Toast KDS, Toast Go 2 handheld POS, Toast countertop POS. (Source: Toast)

We chose Toast for large multi-section restaurants because the POS software offers several floor planning, order coursing, seat and table management, tipping, and menu management. The software also has great customer management features like a strong loyalty program and gift card features.

There are also several Toast POS hardware options, including the Toast Go 2 handheld restaurant POS system, which provides servers with excellent tableside order management capabilities.

Pricing

Toast POS Plans Price  When To Use
Quick Start Bundle $0/month You have a small, single-location restaurant with basic feature needs
Core $69/month You need a full point of sale suite with processing and custom hardware
Custom Custom Larger businesses looking to access the entirety of Toast’s features

The above plans are for Toast’s base POS software, menu, and inventory management features.

Additional Toast fees include:

  • Digital Ordering: $75/month
  • DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats Integration Bundle: $75/month/location
  • Toast-Powered Delivery Services: $7.49 per order ($9.49 in California)
  • Kitchen Display System Software: $35/screen/month
  • Loyalty: $50/month
  • Gift Cards: $50/month
  • Payment Processing Fees: 2.49%-3.69% + $0.15
  • POS Hardware: Ranging from $799.20 (handheld restaurant POS) to $1,034.10 (Toast self-serve kiosk)

We only awarded Toast a 2.6/5 price score because software add-ons and payment processing fees are often more expensive than competitors. Toast also charges an early termination fee.

Expert Tip: You can get your POS, online ordering, third-party delivery management, gift card, and loyalty program builder for free if you agree to a higher per-order payment processing fee (3.39% + $0.15) and only need one or two POS terminals. However, the per-order fee may cost more than the monthly fees in the long run, so switch to at least the $69/month plan as soon as possible.

Features

Toast POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

We awarded Toast a perfect 5/5 feature score because the company offers strong POS features and a suite of products that restaurant owners can use to build an all-in-one restaurant management solution.

Toast’s best multi-section restaurant features include:

  • Floor plans for each section of your restaurant
  • Move guests from a bar section to tables
  • Split checks by item, seat, and dollar amount
  • Kitchen display systems with routing to different kitchen stations and the bar section
  • Expo screens for bar, indoor, and outdoor sections
  • Tableside order hold, firing, and payments with Toast Go 2 handheld POS device

Related: Compare the Toast Go 2 with the rest of our best handheld restaurant POS systems.

Toast’s best general restaurant add-ons include a fantastic POS loyalty program, a customizable gift card program, multi-location management, and strong reporting/invoicing software.

Who Should Use Toast POS

  • Restaurants with multiple sections (bar, outdoor, etc.)
  • Businesses looking for an all-in-one restaurant management solution
  • Restaurants looking for durable spill-resistant hardware
  • Restaurants looking for strong loyalty and gift card management features

Get Started With Toast POS

Read our in-depth review

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Revel POS: Best For Large Multi-Location Restaurants, Franchises, & Drive-Thrus

Total Rating 3.9
Pricing3.6

Ease Of Use3.9

Features4.3

Customer Service4.2

User Reviews3.8

Pricing

Contract

Three-year commitment for best rates

Equipment cost

Pros

  • Highly customizable
  • Full offline functionality
  • Fast food and drive-thru features
  • Royalty management features

Cons

  • Many features cost extra
  • Requires a long-term processing contract for the best subscription price
  • Early termination fee

Why We Picked Revel Systems For Multi-Location Restaurants, Franchises, & Drive-Thrus

Revel KDS used to manage third-party delivery orders

Revel KDS is used to manage third-party delivery orders.

We chose Revel Systems for very large restaurant businesses, franchises, and drive-thrus because the iPad-based POS offers a customizable business management solution, enterprise-level multi-location reporting, strong KDS software, and several third-party integrations including drive-thru software/hardware options. Restaurant owners can also set royalty payments and location-specific franchise management features.

Related: Read our post on the best franchise POS systems.

Pricing

Revel POS Plans Price  When To Use
Revel plan Quote-based: three-year commitment for cheapest plan Use if you are committed to the product and have a need for high-end features.

Revel requires restaurant owners to get a custom quote. Revel is for larger businesses and larger businesses need to pay more than the average monthly bill. Some of Revel’s clients include Cinnabon, Auntie Anne’s, and Kung Fu Tea.

There’s also a one-time implementation fee starting at $674. This fee covers on-site hardware installation and an initial software setup.

Revel earned a 3.6/5 price score because while you can use any iPad for POS hardware, the lack of published pricing, long-term contracts, and early termination fees reduced the score.

Features

Revel POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

We awarded Revel a 4.7/5 feature score, with an especially high rating for niche features like franchise and drive-thru management.

Revel’s best features include:

  • Drive-thru headset, order confirmation display, and digital signage integration
  • Kitchen display and expo screens to manage all order types, including drive-thru orders
  • Order status display screens to update the status of takeout and delivery orders
  • Third-party delivery service integrations
  • Customizable self-ordering kiosk screens
  • Royalty payment management
  • Centralized and franchise location-specific reporting
  • Smart reporting tools to figure out which menu items perform the best, what’s draining money, and forecast your business’s performance

Related: Read our post on the best drive-thru POS systems.

Who Should Use Revel Systems

  • Very large multi-location restaurants and franchises
  • Fast food establishments and drive-thrus
  • Enterprise-level data reporting features

Get Started With Revel POS

Read our in-depth review

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talech POS: Best Budget Full-Service Restaurant POS

Total Rating 3.6
Pricing3.2

Ease Of Use4.0

Features3.9

Customer Service4.1

User Reviews3.9

Pricing

Contract

Hardware Cost

Pros

  • Affordable monthly price
  • Purchase ordering
  • Works with multiple payment processors
  • Works on iPad and Android

Cons

  • Can’t accept credit cards offline
  • Features not very customizable
  • User reviews report poor customer support

Why We Picked talech For The Best Budget Full-Service Restaurant POS

talech POS hardware

talech POS iPad, iPad stand, cash drawer, and receipt printer. (Source: talech)

We appreciate how affordable talech has made its POS offering, especially considering the many full-service features available. While this POS is not as well-designed or feature-rich as other full-service POS systems, such as TouchBistro and Toast, talech scores highly in pricing because it offers a formidable set of features at a transparent, affordable price for smaller sit-down restaurants.

Pricing

talech POS Plans Price  When To Use
talech Mobile $0/month If you need a simple way to accept payments on the go
talech Starter $29/month If you operate a cafe or small retail shop
talech Standard $69/month If you operate a quick-service restaurant, a fast-casual establishment, or a medium size retail shop
talech Premium $99/month If you operate a full-service restaurant, salon, spa, or another business with multiple locations

To use talech at your restaurant, you’ll need to sign up for at least the Starter plan, although most of the features that make talech a good full-service POS are available on the Premium plan.

Additional talech fees include:

  • $200 onboarding fee (required for Standard and Premium plans)
  • Tablets for POS hardware
  • Custom payment processing rates
  • $29/added device/month

Features

talech POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support Starter plan & up
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards Starter plan & up
Customer Loyalty Standard & Premium plans
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering Standard & Premium plans only
Inventory Management Starter plan & up
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management Standard & Premium plans
Text Messaging Receipts only

talech offers top-tier inventory management features. You can send and receive purchase orders, create suppliers when you receive an item in the POS, perform stock takes, and get low-stock alerts when automated inventory monitoring is set up.

talech also offers these full-service features at a highly affordable price:

  • Customer house accounts
  • Table management and floor planning
  • Menu coursing
  • Ticket splitting and server tipping
  • Service charges and automated gratuity

The POS system also has great employee management features, including the ability to pay by position, generate timesheets, create user permissions, and even create employee access cards.

Who Should Use talech

  • Restaurants and cafes looking for low-cost inventory management features
  • Restaurants looking for cheap online ordering software
  • Restaurants looking for basic self-contained restaurant software

Get Started With talech POS

Read our in-depth review

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Restaurant POS Review Methodology

Merchant Maverick has been researching and reviewing POS providers since 2012. Our writers have tested over 100 different point of sale systems, evaluating pricing, features, ease of use, customer service, and user reviewers. Read more about how we rate POS providers.

Weighted Rating Breakdown

Pricing 40%
Features 30%
Ease Of Use 15%
Customer Service 10%
User Reviews 5%

When comparing different POS software systems, we consider many data points, including relative pricing, the depth of niche features offered, the price of hardware, and any associated payment processing fees. Our lists of the best providers include only apps we’ve deemed worthwhile from multiple vantage points. The POS vendors we pick share qualities such as widespread availability, accessibility, user-friendliness, and reasonable pricing. We also look carefully at niche features, such as check-splitting, inventory management, eCommerce, loyalty programs, gift cards, and more.

We spend an average of 10-15 hours researching and updating each one of our lists, making sure the providers included meet our internal standards for quality and reputation.

80+

Vendors evaluated

65+

Attributes assessed per vendor

20+

Features weighed

30+

Combined years of experience


What Is A Restaurant POS System?

A restaurant POS system is software that, when combined with a card reader and tablet screen, allows you to take orders and digital payment types, manage a menu and inventory, and print receipts.

How Much Does A Restaurant POS System Cost?

Restaurant POS system costs include:

  • $0-$400+/month for POS software
  • $0-$75/month for online ordering on average
  • $0-$50/month for loyalty program builder on average
  • $25-$35/device/month in KDS software fees
  • $49-$1,034 in one-time restaurant POS hardware fees
  • $599-$674 for KDS screens
  • 2.3%-3.69% in payment processing fees (or custom payment processing rates)

Related: Read our guide to restaurant POS system costs for more on how much you could pay for your restaurant POS system.

Buyer's Guide: How To Choose A Restaurant POS System

To choose a restaurant POS system:

  • Build Your Monthly Budget: Decide how much you can spend every month on POS software and any additional features.
  • Decide Your POS Hardware Needs: Choose between tablet POS and handheld POS hardware (or both). Decide whether you need KDS screens, self-serve kiosks, or other hardware. Consider your budget when you’re choosing your POS hardware.
  • Choose Your Must-Have Features: Consider your restaurant type, online ordering options, customer marketing, and restaurant management features when deciding your necessary features.
  • Narrow Down Your Options: With a budget, POS hardware needs, and must-have software features, narrow down your choices.
  • Get A Free Trial: If your options do not offer a free trial, make extensive use of a free demo.
  • Sign A Merchant Agreement: Read through and sign a merchant agreement. Make note of early termination fees, hardware warranties, and other contract requirements when signing your agreement.

Related: Read our full guide on how to choose a restaurant POS system.

FAQs: Best POS Systems For Restaurants

How do I set up online ordering for my restaurant?

To set up online ordering for your restaurant, get a POS system with an online ordering feature like Square or Toast, connect your restaurant POS to platforms like Doordash, and enable Order with Google on your Google Business Profile.

Can my restaurant POS software link to my accounting software?

Most restaurant POS software links to popular accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero. Some POS providers, like Toast and Lightspeed Restaurant, offer proprietary accounting software for an all-in-one solution.

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Nicolette Kier

Nicolette Kier

Expert Contributor
Nicolette began writing on small business topics in 2020. After hundreds of hours researching, testing, and assisting small business owners with web building and point of sale software, she is now an expert on all things eCommerce and point of sale. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Pittsburgh and resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Nicolette Kier
View Nicolette Kier's professional experience on LinkedIn.

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