Lightspeed Restaurant POS Review
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- Date Established
- 2014
- Location
- Montreal
Pros
- Sleek, professional UI
- All-in-one system
- Fully customizable
- Depth of reporting
Cons
- Occasional problems with outages
- Inventory not overly deep
Overview
Lightspeed Restaurant is a cloud-based iPad POS system built solely for the foodservice industry and, like many of its rivals, can be a one-stop-shop for your POS needs if that’s what you’re looking for. It balances two seeming opposites (and quite well I might add), combining a comparatively complex, feature-rich POS back end with a deceptively simple structure and intuitive interface. Just saying that Lightspeed ticks all the standard boxes would be doing the system a disservice. Lightspeed Restaurant covers the basics, adds a range of custom options, and throws a good dollop of useful side functionality into the mix as well.
With its own payment platform and recent advances in mobile ordering, delivery, and tableside ordering, it’s keeping up with the times. It also has improved analytics, built-in loyalty, and eCommerce options. However, you’ll have to purchase add-ons on top of the upfront price to get some of those nifty bells and whistles.
With all of this extra functionality, you might think that Lightspeed Restaurant would be charging an arm and a leg for its system. When it comes to price, though, Lightspeed Restaurant trumps many of its competitors, at least for its basic package. Lightspeed has aimed the software squarely at small to medium-sized food establishments and has no qualms about letting people know that it is inexpensive compared to other solutions.
| Restaurant | Retail | eCommerce |
|---|---|---|
Lightspeed Restaurant | Lightspeed Retail | Lightspeed eCommerce |
|
|
|
Premium Restaurant POS | Premium Retail POS | eCommerce Integration |
$69/month | $99/month | $59/month |
No commitment | No commitment | No commitment |
No credit card required | No credit card required | No credit card required |
In short, Lightspeed Restaurant does have everything a restaurant needs, from integrated payments to an impressive assortment of integrations. It doesn’t do every facet of its software better than the rest of its competitors, but you’re also not going to be surprised to find a major gap after you’ve purchased the POS. If you need extremely in-depth inventory management or a foolproof offline mode, you may have issues with Lightspeed. Otherwise, it should almost certainly be on your shortlist.
Anyhow, let’s jump in and take a closer look at Lightspeed Restaurant POS.
Get Started with Lightspeed POS
Table of Contents
Pricing
Lightspeed has altered its pricing structure, and, on the whole, the changes appear to be positive. There is still a basic plan that you can purchase with the nuts and bolts for $59 a month billed annually and $69 a month without a year-long contract with additional registers costing $34 a month. If you need more functionality than the basic plan provides, the company can hook you up with a quote. It also has custom pricing plans for multi-store ventures. There is a 14-day free trial available, which is extremely generous, featuring unlimited users and access without requiring credit card information. The basic plan features:
- One register
- Up to two printers
- Personalized onboarding
- 24/7 support
- Free updates
- Secure cloud backup
- Basic reporting
You can also purchase add-ons to your plan if necessary, depending on your restaurant’s needs. For $12 a month, you receive:
- Customer-facing display
- Kitchen Display System
- Advanced reporting
- Self-order table menu
Premium add-ons will set you back another $39 a month, but they include:
- Accounting
- Loyalty plus loyalty app
- Self-order kiosk
- Delivery integration
As you can see, Lightspeed has everything that small to large restaurants might need, but to access some of its best features, you’ll need to be willing to spend more. Merchants looking to use more than five registers can take advantage of Lightspeed’s Enterprise plan by scheduling a call and requesting a quote.
Get Started with Lightspeed POS
Cloud-Based Or Locally-Installed
All of Lightspeed Restaurant’s software is entirely web and app-based. You can access your back end through Lightspeed’s website on any device that can connect to the internet. When it comes to using your terminal, you will need to purchase an iPad and install the Lightspeed app. Lightspeed Restaurant also gives you the option to add on a piece of hardware called Lite Server. This device allows users to continue using Lightspeed Restaurant in the event of an internet outage. It will maintain a local database that continuously backs your data up to the Lightspeed servers. This method is less than ideal, however, as you need to make this additional purchase to have an offline mode, and it still does not give you the ability to process credit card payments.
Specific Industry
Food retailers — from bar and coffee shop owners to restaurateurs — will be happy to know that Lightspeed Restaurant is more than capable of meeting their needs.
This POS is suitable for any restaurant setting, provided it satisfies the criteria outlined in the business-size section below. If you run a bar, you will have the ability to quickly send orders to the bartender, open tabs, split bills, and use a “quick-serve” screen for those busy periods. The numerous permission settings (explained in more detail below) might also prove useful. If you own a café, bakery, or food truck, you will have all the functionality required to take immediate orders and quickly process card payments. It has also bolstered its kiosk and self-serve options if that’s something you’re looking to utilize in your restaurant. You can also tie in records of raw ingredients to specific products for real-time raw goods tracking (again, explained in more detail below). Finally, takeout and delivery businesses will get access to all of the features listed above, plus the ability to take card payments on the road.
Specific Size Of Business
Lightspeed Restaurant appeals to small to medium-sized businesses. Lightspeed best operates within the one to five register range, though it can handle more if necessary, including full-sized restaurants and franchises. If you have multiple locations, you can work with the company to create a custom plan tailored to your needs.
Hardware & Operating System Requirements
The Lightspeed Restaurant app requires iOS 12.2 or later to function, and the back end is accessible through any browser with an internet connection. It is compatible with iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch, but it should be noted that using the app on an iPhone or iPod touch will leave you with limited features. I’m told that it is best to use those two devices for clocking in and fast table ordering.
Lightspeed offers a convenient iPad starter kit that features the following:
- LAN receipt printer
- Cash drawer
- Lite Server
- Lightspeed iPad stand
- Kitchen printer
You can also purchase all sorts of items, from receipt printers to kitchen buzzers à la carte from the company’s website. For more information about the peripheral hardware brands and models with which Lightspeed Restaurant is compatible, you can visit the company’s website. For pricing information, you will need to get in touch with Lightspeed directly.
Get Started with Lightspeed POS
Ease Of Use
The first thing I was struck by in using Lightspeed Restaurant for the first time was the simplicity of the interface. It’s both visually and practically pleasing. Upon logging into the back office, I was taken to an overview page and asked to add my choice of widgets to my dashboard. (Available widgets include pie charts and graphs with information about revenue, receipts, payment amounts, and daily reports.) I like the fact that you can choose what information you want to see when you first open up your screen and that it is easy to digest visually.
From the dashboard screen, you can view several training videos. These videos guide you through all the steps involved in getting your POS system operational as well as describing some of the features intended for occasional use. Along the top of the gray screen, you can select reports, users, products, floors, devices, printers, or payments. In the top right-hand corner of the screen, you will find a picture of a little bot that takes you to your account information. To the right is a button that will lead you to your settings. Finally, a question mark button to the right will take you to the support dashboard.
The front end of your Restaurant requires you and your staff to log in. You will then go to your customizable floor plan. At the top of the screen, users will see three buttons: “link tables,” “extra,” and “edit.” The “extra” button gives the following options: “reload,” “reservation,” “open cash drawer,” and “open receipt using ID.”
Once you’ve set up your Restaurant and are ready to take an order, waitstaff will select the table they want to help. After they select the number of customers at the table, they are ready to take their order (see photo below). Your menu can be broken up into different sections (drinks, starters, and mains, for example). You can add discounts from this screen, select meal courses, send your order to the bar printer or the kitchen printer, and also go to the payments screen.
Payments can be split in a variety of ways, and waitstaff can email or print customer receipts as well.
I did find it slightly annoying that any time I wanted to go from the front end of my system to the back end, I had to re-login, but that could be my inherent impatience showing. Requiring users to log in before they have access to the back end is a good thing and can help protect your more sensitive information.
Another plus when it comes to Lightspeed is that there is a design consistency amongst the different platforms. The fact that the desktop, iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone interfaces look the same helps alleviate the learning curve enormously. Some have criticized Lightspeed’s approach as “too minimal,” but that’s not a concern to which I give much weight. If you can combine good functionality with a minimal, easy-to-use interface, then I fail to see the problem.
Get Started with Lightspeed POS
Features
Lightspeed Restaurant features all the basic functions you would expect from a POS, so instead of going on forever about the obvious stuff, I’ll just cover the elements that separate Lightspeed from the pack:
- Employee Management: You can change the “visibility” of employees, determining whether or not they will appear in your app, which is especially useful for seasonal or part-time staff. Staff can be assigned as either managers or employees, and Lightspeed takes an all-or-nothing approach when it comes to permissions. Managers have access to the entire front and back end, and all employees only have access to the front end of the app. Employees can be further broken down into categories (waitstaff, bartenders, cashiers, cooks, etc.). You can also assign your staff to specific floors and tables and variations thereof. There are extensive permission-setting capabilities linked to predefined groups. For example, not only can you add an employee to the “Bartender” group (or a custom group that you have created) by defining their role in the “User” section but also (and this is where Lightspeed really shines) comprehensively define the permissions associated with that group — access to registers, voiding orders, adding tips, etc. Another example is the ability to limit a staff role, so they only have access to one feature, such as the time clock.
- Product Management: Setting up your menu is effortless. In the “Product” section (which is initially subcategorized into “Aperitif,” “Starter,” and “Main” but fully customizable), you can easily add individual products and associate them with a unique kitchen name, an ID, and even a picture if you want to. One nice addition is the ability to set specific prices and tax rates for delivery and takeout dishes. Discounts, service fees, and combos can also be quickly added here. You can effortlessly create and change modifiers through the “Modifier section,” where you can additionally set a max/min limit.
- Raw Ingredient Tracking: You will be able to tie in your “Ingredients” tab, which allows you to create a record of all your raw ingredients (most unit measurements, such as grams and liters, included), with specific products in the “Products” area. What this means is that the software will automatically keep track of all your raw ingredients based on specific dishes sold. This function also comes in handy when waitstaff is taking an order, and you’ve run out of a particular ingredient. When they try to send their order through, they will be alerted that the menu item is no longer available and prompted to help the customer make another selection. Lightspeed Restaurant’s integration with MarketMan allows users to track their raw ingredients and also allows for purchase order management capabilities.
- Mobile Ordering: Lightspeed has added this functionality, which is one of the hottest trends in the POS world. Send orders to the kitchen directly from the table or bar while giving your customers flexibility in their payment options. You also have the option to allow customers to place orders directly on an iPad at their table to cut down on ticket times and reduce errors.
- Modifiers: This function works seamlessly, as you can punch in special requests directly into the system. Whether it’s forced modifiers or important changes, such as allergy restrictions, a simple click of the button sends custom orders to the kitchen that are easy to read.
- Timed Events: With Lightspeed Restaurant, you also have the option to include what are called “Timed Events.” (This feature is still in beta mode, but so far, it works like a dream.) Timed Events allow you to set promotions and offers to run for a specific time or on certain days; it works great for “20%-Off Tuesdays” and “Half-Price Fridays” (I’m sure you get the idea). If that’s not enough, you can also set multiple offers to run at the same time, setting which one has priority. So you could have 20%-off on Tuesdays and adjust the discount to 30% if the customer buys between 4 and 5 o’clock.
- Kitchen Name Printing: This feature is especially helpful if your kitchen staff happens to speak a different language than the one used in your menu. You can input the order as it appears on the menu, and when you send it to the kitchen, it will print in the language of your choice. This feature is also beneficial if your restaurant has a bunch of different names for menu items. If, for instance, you have a menu item called “the Senior Breakfast Special,” you can have the order print out in the kitchen as “two eggs and a side of bacon.”
- Loyalty: Easily add customer information into your system, allowing you the ability to track their purchase orders and add credit to their account. See when reservations have been made and assign customers to their preferred tables.
- Delivery: Lightspeed offers simple delivery integration with its advanced package with a simple, consolidated format that makes large numbers of orders easy to sort. It partners with UberEats, Foodora, and DoorDash. It also allows you to create promo codes and a simple interface for customers.
- Menu Building: Lightspeed’s menu building functionality is one of the best I’ve seen. You can create a simple menu in minutes and on any device. It’s also simple to make changes to items, immediately informing servers of changes. One of the great things about mobile iPad systems is the ability to work tableside. Lightspeed Restaurant allows servers to show images of menu items to customers.
- Reporting: Lightspeed has built its reputation partly on the depth of reporting offered. Though Lightspeed Restaurant doesn’t go as deep as some other products, there is still a substantial number of reports to work your way through. You can view revenue and receipts by the hour, day, week, and month. There are tailored product and product category information, specific cash register monitoring (so you can see which employees are earning the most money), and also in-depth user tracking (so you can see what your staff’s activities and performance have been like over a set period). If you find Lightspeed’s reporting lacking, you can tack on an advanced reporting option for $21 a month. I usually am not a big fan of add-ons for expanded features, but in this case, Lightspeed’s basic options are relatively generous, and the advanced settings let you create your reports and feature others that are pretty intuitive and in-depth.
- Floor Planner: It’s possible to wrap your head around the floor planner in a matter of minutes. Adding tables and floors, modifying their sizes, and adding specific printers for each (so to distinguish between food and drink-only tables, for example) is effortless. You can also add cars, which I’m assuming is for easier take-away management. It is possible to highly customize your floor plan to represent the look and feel of your restaurant accurately. For instance, you can create floors out of tile or wood, add plants, add a bar with stools, create multiple floors if you have more than one story, and even specify what type of chairs you have. This next feature is especially handy for keeping track of things at times when your business gets swamped. As you can see below, the tables are different colors; green means that the table is busy (aka someone is at the table), and red means that the bill has been printed, but the patrons are still waiting to pay.
Integrations & Add-Ons
Lightspeed has an impressive array of integrations listed on its website. If you find that the software is lacking, or you need some niche functionality, you’ll likely find what you’re looking for in that list, although probably not for free.
- Employee Management: Lightspeed’s featured partner is Push Operations, which helps streamline labor management.
- Online Ordering: Lightspeed Restaurant integrates with several online ordering services, such as BPL, Chowly, and Mobikon. Mobi2Go and Zuppler offer online ordering as well as mobile ordering.
- Hotel-Specific Integrations: These include MEWS, Bookingplanner, and StayNTouch.
- Accounting: Lightspeed Restaurant integrates with QuickBooks, QuickBooks Desktop, and Xero through Lightspeed Accounting. It also integrates with Exact for Resto by ESC.
- Reservations: Lightspeed Restaurant integrates with Resengo for your reservation needs.
- Delivery: With Orderlord, you can track orders and drivers, creating a transparent delivery service.
- Financing: Lightspeed Restaurant integrates with Bizfi, Econolease Financial Services, and Evolocity Financial Group.
- Online Scheduling: For online scheduling, use CoverManager.
- Loyalty: You can integrate with AppCard, Chronogolf, GourmetMiles, and Loyal2.
- Inventory Management: You can integrate with MarketMan, Growzer, or Nobal Technologies.
- Tech Support: With Boomtown!, businesses can get 24/7 tech support.
Get Started with Lightspeed POS
Compatible Credit Card Processors
Count Lightspeed among the companies that have developed their own payments mechanism. It’s convenient, and the rates are relatively affordable. For tapped, inserted, or swiped payments, the fee is 2.6% plus $o.10, and for manually keyed-in payments, the rate is 2.6% plus $0.30. Unlike other companies, such as Toast or Clover, you can also use a third-party processor if you want, so you might want to shop around to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your business.
Customer Service & Technical Support
The monthly subscription price includes Lightspeed’s customer care — provided through live chat, phone, email, training videos, and user guides. There are dedicated country-specific numbers for the US, Canada, Belgium, United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, and Singapore. Support times are as follows:
- 24/7 phone support excluding holidays
- A dedicated email with a one-day turnaround time
- Live chat is offered from 9 AM to 6 PM EST
I was pretty impressed with Lightspeed Restaurant’s level of support. I found the customer support to be friendly, prompt, and very helpful. Clicking on the support button from the back-end management area takes you to a page listing all of the company’s support phone numbers worldwide, gives you a link to email the support team, and directs you to the help center/live chat feature, written resources, release notes, and training videos.
In terms of social media, Lightspeed has Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Twitter pages. There is also a regularly-updated blog with news about the company or articles on business-related topics for the most part. There is also an active forum through Lightspeed’s website for customers to ask questions and help each other or get advice from professionals.
User Reviews
Negative Reviews & Complaints
- Bugs: I noticed a few times when I was exploring the front end that the screen would freeze for a few seconds.
- Outages: Multiple reviewers mentioned frequent interruptions in service, particularly during peak times.
- Lightspeed Payments: Some customers weren’t happy with Lightspeed Payments fees, claiming other companies were cheaper. Lightspeed Restaurant does integrate with other payment processors, but you have to do your research to figure out what makes the most sense for you.
- Price Point: While most customers were pleased with the basic features that Lightspeed offers, there were a few who pointed out that the add-ons were expensive, and they felt that the cost did not justify what they were receiving with those add-ons.
Positive Reviews & Testimonials
- Ease Of Use: Customers like that Lightspeed is easy to use and doesn’t have a high learning curve.
- Great Customer Service: Many, myself included, find Lightspeed’s customer service to be very friendly, helpful, and happy to resolve your issues.
- Simplicity: Some customers praise the simplicity of Lightspeed Restaurant’s front and back ends.
- Customization: Users appreciated that they could easily tailor the system to fit their specific restaurant’s needs.
- Robust Features: Many reviewers were impressed by how much was offered from Lightspeed Restaurant and pleased with the value of the product.
Final Verdict
If you run the kind of business for which this software is uniquely designed, then Lightspeed Restaurant should be a definite contender. The interface is elegant and straightforward, it’s ridiculously easy to use, and its reporting area is robust enough to satisfy even the most technical and astute of number crunchers.
That said, Lightspeed Restaurant isn’t without its faults. Some functionality is lacking, and there’s a distinct lack of CRM options. Although the software now includes an offline mode, there are still multiple user reviews complaining about outages.
It’s pretty clear by now that despite its minor faults, I like the simplicity and pared-down pricing model of Lightspeed Restaurant, even if you end up having to pay a bit more than you were originally expecting to access some of its better features. The company is also continually expanding its feature base to match its competition and provide above-average to excellent customer service. It’s definitely worth giving it a try. You might find that you enjoy using it as much as I did. The free trial awaits.
Matt Sherman
Point of sale writer at Merchant Maverick
Matt Sherman has been immersed in point of sale systems for over a year now. Previously, he spent 14 years in the newspaper industry, the majority of which was as the sports editor for a pair of weekly newspapers in suburban Portland, Oregon. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon where he majored in English because he knows where the money is. Matt is the father to a pair of energetic boys and can easily be distracted by Netflix, Amazon and HBO Go.
Latest posts by Matt Sherman (see all)
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Organization Name: Reserva Cigars
I’ve worked with several POS systems over more than 15 years in retail and hospitality. Lightspeed is intuitive, easy to use and powerful enough to handle everything my business needs. The system was in place when we recently purchased a new location; Lauren and the support team have worked tirelessly to ensure a seamless transition. I have yet to run into an issue I can’t figure out quickly, or get an answer to instantly. So far, I am incredibly pleased with both the product and the people behind the scenes. We are a cigar retail location and smoking lounge with beer taps and beverages, so the restaurant system offers all the flexibility we need to accommodate a flexible product offering, seasonal menus changes and rapid inventory changes.
Organization Name: Parliament Pub & Parlour
Lightspeed is a fundamental system in the hospitality industry. Easy to navigate and train first time users. The reports options are so helpful.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Jeno Ex Hospitality Inc
First time user and have been using it for the past year in a concession environment. It’s really intuitive and user-friendly. Haven’t really had any problems yet and the customer service has been very quick and efficient. I’ve used a few different softwares while working in restaurants and it’s one of the easier ones to use from the back end for sure. Highly recommend!
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Organization Name: The Diving Bell Social Club
We have been using Lightspeed at The Diving Bell for a year and we couldn’t be happier. The system is so easy to use, and not bulky like every other system I have used in the past. All our staff find the interface simple and quick, and as the owner I can access all my reports from home. I have had few issues, and the couple times I have needed to call into support they were kind and courteous, and solved my problems quick so I could get back to running the bar. Can’t say enough about how happy we are with the system.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
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Organization Name: H4C
Best POS app on the market. Period. Even without including their customer service(which is outstanding). I’ve been recommending it to everyone since and will continue to do so !
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro
We’ve had some disastrous experiences with other POS, and initially I was uncertain that Lightspeed would be able to meet all of our needs. We’re a full service dining concept with brunch and dinner daily, a cafe, a bakery, an event space, a confectioner, and a wholesaler; we needed a POS that would be intuitive and adaptable to a very dynamic menu, and usable by professional servers, as well as kitchen and production staff. We got it! The customer service is outstanding, and offered hands-on support with our setup. We’d had some initial miscommunications and misunderstandings, and we found we needed some additional functionality out of the software. However, the team has always been very helpful and fast to respond; I’m also very pleasantly surprised how much development is being done with the app. This is definitely a well-supported POS that is constantly being improved. I’m extremely impressed by how well it works for our unique “combo based” menu. Lightspeed has helped close a lot of simple human error loopholes! We also decided to invest in the “Liteserver,” which was an expensive piece of hardware, but a welcome relief during internet outages. Losing WiFi during a busy brunch was disastrous with previous cloud-based POS’es, but now we don’t even miss a beat (or a ticket).I’m especially happy with the support team, and how bugs and feature requests are resolved really quickly. There are a few features we’d still like to see for payroll and reporting, but I’m very satisifed.
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Organization Name: GIRO D'ITALIA RISTORANTE
In my restaurant, we have been working with Light Speed from the opening in 2017, so over two years now, and me and my staff are very happy about. I don’t like to lie and obviously the POS is not perfect., there are always areas to improve, and be more functional and works better as with any system. I sent few email to suggest the area they can improve and i have a good response, and this is somenthing i really appreciate, for me this is mean that you are working with someone that cares about your business and it’s not there just to take your money. However is fair also to say that from the beginning to now they have improve a lots in different aspects. A special mention i want to do is the direct and quick Tech Support during the regular business hours of the day at every time, this aspect put Lightspeed above the competitors. Michele
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Organization Name: Cuisine de Manille
Lightspeed has a very user-friendly interface! After trying out one of their competitor’s POS System, we were very disappointed with the lack of involved that they had with us and decided to give Lightspeed a shot. The transition was seamless! Whenever we had ANY questions, we were always able to find the answer to our problems whether it was through their website, or their over-the-phone and friendly customer service! We highly recommend Lightspeed to ANY business, big or small!
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Organization Name: Bar Loic
We’ve been using Lightspeed for four years. The reporting features could use some work, but we are happy with the system. If we have a problem, support is always there to answer our questions.
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Organization Name: Le Tassé - Café de Quartier
I’m owner of a coffeeshop but also a mom of 2 young kids so the fact that I can manage my business from wherever I need, even on my phone is amazing! Also so much potentiel to help optimize every aspect of the business. Great and efficient customer support also!
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Organization Name: Cuisine de Manille
1) Easy to use! (No matter who uses it, it’s easy to pick up because it’s straight forward)2) You can customize it to your liking! (It caters to both our catering and dine-in business)3) AMAZING customer support! (Whether on the phone , chat or simply browsing through their website, your questions will always be answered!)
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Organization Name: Isaac Mayer Fine Jewelry
Lightspeed is the way to go and the easiest platform to use for any type of business. We own a jewelry store and we find it so simple to use. Would definitely recommend it!!Thank you times a million for making my business that much more organized
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Organization Name: Millenia Spa Urbain
Très facile à utiliser pour tous les employés. Le support technique est très efficace.
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Organization Name: Juniper Dining Co
Lightspeed is and excellent POS solution for our restaurant. New staff are able to use is with minimal training. Detailed reports are easy to access. Frequent updates ensure the app is running smoothly and new features are added regularly. A+ on customer support. Highly recommend!
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Organization Name: Carlos Poulet
We have been using Lightspeed POS restaurant since we opened. Having a lot of experience in the restaurant industry of Montreal, i have worked with many systems in the past. Lots of the systems have similar functionality, but Lightspeed has been the easiest to learn and work with. Also i havent had great customer service in the past when trouble shooting with other companies, but Lightspeed really set the bar high. They make it easy for us, in an industry that is very hard to be in!Strongly recommend !Raphael Guillemin
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Organization Name: Staycity Group
We started using Lightspeed around two years ago. When joining the business I inherited a creaky old POS system that had been chosen for its ability to connect to our hotel PMS rather than for its usability and features. I was surprised that a cloud based system would have the capability to connect to hotel PMS but lightspeed does this really well. We started with 6 month trial in one location and now all locations run there F&B using Lightspeed. I was really happy with the support I received whilst on boarding, getting the system set up how we want it is very easy and the regular system updates only ever make things better. The key quality though has to be the ease at which the team use the system. Training is down to ten minutes rather than several hours supported by a hefty manual with our previous system. We are not about to explore the add ons for our next new opening including Customer Facing Display, Kiosk and Kitchen Display,
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Organization Name: Montreal Racket Club
Just installed Lightspeed at the Montreal Racket Club and can’t believe how simple to use and install it is. Would definitely recommend!
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Organization Name: jimmy restaurant
Lightspeed is the pos company that you need to take for your restaurant! They are so qualified, they explain everything and make sure that you understand the system easily. Customer services to sales department they make you feel comfortable with the system.
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Organization Name: Maria Maria
So far my experience has been phenomenal. Every team member I’ve had an interaction with has been very professional, knowledgeable, and attentive. I can tell they are a company that truly cares, and they’re becoming harder and harder to encounter nowadays. I look forward to continue working with this amazing team!
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Factors Group of Nutritional Companies
Lightspeed was very easy to implement, it’s cut down on the time required to order and receive stock into inventory and do cycle counts to keep our inventory levels accurate. We use Light Speed to offer credit to some accounts, managing credit accounts is efficient and easy. we also take some of our terminals to Trade Shows for selling products and remote set up is always quick and effortless, the processes flow as smoothly as if we were back in our store. Processing orders is quick and effcient, and has helps us to increase the level of customer serivce and experience in our store and at Trade Shows. – Sean CraigSenior Manager of Corporate Credit Factors Group of Nutritional Companies ltd.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Teenaz Ltd
The customer service was exceptional! I managed to resolve 3 issues in a small time frame and not once felt the other party was annoyed but instead he was encouraging to start to fix everything. Cannot fault the service I received today.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Relate Church
We really enjoy using Lightspeed for our coffee bar. It has made ordering and purchasing so much easier for both us and our customers. It is really easy to use and has been the right solution to our problem. We find that the customer satisfaction on their orders are great because there is no mix ups. I would highly recommend this software to others.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Marina Knowlton
We’ve been using Lightspeed at our seasonal Marina/Restaurant/Bar for the last 3 years and couldn’t be happier. We went from having no POS and chose Lightspeed based on recommendations and reviews. We had such great help setting up and whenever any issues have come up the support from the Lightspeed customer service has always helped sort everything out. I would definitely recommend Lightspeed to other restaurants and bars.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro
I was uncertain that Lightspeed would be able to meet all of my business’ needs. We’re a full service dining concept with brunch and dinner daily, a cafe, a bakery, an event space, a confectioner, and a wholesaler; we needed a POS that would be intuitive and adaptable to a very dynamic menu, and usable by professional servers, as well as kitchen and production staff. We got it!The customer service is outstanding, and offered hands-on support with our setup. We’d had some initial miscommunications and misunderstandings, and we found we needed some additional functionality out of the software. However, the team has always been very helpful and fast to respond; I’m also very pleasantly surprised how much development is being done with the app. This is definitely a well-supported POS that is constantly being improved. I’m extremely impressed by how well it works for our unique “combo based” menu. Lightspeed has helped close a lot of simple human error loopholes! We also decided to invest in the “Liteserver,” which was an expensive piece of hardware, but a welcome relief during internet outages. Losing WiFi during a busy brunch was disastrous with previous cloud-based POS’es, but now we don’t even miss a beat (or a ticket).
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
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Organization Name: Greek Restaurant Ltd
I wish all companies had your level of support.The only other provider I can compare it to is Amazon. And you beat Amazon, since you are a smaller team and offer a more personalised feeling.We have been using you for over a month now and setting up the system involved opening more than 20 tickets with questions. There was not even one instance that we did not get a prompt and satisfying response.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Lightspeed POS
Hello Pantelis,
Our Support team really appreciates the kudos and continues to be happy to answer your questions as you settle into Lightspeed Restaurant.
We’re flattered by your comparison to Amazon and are proud to offer sophisticated and service to independent businesses like yours.
Never hesitate to reach out should you have any feedback or curiosities for us. It is always a pleasure to hear from you!
Best,
Janina
Customer Success Manager
Lightspeed POS
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Au Sommet Place Ville Marie
We are very satisfied with the system that has been sold to us. The use is very easy, key programming and very simple, the choice of colors makes the interface more attractive to users. Nevertheless we would have liked to have a more in-depth training on site with a technician, for the human side that we appreciate and that makes us feel safe when we start with new software. But their responsiveness is excellent at a distance to the slightest question. We recommend this tool without hesitation.Nous sommes très satisfait du système qui nous a été vendu. L’utilisation est très facile, la programmation des touches et très simple, le choix des couleurs rend l’interface plus attrayante pour les utilisateurs. Néanmoins nous aurions aimé avoir une formation plus approfondie sur place avec un technicien, pour le côté humain que nous apprécions et qui nous fait sentir safe quand nous démarrons avec un nouveau logiciel. Mais leur réactivité est excellente à distance à la moindre question. Nous recommandons cet outils sans hésiter.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Gamerz Cafe
We just started using Lightspeed, excellent product and very good sales and customer support. So far it has been a breeze getting everything up and running. And it is great that we can access reports and make any changes from anywhere on any device.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Lightspeed POS
Hi Anas,
Welcome to the Lightspeed family! We’re pleased to hear that you’ve felt taken care of from sales through support. Enjoy your continued exploration of the software and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions along the way.
Best,
Janina
Customer Success Manager
Lightspeed POS
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Mito
We installed lightspeed in a day we had previously Micros from Oracle we had worked several days to learn how to manage a menu and several counters. With Lightspeed all these done quickly and a very pro-active customer service. thanks to Philip and all his teamNous avons installé lightspeed en une journée nous avions auparavant Micros d’oracle nous avions travaillé plusieurs journées pour apprendre à gérer un menu et plusieurs comptoirs. Avec Lightspeed tout ces fait rapidement et un service client très pro-actif. merci à Philip et toutes son équipe
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Lightpspeed POS
Richard,
Nous sommes heureux de savoir que vous avez été impressionné par votre accueil. Phillip et son équipe vous souhaitent succès durable.
Janina
Gestionnaire de la réussite client
Richard,
We are happy to know that you have been impressed by your welcome. Phillip and his team wish you lasting success.
Janina
Customer Success Manager
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Wild Rabbit Bistro
We have been working with Light Speed for approximately a year now and overall are very pleased. Obviously there are always areas to improve, as with any system, however what we have noticed, even within the year, is that the improvements are made. For example the way tips were added to the corresponding checks at the end of the shift used to be quite complex and not user friendly, however within the year they have completely revamped the method and made it extremely easy and streamlined. The area that we feel Light Speed has others beat by far is the direct and quick Tech Support during the regular business hours of the day. EVERY TIME that we have had to call in for assistance, directions, etc… during the daytime hours the call is answered within ONE minute with a REAL human who is ready to give my issue 100% attention and ready to solve it to the best of their ability! The staff not only look to find the best answer, they also will offer to make the changes to your account if needed, and then test it on their end to make sure it is operating correctly. We will be continuing with Light Speed into the next year and look forward to seeing the company grow and improve in a solid and long-lasting way. As you are looking for a POS system, remember, there will not be any absolute perfect system, but when things get confused, or an issue arises, (which will happen with all of them ! ) the most important and helpful thing you can have is immediate and sincere assistance… many companies will claim to have direct assistance, but come to find out it will be a “post your issue and we will respond asap”…. ugh, that doesn’t help you when your staff need the solution within the next 10 minutes… Thank you Light Speed for understanding what TRUE customer support means !!
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Lightspeed POS
Hi Steve,
Thank you very much for your feedback, we greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience online.
We’re happy to hear that you have had a good experience with our support team and that you are enjoying the product.
Should you ever need anything in the future, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Customer Success or Support teams.
Kind regards,
Christina
Customer Success Manager
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Solon Bicycle
We use Lightspeed Cloud and Lightspeed Ecommerce and are very pleased. Very easy to use. The POS allows me to work remotely when needed, just as if I’m in the shop. The ecommerce site has generated more revenue in the first couple months than our old site in the past 10 years! No system or site is without it’s flaws bu overall, Lightspeed provides an outstanding value when compared to almost any other system available for our industry.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: Lgihtspeed POS
Hi Dan,
It’s so nice to know that our system has given you the flexibility to work remotely and we’re thrilled to hear that your business is thriving on eCom! Thank you for sharing your experience.
We’re committed to growing and refining our systems with you in mind so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any feedback or requests.
Best,
Janina
Customer Success Manager
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
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Simple and user friendly interface allows for quick and easy training of new staff. Menu/price adjustment can easily be implemented on the fly through the back end. Daily sales reports via email allow me to keep on eye on the restaurant when I am not there.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Lightspeed has been great for my restaurant (Centrale Bergham West Island).They’ve helped me save time and reduce costs with their intuitive system, and every time I have a question or concern they are happy to help me and solve my issues. You can’t find a better POS on the market.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Assad,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are glad to hear we can help in any way! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us whenever you need.
Kind regards,
Jaime
Customer Success Team
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
I’ve quite enjoyed Lightspeed for the 18 months that we’ve been using it at our restaurant. It’s simple, it’s inexpensive to start, and customer service has been there for me when I needed it.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
While lightspeed does have a lot of good features and all the advantages of cloud based POS systems, I can’t but help have the feeling that they’re still in the beta testing stage with this product. The reporting is weak and the system as a whole is buggy. My restaurant started with lightspeed in December 2016. We have had system updates in the middle of service, functions disappear, wall dividers on the floor plan functioning as numberless open tables, checks not being able to be adjusted for tip, etc. Customer service issues started with the initial shipment of the hardware; still haven’t received the promised refund for the express shipping charges. Once lightspeed works out it’s technical and service issues, this will probably be a great product, however the time and resources spent working out the kinks makes it an expensive solution.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Drew,
Sorry to hear that you’ve experienced some challenges with our system. We understand that most of the issues you’ve highlighted here have since been resolved, but should you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
One of our Customer Success Managers will reach out to address your concerns and ensure that everything is running smoothly. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
Best,
Heather
Community & Engagement Manager, Lightspeed HQ
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Lightspeed POS for restaurants wasn’t designed for the American restaurant market in mind so there are limitations with issues of wording on the customer receipt (“gross” instead of “total”) tax and discount display, and user tip reporting. We purchased this system in November 2016, in August 2017 and roughly 100 hours on the phone with support we still don’t have the system fully functional. I dont feel that lightspeed fully developed/adapted the product to the American restaurant market before releasing it.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Purchased this software for our first restaurant. Both owners are first time users of PoS for restaurants, but the learning curve was very short. The system is built in a user friendly manner, users with little experience with tech or in PoS systems will not feel overwhelmed.Customer support is always helpful, patient and courteous.Only issue; would have preferred initial training to be done in person rather than remotely. Highly recommend LightSpeed
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Is anybody using this system ?We would love to hear from you , recommending this POS to a friend of us for an Argentinian Steak House in Lake Worth Florida.Thanks
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Gus- Did you get any feedback from this POS? Considering purchasing it for our restaurant/bar. Thanks
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Gus and Zach,
If either of you are interested in hearing from one of our current Lightspeed Restaurant users, please feel free to reach out to me at 1(866) 932-1801 extension 800.
Kind regards,
Katie
Customer Success Manager
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Gus- we just went live with Lightspeed. For the most part we are happy with it. However, there are some basic accounting features that are missing and there are some limitations we have had to find a way to work around. if you are still considering lightspeed feel free to contact me. I would be happy to let you see it in action.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hey! Would love to know what accounting difficulties you have. I’m considering light speed right now for a few restaurants…
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Allison,
Let us know if you’d like to be put in touch with other Lightspeed Restaurant users. We’d also encourage you to speak to one of Restaurant reps about our Lightspeed Accounting feature.
Give us a call to get in touch: 1(866) 932-1801 extension 1.
Best,
Heather
Community & Engagement Manager
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Ken,
Hope you were able to find a solution to the accounting features you had issues with. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you require further assistance! Our Customer Success Managers can be reached by email success.na@lightspeedhq.com or by phone 1(866) 932-1801 extension 800.
Best,
Heather
Community & Engagement Manager
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Organization Name: i-Verve
Lightspeed is an excellent POS integration for the restaurant industry. A new servant can use with minimum training and also detailed report and updates are easy to access. Many POS integration has similar functions but Lightspeed easiest to work.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.