Best Self-Service Restaurant Kiosks

To use Self-Order Menu software, you’ll also need a Lightspeed Restaurant POS software plan. Though the above pricing is for Lightspeed’s advertised plans, you have to get a custom quote and sign a contract that specifies how much you’ll pay in fees and whether fees are charged monthly or annually.

Lightspeed offers self-serve restaurant kiosks as an add-on app called the Self-Order Menu. The company previously advertised the software as costing $39/month but has since removed the pricing and requires restaurant owners to get a custom quote on kiosk software. The more kiosks you build into your restaurant operations, the more you’ll pay per month.

Note: Lightspeed POS plans include one register software license. Additional register software licenses are available as a custom quote.

Lightspeed Restaurant’s most unique kiosk features include its convertible tableside to standing kiosks. Quick-serve restaurants can easily place standing kiosks near the front of the establishment, while fast-casual and sit-down restaurants can place kiosks at the front or at tables.

Additionally, you can allow customers to:

• Place numerous orders throughout the tableside dining experience
• Request help from staff members at the self-serve kiosk
• Collect and redeem loyalty points at restaurant kiosks using QR codes
• Send “order ready” confirmation texts for customers who opt into them

Lightspeed also has one of the best kitchen display systems for restaurants, and it syncs well with tableside/standing kiosks. You can create custom menus specifically for kiosks and designate specific kitchen display/expo screens to manage self-serve orders. Orders are synced to your restaurant inventory, and menu items/add-ons will automatically be removed from kiosk order screens when an ingredient runs out.

Lightspeed Restaurant POS and self-order kiosks run on iPads. You may source your own iPads or purchase through Lightspeed.

Other hardware options include iPad stands, kitchen bump bars, cash drawers, and kitchen printers.

It’s important to purchase your card reader from Lightspeed to make sure your Lightspeed Payments account is configured correctly with the hardware.

We advise contacting Lightspeed to get a custom quote on a hardware bundle.

Lightspeed has its own in-house payment processor, Lightspeed Payments, which charges a credit card processing fee of 2.6% + $0.10 for card-present payments. This rate is for business owners on the Essential plan. Those on the Premium plan can get a lower custom payment processing rate from Lightspeed.

Note: Currently, customers cannot use cash at restaurant kiosks.

Despite the monthly plan pricing listed online, you must still get a custom quote from Lightspeed, which may be more than what the company advertises.

Lightspeed also charges hefty early termination fees, especially for users who opt into a yearly subscription plan or get a discount on their pricing plan.

Lightspeed’s 30-day hardware warranties (14-day warranties on Apple products) also have many stipulations. For example, you must contact Lightspeed to validate hardware purchased through Lightspeed within five days of receiving your order, or Lightspeed warranties won’t apply to your products.

Toast kiosk software is an add-on module to POS software plans. You will need to contact Toast for pricing.

Toast also offers several add-on products, everything from third-party delivery services to kitchen displays, to Toast Payroll.

Toast will often bundle add-ons and multiple POS terminals and give restaurant owners a bulk discount, so you may get a better deal when you get a custom quote from a Toast representative.

Like Lightspeed, Toast kiosks allow you to incorporate your loyalty program into your kiosk. Unlike Lightspeed, Toast allows customers to not only collect and redeem points on kiosks but also sign up for your restaurant’s loyalty program with an automated signup prompt. Customers can collect loyalty points with one or more linked payment cards, rather than a loyalty card, which means that it’s even easier for customers to earn points.

You can also allow customers to pay at kiosks or a register with a printed QR code receipt. This allows customers to pay in cash and order alcoholic drinks if you serve them.

Additionally, Toast uniquely includes a scanner integration and weight scale integration, so customers can scan prepackaged items and purchase weight-based items (frozen yogurt, salads, etc.) without needing to see an employee or use a separate lane.

You can also add suggested tipping, daily deals, and upsell prompts on kiosk screens.

Toast offers dedicated kiosk terminals.

Other Toast hardware includes the Toast Go 2 handheld POS, countertop POS, outdoor Wi-Fi access point, kitchen printers, cash drawers, and kitchen display systems.

On the pay-as-you-go Quick Start Bundle plan, you can get a handheld or countertop POS for no upfront cost and no monthly fees, as long as you agree to pay higher per-transaction payment processing fees.

In general, we do not recommend the pay-as-you-go plan because the higher per-order fees will cost you more than the original price of the hardware once you get in enough orders.

If you can, pay for your POS and kiosk hardware upfront. Otherwise, look into equipment financing to help you cover the costs of the restaurant hardware you need in your establishment.

Toast requires you to use its own in-house payment processor, with card-present fees starting at 2.49% + $0.15. Fees will be higher on the Quick Start Bundle plan. Custom quotes are also available. 

You have to sign a merchant contract with Toast, which typically lasts at least two years. There are early termination fees, should you decide to break your contract early.

You are also required to buy Toast’s proprietary hardware, which means that you could be paying a lot for a setup that includes POS registers, kiosks, kitchen displays, kitchen printers, etc.

Toast covers hardware purchased directly from the company for up to three years, which is much longer than most POS and kiosk hardware providers.

Revel now requires every restaurant owner to get a custom quote on restaurant hardware and software, including pricing on the company’s kiosk software, Kiosk XT.

There’s also a one-time implementation fee, which includes hardware installation and software setup with a dedicated Revel representative.

Like Toast, Revel allows you to collect/redeem loyalty points by manually entering a loyalty member number. They can also swipe or scan a loyalty card at kiosks. Also like Toast, you can set up tipping options, including suggested and custom options.

Revel’s more unique restaurant kiosk features include the ability to:

• Collect info such as call name, call order, buzzer number, table stand number, etc. through kiosks
• Require manager override for POS and kiosk functions
• Funnel orders towards a central register and kitchen displays
• Create very specific custom modifier rules (e.g. custom toppings on only half a pizza)
• Print or email receipts

In general, Revel restaurant kiosks offer a smooth ordering experience with upsell items and group combo builder popups, much like any customer would expect when using self-ordering kiosks. You can also brand your kiosks to create a more unified look in your establishment.

Also, Revel has excellent multilocation and enterprise-level restaurant management capabilities, including the ability to run franchises. In fact, its franchise management features are a major reason why Revel is one of the best pizza POS systems.

You must contact Revel for pricing on the company’s proprietary self-ordering kiosk touchscreen.

In general, Revel software runs on iPads and iPad Minis.

Revel software is also compatible with hardware from providers such as Ingenico, Honeywell, Infinite Peripherals, Epson, Linksys, Brecknell, and Zebra. You can source card readers, barcode scanners, cash drawers, ID card swipers, and routers from any of these providers or purchase them directly from Revel.

Revel offers an in-house payment processing solution, Revel Advantage (powered by Worldpay). You will receive a custom quote for payment processing fees with Revel Advantage.

You can also use third-party payment processors such as Fiserv (previously called First Data), Heartland, TSYS, Elavon, and Chase, but will most likely pay an added monthly fee to do so.

Our advice: Get a few quotes from third-party payment providers before approaching Revel. You can get a sense of what a fair payment processing rate is for your business and negotiate with Revel to get the lowest payment processing rate you can.

You must sign a merchant agreement with a three-year minimum commitment, two-terminal minimum, annual billing, and use Revel Advantage if you want to get the advertised pricing plan above. Otherwise, you have to get a custom quote.

If you cancel your Revel agreement early, there are early termination fees, which can get very expensive depending on how close you are to the end of your contract. You must also return any Revel equipment you haven’t paid off.

Plans are renewed yearly unless you give a 30-day notice before your renewal date.

Revel has a one-year warranty on hardware purchased through the company.

You’ll need Square For Restaurants POS software (free for individuals with one physical location) and kiosk software (included with a paid Square Online plan or a third-party kiosk software) to add kiosks to your restaurant.

A Square Online site that includes QR code self-serve ordering is available for an additional fee.

Third-party integrations (such as KioskBuddy) usually have a monthly cost, transaction fee, or both.

Note: If you have more than one permanent location, you’ll need to upgrade to the Plus plan.

Square offers two distinct self-ordering solutions: a low-cost QR code generator that you can place anywhere in your restaurant and traditional third-party kiosk software that runs on iPads.

Square’s most unique self-ordering restaurant kiosk features include:

• QR code generator that links to your own branded online ordering site
• Pre-built QR code designs that you can print and place anywhere (great for popup events, food trucks, spacious areas, etc.)
• Tie different QR codes to specific ordering locations (e.g. bar, table number) or require customers to manually input their location
• Accept discount codes and run specials

Square also integrates with software such as KioskBuddy, KIOS, and Kyoo, all third-party software that turns any iPad into a more traditional self-ordering restaurant kiosk. You can install this software on Square Stand Mounts to create a sturdy standing or tableside kiosk anywhere at your restaurant.

Square runs on iPads, which you can source yourself or purchase from Square.

The Square Stand Mount is a great iPad mounting hardware that allows you to permanently or temporarily place standing or tableside kiosks anywhere in your restaurant. This hardware includes an integrated card reader so customers can pay at the kiosk.

You will need a Square Contactless Chip + Card Reader to take payments on the go, which is a great solution for businesses that are mainly mobile, such as food trucks or caterers at event venues.

Read our guide to Square POS hardware to find out the cost of extra hardware and what you may need to run your restaurant.

You must use Square’s in-house payment processor to process all payments.

QR code orders are considered online orders, so you get charged Square’s online payment processing fees. For QR code payments, fees start at 2.9% + $0.30. 

Transactions made at a standing or tableside kiosk using KioskBuddy are considered in-person transactions, which have lower payment processing fees. You’ll pay 2.6% + $0.15 flat fee, per transaction.

Square Online plans are advertised as being billed annually, but you can contact sales and set up a monthly plan. You will pay more per month on a monthly plan. There is a 30-day free trial of paid plans and you can pause your subscription for up to three months.

You will pay a higher payment processing fee for QR code orders since they’re considered card-not-present payments.

In addition to a POS plan, you must also pay for the Lavu kiosk app, which costs $50/month.

Each POS plan comes with one device. Extra devices cost $50/device/month.

Lavu is a POS system with a dedicated kiosk app, and includes the following best features for cafeterias:

• Nutritional and allergen information listed on menu items
• ID scan badges to add meals to a registered account
• Integrated weight scale so customers can pay for self-portioned items like salad and frozen yogurt
• Rotating weekly menus
• Barcode scanner to scan ready-made items
• Sync kiosks with KDS in different departments/food stations

Customers can also decide whether to pay at kiosks or the register, collect loyalty program points, and decide how they’d like their receipt (email, text, or print.)

You can customize the look of your kiosks and add a timeout feature that clears carts if someone takes too long or abandons the kiosk altogether.

Lavu runs on iPads, which you can purchase from Lavu or source on your own.

To run a kiosk, you’ll need to use a compatible Verifone device.

You may purchase Epson kitchen display system hardware from Lavu to sync to kiosks.

Lavu has its own in-house payment processor, Lavu Pay. You can use Lavu Pay and a Verifone card reader to process payments at a custom rate, which will depend on your business size and processing volume.

You may also opt out of Lavu Pay for a monthly fee.

Lavu’s plans are month-to-month and the company offers a transparent monthly pricing structure.

You will have to sign a merchant agreement, which you should read through before signing on with Lavu. Standard merchant agreements are signed with Card Connect and Verifone, Lavu Pay’s financial partners, and last for three years. Lavu claims that there are no early termination fees for terminating your merchant agreement, but there can be hidden costs, so read through your agreement carefully.

Also, there are many Lavu software/hardware resellers who often have a separate agreement from Lavu. The company does not claim any responsibility for any cancellation fees that you may be charged from resellers or financial partners. Keep this in mind when deciding where to purchase Lavu products from.