Best Drive-Thru Systems For Restaurants

You must use Toast hardware with Toast software, so there will be an initial hardware investment for everyone except those on the Quick Start Bundle plan who only sign up for one POS terminal. You can technically get two POS systems on the Quick Start Bundle plan, but only one of the terminals will have no upfront or monthly costs.

You can add any number of POS terminals to a Core, Growth, or New Restaurants package. You’ll pay a custom upfront and monthly software fee and Toast often provides bulk discounts for purchasing multiple terminals at once.

Like Revel, Toast is an all-around excellent POS system for restaurants, but large restaurants with drive-thru/pickup options will appreciate these features the most:

• Loyalty program that syncs with payment methods, so drivers can earn points without having to pull out a physical loyalty card
• Durable Android-based handheld POS systems to take curbside orders
• Self-ordering restaurant kiosks and contactless QR code ordering, so users can order from their car or indoors and get their orders brought out to their cars
• Integration with Raydiant restaurant digital signage board software
• Excellent floor planning to manage drive-thru, takeout, and dine-in options
• Durable Android-based kitchen display screens that can withstand the heat and spills that come with a busy kitchen

Toast also offers several add-on products so that large restaurant owners can easily manage their locations. For example, Toast Scheduling and Toast Payroll make it easy to hire, schedule, and pay several staff members at different pay rates.

Toast is the only software provider on this list that requires you to purchase proprietary POS hardware. These are the base offerings for Toast hardware. You will get a better price when you get a custom quote for several POS systems, kiosks, and/or kitchen displays:

• Toast Countertop POS
• Toast Go 2 Handheld POS
• Self-Ordering Kiosk
• Kitchen Display Screen
• Guest-Facing Display
• Cash Drawer
• Customer Receipt Printer

On the Quick Start Bundle plan, you can get a free countertop or handheld POS system (the Toast Go 2 is one of the best handheld restaurant POS systems on the market) but will pay a reduced upfront cost as well as a monthly fee for a second POS terminal and accompanying Toast POS software.

You’ll have to get a custom quote for Raydiant digital signage hardware.

You can only use Toast as your payment processing provider. If you own a larger or multi-location drive-thru restaurant business, you’ll get a custom payment processing quote from Toast.

Contracts with Toast are set for at least two years, with huge early termination fees if you decide to cancel your contract early. Also, the price of Toast software increases with every new contract term. You have to buy Toast hardware and can’t do anything with it if you decide to use another restaurant POS provider.

Essentially, Toast POS is a huge investment that you shouldn’t take lightly.

Keep this in mind before signing on with Toast, and make sure to negotiate the best payment processing rate for your business.

Revel requires every business owner to get a custom quote.

Keep in mind that Revel is for larger businesses, and larger businesses will always have to pay more than the average monthly bill to get all the front-end and back-office POS features they need.

There’s also a one-time implementation fee. This fee covers on-site hardware installation and an initial software setup, which you can customize as needed with your Revel account representative.

Revel Systems is an excellent POS software and hardware provider with the following drive-thru lane features:

• Integration with Delphi Display Systems, which offers drive-thru timers, headsets, digital menu boards, and more
• Automatically or manually update drive-thru digital menus/signage boards to reflect the latest menu offerings and promotions
• Offline mode so outdoor systems will work whether there’s WiFi or not
• Order display that can be placed outside in drive-thru lanes in the form of an iPad or television
• Two-way video chat between customers and servers
• Servers have the option to enter customer names, vehicles, and phone numbers

Revel also has a quick order and payment flow on POS systems, which allows servers to take an order and payment on the same screen rather than having to enter in information and then move to a separate payment screen. This reduces order input times and increases order accuracy, two very important parts of providing a good fast food ordering experience.

Additionally, Revel has one of the best kitchen display systems, and drive-thru orders can be sent to designated kitchen stations as well as an expo screen placed at drive-thru windows. Servers can check each bag before handing orders out the window to make sure customers get everything they ordered and can leave satisfied.

While not necessarily important for drive-thru lanes, Revel also offers “order ready” screens that, when connected to Revel POS and kitchen display software, can show customers in your restaurant the status of their dine-in or takeout order. Since many restaurants with drive-thru lanes are fast-paced and offer several dining options, giving customers standing in your store the ability to see their order progress will improve their satisfaction as well.

Revel’s franchise management system makes this software a suitable option for chain restaurants.

Revel Systems is iPad-based. You can purchase iPads to use as registers, kitchen display systems, order display systems (to place outdoors in drive-thru lanes), and self-serve kiosks indoors.

The company offers Revel-compatible card readers, iPad stands, printers, routers, access points, and more. Revel does not disclose pricing online, so you’ll have to contact a representative for a quote.

In some cases, you can bring your own hardware accessories. For example, if you have an Epson kitchen printer or a Verifone card reader, you may be able to add it to your POS setup. You’ll have to get permission from Revel, as the company wants to make sure you’re adding the right POS hardware to your restaurant.

Revel also integrates with Delphi Display Systems, which provides hardware and software for all things drive-thru related, including drive-thru digital menu boards, order timers, server headsets, two-way customer chat boxes, and order confirmation screens. You’ll get a custom quote on your drive-thru lane hardware when you contact a Delphi Display Systems representative.

Revel advertises that its in-house payment processing system, Revel Advantage (backed by Worldpay), offers the lowest flat-rate payment processing for business owners. You have to complete a request form, fill out business information on an order form, and get a custom payment processing rate.

In general, the more transactions you process and the less “risky” your business is, the lower your payment processing rates will be.

You can also integrate Revel with several third-party payment processing providers, such as TSYS, Elavon, and Chase Merchant Services (formerly Chase Paymentech) for an additional monthly fee.

Be wary of Revel’s contract length and lack of transparency in terms of pricing and payment processing fees. Make sure to read your merchant agreement carefully before signing anything.

Also, try to negotiate some form of a free trial or month-to-month pricing before making a long-term commitment, and shop around for payment processing rates to get a sense of what a fair rate for your business looks like.

Drive-thru restaurant owners should opt for talech’s Premium plan, and add as many devices as they need at an extra $29/month/register.

talech does not charge extra for features like an online ordering platform, loyalty program, or gift cards on the Premium plan, making it the most straightforward and affordable POS solution for restaurant owners who want to add a drive-thru option.

talech is an affordable POS system that offers some of the best drive-thru/curbside order pickup features, including:

• Online ordering platform and QR code ordering for pickup and delivery
• Contactless order status tracking and notifications
• Customers can alert servers that they’ve arrived with the “I’m here” button in order confirmation emails
• Customers get a collection code so servers can identify their order

talech’s general restaurant features include an affordable inventory management system with purchase ordering and inventory alerts, the ability to convert registers to self-serve kiosks, and kitchen printer/display system integrations.

talech’s loyalty program is more basic than Toast’s but is a more affordable alternative.

talech has partnered with several hardware providers to offer restaurant owners the freedom to choose what works for them. You may use iPad-based or Android-based hardware for your register setups. There are countertop and handheld POS systems available.

You may choose from providers such as Ingenio, Moby, and Epson for card readers and other peripheral hardware.

You can source your hardware on your own, being mindful of compatibility and warranty information, or purchase it directly from talech.

talech also offers many payment processing options from providers such as Global Payments, Chase Merchant Services, Elavon, Bank Of America Merchant Services, and Worldpay.

With the freedom to choose your own payment processor, you can get the best payment processing rates.

talech contracts are refreshingly straightforward compared to many other restaurant POS providers on this list.

You may sign up for a monthly or yearly talech contract, with no cancellation fees or refunds if you choose to stop using talech software. If you reactivate a canceled contract, you will be charged a reactivation fee.

Sign up for a monthly contract before dedicating yourself to an annual one.

The listed pricing is with Lavu’s cash discount program (the Dual Pay program), which requires you to pass payment processing fees onto your customers when they use a card to pay. You must sign a 36-month contract to use the cash discount program.

If you decide not to use Lavu for payment processing and pay month-to-month, plans will be more expensive.

All plans come with one register. Extra registers cost $50/month/register.

The Starter plan includes the core POS, a loyalty program, a Bluetooth scale plugin, inventory management, and team management.

The Growth plan includes online ordering, QR code ordering, DoorDash delivery integration, and API access, so you can integrate Lavu with any other third-party software you want.

The Optimize plan includes tableside ordering, kitchen display system software, invoice management software, and QuickBooks integrations.

Lavu offers the following features for drive-thru restaurants:

• Offline ordering and payment mode
• Self-serve kiosks for takeout orders
• Quick-serve mode to take orders faster
• Automated drive-thru order firing to Lavu KDS
• Online and QR code ordering to take contactless orders
• Nutritional information on menu items

With Lavu’s numerous integration partners, you can set up more restaurant features, such as:

• Digital menu boards
• Purchase ordering, stock taking, and perishable inventory tracking
• Text-to-pay/park-to-pay (great for curbside ordering)
• Customer ordering that includes a “pay at the drive-thru window” option

Lavu offers numerous hardware options, including:

• iPad Device
• iPad Stand
• Kitchen Display Bundle

Equipment generally runs around $55 – $2,500. Lavu POS is compatible with PAX, Verifone, and Ingenico card readers. It is also compatible with Tor Rey L-EQ Bluetooth scales, RFID card readers and scanners from Epson, and receipt/kitchen printers from Epson and Star Micronics.

Lavu has its own processing program that you are incentivized to use but not locked into. You’ll need to contact Lavu directly to get your best rate.

The company has recently updated its pricing to the point where it probably isn’t worth it to find your own payment processor, but it may be worth it to get quotes from third-party payment processors and bring those numbers to Lavu to negotiate the best rates for your business.

Users have reported that Lavu sales representatives attempt to lure potential customers into long-term contracts and equipment leases.

It’s best to buy your POS hardware outright or finance equipment so you don’t get stuck paying a lot of interest or risk your hardware being taken away if you decide to cancel a software subscription.

In general, carefully read through any merchant agreement terms, take advantage of free trials, and consider signing up for a month-to-month contract before committing for the long run.