TouchBistro VS Toast: Which Is Better For Your Restaurant?
These two popular POS systems are built for restaurants, but which is the better choice for your business?
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WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Editor & Senior Staff Writer
Last updated onUpdated
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| TouchBistro | Toast | |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Small to mid-sized restaurants | Growing, multi-location, and high-volume restaurants |
| Monthly Fees | $69/month | $0 - $69/month with custom plans available |
| In-Person Processing Fees | Custom pricing; outside processors may be available | 2.49% + $0.15 |
| Hardware | Primarily iPad-based, with restaurant hardware options | Proprietary restaurant-grade terminals, handhelds, kiosks, and KDS devices |
| Standout Features |
|
|
| What’s Missing | Fewer built-in tools and integrations for larger or more complex operations | Limited hardware flexibility and fewer options to use outside payment processors |
Table of Contents
TouchBistro VS Toast: At A Glance Comparison
Toast and TouchBistro are both restaurant-specific POS systems, but they’re built for slightly different needs.
TouchBistro is a good fit for independent restaurants that want an iPad-based POS with basic menu, table, staff, and reporting tools. Plans are competitively priced, but hardware, payment processing, and advanced restaurant management features cost extra.
Toast is better suited to restaurants that need a wider selection of built-in tools, durable proprietary hardware, and room to grow. Pricing depends on the restaurant’s package, hardware, payment processing agreement, and selected add-ons.
Where TouchBistro Wins
- A user-friendly iPad-based interface
- Clearer published pricing
- Flexible hardware and payment options
- Built-in menu, table, staff, and floor-plan tools
- An easier setup for smaller and independent restaurants
Where TouchBistro Falls Short
- More advanced features requiring paid add-ons
- A smaller overall product ecosystem than Toast
- Fewer built-in payroll, finance, and delivery tools
- Costs that can rise as you add restaurant management products
- Fewer all-in-one tools for restaurants that want one provider
Where Toast Wins
- A larger selection of built-in restaurant tools
- Durable, restaurant-grade hardware
- Handheld POS devices, kiosks, and kitchen display systems
- Integrated online ordering and delivery tools
- Payroll, scheduling, marketing, loyalty, and inventory options
- More room to support growing and multi-location restaurants
Where Toast Falls Short
- Higher potential costs as you add tools and devices
- Custom pricing for many packages and add-ons
- Required use of Toast-approved hardware
- Limited flexibility to use outside payment processing
- Contract and financing terms that require close review
- A more complex setup for restaurants that only need basic POS tools
TouchBistro VS Toast: Pricing Comparison
| TouchBistro | Toast | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Subscription | $69/month | $0 - $69/month with custom plans available |
| In-Person Processing | Custom | 2.49% + $0.15 |
| Online Processing | Custom | 3.5% + $0.15 for Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, and 3.89% + $0.15 for AMEX |
| Online Ordering Platform | Starts at $50/month | Custom |
| Gift Card Program | Starts at $25/month | Custom |
| Loyalty Program | Starts at $99/month | Custom |
TouchBistro has the more straightforward published pricing. Payment processing and advanced tools are priced separately.
Toast offers several ways to pay, including a $0-per-month Starter Kit, custom packages, and hardware financing. However, your total cost can vary considerably based on processing, hardware, add-ons, and contract terms.
Maverick Tip: The registers, locations, and employees you have will impact how much a POS system costs. If neither option fits your budget, check out our picks for the best free POS software.
TouchBistro VS Toast: Features
| TouchBistro | Toast | |
|---|---|---|
| Split Checks | ||
| Custom Tipping | ||
| Offline Payments | ||
| Menu Management | ||
| Inventory Tracking | Add-on | Add-on |
| Online Ordering, Takeout, & Delivery | Add-on | Add-on |
| Self-Service Kiosks | ||
| Reservations & Waitlists | Add-on | Add-on |
| Multi-Location Management | ||
| Reporting |
Toast and TouchBistro share many of the same core restaurant POS features, including menu management, table management, reporting, online ordering, reservations, marketing, and inventory tools.
Toast offers a broader ecosystem for growing and multi-location restaurants, while TouchBistro keeps its core POS simpler and offers many advanced features as optional add-ons.
Here’s how the two compare in detail.
Which Is Best For My Business: TouchBistro Or Toast?
Here’s the quick rundown of which restaurant POS system may be the better fit.
Choose TouchBistro If…
- You run an independent or small to midsize restaurant.
- You want a straightforward, iPad-based POS system.
- You prefer clearer published starting prices.
- You want more flexibility when choosing hardware and payment options.
- You need essential restaurant features without an overly complex setup.
- You’re comfortable adding advanced tools as your needs grow.
Choose Toast If…
- You run a growing, high-volume, or multi-location restaurant.
- You want a broad selection of restaurant management tools from one provider.
- You need durable, purpose-built terminals, handhelds, kiosks, or kitchen displays.
- You want advanced inventory, payroll, scheduling, delivery, and guest-management options.
- You rely heavily on online ordering, reservations, or integrated marketing.
- You’re comfortable with custom pricing, proprietary hardware, and more complex contract terms.
Toast offers the broader platform, stronger hardware lineup, and more advanced tools for growing restaurant operations. However, its total cost and setup can become more complicated as you add hardware, software, and services.
TouchBistro is simpler and more approachable, making it the better choice for many independent restaurants that want an iPad-based POS without Toast’s larger ecosystem.
If you need more help deciding between Toast and TouchBistro (or any other POS), check out our helpful article on how to choose a restaurant POS system.
Erica Seppala
Editor & Senior Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick
Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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