The hospitality and restaurant industry has gone through many changes in the past year, but the point of sale (POS) software that restaurants use to run their businesses has kept pace, improving both their features and hardware. Many restaurant POS systems now offer online ordering and menus as standard features, for example. These tools keep restaurants of all sizes running despite the challenges of the last year.
This list has restaurant POS systems for every business size and type. But if you’re ready to start talking to vendors, our Technology Advisors can help. Enter your requirements in the POS software POS Product Selection Tool, and one of our unbiased Technology Advisors will reach out with a short list of restaurant POS systems that meet your needs.
Restaurant POS systems overview:
- Compare the best restaurant POS systems
- Toast POS
- NCR Aloha POS
- Rezku POS
- TouchBistro
- Lightspeed
- Clover
- Square
- Posera Maitre’D
- Choosing the best restaurant point of sale system
Compare the best restaurant POS systems
We compared the top restaurant POS systems for both front of house and back of house features that restaurant owners need. Some of the POS software features listed below may not be available at all pricing tiers or available at an extra charge.
| Toast POS | NCR Aloha | Rezku POS | TouchBistro | Lightspeed | Clover | Square | Maitre’D | |
| Customer loyalty | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Floor plan | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Reservations | no | no | no | yes | yes | no | no | yes |
| Inventory management | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | yes |
| Online ordering | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Toast
Toast POS is a full-service restaurant software designed to manage both front of house and back of house functions seamlessly, improving customer service. Manage inventory, online ordering, and employee time clocks in a single interface. The cloud based POS system can be used on your own tablet, or you can rent hardware directly from Toast to handle payment processing. The payment processing system even accepts credit cards while offline to prevent downtime.
Best for: Restaurant managers adding online ordering options to a full service menu.
NCR Aloha POS
According to Aloha, more employees know how to use their POS software than any other restaurant POS systems — which is a plus for restaurants with high turnover. Aloha POS comes as standalone software, a mobile POS, or with the purchase of kiosks and other hardware. Restaurants get management tools for front of house and back of house, with menu, inventory, delivery, and loyalty. Aloha POS software does not include seating charts or reservations.
Best for: Franchise and multi-site table service restaurants with separate reservation solutions.
Rezku POS
Rezku is a POS provider that offers a point of sale system designed specifically for restaurant operations. The tools extend from online ordering, including third-party options like DoorDash, to back of house management, a kitchen display system, and signage. QR code and barcode scanners, along with other hardware, make it easy to work with gift cards and customer loyalty rewards. Rekzu also offers tableside ordering and payment processing, providing a contactless payment option for better customer service.
Best for: Fast casual restaurants that need online and self ordering kiosk options
TouchBistro
TouchBistro is a restaurant point of sale software for counter service shops, full service restaurants, and everything in between. Purchase the base POS solution to manage your menu items and service, and choose from several add-ons to customize the package, including hardware. Use the tableside ordering tool with a tablet to get orders to the kitchen quickly and improve your customer service. Display the current menu with digital signage, and use the table management features to customize your floorplan. There’s even a kiosk feature for self-service in busy fast-casual restaurants.
Best for: High volume fast casual restaurants.
Lightspeed
Lightspeed is a full-service restaurant POS system that has menus, customer loyalty, inventory management, POS hardware, and mobile ordering features for single and multi-site restaurants. The software can handle online reservations, and employees can plan the night’s turns with the flexible floorplan tool and table management system. Connected cash drawer, inventory, and employee management tools keep all major management tasks in a single interface. After acquisitions, both Upserve POS and ShopKeep are now part of Lightspeed.
Best for: Full service franchise restaurant owners.
Clover
Clover POS software works for counter service and full-service restaurants, and it supports online ordering. There are no extra fees for additional users making it a good restaurant POS system for growing businesses. You can purchase hardware for a cash register or use an iPad POS at your counter for payment processing. The customer loyalty tools are built right in, so you can follow up for reviews, send coupons, and communicate changes quickly. Clover may be light on features, but it integrates with a lot of marketing and accounting tools.
Best for: Growing restaurants with established marketing or accounting tools.
Square
Square started out as a credit card reader company, but has since expanded into making POS software for business owners of all types. The Square POS terminal for restaurants manages in-person and online ordering, payment processing, and customer loyalty programs. Use the hardware tools for counter service or full-service restaurants. Inventory management and some other back of house features are not included with Square.
Best for: Restaurant operators of mixed service establishments with food, beverage, and services all in one place.
Posera Maitre’D
Posera Maitre’D is POS software for the hospitality industry. It’s designed for full service restaurants, multi-site companies, and hotels, and can manage casual to fine dining. The tools extend from online ordering to back of house management, kitchen solutions, table management, and signage. Choose from specialized bar and nightclub features like fast close tender keys to direct integrations with your current property management system (PMS). There’s also a variety of hardware options to choose from.
Best for: Franchise hospitality and enterprise restaurant chains.
Choosing the best restaurant point of sale system
In addition to finding the restaurant POS software with all the right features, you’ll want to consider your current technology stack. Do you need an inventory tool, bar features, hardware, or customer loyalty systems? Are you equipped for online ordering? Does your current accounting software meet your back of house needs, or should you look at restaurant POS systems with integrated accounting?
Use our POS software Point of Sale Product Selection Tool to find the perfect solution for your restaurant. Enter your requirements and one of our unbiased Technology Advisors will contact you with a list of restaurant POS systems that meet your needs.
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