The 5 Best POS Systems for Restaurants in 2024

A restaurant Point of Sale (POS) system can help you streamline your operations by acting as a unified system for managing orders, inventory, and even marketing and promotions. But, finding the best one for your restaurant business can be tricky with so many options out there.

To make things easier, we’ve done the work for you, and after over 20 hours of testing, we can confidently say that Square is the best POS system for restaurants, especially for small ones with ambitions to scale. It’s got a functional free plan perfect for new ventures, and more advanced paid plans that can support budding chains, while still being priced cheaper than most competitor systems.

Square won’t be the perfect fit for all restaurants, which is why we’ve included other suggestions in our review. For example, large sit-down restaurants will fare better with Toast or Clover, since they offer tools for managing expenses and limiting wastage, like cost vs profit tracking and ingredient tracking.

For a quick overview of the best restaurant POS systems, check out the table below. If you don’t have time to read our in-depth reviews of each platform, you can use our cost comparison tool to find the best value service for your business in under a minute.

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1. Square: Best for Scaling Up Your Restaurant Business

Square’s POS software is app-based, and starts at $0 per month, making it a good entry-level system for new restaurateurs or small eateries. At the same time, the advanced features available on its paid plans (starting at $69 per month), and its wide range of hardware make Square an equally great option for small chains.

Part of what makes Square scalable is that its free POS software is very functional and capable of supporting new restaurants. It includes features such as bill splitting by amount, items, or percentage, and has a proprietary KDS system that you can customize and view reports on. This last one costs $20 per month, per device, but is still available to use on the free plan.

However, we don’t think Square’s inventory management tools have enough depth to meet the needs of large restaurant chains or those with complex inventories. It doesn’t come with ingredient tracking or cost vs profit management for instance. If those are the tools you need, Lightspeed Restaurant is a better choice.

Our experience with Square

We found Square’s POS system relatively easy to use when testing it. Everything is clearly labeled in the sidebar menu, making features easy to find.

However, we did find setting up the back end a little easier than dealing with the front end. The main struggle we had was finding and using the floor plan feature, which can’t actually be edited from the POS frontend (it has to be done from the back office), and this means Square won’t be the best option for businesses that want to change their floor plan frequently.

Clover lets you edit floorplans from both the back and front end, making it a better choice for establishments with frequent floorplan changes.

One big downside is that Square doesn’t have a training mode, so teaching your staff how to use the system might take more time than it would with another provider. To compensate, there’s a help center that contains a large range of guides, on topics from how to set up the system, to how to create items and modify orders.

What are Square’s restaurant POS features like?

On Square’s free POS plan, you’ll be able to manage orders, do the basics – such as set up your menu and table plan – from both the front and back end, and track which items have run out. You can also create an online ordering website for free, and accept payments through it. This is great for establishments looking to increase their sales, allowing you to serve more customers than your restaurant seats.

Square’s paid plans, the $69 per month Plus plan and the $165 per month Premium plan, will give you access to more advanced features. These include floor plan customization, advanced staff management tools, and the ability to reopen closed bills to make amendments. These are useful tools for larger restaurants with a complex seating chart that serve big parties.

We should note that Square doesn’t allow for full table plan customization. You’re not able to edit colors, or labels, all features available with Lightspeed.

You’ll also get access to in-depth reporting tools, such as live sales tracking, and reports divided up by section (bar, dining room, and so on) or time of day (for example, lunch vs dinner service). These aren’t available on Square’s free plan, and are crucial for pinning down what works best for your restaurant, and capitalizing on it.

What is Square’s restaurant hardware like?

Square’s POS system is app-based and compatible with both Apple and Android tablets (although these are not provided by Square). That’s something to consider if you don’t already own a tablet, or need to purchase multiple ones, since doing so can drive up setup costs.

The equipment Square does provide is pretty modern-looking, which is a plus if aesthetics are important to your business. Available hardware includes:

• Register ($799): A standing register with a staff screen and customer-facing touchscreen terminal
• Card machines ($59-$299): Most can accept contactless, chip and PIN, and mobile payments
• Tablet stand ($149): Doubles as a contactless and chip and PIN card reader (tablet not included)
• KDS ($20/month): a 15.6-inch or 21.5-inch touchscreen

Also available through Square are POS kits that include registers or tablet stands with cash drawers and receipt printers (prices range from $579 to $1,389).

We tested Square’s portable card machine, the Square Terminal, and found it easy to use. You can access Square’s POS software directly from it, easily adding items to orders. However, we do think that design-wise, it’s slightly too wide to be comfortably held by people with small hands. Clover’s equivalent, the Clover Flex, is better in that regard.

2. Toast: Best for Established Restaurants with Complex Operations

Toast offers a large array of inventory and profit management tools, as well as some neat customer engagement features, which are most suited to restaurants that are well-established, have multiple locations, and require robust management tools.

One example of how Toast can help your business run smoothly is that it allows you to create different menus for different times of day (a feature missing from rival Clover) and create menu item variations. This will make catering to fussy customers easy, and ensure your staff don’t mix up items from different menus.

One thing we don’t like, however, is that a lot of Toast’s marketing and advanced profit and inventory management tools come as add-ons, meaning you’ll have to pay extra for them. How much exactly isn’t something Toast advertises, which does raise some eyebrows. This isn’t the case for most rivals, including Lightspeed and Clover.

Our experience with Toast

Toast is easy to use. We found the back end particularly intuitive and easy to navigate, and the setup tutorial offered a clear step-by-step guide that helped us find our way around the platform.

The only task we struggled with a little was setting up a discount on an order, which is something we had trouble with on a lot of other POS platforms we tested. In this case, we found Toast’s wording a little confusing, since you have to click on an “update” button to find the discount button. Lightspeed and Square both clearly label this option on the checkout screen.

Another aspect we like is that Toast’s customer service line is open 24/7, 365 days a year (that’s right, even on holidays) – this includes a phone line and a web messaging service.

What are Toast’s restaurant POS features like?

At its most basic, Toast’s POS system comes with table and order management features and reporting tools.

However, the platform really shines when it comes to its add-on features, although unfortunately most of these come at an extra cost. Features you can add to your Toast POS system include in-depth inventory management, which includes food and recipe cost management, as well as low-stock alerts.

You can also take your restaurant online with online and mobile ordering, Toast’s delivery services and takeout app, and a host of integrations with third-party delivery apps. These are essential features for casual dining restaurants looking to increase sales by reaching a larger number of customers.

Other useful add-ons include customer engagement tools, like loyalty program building (set spends and create a points system), email marketing, and gift card creation.

But again, Toast doesn’t tell you how much these extras cost. Providers such as Square are much more transparent about how much each add-on will cost per month. So, if clear pricing is what you need, Square should be your go-to.

What is Toast’s restaurant hardware like?

Most of Toast’s hardware is matte black, creating a discreet, unflashy look. Its free Starter Plan includes either a terminal or a handheld POS kit, while its paid plans allow you to choose the equipment you need.

The core pieces of restaurant POS equipment available through Toast are:

• Toast Flex ($719.10): A terminal with a 14-inch touchscreen that can accept all payment types, thanks to its built-in card reader
• Toast Flex for Guest ($944.10): A 14-inch terminal with an 8-inch touchscreen customer-facing display, that can either be attached to the terminal, or mounted separately
• Card reader ($50): A black compact card reader that connects to the terminal and accepts swipe, dip, or tap payments
• Toast Go 2 ($494.10): a handheld POS system that’s waterproof and lets you take tableside orders
• KDS: A 22-inch touchscreen that can be mounted on the wall, can withstand high temperatures, and can aggregate orders from multiple channels

Toast also has POS accessories, such as receipt and kitchen printers, scales, and cash drawers.

We tested the Toast Flex, Toast’s countertop terminal. It was overall a good experience, the screen is bright and responsive, and at a good height for countertop use.

3. SpotOn: Best for Simplifying Staff Scheduling and Communication

SpotOn is a great POS system for simplifying staff scheduling and streamlining communication. It’s designed specifically for restaurants, and has a proprietary “Teamwork” app that handles shift management and cost projections.

SpotOn is well-suited to new restaurants, since its starting plan is free, and includes a terminal, customer display, stand, receipt printer, and cash drawer. All you’ll have to pay is the 2.89% + 25¢ card processing fee, which goes down to 1.99% + 25¢ once you upgrade to one of SpotOn’s paid plans.

That’s a better deal than even Square, which charges upfront fees for its hardware, even if it has a free version of its POS software.

If you’re on a paid plan, you’ll also get access to SpotOn’s Teamwork app, which includes full tip management, such as tip sharing, and tip reports, features not offered by established providers Clover and Lightspeed.

However, SpotOn doesn’t offer as wide a range of POS hardware and accessories as competitors, so if you want all your equipment bases covered, you’re better off with a provider like Clover or Square.

Our experience with SpotOn

During testing, we found SpotOn to be the one of most intuitive POS systems to navigate. We didn’t have much trouble setting up discounts or creating menu items with variations.

However, the back end was easier to use than the front end, mainly because the front end required a few extra clicks to add items to order compared to how quickly we could do this using other POS systems like Lightspeed.

We also didn’t like the floor plan functionality, since it’s not drag and drop. To change the size of the tables you have to click a bar chart button rather than drag them to make them bigger, something restaurants with large floor plans might want to consider.

SpotOn also has a comprehensive help center with guides to all its hardware and software, and there’s a 24/7 phone line you can call if you run into trouble.

What are SpotOn’s restaurant POS features like?

SpotOn’s POS system comes with the basic features necessary for restaurants, including menu and table plan management, payment processing, and reporting tools. Its menu and table management functions are on par with big guns like Clover, allowing for full table plan customization, and separate menus and items variations.

Where the system really shines is with its staff management tools. It’s got automatic tip sharing, labor vs revenue assessments, and centralized payroll administration. These types of features aren’t part of most POS systems and allow for better oversight of expenses and revenue across your business. Unfortunately, these features aren’t all available on the free plan, but all of SpotOn’s features can be added as add-ons (for a fee) to any plan.

On the customer side, SpotOn has a customizable customer-facing screen, and optional marketing tools, such as email marketing, discount code and gift card creation, and a loyalty plan builder. It’s on par with Lightspeed and Square when it comes to customer engagement tools.

The software also has an automatic offline functionality, which means none of your data will be lost if your connection is.

What is SpotOn’s restaurant hardware like?

Hardware is included on all of SpotOn’s plans, even its free tier. Here’s what you can expect to get in your package:

• Station POS: a black, 15.6 inch countertop terminal with a touchscreen and built-in customer display screen that can take tap, dip, or swipe payments
• Counter POS: a white 10.1 inch countertop terminal, with an optional customer display screen/card reader, or clip on card reader
• Handheld: a handheld mini POS device that doubles as a card reader (tap or dip) for tableside service

However, there are virtually zero accessories, like printers, cash drawers, or scales available with SpotOn. For those, you’ll need third party equipment. If you want a provider with a full range of proprietary POS hardware and accessories, Clover is your best bet.

4. Clover: Best for Professional Restaurant Hardware

Clover is the best POS system for professional restaurant hardware. Its collection ranges from countertop terminals complete with screens (no need to purchase your tablets separately), to handheld devices that sync with the main EPOS system, and allow you access to all features, from order management to reporting.

Clover’s handheld POS device, the Clover Flex is a great option for restaurants that do table service. It’s light, and easy to hold, making it a user-friendly tool for table staff.

The provider also has great hardware tools for counter-service restaurants. We particularly liked Clover’s customer display screens when we tested them: they’re bright and very reactive to touch, making it easy for customers to use them. Another standout is Clover’s fingerprint login function, making it quicker for staff to access the interface and serve customers.

However, Clover’s hardware can be expensive. The Clover Flex alone costs $599, far more than Square’s $299 equivalent, If you’re a budding restaurateur looking for an affordable POS system, providerslike Square or SpotOn, are a better choice since they booth offer free plans.

Our experience with Clover

We found Clover much easier to use than the other POS systems we tested – with the exception of Toast – because the layout of the front and back end is very straightforward. Everything is nicely spaced out, avoiding clutter, and Clover makes use of different colors to visually separate items from each other.

There were just a few issues with unclear signposting around where the table plan could be edited, and a lack of confirmation messages when orders were sent to the KDS.

However, Clover doesn’t have a training mode, and its support center doesn’t have as large a library of guides as its competitors, such as Square.

What are Clover’s restaurant POS features like?

Clover’s POS system includes all the basics and more. You can create custom table plans that perfectly match your restaurant’s layout, create customized orders for guests, and even transfer orders from one table to another if customers switch seats. This is great for busy restaurants where customers might get drinks at the bar before being seated, or ones that need to adapt to large parties.

You’ll also be able to see the status of each table in real-time, track and transfer bar tabs, send orders straight to the kitchen, split bills, manage staff, take bookings, and track your sales.

We will say, however, that Clover’s KDS system is a little lacking. It does provide the hardware, but the software is through a third-party app, and it doesn’t provide kitchen reports. Alternatives that do include Toast and Lightspeed.

Speaking of integrations, there’s also a Clover app store, where you can find a variety of marketing and reporting tools to integrate into your POS system, allowing you to fill in the gaps in Clover’s tool kit.

What is Clover’s restaurant hardware like?

Clover has a variety of payment plans, most of which include a software account and a set of hardware, with hardware options varying by plan. All of Clover’s equipment has a sleek modern design, with white frames and silver finishes.

Here’s what’s available with Clover:

• Station Duo ($1,799): A terminal with a 14 inch staff touchscreen, customer screen (complete with swipe, dip, or tap reader), cash drawer, and receipt printer
• Station Solo ($1,699): Same as above, minus the customer-facing screen and card reader functionality
• Mini ($799): A small terminal with an 8 inch touchscreen, that can also take dip or tap payments
• Clover Flex ($599): A handheld device that connects to both wifi and 4G, and doubles as a card machine and POS interface, complete with a built-in receipt printer
• KDS: A 14 inch or 24 inch touchscreen

Clover also offers a bunch of restaurant accessories, such as KDS bump bar (to operate KDSs mounted on the wall), stands and wall mounts, scales, kitchen printers, and employee login cards. It offers the widest range of equipment of any provider we researched and tested, helping to earn it the top spot for POS hardware.

5. Lightspeed Restaurant: Best for Increasing Customer Loyalty

Lightspeed Restaurant is the best POS system for restaurants looking to increase customer loyalty, thanks to its range of integrated marketing features.

You’ll get access to email and SMS marketing, loyalty programs, and automated marketing, all of which can entice customers to return. It’s got far more built-in loyalty and marketing features than rival Clover.

There’s also an optional Order Anywhere feature, which allows you to give your customers more ways to order, such as online, or via a QR code. These tools can help create a loyal customer base and contribute to growth.

However, because Lightspeed is a tablet-based type of POS system, it can only be operated via iPad, and the company doesn’t sell physical terminals. If you’d prefer a physical terminal, providers like Toast or Clover have got you covered.

Our experience with Lightspeed Restaurant

Lightspeed Restaurant is generally easy to use. We found the front end slightly more difficult to navigate, and struggle with adding a tip and splitting the bill. This is mainly because we experienced lagging and glitches when using the system, which does raise some concerns.

However, creating and editing menus and table plans in the back end was simple enough.

Lightspeed also has a training mode, which is particularly useful if you have a large team, and its help center contains guides on a range of common topics, such as system setup (for both hardware and software), and how to use features such as table plans and order management.

What are Lightspeed Restaurant’s POS features like?

On top of its marketing and loyalty tools, Lightspeed restaurant also has a robust array of restaurant management features.

You’re able to customize your floor plan, menu, and displays, which is especially useful for customer-facing screens and KDSs. Other top features include ingredient usage tracking, cost vs profit breakdowns for menu items, and automated resupply orders. These features are missing from Square’s offering, and are part of what makes Lightspeed Restaurant more suitable for large restaurants.

Lightspeed’s POS system also has an offline function, which means it’ll log data even if you get disconnected from the wifi, and sync everything automatically when connection returns.

What is Lightspeed Restaurant’s hardware like?

Lightspeed’s POS software is completely app-based and only works on iPads. You can purchase iPads from Lightspeed, or use your own if you already have them.

Lightspeed doesn’t disclose the price of any of its hardware, which is kind of frustrating if you’re trying to budget.

The KDS and customer display screens are also app-based, and Lightspeed doesn’t offer dedicated hardware for these. This means you’ll need to buy additional tablets, which can really drive up costs if you need to buy tablets for multiple locations.

A lot of restaurants prefer these types of systems because they offer mobility to staff, but if you want dedicated KDS of customer display hardware, you can get them through providers like Clover, Square, or SpotOn.

When it comes to accessories, here’s what Lightspeed can provide your restaurant with:

• iPad stand: A black, Lightspeed-branded stand for the counter
• Cash drawer: Available in sizes large or small, and connects to the iPad stand
• Receipt printers: A variety of Epson models are available (some designs are slightly clunky)
• Card machines: three mobile Verifone models (Verifone e285, Verifone P400, Verifone 400m), including one with a built-in receipt printer, and a Mobile Tap card reader attachment for iPads and iPhones

Buying Guide: How to Choose a Restaurant POS System

It’s a good idea to define the specific needs of your restaurant before you choose a POS system. Aspects you should take in to account include the size of your restaurant, how you serve your food (for example, counter ordering, table service, or QR code), and the number of locations you have.

Here’s what else to consider when evaluating your choices:

Costs and Pricing Structures

Consider upfront costs and monthly fees, as well as what’s included in them. Is it both software and hardware, or one and not the other? For example, SpotOn offers “free” software and hardware, but its transaction fees are high, and you’ll need to pay extra to get access to its best features.

Don’t forget to include the added cost of integration and training in your budgeting, and to plan for any projected growth by choosing a system that can accommodate your future needs. Switching systems is expensive, so it’s easier to stick with the same provider in the future if you can.

Software

Make a list of must-have and nice-to-have software features based on your restaurant’s operational model.

These could include:

• Inventory management: To help you keep on top of your ingredients and prevent you from running out of something unexpectedly
• Reservation management: To help you book out tables in advance and gather customer data
• Staff management: So you can reward your best employees and identify those that need further training
• Online ordering functionality: So you can offer your food to takeout customers or accept online pre-orders
• Analytics: So you can learn which meals are most popular, which staff members are processing the most transactions, and more
• Customer loyalty programs: So you can offer benefits that entice customers back to your restaurant as repeat visitors

If you prioritize features that help you automate workflows and prevent manual work, you might be able to reduce your labor costs.

Hardware

Think about what pieces of hardware are vital for your restaurant, and how many of them you need – from POS terminals and card machines to receipt printers, kitchen printers, and cash drawers.

Not all providers automatically provide you with portable card machines, for example. They’re sometimes replaced with a tablet or terminal that can take payments. But if you need your staff to do table service, you should choose a provider that includes portable card machines in their packages.

If you have existing hardware, just make sure to find a POS system that’s compatible with your existing equipment. This will save you from having to buy everything new. Most POS providers appreciate that you might be switching to them from another supplier, and that you won’t necessarily want a complete overhaul of all your hardware.

Add-ons and integrations

You should also pay attention to what software or apps your chosen POS system can integrate with. If you already use software, such as accounting software, make sure the POS system you choose has a ready-made integration for it, as this will help you streamline operations.

It’s also a good idea to check what other add-ons or apps are available via a POS system. Some providers offer advanced marketing or reporting features as add-ons, usually for an extra fee – but if these seem particularly valuable to your business they could be worth the extra price.

Customer support

Make sure you check how available the POS provider’s customer support team is, and how easily reachable they are.

A POS provider should have a customer support phone line that’s open on weekdays, at the very least. Live chat support and community forums you can go to in a pinch are a welcome addition.

You should also check the training resources, onboarding support, and post-implementation support terms provided by the POS provider to ensure your team will get the support they need to learn the new system.

How Much Does a Restaurant POS System Cost?

On average, monthly fees for POS systems are around $69 per month. This sometimes includes one set of hardware (a terminal, card reader, and receipt printer), but if you need more, you’ll need to pay extra.

Hardware fees can be much costlier, especially if you’re purchasing equipment for several locations. The average cost is $1,000+ for one restaurant if you include a terminal, customer display, portable card machines, and receipt printer.

However, this is an initial cost, and once you’re set up, you’re unlikely to need to purchase new hardware for a long time.

You can read more about POS system costs in our complete guide.

Our Methodology: How We Tested Restaurant POS Systems