Best EPOS Systems for Hospitality

The hospitality sector encompasses a wide range of different businesses, so finding the best EPOS systems for your business can be tricky. To make it easier for you, our testing and researched-backed reviews recommend different EPOS systems for different types of hospitality businesses.

Clover is our top pick for restaurants, thanks to its stellar hardware and advanced reporting features, while TouchBistro is better for pubs and bars since its got a quick order function and supports open tabs.

We’ve picked SumUp for takeaways since it’s got a specialised EPOS system for quick-service restaurants, and Square for cafes since it offers affordable software and hardware. Lastly, Epos Now is our top choice for hotels, with a dedicated system for the industry that integrates with popular PMS apps.

The Best Hospitality EPOS Systems at a Glance

For a quick overview of the best EPOS systems for hospitality businesses, check out the table below:

1. Clover: Best for Large or Busy Restaurants

Clover is the best EPOS system for restaurants thanks to its high-grade hardware and full suite of features, including customised floor plans, advanced bill management, mobile ordering and more.

What makes Clover the best for restaurants?

Clover’s EPOS system includes all the basics and more. You can create custom table plans that perfectly match your restaurant’s layout, create customised orders for guests, and even transfer orders from one table to another if customers switch seats. Platforms like Square and SumUp don’t allow for this level of flexibility, especially on their free plans, which is why we picked Clover for restaurants, for whom tools that facilitate table service are tantamount.

With Clover, 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.

When it comes to employee and inventory management, Clover offers a customised approach, which means you can pick the features you want. Additional features include stock alerts and profit tracking, and advanced employee scheduling.

There’s also a Clover app store, where you can find a variety of marketing and reporting tools to integrate into your EPOS system. That said, Clover isn’t the best EPOS system for marketing, with Lightspeed Restaurant earning the top spot thanks to its built-in tools.

Clover also can be used to take online orders, since it can be integrated into your existing website with API. For a simpler approach, you could go with Square, which offers an online ordering store builder.

Clover has a large range of hardware, which includes countertop terminals, KDSs, and portable card machines that sync with the main EPOS system. Your wait staff will be able to log orders and have them automatically sent off to the kitchen via the KDS.

Our experience testing Clover

In general, we enjoyed using Clover’s EPOS system. We found it easy to use and had much less trouble with tasks like bill splitting than we did with Square.

We were also very impressed by Clover’s hardware. Its countertop registers are sleek and modern, which can give restaurants a polished look. We found the Clover Flex, Clover’s handheld EPOS system/card machine, particularly suited for table service. It was light, and fit nicely in our hand, and the touchscreen display was just as easy to navigate as the terminals.

However, there were a few hiccups, such as when it came to categorising items and creating variants. This was mainly because the bulk edit function didn’t let us edit several items at once, so we couldn’t assign several items to the same category all in one go.

Alternative restaurant EPOS systems

Clover might not suit all restaurants, so here are some alternatives you should consider.

• Square for restaurants – More affordable: Square might be down as the best EPOS system for cafes on this list, but we also recommend it to small restaurants with a simple floor plan. It’s cheaper than Clover, while still being highly functional.
• Lightspeed Restaurant – Better marketing tools: If marketing your business is a priority, we recommend Lightspeed Restaurant over Clover, since it has built-in features such as gift card creation, and a fully integrated online ordering platform where you can display promotions. Lightspeed also charges a monthly fee for both software and hardware, so you can avoid the hefty upfront costs associated with building a hardware suite.

Fore more provider recommendations, head over to our guide to the best EPOS systems for restaurants.

2. TouchBistro: Best for Pubs and Bars

TouchBistro is the best EPOS system for pubs and bars. It’s easy to use, has portable hardware options so staff can easily move around the bar to take orders, and even has a dark mode perfect for low-lit venues.

TouchBistro’s pricing is only displayed in US dollars (USD)

What makes TouchBistro the best for pubs and bars?

TouchBistro was one of the easiest-to-use EPOS systems that we tested. The layout of both the front end was highly intuitive, and we encountered very few unnecessary steps for basic tasks like taking an order or splitting a bill. The system also has a “Fast Bar” mode for the register, which allows staff to take orders in two taps, speeding up service even further.

For comparison, when we tested Epos Now, the ordering process required a lot more taps, especially if mistakes were made or customers changed their minds. This helped cement TouchBistro as the best system for pubs and bars that require speedy order processing.

Besides the ease of use, TouchBistro’s software includes features vital to pubs and bars. The system supports tabs (something EPOS systems like SumUp don’t do) so customers can run up a bill and pay at the end of the night, as well as bill splitting and table transfers.

If you serve food, TouchBistro can help streamline your Sunday Roast Rush with its integrated KDS. It costs an extra $19 USD a month, but we think it’s worth it. Kitchen staff will be able to see the time orders were submitted at and prioritise accordingly, and they’ll be able to clear completed orders with one tap.

Other software add-ons include marketing and reservation tools, which can get very expensive. It might be cheaper to go with a third-party software for this.

Luckily, all key functions are included in TouchBistro’s basic package, including staff management. It allows staff to clock in and out, provide labour cost reports, and help with payroll by logging staff hours. This is often a paid add-on, or only available through integrations in other EPOS systems.

Our experience testing TouchBistro

As we’ve highlighted, we found TouchBistro very easy to use in general. This was helped by the fact that TouchBistro lets users pick and choose what features they want to include in their EPOS system, so the dashboard isn’t cluttered with tools you don’t use.

Most tasks also only take a few taps to complete, far less than with competitors Square or Clover, leading to quick order processing.

Our main criticism is that it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing system. We also had trouble locating sales reports because they were located in an odd spot. We had to go into “floorplan admin” to find them, which we found counter-intuitive.

Alternative pub and bar EPOS systems

• Clover – Better for gastro pubs: Although we’ve recommended Clover to restaurants, it’s also a good option for pubs and bars. Its extensive order management tools are ideal for pubs with an emphasis on food, and its got physical as well as portable EPOS devices, whereas TouchBistro only has the latter.
• Square – More affordable: Square’s EPOS system can also work well for pubs and bars. It costs less than TouchBistro’s, and Square is very transparent about all its pricing, making it a good option for smaller establishments. Square also has a dark mode, and it can accept QR code ordering (unlike TouchBistro), which is great if you want to free up staff and let guests order on their own from a table.

For more information, check out our guide to the best EPOS systems for pubs and bars.

3. SumUp: Best for Independent Takeaways

SumUp is the best EPOS system for takeaways. It has a software and hardware package specifically designed for takeaways, and also supports online and QR code ordering.

What makes SumUp the best for takeaways?

SumUp offers a software and hardware package specially designed for “quick service restaurants” such as takeaways. The package includes the POS Pro version of SumUp’s software (£49 per month), and a full set of hardware, including a kiosk, for £499.

No other EPOS provider we tested and researched includes a kiosk as part of its hardware packages, so if you’re interested in offering customer self-service, SumUp is one of the few small business EPOS systems that provides a solution for it.

You’ll be able to offer customers a variety of ways to order, including at the counter, with the kiosk, via QR code, or online with SumUp’s free online store builder. The platform also integrates with Deliveroo, allowing to reach a wider customer base. Square also an online ordering store builder, but you’ll have to pay to get access to QR ordering, making SumUp better value for money.

The POS Pro version of SumUp’s EPOS software also comes with some great marketing tools. You can use it to create digital or physical gift cards or create loyalty programs. This can incentivise customers to order from your establishment more often.

With SumUp, you can also add allergen warnings to all menu items, which will appear in your backend, as well as on menus displayed on kiosks or online. This can make your eatery more accessible to people with dietary restrictions, and increase the likelihood that they’ll order from you. It’s a particularly important feature for takeaways, where interactions between customers and staff are limited or indirect.

Our experience testing SumUp

We found SumUp very straightforward to use overall and encountered very few issues creating menu items, processing orders, or even applying discounts (something we struggle with in a lot of other EPOS systems, including Square and Clover).

SumUp also makes it very easy to set up QR code ordering, which is not the case with other systems such as Clover or TouchBistro. It’s a simple function in the backend, and you can easily print out the QR code to post around your takeaway to speed up service.

However, we did notice that updates made in the backend take a bit of time to appear in the front end, so we recommend only carrying out changes outside of business hours.

Alternative takeaway EPOS systems

• Clover – For larger chains: Clover also offers EPOS systems dedicated to takeaways, and is better equipped to handle larger chains, since it has more advanced inventory management tools than SumUp. It’s also got a more extensive range of hardware.
• Lightspeed Restaurant – For custom orders: Likewise, Lightspeed Restaurant is a better choice than SumUp for medium to large chains. Unlike SumUp, it’s got an offline mode, which is useful if you face outages, and it’s got better order management than SumUp. Customers can personalise orders, and you can create custom order deals that match customer preferences, for example.

If you’d like to read about more alternatives, head to our guide to the best EPOS systems for takeaways.

4. Square: Best for Small Cafes

Square’s EPOS system is affordable and easy to use, plus it offers portable and iPad-based hardware, as well as touchscreen terminals, suitable for a variety of differently sized cafes.

What makes Square the best for cafes?

Square’s app-based EPOS software starts at £0 per month, making it a good entry point for small independent cafes. At the same time, the advanced features of its paid plans (starting at £69 per month), and its wide range of hardware make Square equally suitable for small or budding chains.

On Square’s free EPOS 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 dishes have run out. Most importantly, you’ll be to create order modifies when setting up your menu, which most cafes will agree is now vital with so many different types of milk alternatives now in demand from customers.

It allows you to create an online ordering website, where you can take orders and accept payments. This is a great way to facilitate order pick-ups for customers and can boost your cafe’s sales, by catering to busy customers who don’t have time to queue for their coffee.

The £69 Plus plan and custom-priced Premium plan will give you access to more advanced features, such as the ability to access the EPOS system via mobile, customise your table plan, and advanced reporting (generates reports by the hour, staff members, and more).

When it comes to hardware, for the cheapest solution, we recommend the Square iPad stand (2nd gen), which has a built-in card reader and a swivel design to allow for customer-facing transactions. If you already own an iPad, it’ll only cost £99 + VAT, and with an iPad, it’ll cost £448 + VAT.

That’s still cheaper than Square’s countertop terminal, the Square Register, which costs £599. With the Register, you also get a customer-facing screen, so customers can see the amount they’re being charged. Whichever set you choose, Square’s hardware works out cheaper than many competitors.

Our experience testing Square

Square’s EPOS system is relatively easy to use. We found most items to be clearly labelled, and we appreciated the cool, modern design of the interface.

This made completing the basics quite easy during testing, but we struggled with a few more advanced tasks, like bill splitting, where we couldn’t figure out how to split a bill based on items in the order. This was much easier to do with TouchBistro, since it had a “split by seating” function clearly signposted.

We also tested the Square Terminal, Square’s handheld EPOS device/card machine. Although we found it easy to use, we weren’t huge fans of the design, since it was a little too wide to be held comfortably. It’s still a great option for countertop use, and could even do the trick for table service if your waiters don’t need to walk too far to take a payment, which is the case in most cafes.

Alternative cafe EPOS systems

• Epos Now – For better reporting: Epos Now has dedicated EPOS systems for just about every type of business you can think of, and cafes are no exception. Its software is a little more advanced than Square’s (you can quickly update and customise floorplans for example, and get access to detailed reports), but it also charges one hefty upfront fee for software and hardware.
• SumUp – For lower transaction fees: SumUp offers similar benefits to Square for cafes, in that it’s got free software and affordable hardware. We’d recommend it to cafe owners looking for lower transaction fees than Square’s 1.75%, since SumUp’s fees start at 1.69%.

5. EPOS Now: Best for Hotels

Epos Now offers dedicated EPOS software for hotels and is an affordable option for smaller hotels. It charges one upfront fee for a software-hardware kit (from £225, and has an approachable monthly fee of £54.

What makes Epos Now the best for hotels?

Epos Now’s dedicated hotel software lets you handle bookings, room service, and payments, all from the same system.

Its main point of appeal is its integrations, which include hotel management apps like RoomRaccoon for bookings, and Mews, for housekeeping management. Epos Now also integrates with popular accounting software, like Quickbooks and Sage, making it easy to export data from your EPOS system. There are also a host of loyalty and marketing integrations at your disposal, which you can use to incentivise guests to return.

You can also use EPOS Now to manage your food and drinks service. Whether your hotel has a restaurant, bar, or simply offers room service, you’ll be able to log menu items into your EPOS system, and wait staff can use EPOS Now’s portable card machines to easily take payments from guests.

On the hardware front, Epos Now also provides you with a physical countertop terminal, and, it has a caller ID accessory. If you have repeat guests’ phone numbers saved, you’ll be able to know when they call up your hotel, improving your service when you answer the phone.

Our experience testing Epos Now

Epos Now wasn’t the easiest system to use, but this is mostly because of its advanced tools for product categorisation and report generation.

That said, it’s one of the few EPOS  systems where all tools, both backend and frontend, can be accessed on a desktop computer, via an app, or from a physical terminal. This gives busy hotels a lot of flexibility when it comes to editing floorplans, discounts, and menus.

We tested Epos Now’s physical terminal. Although it’s not quite as modern looking as the Square or Clover equivalents, its simple black design means it can easily fade into the background, so it won’t distract from your hotel’s charm.

Alternative hotel EPOS systems

• Square – For ease of use: If you’re looking for a simple system to use, we recommend Square over Epos Now, since the former can be tricky for novice users. Square also has its own marketing and loyalty tools, saving you from having to use third-party integrations.
• Lightspeed Restaurant – For the hotel restaurant: If you’re primarily looking for a system to help run your hotel’s restaurant, Lightspeed is a better choice than Epos Now. It integrates with hotel PMS systems and has better reporting features for tracking dish popularity, repeat customers, and customer spending habits.

Interview: Restaurant Manager On What They Look For In an EPOS System

We asked Daniel Fragkos, an operations manager for a restaurant chain with over 10 year’s experience working in the front and back office, for insights on what makes a good EPOS system.

What features are missing from your current EPOS system that you wish were present?

“Our EPOS system doesn’t have graphs [for data report visualisation]. It feels very numerical sometimes, and it could save me loads of time if I could look at a pie chart rather than focusing on individual numbers.

“Newer EPOS systems usually have this feature included and have an easy interface. Our current EPOS system requires training for new users, whereas newer [more intuitive ones] don’t, since they’re quite straightforward.”

What EPOS features improve user and customer experience the most?

“From a user experience standpoint, digitalisation helps things run smoother. For example, we are currently using printed paper tickets to send orders to the kitchen, which increases the chances of things going wrong. If we had digital tickets on a screen, we could easily update the ticket if the table moves seats, and the new information would appear on the kitchen screen and food runner screen.”

Buying Guide: How to Choose a Hospitality EPOS System

Here are a few things you should consider when choosing an EPOS system for your hospitality business:

✔ Cost

An effective EPOS system doesn’t have to break the bank. Higher prices don’t always mean higher quality. As well as being affordable, an EPOS solution should save you money in the long run through increasing productivity. EPOS Now’s system claims to offer savings of 10% just by reducing losses due to human error. When you start streamlining your processes, the savings follow naturally.

✔ Reliability and speed

Service doesn’t just stop randomly, and your EPOS system can’t afford to either. Choosing an EPOS system with offline functionality can help avoid delays if ever your internet goes down.

Likewise, speed is of the essence to ensure your patrons enjoy their stay. Look for an EPOS system with a quick load time, and a well-organised dashboard, so you don’t waste time shifting through the interface looking for key functions like bill splitting, discounts, or refunds.

✔ Functionality

On that same point, you also want to make sure you choose an EPOS system equipped with the right functions for the industry you’re in. If you run a dimly lit bar or nightclub, choosing a system with a dark mode could be beneficial. If you run a restaurant, being able to quickly and easily split bills is a must. For hotels, a comprehensive bookings and reservation feature is what’s most important.

✔ Aesthetics

The aesthetics of your EPOS system might not be top of mind, but they’re important to consider, since you’re a customer-facing business. Choose an EPOS system that doesn’t look out of place in your existing work environment. If you run a local cafe or takeaway, you can probably get away with a more vintage-looking system, but if you run a trendy bar or restaurant, you might want to go for something with a sleek and modern appearance.

After your staff, customers interact the most with your EPOS system, so it’s a core part of your brand image.

✔ Portability

If you do table service, or your staff are moving to different parts of the bar to serve customers, you’ll want to choose an EPOS system provider that can equip you with portable devices, so there’s no flitting back and forth between tables and static terminals. Exude professionalism and never miss an order with a sleek, mobile EPOS solution.

How We Test EPOS Systems for Hospitality