Whether you’re opening a new restaurant or overtaking an existing one, you should go over a few things before opening it to the customers. Preparing the menu and finalising the interior are some of the most critical tasks that you can’t ignore. But have you chosen your EPoS system yet?
Opting for an EPoS system is a vital part of your restaurant setup. It can ensure a seamless payment process, helping you to run your business smoothly.
With so many options available in the market, deciding which one to go for can be challenging. That’s why we have handpicked a few restaurant EPoS systems with their best features to help you choose the right one for your restaurant.
What is an EPoS System?
EPoS or Electronic Point of Sale systems are modern-day tills that help you manage and improve business operations smoothly. It combines the basic functionality of a cash register with computer software to ensure you can run your restaurant with ultimate ease.
Unlike the clunky old cash register, modern EPoS systems are extremely versatile and accept different payment types, making life easier for you and your customer.
Best Restaurant EPoS Systems
Here, we are introducing some of the best EPoS systems in the market that you can choose for your restaurant.
Square
Square’s EPoS system for restaurants is one of the most popular in the market. It offers the hardware needed to get started and the software to support an unlimited number of terminals.
Its vast library of features helps you manage multiple systems, which is a great value for money if you run a small restaurant.
Square offers sophisticated table management features and the option to integrate delivery apps and booking tools. Its one-touch terminal ensures speedy transactions.
However, Square EPoS is quite expensive. The price starts from £69 per and can go up to £399 + VAT based on the number of additional features you’re adding. It comes with basic software, and going for further integration will cost you a lot of money.
Besides, it has limited front-of-house features, meaning that it’s only suitable for quick-service restaurants.
Lightspeed
If your restaurant handles a vast and complex directory, then Lightspeed’s EPoS can be a good option for you. Its advanced stock control tools let you track inventory across multiple locations.
Besides, Lightspeed EPoS system comes with some amazing features, such as free live training, custom floor plans, self-order menus, kitchen display menus, customer-facing displays and many more.
However, this EPoS system is mostly focused on barcoded products, so if your restaurant doesn’t have this feature, this isn’t the right EPoS system for you.
Price starts from $69/month and can go up to $229/month based on additional features.
Clover
Clover EPoS focuses on retail and restaurant industries, so if your business blends food service and product sales, it can be a good fit for you.
Clover offers a full range of hardware and some amazing features, such as table service restaurant planning, in-depth online ordering and delivery, supporting all major credit cards, app options, and many more.
However, its platform transaction fees are quite high at 2.3% + £0.08 per sale. Besides, you need a pre-existing website to use this service.
The lowest plan of Clover EPoS is $14.95/month. It also requires a monthly hardware cost, adding an extra expense to your pocket.
Zettle
Zettle can be your go-to EPoS system if you own a small cafe or restaurant and use a limited number of iPads. Its user-friendly interface, versatile functionality, and portability make it a good fit for low-maintenance restaurants.
Zettle offers a free PoS software subscription, easy Shopify integrations, as well as flexible payment options, supporting all major credit cards, debit cards, Apple and Google Pay, and even Vinmo and PayPal. The system also accepts remote payments using unique payment links.
However, Zettle EPoS doesn’t offer any add-on features, training mode options, and CRM. Besides, it’s not suitable for restaurants with takeaway services.
Though the subscription is free, the hardware will cost you £29.
EPoS Now
EPoS Now can be an appealing option for restaurant chains. It’s popular for its hardware options, which are ideal for you if you haven’t invested in a setup yet.
EPoS Now offers a quick and easy setup that makes it very easy to train the staff. It integrates with delivery apps and runs on different devices like iPads, Android devices, and PCs.
If you don’t want to buy PoS equipment, EPoS Now will let you rent those equipment. Besides, it’s widely compatible with receipt and barcode scanners.
However, it doesn’t come with any kiosk or CRM and lacks complexity in reporting. Besides, if you take the standard plan, you will not get any account management or telephone customer support.
EPoS Now’s price is now £325 upfront for a complete solution. It comes with a sleek PoS system, cash drawer, printer and card machine.
ChefOnline EPoS
Regardless of your restaurant size, ChefOnline EPoS is the one you can rely on. It’s a fully functional, integrated, and user-friendly point-of-sales system that helps you meet all your business needs with minimal effort.
ChefOnline EPoS systems comprise a versatile and customisable technology that helps manage your online restaurant business from a single point of access. Starting from managing your customer database, daily PoS operations, timely sales reports, etc, can be done using their secure, live server.
ChefOnline EPoS comes in four packages, from which you can choose any based on your requirements.
The best part? They will provide you with training on how to use their hardware and software efficiently to ensure everything runs on your end smoothly.
The only downside so far we found is that it doesn’t have cloud support. However, they are working on this feature, and it will be live within a few months.
The price for ChefOnline EPoS starts from £699 and can go up to £1299 based on the package. While the price seems on the higher side, it is worth every penny as they provide a complete solution for your restaurant’s PoS.
TouchBistro
If you have a high-end restaurant and require a cocktail bar PoS, TouchBistro is the right EPoS system for you. It lets staff process the order in just two taps, prompts a naturally placed menu on the table to ensure upsell on the spot, as well as informing the customer about any allergic reaction.
Its in-app floor view keeps a watchful eye on the customer waiting to reduce complaints and improve overall customer satisfaction.
However, these facilities come at a cost. The price starts from £59 per month for the TouchBistro solo tier, and the price will go up based on the extra features you’re adding. Besides, it doesn’t provide any free trial and you need to go for a minimum of 12 months contract.
Toast
Toast is one of the best EPoS systems for restaurants that run on an Android system. This EPoS has opted for Android software that you can run on your Android device or Toast’s hardware for the best experience.
Toast EPoS boasts some exciting features like waste tracking and menu engineering tools. It also comes with a training and onboarding capability, as well as a virtual POS that supports online ordering, takeout, and contactless delivery.
However, this EPoS system doesn’t work on iOS devices, meaning that it’s not suitable for all restaurants.
Toast currently has three packages, Starter, Point of Sale, and Custom. The Starter package is free, while the Point of Sale is $69 /month or £55/month. The Custom package price depends on the additional feature you will include.
NCR Aloha
If you’re looking for a feature-rich restaurant EPoS system, then you should look no further than NCR Aloha. It offers some amazing features like advanced stock reporting, QR and text payments, menu updating, cloud storage, allergen control, and many more.
The best part is- Aloha comes with dedicated fraud prevention software to report and analyse suspicious activity in the terminal.
However, most of its features come as add-ons, so you need to pay extra money to use them. Besides, it has poor customer support, which most restaurant owners don’t like.
The Starter package is free, and the Premium package costs $175/month or £139/month. But you need to pay 2.25% +15c to 2.99 +15c based on the package you opted for.
Talech
Talech offers one of the most user-friendly EPoS systems in the market. It’s an affordable and all-around PoS solution that helps restaurants to grow.
Talech offers some great features like extensive table management, contactless dining with printable QR codes, guest and offline modes, and many more.
While affordable, Talech doesn’t offer a broad range of features like its competitors. Besides, it doesn’t have any e-commerce integration.
Talech’s basic plan starts from £23/month, and the premium plan is only £78/month.
Wrapping Up
Choosing the right EPoS system for restaurants requires thorough research since it affects how you manage your business. It can help you track and manage orders, generate reports, and gain valuable insights.
You need to look for quite a few things before opting for a particular EPoS system, such as features, price, budget, hardware compatibility, security, scalability, customer support, etc.
The abovementioned EPoS systems are some of the best in the market based on their features, ease of use, and pricing. Have a look at them properly, and we are sure you will find the right EPoS system for your restaurant.
