The competitive and innovative hospitality landscape is ever-changing - with new technologies constantly being introduced to boost efficiency and customer relationship management. Restaurants and cafes are always seeking out the best POS systems, inventory management systems, and CRM systems to make day-to-day life easier and ultimately boost profits. When you're trying to get the most out of your restaurant or cafe, embracing technologies such as POS systems is incredibly important. If you fail to keep up with new digital and technical solutions, you can easily fall behind the curve and find yourself losing customers to your technology-embracing competitors.
The competitive and innovative hospitality landscape is ever-changing - with new technologies constantly being introduced to boost efficiency and customer relationship management.
Restaurants and cafes are always seeking out the best POS systems, inventory management systems, and CRM systems to make day-to-day life easier and ultimately boost profits.
When you're trying to get the most out of your restaurant or cafe, embracing technologies such as POS systems is incredibly important.
If you fail to keep up with new digital and technical solutions, you can easily fall behind the curve and find yourself losing customers to your technology-embracing competitors.
Hence the importance of finding the right cafe POS system to meet your cafe or coffee shop's every need. Below, we've put together a list of the best POS systems available in 2024 to help you decide on a point-of-sale system.
If you're here, you probably already have a decent idea of what a POS system is, but just in case you're a bit lost, we'll briefly cover what it is.
A POS (Point of Sale) system is a combination of hardware and software used by businesses (restaurants, retail stores, etc.) to process transactions with customers. A POS system typically includes a computer or tablet, a cash register, barcode scanners, receipt printers, and card payment terminals.
The software part of the system manages sales transactions, inventory management, and customer data, and often integrates with other restaurant and retail systems like accounting software, CRM systems, or inventory management systems. All helping to take your day-to-day operations to the next level.
POS systems are used in retail stores, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, hotels, and various other businesses where goods or services are sold to customers.
The right POS system can help streamline the checkout process, track sales and inventory, and provide valuable data for business analysis and decision-making.
Toast POS is a popular and leading point of sale (POS) system designed specifically for restaurants and cafes. The feature-rich platform serves as a comprehensive solution for managing multiple aspects of your cafe’s daily operations.
With a user-friendly interface and a range of powerful tools and features, Toast POS is a perfect system for those looking to streamline processes, improve customer service, and increase overall productivity.
Toast POS often ends up being the system of choice for restaurants and cafes due to its seamless order management that allows staff to take orders swiftly and accurately, whether at the table or counter.
Moreover, Toast POS facilitates inventory tracking to help restaurants and cafes manage stock levels and minimise waste – a crucial feature for controlling costs and optimising inventory turnover.
Toast POS also offers robust payment processing features. The integrated payment processing system lets you accept various payment methods securely and efficiently with no operational issues.
You also get incredibly powerful reporting and analytics tools that empower you to gain key insights into your sales trends, customer preferences, and operational performance.
Overall, Toast POS is valued by restaurants and cafes for its user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, and ability to streamline operations, ultimately enhancing the dining experience for customers and optimising business efficiency.
Order Management: Toast POS comes with swift and accurate order taking, whether at the table or counter.
Menu Customisation: You can easily tailor menus to suit specific offerings and branding preferences.
Inventory Tracking: Effortless and efficiently manage stock levels to minimise waste and control costs.
Payment Processing: Securely accept various payment methods to expedite transactions and enhance customer satisfaction.
Reporting and Analytics: Get access to robust tools for gaining insights into sales trends, customer preferences, and operational performance, enabling informed decision-making and strategic planning.
User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive design makes it easy for cafe and restaurant staff to navigate and utilise the system effectively.
Integration: Toast POS also comes with seamless integration with other restaurant management software and services for a comprehensive solution.
Starter Kit (£0 per month): Ideal for single-location restaurants who need 1-2 terminals to get up and running.
Point of Sale (£55.15 per month): Ideal for restaurants looking to get started with core functionality and flat-rate processing.
Build Your Own (Custom Pricing): Ideal for all restaurants ready to drive more revenue and optimise operations with the full Toast platform.
Square POS is an innovative, versatile and intuitive point-of-sale system tailored for small businesses – particularly favoured by restaurants and cafes. The POS system allows your cafe to accept credit and debit card payments effortlessly using various hardware.
The ease of use and simple interface make Square POS a compelling option for cafes hoping to improve the efficiency and efficacy of day-to-day operations. With Square POS, you also have access to a suite of robust features designed to streamline your day, from inventory management to powerful automation tools.
You‘ll also have access to data and analytics tools covering sales, customer habits and preferences, footfall, and more key metrics – allowing you to make data-driven decisions that positively impact your business.
Square POS facilitates customer relationship management, inventory management, invoice management, and more. You can use Square POS to foster and maintain positive relationships with customers and boost loyalty.
Overall, Square POS is embraced by restaurants and cafes for its simplicity, flexibility, and comprehensive set of tools, enabling them to efficiently manage transactions, streamline operations, and provide a better overall experience for both staff and customers.
Ease of Use: Square POS is known for its intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for businesses to set up and start processing payments quickly.
Payment Processing: It enables businesses to accept various payment methods, including credit and debit cards, contactless payments, and mobile payments, using versatile hardware options.
Inventory Management: Square POS provides tools to track inventory levels, manage stock, and receive alerts when items are running low, helping your cafe stay organised and avoid stockouts.
Sales Analytics: You also get wide-ranging reporting and analytics features, allowing businesses to gain insights into sales trends, customer behaviour, and overall performance to make informed decisions.
Invoicing: Square POS gives you the tools to create and send invoices to customers directly from the system, simplifying billing processes for services rendered.
Customer Management: You can foster, develop and maintain customer relationships through features like digital receipts, customer profiles, and loyalty programs, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Offline Mode: Square POS includes an offline mode, allowing you to continue processing payments even when internet connectivity is limited, ensuring uninterrupted service.
Integration: The POS system integrates seamlessly with other business tools and software, such as accounting software, payroll systems, and e-commerce platforms, providing a cohesive business solution for your cafe.
Free (£0 per month plus processing fees): Sell in person, online, over the phone, or out in the field. No setup fees or monthly fees — only pay when you take a payment.
Plus (£23.18 per month plus processing fees): Get advanced features designed specifically for restaurants, retailers, or appointment-based businesses. Upgrade when you want to, and cancel anytime.
Premium (Custom pricing plus processing fees): Build a bespoke plan that meets the complexity of your operations. Custom processing rates may be available pending eligibility.
Lightspeed Restaurant POS system is a cloud-based point-of-sale system widely used by restaurants and cafes in the UK. The feature-rich platform is among the best POS systems in the food service industry.
From inventory management and sales tracking to tableside ordering and employee scheduling, the versatile software has a range of powerful and useful functionalities. The user-friendly interface and customisable options make it the perfect option for streamlining operations.
The inventory management features let you easily track ingredients and supplies in real time – helping to maintain optimal stock levels and reduce waste. With the sales tracking feature, you can get insights into revenue trends, popular menu items, peak hours, footfall and more.
Lightspeed POS also makes communication a much easier process with seamless links between front-of-house and back-of-house staff – improving teamwork, coordination and collaboration.
Overall, Lightspeed POS gives restaurants and cafes the power to deliver exceptional dining experiences for customers
Inventory Management: Track ingredients and supplies in real-time, manage stock levels, and reduce waste with ease.
Sales Tracking: Quickly gain insights into revenue trends, popular menu items, and peak hours for informed decision-making.
Tableside Ordering: You can use the tableside ordering feature to take orders directly from customers, improving accuracy and speeding up service.
Employee Scheduling: The employee scheduling features make it easy to streamline staff scheduling and manage shifts efficiently to maximise productivity.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): The CRM features allow you to manage customer profiles, track preferences, and provide personalised service.
Reporting and Analytics: Generate detailed reports on sales, inventory, and employee performance to optimise operations and get the most out of your cafe.
Integration: Seamlessly integrate with other business tools such as accounting software and online ordering platforms for enhanced efficiency.
User-Friendly Interface: The user-friendly interface is designed for ease of use, reducing training time for staff with no steep learning curve.
Starter (£59.2 per month): Ideal ePOS for businesses with simpler requirements.
Essential (£102.10 per month): A smart system that lets you scale and thrive.
Premium (£299.42 per month): An all-encompassing platform for growing businesses.
Enterprise (Custom pricing per month): Customise your plan to power your business.
App4 is a complete hospitality ordering solution for online and in-store ordering, marketing, loyalty, payments and delivery. App4 is a perfect platform for restaurants and cafes - helping to grow your orders, increase your profits, and improve staff efficiency.
A team of experts builds you a customer-friendly, quick and painless ordering system with built-in loyalty and rewards that your customers will love to use over and over. You'll also no longer have to keep paying commissions to order and service platforms, instead keeping the money for boosted profits.
With the digital ordering feature, your staff can focus on delivering the best possible service without impacting quality standards. The POS software system is implemented in the form of a personally-customised app designed to match your brand's style and tone.
App4 works perfectly as a coffee shop POS system to help you improve customer loyalty, process payments, and more. From quick-service restaurants to cafes, App4 is an incredibly popular option.
QR Code Table Ordering: The QR code feature gives you the tools to let your customers order food and drinks directly to their table via scanning the QR code.
Live Menu Management: Update prices, add menu items and take products off the menu in seconds. Set "happy hour" times and make certain items only available at certain times.
Customer Loyalty Programs: Boost your customer retention by implementing the App4 loyalty system - a loyalty ladder that rewards your customers for dining more regularly with the ability to influence how they use the rewards and when.
Business Reporting: Get access to rich customer data covering preferences, habits, sales, footfall, menu favourites, pricing factors, and more to help you make data-driven decisions.
Delivery and Driver Management: App4 works with a range of delivery solutions that can provide driver tracking, delivery management, on-demand delivery and order management, all linked to your own online ordering.
For information on App4's pricing structure, you'll need to reach out and request a quote.
SumUp is a leading provider of POS systems, catering primarily to small and medium-sized restaurants and cafes. The POS system is designed to help speed up checkout, simplify everyday tasks, and connect with more customers.
The feature-rich POS system is designed to meet your restaurant's specific needs. With SumUp, you can simplify day-to-day tasks and manage every aspect of your cafe with ease.
They also offer automated rewards and incentives for returning customers - helping you boost customer retention and foster positive relationships with repeat guests. You'll also have access to a network of over 90 million consumers, a perfect opportunity to find new customers.
The customer signup process is seamlessly integrated into the checkout process which helps encourage customers to join loyalty programs.
With AI-powered marketing features, you can also send your customers targeted offers and promotions they will love. All in all, SumUp is a great option for cafes.
Point-of-Sale Solution: SumUp provides a compact card reader device that connects wirelessly to smartphones and tablets, enabling your restaurant or cafe to accept card payments anywhere.
Flexibility: You can use SumUp to accept payments at the table, during events, or in locations where traditional POS systems may not be feasible.
Easy Setup and Intuitive Interface: SumUp's user-friendly interface and quick setup process allow your cafe to start accepting payments swiftly, even during busy periods.
Customisable Tipping Options: SumUp allows you to customise tipping options, making it easy for customers to add gratuities to their bills directly through the payment device.
Invoicing Capabilities: SumUp offers invoicing features that give you the power to create and send invoices to customers, facilitating transactions for catering orders, events, or delivery services.
Seamless Integration: SumUp integrates seamlessly with restaurant management software and accounting systems, simplifying transaction tracking and financial management tasks.
Secure Transactions: The popular POS systems prioritise security, ensuring that all transactions are encrypted and compliant with industry standards, providing peace of mind for both you and your customers.
Automated Marketing: The automation features help you save time by automating offers, loyalty systems, email marketing, and more.
Connect Lite (£79.13 per month): The perfect system to start your business and streamline operations. Includes standard POS hardware and software.
Connect Plus (£159.07 per month): Ideal for businesses ready to grow. Everything the POS offers plus customer rewards, automated marketing, and weekly promotions.
Connect Pro (£231.01 per month): For businesses serious about growth marketing. Includes the POS and loyalty features plus limitless marketing promotions.
Clover POS is a popular cafe POS system designed to streamline transactions, manage inventory, and improve customer interactions for your business.
You get a range of hardware options, including countertop terminals, mobile devices, and portable card readers, all featuring a sleek design and user-friendly interface.
Your restaurant or cafe can customise the POS system to suit your specific needs, integrating software solutions for order management, payment processing, and detailed business analytics.
Restaurants and cafes find Clover POS particularly effective and advantageous due to its tailored features and efficiency. With Clover, you can easily manage orders, track inventory levels, and process payments swiftly, improving overall operational efficiency.
The POS system's user-friendly interface simplifies staff training and enhances productivity during periods of high activity.
Additionally, Clover POS makes it easy for you to offer various payment options, including credit/debit cards, mobile payments, and contactless transactions, catering to diverse customer preferences.
By leveraging Clover POS, you can effortlessly enhance the overall dining experience, increase customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive your revenue growth.
Streamlined Transactions: The streamlined transaction features simplify payment processing and checkout procedures.
Inventory Management: Effortlessly track inventory levels in real-time and generate alerts for low stock.
Customisable Hardware: With the Clover POS system, you get various options such as countertop terminals, mobile devices, and portable card readers.
User-friendly interface: The intuitive and user-friendly design makes for easy navigation and minimal training requirements.
Order management: You can efficiently manage orders, modifications, and special requests with robust order management features.
Payment options: Supports a variety of payment methods, including credit/debit cards, mobile payments, and contactless transactions.
Detailed analytics: The popular POS system also provides insights into sales trends, customer behaviour, and inventory performance.
Operational optimisation: The operational features empower businesses to make informed decisions, optimise operations, and drive revenue growth.
Customer interaction: Boost your customers' experience through personalised service and efficient transaction processing.
Scalability: The POS software is adaptable to the needs of restaurants of all sizes, from small cafes to large restaurant chains.
For clear information on the flexible pricing, you'll need to reach out and request a quote. Processing fees for the POS software system are set at 2.3% + 9 pence per transaction.
TouchBistro, a leading POS system, is tailored for restaurants, cafes, bars, and similar establishments to streamline operations.
With Touch, you can manage orders, payments, menus, and staff scheduling with ease, boosting your efficiency and customer service in busy environments.
Its user-friendly interface and dashboard, suitable for all staff skill levels, allow easy customisation to fit your cafe’s specific needs. This flexibility ensures seamless integration into existing workflows, while powerful reporting and analytics offer valuable insights into sales trends, inventory, and employee performance.
Restaurants and cafes choose TouchBistro's POS software for multiple reasons. You can easily optimise order management, improving accuracy and customer satisfaction.
The system expedites payment processing, helping to reduce guest wait times and enhance the overall experience.
Additionally, like with most POS systems, it aids in inventory tracking, preventing shortages and reducing waste. Its staff scheduling feature optimises labour management, matching staffing levels to demand and controlling costs with ease.
Overall, when you're looking for the best POS system, TouchBistro stands out as a comprehensive and profitable solution.
Order management: With TouchBistro, you can efficiently handle orders while guaranteeing accuracy and timely service.
Payment processing: The payment processing features let you expedite payments, reducing wait times for guests.
Menu management: Easily update and customise menus to reflect changes in offerings whenever you want.
Staff scheduling: Effortlessly optimise your labour management by matching staffing levels with demand.
Inventory tracking: With the TouchBistro POS system, you can track inventory levels in real time to prevent shortages and reduce waste.
Reporting and analytics: Gain valuable insights into sales trends, inventory performance, and employee productivity.
Customisable interface: Tailor the system to fit the specific needs of your cafe’s branding and style.
Integration: You can also seamlessly integrate with existing workflows and third-party applications.
Tableside ordering: With tableside ordering, orders can be taken directly at the table, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
The TouchBistro pricing starts at £55.16 per month. For more pricing information, you'll need to reach out and request a quote.
Korona POS is a versatile point-of-sale system tailored for restaurants and cafes. It offers you customisable features for menu management, pricing, and promotions - a flexible and adaptable solution for your cafe.
The POS system streamlines order processing, whether for dine-in, takeout, or delivery, enhancing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
With Korona POS, inventory management is significantly improved with real-time tracking of ingredients and supplies to prevent stockouts and minimise waste.
You also have access to detailed reports on sales, inventory, and customer behaviour providing valuable insights for informed decision-making and boosted operational efficiency.
Last but not least, the integration with other hospitality software solutions facilitates seamless data flow, improving your cafe's overall workflow and enhancing productivity.
In summary, Korona POS is an all-in-one solution designed to help restaurants and cafes manage their operations effectively, drive profitability, and deliver exceptional dining experiences.
Customisation: Korona POS can be tailored to fit the specific needs of restaurants and cafes, allowing you to customise menus, pricing, and promotions according to their preferences.
Efficient Order Management: The system streamlines the order-taking process, reducing errors and improving efficiency. It can handle dine-in, takeout, and delivery orders seamlessly, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Inventory Control: You can effectively manage your inventory levels with Korona POS. The system provides real-time tracking of ingredients and supplies, helping businesses avoid stockouts and reduce waste.
Insightful Reporting: Korona POS generates detailed reports on sales, inventory, and customer behaviour, providing valuable insights for decision-making and business planning. This helps you optimise your cafe’s operations and maximise profitability.
Integration: Korona POS integrates with other software solutions commonly used in the hospitality industry, such as accounting software and online ordering platforms, allowing for smooth data flow and streamlined processes.
KORONA POS core (£47.13 per month): A simple plan for standard business operations.
KORONA POS retail: (£55.12 per month): An advanced plan with inventory management and more automation.
POS systems automate and expedite the checkout process, reducing wait times for customers and improving overall efficiency.
Many POS systems include inventory tracking features, allowing you to monitor stock levels in real time, automate reordering processes, and prevent stockouts or overstocking.
POS systems generate detailed sales reports and analytics, providing valuable insights into your customers’ behaviour, popular products, peak sales periods, and more. This data can inform strategic decision-making and marketing efforts as you go forward.
With barcode scanning and automatic calculation features, POS systems minimise the risk of human error in pricing and inventory management.
POS systems can integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) tools, helping you to personalise interactions, track customer preferences, and offer loyalty programs or discounts.
Quick and easy payment options, such as contactless payments or mobile wallets, speed up the checkout process, leading to higher customer satisfaction and potentially increased sales.
POS systems often include features for managing employee schedules, tracking hours worked, and assigning roles or permissions, streamlining workforce management tasks.
Many POS systems can integrate with other business tools and software, such as accounting systems, e-commerce platforms, and marketing tools, creating a seamless and interconnected business environment.
POS systems are scalable, meaning they can adapt to the needs of your business as it grows, whether adding new locations, expanding product lines, or increasing transaction volumes.
Modern POS systems incorporate advanced security features, such as encryption and tokenisation, to protect sensitive customer data and prevent fraudulent transactions.
In conclusion, selecting the right POS system for your cafe is a decision that can significantly impact the efficiency, productivity, and ultimately, the success of your business.
With the myriad of options available, it's essential to consider factors such as affordability, ease of use, features, and scalability to ensure you choose a system that aligns with your cafe's unique needs and goals.
From our exploration of the best cafe POS systems, it's evident that each solution offers its own set of advantages and capabilities. Whether you prioritise intuitive interface design, robust inventory management, seamless integration with third-party apps, or detailed analytics, there's a POS system out there that meets your requirements.
All in all, investing in a reliable POS system is an investment in the future of your cafe. By leveraging the right technology, you can streamline operations, enhance customer service, and unlock new opportunities for growth and profitability.
With careful consideration and informed decision-making, you can find the perfect POS solution to elevate your cafe to new heights of success. At Tech on Toast, we can help you find the perfect cafe POS system, just take a look through our website or reach out today for more information.
