Restaurant POS Systems

Restaurant POS Systems Best-Of Guide 2023: Find the Right Fit

Introduction

In 2023, point-of-sale systems have become quintessential for restaurants. Restaurant POS systems allow owners to manage inventory and tables, render reports, and track sales seamlessly. Restaurant POS systems cut out the need to manually process and review data. Typically, this takes the most time for restaurant managers and owners.

An ideal POS system can optimize any restaurant’s operations and improve the overall bottom line. Since not all POS systems are the same – restaurants have to do some research to choose the point of sale system that fits their needs.

Your selection criteria shouldn’t be to get the most expensive POS system. Instead, take a closer look at suitable restaurant POS systems and choose one based on attractive features, expansive integrations, and an affordable price.

Now, to help you pick the right point-of-sale system for your restaurant, take a look at the best POS systems for 2023:

Restaurant POS Systems You Can Choose in 2023

Revel

Whether you run a drive-through restaurant or a large-scale restaurant, the Revel POS system works like a charm. Revel is customizable and flexible, making it suitable for small to medium restaurants.

One of the highlights of Revel is that it supports a wide range of third-party integrations. For instance, you can use digital signage and headset integrations for a drive-through establishment. What’s more is that Revel allows you to work with multiple payment processors.

It means a large-scale restaurant can also use Revel to process different kinds of payments and save money. Revel is an open API, which means restaurants can connect it with other open-source third-party programs. Top-tier features of Revel include online ordering, delivery service, timed menus, self-service kiosks, optimized order management, and drive-through software and hardware.

What You Would Like about Revel

  • Expansive restaurant capabilities
  • Highly customizable
  • Features modern features for drive-through and fast-food restaurants
  • Robust functionality

What You May Not Like About Revel

  • Contract processing takes time
  • Costs more to tap into additional features

Toast

Toast has become famous for mid-range restaurants to scale up in-house operations. Toast is a self-sustainable and focused system that offers seamless digital ordering, vendor management, and payroll features. If you run a mid-range restaurant and want to process customers’ orders faster, you’ll come to depend on Toast to take orders from many customers.

All customers need to do is scan a dedicated QR code to check the menu, place an order, and take care of the payment right from their table. It cuts out the need to have a server on-site all the time. Some of the top features of Toast include various enrollment opportunities, earn-on purchases, custom account information, automated reward redemption prompt, and link customer loyalty accounts.

What You Would Like About Toast

  • Impressive loyalty program
  • Solid employee management
  • Long-lasting proprietary hardware
  • Multiple digital ordering options

What You May Not Like About Toast

  • Early termination fees
  • A high transaction fee for each online order

Lightspeed Restaurant

Lightspeed Restaurant POS system lives up to its name. It features a smooth user interface and supports third-party integrations. Plus, it offers comprehensive inventory management. The Lightspeed Restaurant POS system is ideal for casual restaurants and hotels. 

While it takes some time to set it up, the automated inventory tracking and simple purchase ordering of Lightspeed stand out. Using the Lightspeed Restaurant POS system, managers can leverage quick-serve mode to make order-taking lightning fast. Another highlight of the Lightspeed Restaurant POS system is that it allows you to create a multitude of modifiers.

Lightspeed also features hotel management integrations for restaurants to centralize their room reservations, keep an eye on room cleanings, and charge bills based on a room number. Additionally, Lightspeed features added reservation integrations to support full-service restaurants. It is an effective way to reduce liquid waste costs for restaurants and hotels.

On top of hotel management integrations and bar management, Lightspeed allows customers to order from the comfort of their table or room via online or QR ordering code.

What You Would Like About Lightspeed

  • Detailed ingredient management
  • Integrated delivery and takeout functions
  • Solid reservation management

What You May Not Like About Lightspeed

  • Expensive to run a high volume of operations

Square

You’ll find the Square POS system a perfect fit if you’re looking for an affordable option without compromising on essential features. In fact, Square’s hardware and software packages are highly affordable. Square POS system is also transparent about its payment processing fees.

Restaurant owners also find the contract terms and requirements of the Square POS system reasonable. Square restaurant’s POS system supports online order deliveries and takeouts. It can also support many POS devices for single-location restaurants.

You can leverage the free QR codes to make ordering efficient and effortless for customers. Square’s paid plan is affordable and features multiple kitchen display screens. It also features advanced team management and advanced employee management.

What You Would Like About Square

  • It does not require restaurants to make a long-term contractual commitment 
  • Features free online ordering website
  • Features resources for guidance and navigation

What You May Not Like About Square

  • Limited reporting
  • Lack of payment processing options

Lavu 

As a POS system, Lavu has standard features and some unique niche features. For instance, Lavu features a self-serve kiosk. You can also make the most out of its team management feature, which includes scheduling, clock-punching, and setting user permissions.

Lavu provides an integrated Bluetooth-paired scale. It means delis, wholesale food establishments, and frozen yogurt shops can sell by weight. Lavu supports many third-party integrations, like liquid inventory management, digital signage boards, and security systems.

If you run a deli or cafeteria, you’ll find Lavu an all-in-one POS system. In fact, it specifically caters to niche types of restaurants like delis and cafeterias that need a simplified and compact POS system.

What You Would Like About Lavu

  • Affordable monthly rate
  • Multiple payment processors
  • Instant purchase ordering
  • It works like a charm on Android and iOS devices

What You May Not Like About Lavu

  • It does not feature an integrated reservation system
  • Cannot process offline credit cards

Talech

Talech offers a variety of inventory management features. It allows you to send and receive various purchase orders, get alerts when stock is low, and set up automated inventory tracking. With Talech, you can expect to get full-service capabilities and features at a fairly reasonable price.

Talech is a budget-friendly restaurant POS system with full-service capabilities and features. Once you implement the Talech POS system, you can count on table management, menu coursing, floor planning, customer house accounts, server tipping, ticket splitting, automated gratuity, and service charges.

Typically, Talech is a deal for quick-serve and smaller restaurants. You can leverage Talech’s robust inventory management features, like generating automated purchase orders. While Talech is not as visually attractive and well-designed as many top-tier POS systems, it features formidable features at an affordable rate.

What You Would Like About Talech

  • Reasonably priced hardware options
  • Allows pairing of unlimited devices
  • Features intuitive scheduling features
  • Compact online ordering for delivery and pickup

What You May Not Like About Talech

  • It does not support pre-authorizations
  • It does not feature a merchant account or merchant services
  • It does not include reservation management

Choosing the “Right” Restaurant POS System

Wondering how to find a POS system in 2023 that meets your specific needs? First, take some time to review the features, third-party integrations, and use cases. It will help you determine whether or not a specific POS system can help you improve customer satisfaction and run flawless in-house restaurant operations.

When you select a POS system, understand that a lot depends on the type of food you serve and the size of your restaurant. For instance, whether or not you have one or multiple locations would influence your decision to choose a specific POS system.

As long as you’re aware of your needs, you can focus on the features that matter to you. In most cases, restaurant owners and managers opt for a POS system that includes gift cards, table management, loyalty programs, credit card processing, online ordering, etc. If you’re unsure about your selection, check out as many customer reviews as possible before you commit to a POS system for your restaurant.

Conclusion

It’s 2023, and restaurant owners have plenty of options for POS systems. With POS systems, restaurant owners can manage inventory better, create attractive menus, and accept payments. The fact is that POS systems continue to help restaurants synchronize many kitchen operations.

For instance, a quick-serve POS system features self-serve ordering, whereas a full-service POS system features reservations and waitlists. Many restaurant owners want to use new features to keep up with a competitive food and service industry.

Modern-day POS systems are smart and efficient and help restaurants step up their customer communications and service quality. But always remember that whether you run a food truck, pub, or bar – opt for a POS system that meets your specific needs.

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