Written by Zara Chechi Reviewed by Ruairi Shirlow Updated on 19 August 2022 On this page What's the best EPOS system for takeaways? Square Lightspeed TouchBistro goodtill by SumUp Zettle by PayPal Alternative takeaway POS systems What is the most cost effective POS system? Key benefits of a takeaway EPOS system Cost of a takeaway EPOS system Verdict How did we research POS providers for takeaways? FAQs Expand Our site is reader-supported – by clicking our links, we can match you with a potential supplier, and we may earn a small commission for this referral. Our thorough research says Square is the best EPOS system for takeaways, scoring a near-perfect score of 4.8/5. This is because it offers a free POS app, a wide-range of features, has a user-friendly interface, and more.In such a fast-paced environment, you need a system that will be able to keep up with the demand. Our research team compared 12 different EPOS providers to find the best EPOS systems for takeaways and looked at various factors, such as price, hardware, usability, and customer score, to determine which one is best.We know how important it is for takeaways to find an EPOS system that is within budget, easy to use, and provides sturdy hardware. With this in mind, you can use our comparison service to receive quotes from top EPOS suppliers. Simply provide us with a few details about your business, and the best suppliers for your requirements will be in touch with prices and more information. What's the Best EPOS System for Takeaways? These are the providers we recommend based on our research. Use our cost comparison tool to find the best value service for your businessSquare – Best overallLightspeed – Best for multi-location takeawaysTouchBistro – Best food industry knowledgeGoodtill – Best for scaling takeawaysZettle – Best for startups Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Clover Square Lightspeed TouchBistro SumUp Score 4.8 Score 4.7 Score 4.6 Score 4.2 Score 4.2 Best for Best EPOS system for hardware Best for Growing your business Best for Fostering customer loyalty Best for Easiest EPOS system to operate Best for Self-service takeaways Pricing Custom Pricing £0 – £69/month Pricing From £59/month Pricing From $69 USD/month Pricing From £0/month Key Features Wide range of hardwareFingerprint loginProfit tracking Key Features Free softwareFree Ecommerce integrationAffordable hardware Key Features Email marketing a loyalty toolsIngredient usage trackingCost vs profit analysis Key Features Tablet-based EPOS systemCustomise table plan from both front and backendAdd-on marketing and advanced reservation tools (extra fee) Key Features Promotional tools and loyalty programmesInvoicing featureEnables QR code payments Compare takeaway EPOS system quotes from leading suppliers Do you already have a takeaway EPOS system? Yes No What’s the best EPOS system for takeaways? 1. SquareBest overall Square 4.7 Pricing From £0 Square Review Suitable for Takeaways who want a low-risk option Chains with no more than three locations Businesses who want to integrate an online ordering store Not suitable for Businesses looking for low transaction fees Businesses that need cost management tools Takeaways that want to track ingredient usage Pricing See more See less Item typePrice EPOS software Free: £0/month; Plus: £69/month; Premium: custom Card processing fees From 1.75% Card machine £149 + VAT OR £25 + VAT/month for six months iPad stands (iPad not included) £99 + VAT OR £17 + VAT/month Register £599 + VAT KDS £549 + VAT OR £15 + VAT/month per device 2. LightspeedBest for multi-location takeaways Lightspeed 4.6 Pricing From £59/month Try Lightspeed Suitable for Businesses who want to pay no upfront costs Restaurant owners looking to expand and grow Establishments who have extensive and complex inventories Not suitable for Businesses who want a physical terminal Restaurants that need automated tip management Small, single location takeaways Pricing See more See less Item typePrice Starter plan (EPOS software only) £59/month Essential plan (EPOS software only) £109/month Premium plan (EPOS software only) £339/month Enterprise plan (includes hardware) Custom Card processing fees with Lightspeed Payments 0.5%-2% (depending on transaction volume) 3. TouchBistroBest food industry knowledge TouchBistro 4.2 Pricing From $69 USD/month Suitable for Large and growing chains Businesses who want to make detailed, targeted promotions Establishments that need seamless KDS integration Not suitable for Businesses that want a physical terminal Restaurants who need QR code ordering Businesses who want automated tip management tools Pricing See more See less Item typePrice POS software From $69 USD/month (£56) KDS $19 USD/month (£15) Customer loyalty tools $99 USD/month (£80) It Only Takes a Minute Do you already use a takeaway EPOS system? Yes No 4. goodtill by SumUpBest for takeaways looking to scale SumUp 4.2 Pricing From £0/month Get Free Quotes Suitable for Businesses that need a self service kiosk Businesses that want to advertise allergens Owners who want personalised loyalty programmes Not suitable for Large takeaway chains Users who need an offline functionality Businesses that need a provider with an extensive hardware range Pricing See more See less PackageSoftware costHardware costTransaction fees POS App £0/month £0 (use own tablet. Does not include cost of card machine) 1.69% POS Lite £0/month From £299 (tablet on stand + card reader) 1.69% POS Pro £49/month From £399 (iPad on stand + card reader) 0.99% Quick Service Restaurant £59/month From £599 (table on stands, card reader, kiosk, KDS) 0.99% 5. Zettle by PayPalBest for start-ups Zettle by PayPal 3.7 Pricing From £0 Quick overview Although it has the lowest score at 3.7/5, Zettle is a good choice for mobile takeaways or takeaways with limited menus. Its overall score is brought down by the fact that it lacks more in-depth features found in other EPOS systems. However, it does offer a free EPOS app, a specialised 'food and drinks' platform, and affordable hardware. Which is why it scores a 5/5 for pricing.The Zettle card reader costs £59 +VAT and a Zettle terminal starts from £149 +VAT, fairly inexpensive for EPOS hardware. However, this is not as low-cost as Square's card reader, which is £16. Zettle's transaction fees are 1.75% for card transactions, the same as Square's but more expensive than SumUp, which is 1.69% per transaction. Zettle's hardware is fairly low-cost and easy to use, which is why it scores a 4.5/5 for hardware.Zettle scores a 5/5 for usability, which is one of its main attractions as it has been designed to be simple and user-friendly. This makes it especially useful for takeaways where service should be fast and efficient. Although it lacks business development features, scoring 2.5/5, Zettle is suitable for takeaways that simply want to process payments, organise inventory, and access real-time reporting.For a more comprehensive EPOS systems with hospitality-focused features, a better alternative would be Lightspeed or TouchBistro, although these are significantly more expensive. Another alternative is Square because it offers more features than Zettle and its EPOS software is free. Read more + Read less - Strengths Free EPOS app Simple and easy to use Weaknesses Lack of features Alternative takeaway POS systems This EPOS system delivers an above-average experience, with built-in reservations, marketing tools, management tools and loyalty programs. You’ll be able to develop a complete system that caters to various aspects of your business, such as an EPOS system for pubs.You can opt for a customer mobile app that’s aligned to your branding, so your customers can carry out activities such as checking the menu, ordering, paying, accessing loyalty programs, and even giving feedback. The app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.This system provides you with management solutions for communicating with customers and suppliers, tracking inventory and even organising your calendar. Pros Strong marketing tools Customer app Fast software Cons Not supported on mobile devices No training takepaymentsplus is aimed at small, independent businesses. For some small businesses, the current EPOS systems on the market are too complex, but traditional cash registers were too simple. This is where takepayments comes in, giving you: the card machine that does more. Although it’s not a fully-fledged EPOS system, it does offer features such as real-time reporting, receipts, and employee tracking.Priced at £25 per month, takepayments is affordable and easy to use. As it’s mobile, it’s easy to transport and especially useful for businesses that don’t have a fixed location, or want the flexibility of a handheld. Pros Mobile Affordable Easy to use Cons Lacks EPOS features What is the most cost effective POS system?Oout of all the providers we’ve compared, both Square and Zettle offer free POS software. Square’s app is more advanced in terms of the number of features it offers, whereas Zettle offers a simpler system which allows for core POS functionality.Square’s card reader is £16, cheaper than Zettle’s £59 option.Zettle does have a ‘Food and Drink’ POS app that is designed specifically for the hospitality industry. It allows for a long list of integrations so you can create a system suited to the needs of your business. These integrations include Lightspeed, Revel, and goodtill.Square has built-in features suitable for the food industry, such as delivery app integrations, and a Kitchen Display System to consolidate orders and improve efficiency.Overall, Square is the most cost-effective POS system as it’s the cheapest and has many more features. What are the benefits of a takeaway EPOS system?The figures above show how important it is to have a system that allows you to tap into your online audience as much as your footfall – and a takeaway EPOS system allows you to do just that.But this is just the start. Here are some other reasons to invest in an EPOS system for your takeaway business:You and your customers can easily input and select menu itemsYou’ll be able to send orders straight through to the kitchenCustomers can self-order with front of house hardwareYou can integrate your business with delivery apps, such as Deliveroo and UberEatsCustomer loyalty schemes can encourage customers to returnYou’ll be able to purchase additional tablets for waiting staff, both for eat-in and takeout businesses What is the cost of an EPOS system?The cost of an EPOS system fully depends on the hardware you require, and the number of employees that will need an account on the software. This makes it slightly difficult to work out an accurate cost of an EPOS system for your takeaway shop.We’ve put together an article which will give you a rough idea of how much an EPOS system costs but, for an accurate quote that includes any setup and installation fees, it’s best to talk to suppliers. Expert Market’s quote-finding service makes it easy for you to discover the total amount you’ll need to pay for an EPOS system. Simply tell us a little bit about your business, and the suppliers that match your requirements will be in touch with you shortly. Verdict Square is our number one EPOS system for takeaways. Square offers a free POS app, an easy to user interface, and good customer service. It includes useful features such as integration with delivery apps, and stock management.Our research team carefully compared 12 EPOS systems to determine which is best for your takeaway business. The team looked at several factors, including price, usability, features, and customer support.While we recommend Square as our best overall, it may not be the best fit for your business, which is why we’ve included other EPOS systems on this list. If you’re still unsure, you can make use our free comparison tool.Just fill in our form with a few details about your takeaway business, and the best suppliers will be in touch with quotes for you to compare. How We Test EPOS Systems for BusinessesWe tested 16 market-leading EPOS systems to evaluate them in terms of functionality, usability, price, features, and more so we can make the most useful recommendations to UK businesses.Our rigorous testing process means these products have been scored and rated in eight main categories of investigation and 45 subcategories – in fact, we covered 61 areas of investigation in total. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the product's final score perfectly reflects the needs and requirements of Expert Market readers – and that's our product testing algorithm in a nutshell!Our main testing categories for EPOS systems are:Till: the core functionality of the EPOS system which includes the processing of sales transactions. It involves features such as item scanning, item look-up, and price calculation.Business Management: the features and tools provided by the EPOS system to support various aspects of running a business, such as employee management, shift scheduling, and customer management.Stock Management: the EPOS system's capabilities to manage inventory and track stock levels, including inventory tracking, stock alerts and transfers, and purchase order management.Business Development: the features and tools provided by the EPOS system to help businesses grow and improve their operations, e.g. customer relationship management, marketing integrations, and sales forecasting.Usability: how easily and intuitively the EPOS system can be used by the staff, including the user interface design, navigation, ease of training, and overall user experience during setup.Price: the cost associated with acquiring and using the EPOS system, such as the initial purchase cost, licensing fees, subscription plans, and any additional charges or ongoing costs.Help and Support: the assistance and resources available to users when they encounter issues or need guidance while using the EPOS system, including documentation, tutorials, or knowledge bases.Features: the functionalities and capabilities provided by the EPOS product. This can include dedicated restaurant and retail functionality like KDS, loyalty management, and multi employee login. FAQs What is the best EPOS System for restaurants? The best EPOS system for restaurants is Square. Square scores highly in our research, has a free EPOS app, affordable hardware and the system is easy to use. It also offers integration with delivery apps, stock management, and employee management. What should I look for in an EPOS system? You should look for an EPOS system that is within your budget, has the features you need, and is user-friendly. Some EPOS systems offer add-on features, which is great because it means you don’t need to pay for features you don’t need and only pay for them when you want them. It does, however, also mean that your monthly billing can go up quite significantly. Written by: Zara Chechi Business Services Expert Zara is a Payments Expert, specialising in writing about Point of Sale systems. With a Law Degree from City University of London, she has used her legally-honed research and analytical skills to develop expertise in the Business Services world. Featured in FinTech Magazine, she quickly became an expert in payroll, POS systems, and merchant accounts. Reviewed by: Ruairi Shirlow Business Services Researcher Ruairi uses his 3+ years of research experience to uncover insights which can help Expert Market provide the best business solutions for their users. He has done this by meeting with business owners to find out what is important to them and what challenges they face on a daily basis. Ruairi specialises in tools that can be used to grow your business and has done research for a wide range of categories on Expert Market, such as EPOS, Website Builders, and Merchant Accounts.