7 Best Restaurant EPOS Systems in 2023

Waiter providing excellent customer service in a restaurant
Zara Chechi

Square receives a high overall score of 4.7/5 in our independent research, making it the highest scoring EPOS provider of the top seven providers we look at in this guide.

Our independent research team compared 10 different EPOS systems to find the best on the market.  Our researchers then scored each provider across several categories, including price, restaurant features, help and support, and customer score. We then narrowed this list down to the top seven.

If Square isn't the best fit for your business, we've also rated six other EPOS systems to ensure you find the right provider for your restaurant. Read on to find the best provider for your business.

If you're short on time, you can use our free comparison tool to get tailored quotes straight from the providers. We just need a few details from you and we'll get matching!

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Square for Restaurants

Clover

Zettle Go

TouchBistro

EPOS Now

Lightspeed

Score
4.7
Score
4.5
Score
4.4
Score
4.2
Score
4.2
Score
4.1
Score
3.8
Best for

overall

Best for

handheld EPOS

Best for

start-ups

Best for

full-service restaurants

Best for

wide-range of hardware

Best for

multi-location restaurants

Best for

restaurants with an ecommerce store

Pricing

£0 – custom

Pricing

From £30+/mo

Pricing

Free

Pricing

£59 – custom

Pricing

£449

Pricing

£69 – £199

Pricing

From £19/month

Pros
  • Free POS app
  • Delivery and pick-up integration
  • Easy to use
Pros
  • Has a handheld POS system
  • Easy to use
Pros
  • Free POS app
  • Affordable hardware
  • Offers core restaurant features
Pros
  • Extensive number of restaurant features
  • Integration with delivery apps
Pros
  • Good customer support
  • Easy to use
  • Free trial and demo
Pros
  • Integrated CRM system
  • In-depth inventory management
  • Extensive report templates
Pros
  • 24/7 support
  • Seamless integration with Shopify ecommerce store

 

Cons
  • Not many restaurant-specific features
Cons
  • Limited customer support
Cons
  • Not as comprehensive as other providers
Cons
  • Not a good choice for multi-location restaurants
  • Expensive
Cons
  • Costly
Cons
  • Costly
Cons
  • Works best when selling through your own Shopify store, not other ecommerce platforms

Use our free comparison tool to get quotes from the top EPOS suppliers

1. Square – Best overall

Square
4.7
Pricing From £0
Quick overview

Square scores a 4.7/5 in our research, although it should be noted that it has less restaurant-specific features than other systems, such as Clover or Lightspeed. However, it performs well in other areas and is a great option for restaurants with straightforward needs.

Strengths

Free POS app

Delivery and pick up integration

Easy to use

Weaknesses

Not many restaurant-specific features

Pricing
Package Price
Free $0
Plus $49

Square offers a free POS app and affordable hardware (starting at £16 for a card reader), so its no surprise it scores a perfect 5/5 for pricing in our research.

Square offers the ability to take orders online without any fees or commission. You can also set up delivery and click and collect, expanding your customer base. You can set up online ordering through your restaurant's website, or integrate third-party providers. You can opt for the paid version, but this is mostly suited to retail businesses as it offers advanced retail features, priced at £49 per month.

For online orders, menu items are easily imported and all online orders are synced with the EPOS system. An added bonus is that you can also set up Instagram and Facebook ad integration.

Square's kitchen display system (KDS) is straightforward and easy to use, displaying in-house and online orders for maximum efficiency. Square KDS is priced at £15 per month, per device.  This is more or less where the restaurant-specific features stop, although Square does have other helpful features, such as stock management, employee management, and analytics.

Square scores a 5/5 in the help and support area, offering customers the chance to contact them via phone, email, or social media. Its average Trustpilot score is 4.2/5 out of almost 2,000 reviews.

Overall, we recommend Square to small businesses or startups with simple needs. As your business grows, you might find that you'll need a comprehensive and specialised system, such as Clover, Lightspeed or TouchBistro. These systems come with built-in restaurant features such as staff management and happy hour.

2. Clover – Best for handheld EPOS

Clover
4.5
Pricing From £30+/month
Quick overview

Clover scores a 4.5/5 in our research, securing second place. Clover is a payment processor at its core and offers EPOS systems alongside this service. If you're looking for a solid payment processor built within your EPOS system, then this is a good option.

Strengths

Offers a handheld EPOS system

Restaurant-specific features

Weaknesses

Limited customer support

Clover has a variety of EPOS systems, including its handheld EPOS system, Clover Flex. Clover Flex allows you to take payments on the go, making it ideal for busy restaurants, cafes, and bars.

In addition to taking payments, you can also access features like inventory management, sales reports, and gift cards. It also has a barcode scanner and receipt printer, so you can use it to manage your stock. It will take payments offline for a period of time but, if you're on the Register subscription, it generally runs off Wi-Fi or 3G.

This handheld POS system is a fairly unique piece of hardware, although other mobile EPOS systems are technically handheld as they can be downloaded onto a mobile phone.

Clover scores a 5/5 for pricing in our research, but it is pricier when compared with other mobile EPOS systems, like Square or Zettle. Clover's pricing is custom, so you'll need to contact them for a more accurate price. You can either lease or buy the hardware outright. The leasing option is good if you're a small business, or you don't want to invest too much into a system upfront. Leasing the hardware costs around £25+ per month, and buying it outright is in the range of £500 to £1400. The software is around £30+ per month.

Clover scores a 4.6/5 for restaurant features in our research because you can set up custom floor plans, track and transfer bar tabs, split bills, take bookings, and see the status of each table. You can also set up online ordering with Clover and link these orders to the EPOS system, making it easy and efficient for your staff.

Help and support scores a 3/5, compared to Square which scores a 5/5. Square offers customers the opportunity to contact them via phone, email, or social media whereas Clover only offers phone and email support. However, it does offer various phone lines for different purposes, such as terminal leasing, technical support, and POS support.

Overall, we would recommend Clover to larger businesses that want comprehensive EPOS hardware alongside restaurant-specific features.

3. Zettle by PayPal – Best for startups

Zettle by PayPal
4.5
Pricing £0
Quick overview

Zettle by PayPal offers a free POS app and affordable hardware, which is one of the main reasons it scores a 4.4/5 in our research. Zettle has a specific 'food and drink' system that is caters for the hospitality industry. Scoring a respectable 4.4/5 for restaurant features, Zettle offers sales reports, staff performance, and easy stock editing.

Strengths

Free POS app

Affordable hardware

Offers core restaurant features

Weaknesses

Not as comprehensive as other providers

Zettle scores a 3/5 in the help and support area, as it offers phone support, email or live chat. Square scoresa 5/5 as it allows customers to contact them via phone, email, or social media. Square's support is available 24/7 compared to Zettle's options which are only available during business hours. Its customer score is a solid 4.2/5, with many customers enjoying how easy it is to use.

One of Zettle's biggest attractions is the fact that it's so simple to use. Coupled with its core but basic features, this makes it a good choice for small businesses or startups. It's especially good for businesses with a straightforward menu that doesn't change often.

It's also a good choice for restaurants that aren't full-service because it doesn't include custom floor plans or a booking system. If you are wanting these features, then a better option would be to go with Clover or Lightspeed – but they are pricier. If you aren't able to extend your budget for these, then Square is a good alternative. It may not have as many restaurant-focused features as Clover or Lightspeed, but it's much cheaper and has more features than Zettle.

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4. TouchBistro – Best for full-service restaurants

TouchBistro
4.2
Pricing From £49 +VAT
Quick overview

TouchBistro scores an overall 4.2/5 in our research, and its restaurant features score is the highest of all the research areas, scoring an impressive 4.8/5. It offers plenty of restaurant-specific features, including table management, multiple menus, tableside ordering, and bill splitting.

Strengths

Extensive number of restaurant-features

Integration with delivery apps

Weaknesses

Not a good choice for multi-location restaurants

Expensive

Scoring an overall 4/5 in our research, TouchBistro's extensive number of restaurant features make it a good option for full-service restaurants. Its other features include being able to  set up online ordering, customise floor plans, and track table turnover. However, it doesn't offer any multi-location management, so if that is what you are after, then Clover or Lightspeed would be a better fit.

The UK system doesn't offer reservations or online ordering, although this is offered in the US. Instead, you can integrate delivery apps, such as Deliveroo or UberEats. Aside from this, there are no other options for click and collect or ecommerce integrations. If you want to offer this, a good alternative would be Lightspeed, which offers extensive functionality in this area, such as the ability to create a delivery only menu and consolidate online orders on one screen.

TouchBistro doesn't do as well in the pricing department, scoring a measly 2.8/5. This is partly because you have to commit to a minimum contract length of 12 months. Once you've signed the contract with TouchBistro, it can be difficult to get out of as you'll need to provide 30 day's written notice before the end of your contract. Failure to do this means your contract is automatically renewed. You do get the choice of paying monthly, quarterly, biannually, or annually.

TouchBistro is iPad-based, which is limiting for Android users. The first iPad licence is £49 +VAT per month, the second and third iPad are £45 +VAT per month, and the 4th to 9th iPad is £40 +VAT per month. For 10 or more iPads, the price is custom.

5. Epos Now – Best for wide-range of hardware

Epos Now logo
Epos Now
4.2
Pricing From £39/month
Quick overview

With an overall score of 4.2/5, Epos Now offers restaurant management features. It's no surprise it scores the highest in the restaurant features area with a 4.6/5. Its kitchen display system comes with the functionality to receive online orders, pass orders directly to the kitchen, and remove errors quickly.

Strengths

Good customer support

Easy to use

Free trial and demo

Weaknesses

Costly

Pricing
Package Price
Hardware £799 +VAT
Software £39/month

You can track ‘time at table', manage floor plans, and set up automated ordering, which is why Epos Now scores a hearty 5/5 in our in depth research for business management. It also offers extensive integration with apps such as Deliveroo, Xero, and MailChimp. So, if there are features not on the system, you can access these via a third-party integration.

As it is fairly pricey (especially the hardware), Epos Now scores a 3.3/5 for pricing in our research. Costing £799 plus VAT for the hardware and £39 per month for the software, Epos Now's pricing is on the higher end of EPOS systems. If this is out of your price range, a better option is Square, as it's software is free and it's hardware more affordable than Epos Now with its card reader priced at £16.

However, it does come with restaurant-focused features and one of its biggest strengths is that it offers comprehensive EPOS hardware. You can opt for an iPad system, an Android system, or a more traditional EPOS system with Epos Now's own touch screen, complete with a cash drawer and printer. You can choose to pay monthly, so the cost of the hardware is spread out over a period of time, making it easier on the budget. Ultimately, it is more expensive than many other EPOS systems.

For help and support, Epos Now scores a 4/5, as you can reach the provider over the phone, via email, or live chat. You can also access the Epos Now community and reach out to software designers and product developers to provide you with feedback and make improvement suggestions.

In the customer score area, Epos Now has been rated a 4.2/5. This is echoed by its Trustpilot review, which gives it a rating of 4.5/5 out of over 11,000+ reviews. Many customers found that the customer service provided was friendly and helpful.

6. Lightspeed Restaurant – Best for multi-location restaurants 

Lightspeed Logo
Lightspeed
Quick overview

Lightspeed scores a 4.1/5 in our research, with its highest score being a 4.9/5 for restaurant features. It's not surprising it scores this as it offers a restaurant-specific platform. It offers features such as customisable floor plans, delivery and takeaway options, and multi-location management.

Strengths

In-depth restaurant features

Delivery app integration

Multi location management tools

Weaknesses

Limited customer support

Pricing
Package Price
Essentials £39 (annually) £59 (monthly)
Plus £79 (annually) £99 (monthly)
Enterprise Custom

With Lightspeed you can manage multiple locations from one system, generate multi-location reports, and edit all your menus at all locations – no matter where you are. You can also access in-depth reports on daily, weekly, and monthly revenue, as well as product and category reports to accurately track which items are least and most popular. If you want advanced reporting, this can be purchased as an add-on.

Third-party delivery apps can be integrated into the system, so you can access them all on one screen for ease and convenience.

Lightspeed scores a 2.3/5 for pricing because its packages are fairly expensive when compared with other EPOS providers we looked at. Square scores a 5/5 for pricing as its software is free and its hardware is also affordable, with a card reader priced at £16. Lightspeed's lowest package is £39 per month, if you pay annually. Of course, this is limiting for small businesses and businesses with tight budgets. If you opt to pay monthly, the same package shoots up to £59 per month. However, Lightspeed Restaurant is worth it for businesses that want to make use of its restaurant-specific features, specifically for multi-location restaurants. Extra terminals cost £29, so, depending on how many terminals you'll need, this can get pricey.

Lightspeed's help and support scores a 3/5 as it's customer support options are fairly limited, with only a phone number and email address to contact. It lacks a live chat option, so if you want this a better option would be Square, scoring a 5/5 for customer support.

7. Shopify – Best for restaurants with an ecommerce store

Shopify
3.8
Quick overview

Shopify comes in last place with an overall score of 3.8/5, however it's a good option for restaurants with an ecommerce side or businesses already using Shopify. If your business doesn't fit into this category, it's not worth choosing Shopify.

Strengths

24/7 customer support

Seamless integration with Shopify ecommerce store

Weaknesses

Expensive

Pricing
Package Price
Basic £19/month
Shopify £49/month
Advanced £259/month

Shopify has the highest score for restaurant features with a 4.3/5, although it is geared towards retail businesses. Shopify allows you to manage online and in-store orders in one place, monitor analytics, and track loyalty.

Shopify is missing some restaurant features, but you can add these to the system via third-party integration. Integrations can be a little tricky as they may not always work well and, if an issue arises, you'll need to deal with the third-party directly. If you want these features to be built in, a better option would be to choose Clover or Lightspeed. Both of these providers offer more restaurant-focused features.

Shopify doesn't do very well in the pricing department, scoring a below average 2.3/5. Although its prices start from £19 per month for the Basic package, this isn't a suitable choice for restaurants. Instead the Advanced package, priced at £259 per month, is more suitable for restaurants. This pricing is much steeper than other EPOS systems we've looked at, so it's really only worth it if you already have a Shopify ecommerce store, or want to run one alongside your business.

Shopify scores a 4/5 for its help and support features because it offers 24/7 customer support. You can get in touch with them via phone, email, and live chat. This 24/7 support is fairly rare among the EPOS providers we've taken a look at as most only provide support within business hours.

Which provider has the best free plan?

As our reigning champ, Square has the best free plan. Its free EPOS app can be used alongside affordable hardware, with costs starting from £16 for a card reader. Square is easy to use, customisable, and offers a variety of features from employee management, inventory tools, and digital gift cards.

Zettle by PayPal also offers a free EPOS app, however, it offers less features when compared with Square. It is super simple and suits start-ups or small businesses, especially as its transaction fees are much lower than Square's.

Our methodology

Our research team compared 10 EPOS providers, looking at restaurant features, price, help and support, and customer score. Based on how well the providers performed in each of these areas, our team was able to find the best EPOS systems for restaurants as well as what each system is best for.

The areas we looked at included:

  • Hardware – this takes into account the industry type the hardware it suited to, bill splitting, and transaction processing
  • Business management- this looks at various features such as detailed reports, offline mode, and delivery support
  • Price – this score is worked out based on the average price of the provider and whether it offers a free plan or a free trial

Square scores 4.8/5 for restaurant features and Clover a 4.6/5 and, although these scores are close, Square won out thanks to its integrations. However, Clover does have built-in, restaurant-specific features, such as being able to customise floor plans, take bookings, and split bills.

Although both Square and Clover score a 5/5 for price, Square offers a free EPOS app which can't be beat and Clover's pricing starts from £30+/month.

Square scores a 4/5 for help and support, and Clover scores a 3/5, as you can also contact Square via social media, whereas Clover can only be contacted via phone or email.

With an almost identical rating in the customer score area, Square scores a 4.3/5 and Clover a 4.2/5. Both perform fairly well with customers, but Square's easy-to-use system gives it the winning edge.

Verdict

Our expert research firmly places Square as our top EPOS system for restaurants, receiving a superb overall score of 4.7/5. Square's free EPOS app, restaurant features, and its ease of use, make it a great choice for many restaurants.

For restaurants that want a more restaurant-focused EPOS system, Clover, TouchBistro and Lightspeed are good alternatives. Square lacks features such as Lightspeed's detailed menu descriptions or TouchBistro's built-in reservation management.

If you want more help on your EPOS search, you can use our free quote tool to be matched up with EPOS suppliers. Just give us a few brief details about your business and we'll do the hard work. You'll then be contacted by trusted suppliers with obligation-free quotes.

FAQs

Why do I need a specialised EPOS system?
A specialised EPOS system will be targeted towards your business needs and contain the necessary features for your industry. An EPOS system for a retailer will have different functions and features than one for a restaurant, so choosing a specialised system will make it much easier to run a smoother operation.
How do restaurant point of sale systems work?
A restaurant point of sale system functions in several areas, including:

  • Sales: A POS system can track sales and is able to calculate bills, charge credit and debit cards, and calculate change if a bill is paid in cash.
  • Kitchen: When an order has been placed, it can be sent to a screen in the restaurant kitchen and, once it's been prepared, the kitchen can confirm over the POS system that it has been made.
  • Inventory: As orders are prepared, the system can automatically calculate inventory levels and send a warning if an ingredient or item is low in stock.
Why are EPOS Systems so Important?
EPOS systems are so important because they process your payments and they offer a wide range of features that make it so much easier to run your business.

EPOS systems give you the ability to manage your business from one place, from employee performance to sales reports, EPOS systems are packed with helpful features. EPOS systems also help to streamline your business and provide tools to organise inventory, manage employees, and track revenue.

Where are EPOS Systems used?
EPOS systems are typically used in retail and hospitality businesses. Anywhere that physical payments need to be taken, an EPOS system can be used. From a franchise restaurant to a food truck, EPOS systems provide a way to process payments, track revenue, and organise your inventory.
Written by:
Zara Chechi
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.