The 8 best POS systems for restaurants in 2026

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Lightspeed – transaction fees are quote-based

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Square – transaction fees from 1.75%

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Epos Now – transaction fees from 1.3%

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Our in-house research team has tested and analysed 11 of the top POS platforms in 37 categories, from pricing to floor plan creation, and we found Square to be the best POS system for restaurants, thanks to its excellent usability and the option for a free plan.

Choosing the best POS system for your restaurant can be critical to its success, however, what’s best for you will depend on what type of establishment you run – a pop-up might need the portability of a tablet-based POS, while a chain of high-end restaurants will need more sophisticated stock management systems.

It’s been a tough start to the year for hospitality, with continuing staffing issues and the hike in alcohol duty rates this February. In this difficult period, business owners need a POS system that can help keep overheads low and give them as much support as possible.

The best restaurant POS systems: comparison table

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	Provider	Star rating	Best for	Pricing	Transaction Fees
SPONSORED	BEST OVERALL
Lightspeed for Restaurants	Square	Clover	SumUp	Toast	takepayments	TouchBistro	Epos Now
3.9	4.8	4.4	4.2	4.1	3.8	3.7	3.7
Managing a complex inventory	Overall best POS system for restaurants	Professional level hardware to help your staff	Speed and efficiency for coffee shops	Advanced tools for chain-restaurants	An all-in-one option for quick-service restaurants	Build a bespoke software package for your restaurant’s needs	Managing a multi-revenue restaurant
Hardware: quote-based Software: from £69 per month	Hardware: from £149 + VAT Software: from FREE	Hardware: from £450 + VAT Software: quote-based Current offer from £9.99 per month	Hardware: from £135+ VAT Software: from FREE	Hardware: quote-based Software: from £80 per month	Hardware: from £55 per month Software: included in the monthly hardware fee	Hardware: quote-based Software: from $69 per month	Hardware: from £225 Monthly subscriptions: from £25 per month
Quote-based	1.75%	From 1.49%	1.69%	Quote-based	Quote-based	Quote-based	from 1.3%

Overall rating: 4.8
Transaction fees from: 1.75%
Monthly fees from: free
Recommended for: pop-up restaurants, food trucks, specialty cafes, high-turnover single location restaurants, and scaling eateries

Square is the best overall POS system for restaurants, as it manages to successfully to balance a free plan with integrated tools for inventory management and real-time performance monitoring, while still remaining the easiest-to-use interface that I’ve tested.

Square’s POS platform has incredibly smooth navigation which means you can quickly onboard new staff, something that’s particularly important in the ongoing hospitality hiring crisis in the UK. The handheld Square Terminal was a real pleasure to use in my test run.

Square is best for new business owners as you can get started with the completely free Square POS plan – which we ranked as the best free POS software – which gives you all the tools you need to manage the day-to-day basics.

I really appreciated how intuitive Square’s POS interface was during my testing. Source: Startups.co.uk

Square is also able to support scaling businesses thanks to its in-house ecosystem of excellent hardware (like the Square Register and Square Kiosk), and the Square for Restaurants Plus software plan (£69 +VAT per month) which unlocks premium features like:

• Service charges for party-size threshold
• Square Point of Sale mobile POS
• Shift reports, close-of-day reports, and menu reports
• Course management
• 24/7 support
• Square Shifts included
• Scan to Pay

How much does Square cost?

Square has completely transparent pricing, and unlike many other competitors such as Toast or Lightspeed, there’s no contract to sign: it’s the best option if you’re looking to minimise overheads and avoid contracts without sacrificing design quality.

You can also choose to add on a kitchen display system that seamlessly connects with your POS, which starts at £15 per device.

My thoughts while testing Square...

Navigating Square always feels so natural and easy, and I was impressed with how quickly the frontend and back office synced up when I needed to update the inventory. Square can be used on an iPad, but I particularly enjoy using the Square Terminal, which makes processing orders so quick and painless.

Eddie Harris Senior Reviews Writer

Overall rating: 4.4
Transaction fees from: quote-based
Monthly fees from: £9.99 + VAT per month (includes device)
Clover’s recommended for: quick-service restaurants with high footfall, gastropubs, multi-course venues, late-night venues with high staff turnover, and established multi-site venues

Clover’s best for established, fast-paced restaurants due to its exclusive range of industrial-grade terminals, which not only lend a professional-look to your environment but have a great selection of options like:

• The Clover Flex is a handheld POS terminal which has built-in inventory management, and an excellent offline mode for up to 7 days
• The Clover Flex Pocket is 25% lighter than the standard Clover Flex and so easier for staff to carry (though it doesn’t have a built-in printer)
• The Clover Station Duo is an all-in-one POS till system that includes a customer display where your patrons can confirm their order, tip, pay, and request a receipt

The Clover Station Duo comes with a cash drawer and printer, giving a rapid-turnover restaurant everything it needs to efficiently manage a high guest footfall.

Considering that bottlenecks are often a key pain point in the work day, Clover’s responsive touchscreen (and features like the handy fingerprint login) can be critical to a fast and efficient operation.

Clover’s excellent range of card machines and terminals will give your staff confidence when quickly processing payments. Source: Startups.co.uk

While Square’s ease-of-use and free tier make it a low-barrier to entry for startups, Clover focuses on durable terminals and modular software-depth, with features like:

• Easy drag-and-drop table plan
• Stock alerts and profit tracking capabilities
• Highly customisable customer display

How much does Clover cost?

Our research suggests that Clover’s hardware can be expensive when bought outright, but at the moment Clover is running a promotion where you can try it out starting from £9.99 per month with a free device bundled in.

Clover’s modular app market, which involves extra costs per app, could become expensive but it will ensure your system can evolve and scale alongside you, rather than needing to be fully replaced in 24 months time.

My thoughts while testing Clover...

I found the slick touchscreen interface to be highly responsive, and the fingerprint login – which helps staff quickly get into the system during high-pressure services – was a standout feature for me, and was very satisfying to use. It meant I could access Clover fast than any other system.

Eddie Harris Senior Reviews Writer

Overall rating. 4.2
Transaction fees from: 1.69%
Monthly fees from: free
SumUp is recommended for: high-volume micro-businesses, cafes, coffee shops, simple restaurants, seasonal and weekend businesses, kiosks, and micro-bakeries

SumUp is best for small to medium sized coffee shops and cafes thanks to the simple ordering system, low standard processing fees, and a contract-free ‘one-off’ payment model.

SumUp is highly affordable, but my testing confirmed it also has a sleek and responsive front-end with a simple, intuitive interface designed to make processing sales quick and easy. It would be able to handle a morning coffee shop rush hour with no problems.

Core functions like cancelling payments and managing tables were made easy by the simple SumUp interface. Source: Startups.co.uk

SumUp also makes life easier for cafe owners with SumUp Magic Pay, one of the UK’s most efficient table turnover tools. This lets your customers scan a QR code at their table, and pay with Apple/Google Pay in under a minute. This is great for cafes and coffee shops with limited staff and can increase table turnover by up to 15-20%.

SumUp also continues to build out its range of POS hardware having recently introduced the handheld SumUp Terminal, and the dual-screen SumUp Register which has a customer facing screen where users can see their loyalty points.

How much does SumUp cost?

SumUp is transparent about costs and charges low transaction fees for a free plan. You can upgrade to the advanced software package (POS Pro) that’s cheaper than many of the entry-level tiers in this ranking.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to pay extra for certain features, like the kitchen display screen (£9 per month) and the advanced stock module, which includes features like real-time updates and in-depth reporting (£18 per month).

What our researchers think...

I really liked how easily you could set up QR code ordering and customise it to your business, which is great for serving customers more efficiently. On the back office side, they have really great inventory management and analytical tools which make it a breeze when tracking your stock.

Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive

Overall rating: 4.1
Transaction fees from: quote-based
Monthly fees from: £80 + VAT per month
Toast is recommended for: established multi-course restaurants with large floor staff, multi-store chain restaurants, and gastropubs

Toast is the best POS for already established restaurants with complex kitchens, and multi-site businesses, due to its deep inventory management tools and automated tip management features (a tool very few other providers included) which helps reduce food waste and lower admin time.

Toast is a premium option, but the high-cost can save money for complex restaurants with features like:

• Granular ingredient tracking and recipe costing, giving you a real-time overview of what dishes are losing margin
• Customer engagement tools enable you to build loyalty programmes and points systems for your customers
• Toast has an industry leading Kitchen Display System (KDS) with a colour-coded system for optimum efficiency

You can use Toast’s built-in customer engagement tools to create your own loyalty progammes. Source: Startups.co.uk

For multiple venue restaurants, Toast’s centralised menu management allows you to execute menu changes and promotions across different sites from one dashboard.

Toast also provides its own countertop terminal, the Toast Flex, which can be adjusted in multiple ways to adapt to different restaurant environments.

How much does Toast cost?

Toast is the most expensive option on the list, but while the cost will be a barrier to small restaurants (look at Square instead), Toast’s premium tools will be a necessity for established restaurants taking in over £30k per month.

Overall rating: 3.9
Transaction fees from: quote-based
Monthly costs from: £79 + VAT per month
Lightspeed is recommend for: multi-location scale ups, restaurants with high SKU counts, brand-conscious hospitality operations, and high-volume venues

Lightspeed Restaurant is a premium POS software that has industry-leading tools for managing complex inventories with tens of thousands of SKUs, such as:

• Deep sub-categorisation (which allows for more sophisticated classification of stock like value and demand variability)
• Advanced attribute mapping (more precise synchronisation of product information between internal systems)
• Real-time stock syncing of physical and online stores from a single dashboard

These advanced inventory management tools will mean that your staff can rapidly search for items in the POS even with a stock of over 10,000 items, cutting down on wasted admin time at the till whilst keeping your customers happy.

Lightspeed Restaurant POS can be complex when compared against more basic providers, but it has high-functionality . Source: Startups.co.uk

Beyond inventory management, Lightspeed has some of the best tools for driving customer engagement and fostering loyalty we’ve seen, including:

• Email and SMS marketing capabilities
• Loyalty-boosting rewards programmes
• Drag-and-drop email builder
• Deeper look into the habits of your customer base

Just keep in mind that Lightspeed Loyalty is compatible with Restaurant (L Series) only. Another point to bear in mind is that Lightspeed doesn’t provide any propriety countertop terminals, only tablet stands, so if you prefer first-party hardware look at Clover or Toast as alternatives.

How much does Lightspeed Restaurant cost?

Lightspeed is an expensive option for startups. Simple coffee shops and food vans will be priced out, but if you plan on opening three locations in the next two years, then Lightspeed’s higher cost will be worth it for the complex inventory management.

You should also be aware that by choosing Lightspeed Restaurant as your POS, you will be locked-in to using Lightspeed Payments to process your transactions.

What our researchers think

Although Lightspeed may start slightly higher in monthly price than some other options it’s well worth the price. The customer management tools were some of the best I’ve seen in any platform and allow you to create email or SMS marketing, loyalty schemes, and even customer segmenting!

Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive

Overall rating: 3.8
Transaction fees from: quote-based
Monthly costs from: £25 + VAT per month
takepayments is recommended to: Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), market kiosks, micro-cafes, small coffee shops, and first-time restaurant owners

takepayments is best for quick-service dining establishments thanks to its own all-in-one POS terminal which comes complete with built-in scanners and printers, helping to declutter your countertop.

tPOS is the all-in-one takepayments POS solution, that comes with a built-in printer and customer facing display. Source: Startups.co.uk

Beyond the POS terminal, takepayments is a great all-in-one platform as you’ll have a fully integrated hardware, software, and payment processor solution.

Not only does this streamline your operations, but you’ll also get access to takepayments’s fast next day settlements, and bespoke transactions, making it our top recommendation for the best merchant account provider.

takepayments also provides some of the best onboarding support in the industry, with human-led support from its UK-based Welcome Team, helping you get over the often tricky initial hurdle of getting your POS system set up and ready to go.

How much does takepayments cost?

As you’ll be using takepayments as both a merchant service and POS system, you’ll benefit from not only having a streamlined operation, but a fee structure that will be designed around your specific business.

While takepayments may not have a free plan like SumUp or Square, Quick Service Restaurants will benefit from the simple efficiency of a single-vendor platform, avoiding a complex ecosystem of different tablets and processors. 

Read more: Best takeaway POS systems for SMEs right now

Overall rating: 3.7
Transaction fees from: quote-based
Monthly costs from: $69 + VAT per month (TouchBistro charges in US dollars)
TouchBistro is recommended to: full-service restaurants, QSRs, established restaurants, and multi-location chains

TouchBistro is best for flexibility and customisation, thanks to the iPad-based POS system that allows you to add-on the extra paid features you require (like a KDS or reservation functionality). This makes it suitable for high-volume casual dining and restaurants looking to scale to multi-site operations.

TouchBistro’s modularity allows hospitality owners to combat labour shortages and rising operational costs by bolting on extra features when they need them, such as:

• Profit management: automate accounting processes, process digital invoices, and cost tracking
• Labour management solution: labour forecasting, employee scheduling, and task management
• Marketing tools: automated campaigns and promotions
• Detailed loyalty features for driving repeat business
• Online ordering

We were impressed with how user-friendly the TouchBistro POS platform is, and I liked how you could edit the floor plan from either the frontend or back office. Source: Startups.co.uk

TouchBistro can be entirely run from an iPad, saving owners from investing in expensive POS hardware systems that may become obsolete if they switch providers. I was also impressed with how exceptionally user-friendly TouchBistro is.

How much does TouchBistro cost?

TouchBistro is a specialised hospitality system and so it does have a reasonably expensive base monthly price. Plus, it’s worth keeping in mind that due to the customisable system, many features (like online ordering and the reservation system) will cost extra.

TouchBistro balances impressive usability with deep functionality and the modular system makes it suitable for ambitious restaurants who are looking to scale, though Square is a better option for a general-purpose till.

What our researchers think...

What I love about TouchBistro is the ability to pick and choose which features you want. You don’t have to pay extra for something that you won’t actually need, which means that you’re getting a package tailored to you. What’s really great though, is that their pricing is still completely transparent.

Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive

Overall rating: 3.7
Transaction fees from: 1.3%
Monthly costs from: £25 + VAT per month
Epos Now is recommended to: hybrid restaurants, gastropubs, hotel restaurants, and established restaurants with complex menus

Epos Now is best for multi-revenue, hybrid restaurants as the POS can handle both retail and hospitality services. For example, a gastropub with overnight accommodation, or a sit down restaurant which also has a connected deli area would both be well-matched to Epos Now.

Epos Now’s POS software is also able to handle multi-revenue businesses thanks to the detailed stock-tracking capabilities, which include:

• Assigning specific ingredients to menu items
• Automatic depletion: the POS will automatically deduct the exact amount of each used ingredient from inventory levels
• Recipe costing: real-time cost/profit analysis for all your menu items

We really appreciated the wide display screen, and the ability to manage inventory levels straight from the Epos Now terminal. Source: Startups.co.uk

Epos Now includes an automatic offline mode, and AI-powered systems for self-remediation, giving peace of mind to businesses operating in areas with unreliable signal.

Unlike Lightspeed, Epos Now has its own countertop terminal and, during my hands-on testing, I was impressed with its large 15.6″ HD display screen – the hardware felt very rugged and durable.

How much does Epos Now cost?

Epos Now offers a range of different packages that include hardware, accessories, and software, and it frequently runs limited time promotional offers on its hardware bundles (which includes onboarding and training).

What our researchers think...

This is a great choice if you want some high quality hardware. Epos Now has recently released a new and updated terminal and it has a huge HD screen, which means you can see everything really clearly. There’s also a crystal clear customer facing screen, which can help speed up orders as they can see what they’re ordering.

Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive

How do I choose a restaurant POS system for my small business?

When selecting a restaurant POS system, you should look for top priority features like table management and a reliable offline mode, as choosing a hospitality POS system will be different from choosing the best POS system for retail.

What features should my POS include?

Look for must-haves like order management, inventory tracking, table management, and reporting. Think about what your unique restaurant might need – loyalty programs, or online or QR code-based ordering to accept takeaway or website orders.

Read more: How to start a takeaway business from home

What POS security features are essential for restaurants?

You will need to ensure your POS system supports EMV compliance, data encryption, and regular security updates to safeguard your business and sensitive customer data.

What happens to my restaurant POS if the internet goes down?

An internet outage can be disastrous for restaurants, so you’re going to need your POS to have a reliable offline mode: this means the POS system can still continue to process transactions without an internet connection.

However, not all POS offline modes are the same, with some having more limited functionality than others. Lightspeed Restaurant boasts a strong offline mode, which still allows for core sales functionality. This is stored locally on the device, then automatically syncs to the cloud once back online.

What factors should I compare when choosing a POS?

• Prices: It’s not just the initial costs – monthly fees, transaction charges, and hardware costs can add up.
• Hardware compatibility: Consider what hardware you require. From touchscreen terminals to kitchen printers and handheld devices for waitstaff, ensure they sync seamlessly with the software. Think ruggedness – spills and hectic kitchens demand durable gear.
• User-friendliness: Your staff will thank you for getting an intuitive system. It should be easy to learn and navigate. The last thing you want is a complicated system that slows down your service.
• Scalability: As your restaurant grows, so should your POS system. Opt for one that can be upgraded to accommodate your evolving needs. Also, check that regular updates will be deployed to keep your system running smoothly.
• Trials and demos: Before committing, ask for a trial or a demo. Nothing beats hands-on experience to find out whether a system is right for you.
• Integration with delivery apps: in 2026, you’ll need a POS system that can support third-party delivery apps like UberEats and Deliveroo.
• Reliable support: Emergencies happen – ensure the POS provider offers responsive customer support. Whether it’s a tech glitch during the lunch rush or a query at odd hours, having reliable support is a game-changer. You can compare help and support options in the table below:

Should you use a countertop till or a tablet-based POS?

You should choose tablets for versatility and mobility, and countertop systems if you want to prioritise reliability and durability in intense environments.

You may also want a terminal with a customer facing display, to allow diners to check what they’ve ordered and see their total.

If you already have access to tablets and you don’t mind using them for your business, this can save you a lot of money. Just always make sure you check their compatibility with the POS you want. Toast, for example, is Android only, and so won’t work on iPads.

Do I need a kitchen display system (KDS)?

A Kitchen Display System (KDS) increases efficiency and order accuracy as it replaces an old-fashioned paper ticket system with a real-time digital workflow.

What are the total costs of a POS system, including hidden fees?

In order to work out what the total cost of your POS system will be, you need to factor in the three main components:

• Hardware: this comprises countertop terminals, tablets, stands, card readers, and accessories. You could be looking at spending around £20 to £200 for a handheld card reader, and £250 to over £1,000 for a dedicated countertop terminal.
• Software: the POS platform you’ll be using on your devices, which provides the features and tools you need to run your business. You can get free options, but paid versions will start from around £19 per month, and can cost as much as £200 per month for more sophisticated tools and features.
• Payment processing: the ongoing cost of taking payments, primarily transaction fees. Generally speaking, these sit between 1.5% and 3.5% of each sale.

Estimating an accurate cost without knowing who your provider will be yet is difficult, but this table gives a rough idea of the price ranges:

Just remember to also factor in the hidden costs associated with POS systems, which can include:

• Software add-ons: any features you need that don’t come in the base package, like a reservation system.
• Setup fees: for particularly complex POS systems, you may get charged an installation fee.
• Cancellation fees: some providers might have a termination fee if you want to leave your contract early, so be sure to read the fine print.

How we test restaurant POS systems

Our  testing of 11 top POS platforms was carried out against a framework that was devised by our Head of Research, to ensure we were reflecting the needs and pain points of real world restaurant owners.

These tests, along with our hours of independent research and analysis, investigated the six most important factors for small business owners needing a restaurant POS system. We recently adjusted the weighting of these categories to ensure we are truly reflecting the needs of a restaurant owner in 2026.

We also conducted new hands-on testing of several platforms in May 2026, to ensure our experience is up to date.

Our six scoring categories were:

1. What tools and features does the POS system have to help me run my restaurant? (35%): I tested the ability to create and customise restaurant floor plans, the different ways to split a bill, the types of tipping it allows, if it allows the integration of a Kitchen Display System, reservation tools, how extensive the menu creation is, and if it provides built-in customer engagement tools.
2. What types of POS terminals, devices, and accessories are available? (20%): We assessed the POS terminal perform in terms of display quality and portability, and we researched the range of accessories, such as receipt printers, cash drawers, and scales.
3. Is the POS system easy to use? (20%): I judged how easy the system is to use based on testing scenarios that reflected real-world needs, such as system setup and customisation, managing a restaurant inventory, creating promotions and running discounts, generating sales reports, taking orders, and processing payments.
4. How much does the POS system cost? (10%):  We evaluated the overall value for money, by comparing up-front costs, monthly costs, if there’s a free plan, and an assessment of the processing fees by comparing the highest and lowest possible fees from each POS system.
5. Will I get adequate support if my restaurant POS runs into issues? (10%): We looked into the avenues of customer support that are available, such as phone support, email support, knowledge centre, a forum, if there are video tutorials, in-platform support, and if there’s a training mode for new waiting staff. We also assessed the speed and accuracy of the live chat functionality.
6. Does the POS provider have a good reputation? (5%): We assessed the providers’ standing in the marketplace based on competitor reviews, brand recognition, and how likely our testers were to recommend the platform.

Final verdict: which restaurant POS system is right for your business?

Our new round of testing confirmed that Square is still the best restaurant POS system, due to its standout usability and free plan.

However, you should select a POS system for your specific needs, for example Toast and Lightspeed have advanced functionality that better supports complex, multi-chain restaurants.