Best Restaurant POS Software

Let our Restaurant POS Software Experts help you find the right Software for your Business!

Last updated: Feb 08, 2020
ITQlick rating ITQlick Rating is based on the software score (below) and aggregated online reviews
ITQlick score ITQlick Score is a 1 to 100 score, based on pricing, and functionality Vs. alternative solutions
Pricing score pricing Score is a 1 to 10 score, based on the TCO (cost of licences, customizations, training, hardware when relevant) Vs. alternative solutions
License pricing license pricing (if provided by the software vendor)
Hosting
Functionality score
Fit small business
Fit medium business
Fit large business
Software review
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Lavu
ITQlick rating ITQlick Rating is based on the software score (below) and aggregated online reviews
ITQlick Score
95/100
Pricing score Pricing score ranges between 1 to 10 while 1 is low TCO and 10 is high TCO (TCO - total cost of ownership: cost of licences, customizations, training, hardware when relevant) Vs. alternative solutions
2.4/10
License pricing license pricing (if provided by the software vendor)
$59 per user/month
Hosting
On premise and Cloud
Functionality score
13
Fit small business
Fit medium business
Fit large business
Software review
Lavu review
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Lavu Vs Lavu
TouchBistro
ITQlick rating ITQlick Rating is based on the software score (below) and aggregated online reviews
ITQlick Score
93/100
Pricing score Pricing score ranges between 1 to 10 while 1 is low TCO and 10 is high TCO (TCO - total cost of ownership: cost of licences, customizations, training, hardware when relevant) Vs. alternative solutions
3.2/10
License pricing license pricing (if provided by the software vendor)
$69 per license
Hosting
On premise and Cloud
Functionality score
10
Fit small business
Fit medium business
Fit large business
Software review
TouchBistro review
Compare
TouchBistro Vs Lavu
Yelp
ITQlick rating ITQlick Rating is based on the software score (below) and aggregated online reviews
ITQlick Score
88/100
Pricing score Pricing score ranges between 1 to 10 while 1 is low TCO and 10 is high TCO (TCO - total cost of ownership: cost of licences, customizations, training, hardware when relevant) Vs. alternative solutions
9.4/10
License pricing license pricing (if provided by the software vendor)
$249 per month
Hosting
On premise and Cloud
Functionality score
9
Fit small business
Fit medium business
Fit large business
Software review
Yelp review
Compare
Yelp Vs Lavu
CAKE
ITQlick rating ITQlick Rating is based on the software score (below) and aggregated online reviews
ITQlick Score
87/100
Pricing score Pricing score ranges between 1 to 10 while 1 is low TCO and 10 is high TCO (TCO - total cost of ownership: cost of licences, customizations, training, hardware when relevant) Vs. alternative solutions
2/10
License pricing license pricing (if provided by the software vendor)
$49 per user/month
Hosting
On premise and Cloud
Functionality score
7
Fit small business
Fit medium business
Fit large business
Software review
CAKE review
Compare
CAKE Vs Lavu
POSbistro
ITQlick rating ITQlick Rating is based on the software score (below) and aggregated online reviews
ITQlick Score
84/100
Pricing score Pricing score ranges between 1 to 10 while 1 is low TCO and 10 is high TCO (TCO - total cost of ownership: cost of licences, customizations, training, hardware when relevant) Vs. alternative solutions
2.8/10
License pricing license pricing (if provided by the software vendor)
$49 per month
Hosting
On premise and Cloud
Functionality score
3
Fit small business
Fit medium business
Fit large business
Software review
POSbistro review
Compare
POSbistro Vs Lavu

TOP 10 Restaurant POS Software

1. Lavu

  • Best for: Small business, Medium business
  • Price: Starting from $59 per user/month
  • Sep 24, 2019
Compare Lavu Vs. Lavu

Lave software is a cloud-hosted iPad Point of Sale (POS) system that is specifically engineered to serve the restaurant industry. The platform targets both quick-service and full-service dining establishments in the small to large enterprise settings.

2. TouchBistro

  • Best for: Small business
  • Price: Starting from $69 per license
  • Aug 07, 2019
Compare TouchBistro Vs. Lavu

**EMV Ready!** TouchBistro iPad POS has been reviewed as the 'Best Restaurant POS' by Business News Daily and is the #1 food and beverage app in 34 countries worldwide. TouchBistro is designed specifically for the restaurant industry. Every ounce of engineering and design put into TouchBist...

3. Yelp Reservations

  • Best for: Small business, Medium business, Large business
  • Price: Starting from $249 per month
  • Feb 08, 2020
Compare Yelp Reservations Vs. Lavu

Yelp Reservations is a growing cloud-based Task Management software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. Yelp Reservations received a rating of 4.5 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered a bit pricey (4.7/5) vs their competitors.

4. CAKE Point of Sale

  • Best for: Small business
  • Price: Starting from $49 per user/month
  • Oct 09, 2019
Compare CAKE Point of Sale Vs. Lavu

CAKE Point of Sale is a leading cloud-based Retail-POS software, it is designed to support small and medium size business. CAKE Point of Sale received a rating of 4.6 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (1/5) when compared to alternative solutions.

5. POSbistro

  • Best for: Small business, Medium business
  • Price: Starting from $49 per month
  • Aug 31, 2019
Compare POSbistro Vs. Lavu

POSbistro is a trending cloud-based Retail-POS software, it is designed to support small and medium size business. POSbistro received a rating of 4.3 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (1.4/5) when compared to alternative solutions.

6. MarketMan

  • Best for: Small business, Medium business, Large business
  • Price: Starting from $149 per month
  • Aug 15, 2019
Compare MarketMan Vs. Lavu

MarketMan is a growing cloud-based Retail-POS software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. MarketMan received a rating of 4.7 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (4/5) when compared to alternative solutions.

7. Restaurant Manager

  • Best for: Small business
  • Price: Starting from $199 per license
  • Sep 14, 2019
Compare Restaurant Manager Vs. Lavu

Restaurant Manager is a Point Of Sale (POS) software that can be efficiently used in any food distribution points. This software can be easily tailored to fit the individual needs of any restaurant. Users can carry out a number of functions, including inventory management, ordering, mobile managemen...

8. SynergySuite for Restaurants

  • Best for: Small business, Medium business
  • Price: Starting from $75 per month
  • Sep 04, 2019
Compare SynergySuite for Restaurants Vs. Lavu

SynergySuite for Restaurants is a leading cloud-based Retail-POS software, it is designed to support small and medium size business. SynergySuite for Restaurants received a rating of 4.8 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered average (3.5/5) when compared to other solutions in their cat...

9. Squirrel POS

  • Best for: Medium business, Large business
  • Price: Starting from $5,000 per license
  • Aug 28, 2019
Compare Squirrel POS Vs. Lavu

Squirrel POS is a retail and POS solution for small and medium sized retailers. It offers such capabilities as gift card management, QuickBooks integration, inventory management, and others. The software was designed and launched by Squirrel Systems headquartered in British Columbia, Can...

10. BIM POS

  • Best for: Start up, Small business
  • Price: Starting from $500 per license
  • Oct 06, 2019
Compare BIM POS Vs. Lavu

BIM POS is a retail management and POS solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers such capabilities as mobile POS, inventory classification, email marketing, and others. The software was designed and launched by BIM POS headquartered in Lebanon.

A Buyer's Guide to Business Software Solutions

How to Evaluate and Buy Business Software
 
If you’re somehow puzzled if this article is only for a specific size of business, no, it’s not. This is for you SMEs, MNEs and start-ups software buyers. Also, we’re not talking about a specific software solution here. Whether the software solution that you’re planning to buy is for Accounting, Business Intelligence, ERP, CRM, Help Desk, Maintenance Management or other types of application, one thing is for sure; with the help of this article, you will be able to know the right process in evaluating and buying a business software solution.
 
We’ve been into the software business for years and we’re seeing a lot of nitty-gritty things that often bring confusions and hesitations to many companies looking for better software solutions. Some companies can’t afford to let go their legacy systems while a few is encountering technological snags once the new system is in place. While this is the underlying truth behind software acquisition and implementation, what’s exciting about buying a business software solution is that there is a clear and obvious proof that thousands of companies and corporations today are happy with the benefits this technology is bringing into their respective businesses.  There is a significant increase in their revenue and the growth is on-going. And it’s easy to say; many from the Fortune 500 companies are making a lot of money because of their smartly-acquired business software.
 
So, let’s get straight to the point. What should you do in order to acquire that business software that could make your organization achieve its goals? The answer to this is pretty straightforward: evaluate and buy that right business software. Yes, that’s what you need to do and here’s the best manual from ITQlick.com that could certainly help you in doing that strategically.
 
Consider the Needs of Your Organization
Let’s assume that at this point, the entire management team agreed that you are ready to invest on a certain software application. The budget has been compromised and the key persons who will be involved in the acquisition process were already identified. Therefore, it’s time to approach things the project management way.
 
Define the Project
Every business software solution is categorized base on application type, features, deployment model, market size and pricing model. Remember that our objective here is to evaluate and buy a business software product that will fit into the size and present needs of your business. So what the project management team should try to deal with first is to define the real requirements of your business exactly base on the categories set by the software industry. Moreover, by doing this activity, you are already narrowing down your search for the right solution. Now, consider bringing this list of FAQs to the project management and aim to come up with clear-cut answers.
 
  1. What type of software is needed? Is it Integrated-Suite, Best-of-Breed or Industry-Specific? Ask your CEO’s main agenda and find the perfect match from these available options.
  2. What are the core and secondary features? Are you looking for basic, advanced or hi-end features? List down the specific features per category and allow the department managers and supervisors to give their insights on this list.
  3. How are you going to deploy the system? Would it be on-premise, cloud-based, hosted, or mobile-based? Weigh these options with the help of your CIO.
  4. Are you going for Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 vendors? Their offered solutions are base on the size of their target market - SMEs, MNEs or start-ups. Seek your CFO’s advice as it is important to match your financial capacity against the cost of the solution that the providers have for you.
  5. Are you willing to pay for the perpetuity software license or a subscription-based solution is way better? How many users are there and what would be their roles in using the system? Solicit feedbacks from future end users for they know better what challenges and risks might possibly come along their way when they’re using the system.
 
Finalize the BOM or List of Requirements
After providing definite answers on the above questions, we can say that the project has already been defined. Your procurement team is now ready to do their role in the acquisition process of this solution. However, in order for them to execute their job properly, they must have the complete list of requirements - features, specifications, hardware, and the software product. In other words, the Bill-of-Materials (BOM) that is final, complete and well-prepared must be handed over to the procurement director. Needless to say, it is very important that everybody is following the company purchasing and procurement protocols at all times.  
 
Request for Proposal (RFP)
The RFP process will bring everything into formality. Since you’re more likely in a line of business that doesn’t regularly buy software products, it is of critical importance that your RFP is well-structured before you send it to your prospect solution providers.
 
Draft the RFP
An RFP that contains all the relevant information as discussed during the project management meetings will enable the providers to return back to you their proposal that is complete and substantial. Therefore, your RFP should basically contain the following:
 
Brief Introduction
  • Company Name
  • Mission and Goals
  • Purpose of the RFP (or the need for software solution)
Business Background
  • Organizational Structure
  • Current Situation (IT infrastructure, system currently in-use, system issues and desired solutions, etc.)
  • Major Objectives of the Software Purchase
Request for Specific Requirements
  • Solution Functionality
  • System Specifications
  • Vendor Company Information
  • Price Model, Service Plans, Package Options
Other Important Inquiries (if necessary)
 
Send the RFP
Well-structured RFP will bring a lot of advantages especially when the proposals from various providers are received and then subjected for review and analysis. Send your RFP to at least three to five providers (or prospects which you have already shortlisted during the project definition phase). Depending on the complexity of the solution, most vendors will send their proposal in a matter of time, which could be around 4 to 6 weeks for Integrated-Suite solution.
 
Why still send RFP?
Is there really a need for RFP if your preferred solution (like cloud-based) and the service plans or packages are already displayed on the vendor’s website? Well, yes, you still need to undergo the RFP process. For most sales people, they certainly know that those figures appearing in the vendor’s website are usually the “list price” and not the “actual price”. More importantly, the vendor’s proposal (response to RFP) will serve as your main basis for the negotiation. Therefore, sending an RFP is a strict requirement.
 
Follow up questions relevant to RFP
More often than not, questions and concerns will be raised by the vendors to whom you send the RFP. You have to entertain them with utmost professionalism. Solution providers who are seeking further clarifications relevant to the RFP are consisting of professional software experts who wants to help your organization as much as they can. Entertain them but at the same time, always be cautious when providing additional information which you know is confidential or proprietary.
 
Evaluate the Proposals
Always refer to your finalized BOM when tabulating the contents of each proposal. Part of this process is to check the features that are available from this certain vendor and to cross out those that are not. While using spreadsheet aids the tabulation process, laying down the document proposals on the table and allowing your project management team to review them one by one should always be conducted. Evaluating the proposals in full force can help strengthen your decision-making process. Have another round of brain-storming session and come with the name of your preferred solution provider.
 
When selecting the final vendor, always promote the best interest of your organization. Consider answering these questions with full sincerity.
 
  1. Which vendor can provide the long-term benefits to your organization?
  2. Which vendor can provide the best and honest service from acquisition to full implementation?
  3. Which vendor is willing to devote most of its time in better serving its client?
 
Contact this solution provider and in your own strategic approach, try to get the answers to those three important questions above. In most cases, vendor who really wants to prove its craft will offer product demos on a higher level. Others will even invite you to check their already deployed and working systems. Feel free to connect with this type of vendor. Conduct simulation and testing, be it a cloud-based or on-premise solution. Examine all aspects and angles especially those that your project management team want to really know in-depth. For as long as it could help you arrive at a better decision, consider doing all the options available – for the interest of the organization.
 
Enter the Negotiation Process
Most solutions providers can be flexible in terms of pricing. Although the final say is oftentimes on the mouth of the sales person from the vendor’s side, a good negotiation process can always deliver a win-win situation to both parties involve. While negotiation sometimes cannot be settled in one sitting session, always be honest with your intentions whenever negotiating with your provider. If it’s about your budget, justify it with clarity. If it’s about their service plans, tell them what’s lacking or missing on their solution. At the end of the day, the most important event that should happen is that both of you are shaking hands because of a well done negotiation process.
 
Seal the Contract
So what are you going to do on a contract that involves a significant amount of investment? There are three project management approaches for this.
 
  1. Pass the ball to you legal team. They know what to do and more or less they will tell you if there is something wrong with the contract. Give them enough time to review before they affix their signature and then finally seal the contract.
  2. Hire a consultant base on the technical aspect that you want to clarify in the contract. If it’s the Scope of Work (SOW), a software implementation expert is the right person. If it is related to complex legal terms and conditions, a lawyer can help. If it has something to do with money, invite an accountant to conduct a thorough review and computation if necessary.
  3. Always consider consulting your project management team. Remember that the CIO, CFO and CEO are all team members. They will be the signatories and they know what’s best for the interest of the company when signing a contract agreement.
 
From evaluation to buying stage, it is important that the project manager must take full responsibility of monitoring all the works identified and distributed among team members. This is why delegating the right project manager is also an important consideration when buying a business software solution. And again, ITQlick.com wants to emphasize that whatever the size of your company is, using the project management approach will always lead you into a better outcome – that is getting what you paid for the right business software solution. 

Finding the right business software for your business
Proper business software selections are the precursor to successful deployment and business growth. Finding the right solutions doesnít have to be complicated, and it doesnít have to take days or weeks of your time.

After researching over 5,000 systems, we can identify the best solution for companies of all shapes and sizes. ITQlick.com is 100% free for software buyers.

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