Restaurant ordering & POS systems, explained
A plain-English profile of each major system — what it is, how it works, what it costs, and the kind of restaurant it fits. No scores, no rankings; just the facts to help you shortlist.
At a glance
| System | Starting price | Hardware | Website | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toast | $0–$165+/mo per location | Proprietary hardware, purchased or financed | Templated online-ordering pages | High-volume or multi-location restaurants that need enterprise depth and will use the integration marketplace. |
| Square for Restaurants | $0–$60/mo | Square hardware, purchased separately | Templated site builder | Cafés, quick-service and small spots that value simplicity over restaurant-specific depth. |
| Pickup Pointe | $125–$250/mo | Tablet + printer integrations included | Fully custom, on your own domain | Everything from a single independent restaurant to multi-location groups and franchises — operators who want one system to run ordering, their website, marketing and hardware, with a bird’s-eye view across every location. |
| Clover | Varies by plan + hardware | Proprietary Clover devices (Station, Flex, Mini) | Basic online ordering | Small businesses and restaurants that want flexible, widely-available all-in-one hardware and an app ecosystem. |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | From ~$69/mo | iPad-based, peripherals separate | Online ordering add-on | Full-service restaurants and groups that want depth in reporting and inventory. |
| TouchBistro | From ~$69/mo | iPad-based | Online ordering, reservations & loyalty add-ons | Full-service and casual dine-in restaurants wanting a restaurant-first iPad POS. |
| SpotOn | From ~$0–$135/mo (varies) | SpotOn hardware | Online ordering, marketing & loyalty | Full-service and casual restaurants wanting broad, all-in-one capability with more flexible terms. |
| Revel Systems | From ~$99/mo per terminal | iPad-based | Online ordering | Established or multi-location restaurants needing an enterprise-grade iPad POS. |
| SkyTab (Shift4) | Low monthly + processing (bundled offers) | SkyTab terminals & handhelds (often bundled) | Online ordering & QR included | Cost-sensitive restaurants that want bundled hardware and processing. |
| Oracle MICROS Simphony | From ~$55/mo per terminal (enterprise quoting) | Oracle/MICROS or compatible hardware | Enterprise ordering & integrations | Large chains, hotels and high-complexity, high-volume operations. |
| NCR Aloha | Custom / enterprise quoting | NCR/Aloha hardware | Online ordering & integrations | Established multi-unit restaurants and chains wanting a proven enterprise platform. |
| ChowNow | From ~$150/mo + setup | Not a POS/hardware suite | Branded ordering pages & apps | Independents focused on commission-free direct online ordering without a marketplace cut. |
| Owner.com | $249–$499/mo | Not a full POS/hardware suite | Templated restaurant website | Restaurants whose main priority is owning more direct online orders and marketing. |
| BentoBox | From ~$100/mo (varies) | Not a POS/hardware suite | Polished, design-forward websites | Restaurants that prioritize a polished website and direct ordering experience. |
| Popmenu | $149+/mo | Not a hardware/POS suite | Polished, template-driven websites | Restaurants investing heavily in brand, website and marketing automation. |
| Slice | Low flat fee per order | Optional Slice register/tablet | Pizzeria-branded ordering | Independent pizzerias wanting affordable online ordering and marketing. |
| GloriaFood | $0 (free core) | None (widget & app based) | Ordering widget for your existing site | Budget-conscious independents wanting free, commission-free online ordering. |
Toast
A deep, restaurant-specific POS platform built for scale.
From: $0–$165+/mo per location
Hardware: Proprietary hardware, purchased or financed
Read about Toast →
Square for Restaurants
A simple, familiar POS from the Square ecosystem.
From: $0–$60/mo
Hardware: Square hardware, purchased separately
Read about Square for Restaurants →
Pickup Pointe
An all-in-one system that runs the whole restaurant — ordering, POS, a custom website, marketing, delivery and digital signage, on hardware that comes in the box.
From: $125–$250/mo
Hardware: Tablet + printer integrations included
Read about Pickup Pointe →
Clover
A flexible all-in-one POS with a large app marketplace, used across retail and restaurants.
From: Varies by plan + hardware
Hardware: Proprietary Clover devices (Station, Flex, Mini)
Read about Clover →
Lightspeed Restaurant
A cloud POS for full-service and hospitality, with strong reporting and inventory.
From: From ~$69/mo
Hardware: iPad-based, peripherals separate
Read about Lightspeed Restaurant →
TouchBistro
An iPad POS built specifically for restaurant floor operations.
From: From ~$69/mo
Hardware: iPad-based
Read about TouchBistro →
SpotOn
A restaurant POS and management suite with flexible terms and a strong support reputation.
From: From ~$0–$135/mo (varies)
Hardware: SpotOn hardware
Read about SpotOn →
Revel Systems
An iPad POS platform aimed at established and multi-location restaurants.
From: From ~$99/mo per terminal
Hardware: iPad-based
Read about Revel Systems →
SkyTab (Shift4)
A low-cost POS and online-ordering system from payments company Shift4.
From: Low monthly + processing (bundled offers)
Hardware: SkyTab terminals & handhelds (often bundled)
Read about SkyTab (Shift4) →
Oracle MICROS Simphony
An enterprise-grade cloud POS for large and complex operations.
From: From ~$55/mo per terminal (enterprise quoting)
Hardware: Oracle/MICROS or compatible hardware
Read about Oracle MICROS Simphony →
NCR Aloha
A long-established enterprise restaurant POS platform.
From: Custom / enterprise quoting
Hardware: NCR/Aloha hardware
Read about NCR Aloha →
ChowNow
Commission-free online ordering and branded apps on a flat monthly fee.
From: From ~$150/mo + setup
Hardware: Not a POS/hardware suite
Read about ChowNow →
Owner.com
Commission-free direct online ordering and restaurant marketing.
From: $249–$499/mo
Hardware: Not a full POS/hardware suite
Read about Owner.com →
BentoBox
Design-forward restaurant websites with online ordering and marketing.
From: From ~$100/mo (varies)
Hardware: Not a POS/hardware suite
Read about BentoBox →
Popmenu
Interactive menus, websites and marketing automation.
From: $149+/mo
Hardware: Not a hardware/POS suite
Read about Popmenu →
Slice
Online ordering and marketing built specifically for pizzerias.
From: Low flat fee per order
Hardware: Optional Slice register/tablet
Read about Slice →
GloriaFood
A free online ordering system with optional paid upgrades.
From: $0 (free core)
Hardware: None (widget & app based)
Read about GloriaFood →