The best Toast alternatives depend on the kind of venue you run: quick service cafes often want kiosks and simple setup, full service restaurants want tableside ordering and floor plans, and chains want reporting across every site. Ten restaurant point of sale systems follow, and the deciding factors are your hardware, your payments setup and how you take orders.
Changing your point of sale is one of the most disruptive jobs in a restaurant, and it's rarely as quick as the sales demo suggests. It touches the kitchen, the front of house, payments, staff training and every report your accountant asks for.
The ten systems below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the company's own website, read this week. If you run a small venue, my explainer on why EPOS matters for a small business covers the basics before you compare.
Toast alternatives at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free account or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free, so check the provider's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clover | POS system and card readers | Restaurants wanting card readers and POS together | Not stated |
| eatOS | Restaurant POS | Order at table and loyalty | Not stated |
| Epos Now | Point of sale for small businesses | Small venues that also sell retail | Not stated |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | POS and payments for restaurants | Turning tables faster with insights | Not stated |
| MenuSifu | Restaurant POS | Kitchen automation and in-store engagement | Not stated |
| Restroworks | Restaurant management platform | Multi-outlet chains watching every site | Not stated |
| Rezku | Restaurant management software | Tableside, kiosk and voice ordering | Trial only |
| SpotOn | Restaurant POS system | Commission-free online ordering | Not stated |
| Square for Restaurants | Restaurant POS system | Self-serve kiosks and simple setup | Not stated |
| TouchBistro | POS and restaurant management | Full service restaurants on iPad | Not stated |
Ten restaurant POS systems to compare
Clover
Best for: Restaurants and cafes that want POS hardware and card readers from one provider, with options from counter service to full service.
eatOS
Best for: Full service and fast casual restaurants that want POS, order-at-table, loyalty and gift cards from one smaller provider.
Epos Now
Best for: Small and medium venues such as cafes, bakeries and pizza shops that want a point of sale built for small businesses.
Lightspeed Restaurant
Best for: Busy dining rooms that want POS and payments with insights that help them turn tables faster and grow revenue.
MenuSifu
Best for: Independent US restaurants that want POS, payments, marketing and kitchen automation from one restaurant-focused company.
Restroworks
Best for: Restaurant chains that want analytics for every outlet on the go and a large library of native integrations.
Rezku
Best for: Venues that want tableside ordering, kiosks and AI voice ordering on one POS, with a free trial to start.
SpotOn
Best for: Owners who want a POS with commission-free online ordering that connects straight to the system.
Square for Restaurants
Best for: Cafes and quick service restaurants that want a restaurant POS with customer-built orders on a customisable kiosk.
TouchBistro
Best for: Full service restaurants that want point of sale at the core of a wider restaurant management platform.
Which system to look at first
- Cafes and quick service with kiosks: Square for Restaurants.
- Full service dining on iPad: TouchBistro or Lightspeed Restaurant.
- Commission-free online ordering: SpotOn.
- Tableside, kiosk and voice ordering: Rezku.
- Chains watching every outlet: Restroworks.
- Smaller venues that also sell retail: Epos Now, Clover, eatOS or MenuSifu.
Card security comes with the switch
The PCI Security Standards Council says PCI DSS defines security requirements to protect environments where payment account data is stored, processed or transmitted.
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When you change POS, you may also change who handles card data and what you're responsible for. Ask each provider what they cover for compliance and what's left to you, because that changes your paperwork as much as your tills.
Hardware, payments and contracts
Some systems tie you to their own payment processing and hardware, others let you bring your own. Neither's wrong, but it decides how easy it'll be to leave later.
Read the contract length and the terms for returning or keeping hardware. A system that looks simple at the counter can be complicated to exit, and you won't want surprises.
Questions for every POS demo
- Can I keep my current card terminals?
- How does it handle split bills and tips?
- Does it send orders to kitchen screens or printers?
- Will it connect to my online ordering and delivery apps?
- What reports will my accountant get?
- How long is the contract, and what happens at the end?
Signs your POS is holding you back
- Orders get lost between counter and kitchen. Look at kitchen screens.
- Tables wait to pay. Try tableside ordering.
- You can't see each site's sales. Pick group reporting.
- Online orders arrive on tablets. Bring them into the POS.
Do you make restaurant point of sale systems? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on switching restaurant POS
Switch in your quietest week, not before a bank holiday. Train staff on the new system while the old one's still running, and keep a paper fallback for the first few shifts.
Export your menu, item sales and customer data before you cancel, so you're not rebuilding from scratch. Once you're live, these ChatGPT prompts for cafe owners help with menus, posts and staff notes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Toast?
It depends on your venue. Quick service cafes, full service restaurants and multi-site chains need different features, from kiosks to tableside ordering and group reporting.
Can I use my own card terminals with a new POS?
Sometimes. Some systems let you bring your own payment provider and hardware, while others require their own, so ask before you sign.
What is PCI DSS?
The PCI Security Standards Council says PCI DSS defines security requirements to protect environments where payment account data is stored, processed or transmitted.
How long does it take to switch POS systems?
Allow time for menu setup, hardware, staff training and a test service. Many restaurants switch over a quiet week.
Can a POS handle online ordering?
Many restaurant systems include online ordering or connect to delivery apps. Check which channels each one supports.
Do I need a different POS for a chain?
Chains usually want reporting across every site and central menu control, so look for multi-location features.
