5 Best Cafe POS for 2022

The cafe POS market is one of the most dynamic markets in 2019, with new players emerging and old ones reinvigorating themselves. If you’re looking for a café to cater to your taste, these are five of the best options out there right now.—

The “best pos for coffee shop” is a new cafe that has been popping up all over the place. It’s a great way to get into the cafe business, but it can be difficult to find the best POS for your business.

Cafes are a distinct subset of the hospitality business. As a result, they have specific requirements for POS system capabilities, and the finest cafe POS system should include sticky label printing, twin cash drawer tills, and drive-through management. Cafes, unlike bars and restaurants, do not often need floorplans or divisions, and their food and drink menus are significantly simpler, resulting in less sophisticated inventory.

The finest café POS systems, according to our research, are:

• Overall, Lightspeed is the best.
• Best for growth toast
• Revel is ideal for busy cafés with a drive-thru.
• Square: For switching from a cash register, this is the best option.
• Cake is the easiest to use.

Comparing the Best Cafe Point-of-Sale Systems

*Users are welcome to bring their own suitable hardware to the event.

How Did We Pick the Best Cafe POS Systems?

We used a grading methodology to compare the top cafe POS systems, focusing on cafe-specific features like sticky label printing, twin cash drawer tills, and drive-thru administration. Basic POS features like as inventory management, online ordering, gift cards, and customizable reporting were evaluated. We also looked at the hardware’s resilience to see whether it could handle coffee spills and espresso steam. We also looked at cost, user ratings, general functioning, and customer service, as we usually do.

Lightspeed is the best cafe POS based on the aforementioned parameters. According to our grading methodology, the program obtained the highest overall grade (4.45 out of 5). Lightspeed is also one of the top software that we would personally suggest based on our own experience testing other POS software and working with and with small companies who use POS systems on a daily basis.

10% of the overall score

We looked at if each program had a free plan and a plan choice around $75 per month since tiny eateries are generally on a budget. Then we double-checked that those plans offer an unlimited number of user logins, product listings, and transactions. Finally, we provided extra points to systems that offer many integrated processors so you may shop for the lowest rates, and we gave points to systems that allow integrated payment processing since we think it’s more user-friendly.

30% of the overall score

Every small company needs to keep track of inventory, sell and accept gift cards, and have easy access to reporting tools such as daily sales totals from any location. We also emphasized contactless payments, online ordering, and order-ahead capabilities because of how companies are now operating—and the intrinsic on-the-go ethos of cafés.

30% of the overall score

We looked at aspects specific to cafés, such as cash monitoring and administration, which is critical for high-volume operations. In addition to templatized reporting dashboards for simple viewing, barcode scanning for ringing up pre-packaged items and merchandise, and low-stock alerts to ensure you never run out of ingredients, busy cafés benefit from low-stock alerts. We also needed tip tracking tools in each system.

10% of the overall score

Cafes are often open early in the morning and on weekends, therefore we selected solutions that provide customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We also gave points to POS systems that have a hybrid installation or an offline mode, which means they can work even if your connection is down. We also took into account the training materials and installation help that were offered.

20% of the overall score

Finally, we looked at any unique features of each system, as well as if the software and hardware choices provide excellent overall value for the money. We also looked at each system’s popularity among small cafes and the number of customer reviews it received. Finally, we took into account the expertise of our retail and restaurant experts in engaging with each system and support staff.

*Percentages based on total score

Best Overall Cafe POS: Restaurant Lightspeed

Restaurant Lightspeed

4.45 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• Self-installation is simple.
• Multiple payment processors are supported.
• Curbside pickup is possible with the built-in “Order Ahead” function.
• Free trial for 14 days

What Isn’t There

• There are no built-in management tools for drive-thrus.
• Hardware isn’t up to snuff.
• Competitors’ training resources aren’t as strong as ours.

Pricing at Lightspeed

• Fee for software subscription: $59 for a single terminal (if paid yearly; $69 per month if paid monthly; $34 for additional terminals)
• Costs of hardware: You are welcome to supply your own suitable gear; Lightspeed pricing are custom-quoted.
• Fees for installation are one-time only: One-time Installation fees: $0
• Fees vary depending on the processor you use: Cayan, Worldpay, Bridgepay, or Lightspeed Payments.

Lightspeed is a browser-based cloud POS that operates on iPads. It is the Goldilocks of cafe POS systems, striking just the right balance by providing the features you need without overwhelming you with features you don’t. It is Self-installation is simple. and has built-in features like order ahead (which is great for curbside pickup), multiple payment processors, and dual cash drawer capability. It also regularly appears on our list of best POS for restaurants.

Restaurant Lightspeed earned a 4.45 out of 5 on our cafe POS scoring system. With all these features, Lightspeed ticked nearly every box we asked a cafe POS to check. It falls short when it comes to drive-thru management tools (it offers none at this time; if you need drive-thru management, see Toast, Revel, or Cake). And while the iPad POS is cost-effective, it is not the most durable in a high-volume setting (if you need spill-proof hardware, check out Toast or Cake).

Ordering and payment buttons are always at your fingertips with Lightspeed’s streamlined fast service interface. (Photo courtesy of Lightspeed)

Contactless payments, such as tapped chip cards and mobile wallet payments, are supported by Lightspeed. (Photo courtesy of Lightspeed)

Lightspeed users may send discounts and offers to loyal consumers using integrated email marketing solutions. (Photo courtesy of Lightspeed)

The Order Ahead module in Lightspeed allows customers to place online orders for curbside or in-store pickup. (Photo courtesy of Lightspeed)

Highlights of Lightspeed

Our assessment placed a heavy focus on cafe-specific features and functionality, and Lightspeed excels in this area. Online and advanced ordering, customer-facing kiosks, label printing, and other services are available.

It enables quick and simple in-store service, curbside service, to-go orders, and online ordering. It also enables for two-drawer tills, which improves staff breaks, shift changeover, and cash count accuracy.

The following are some of Lightspeed’s notable features:

• Self-installation is simple: Lightspeed is simple to set up and install. Lightspeed sells iPads, but you may also bring your own and utilize Lightspeed covers and supports. You can get started accepting orders in one afternoon by downloading the POS software from the Apple App Store.
• Order ahead of time: With COVID-19 in the air, clients are expected to continue to choose contactless service. The built-in Order Ahead function in Lightspeed is ideal for curbside pickup. While this is not the same as a drive-thru, it nonetheless lets consumers on the move to make orders and pay without having to step inside.
• Lightspeed supports many payment processors, allowing owners to search around for the best payment processors while still having built-in payment capability. This amount of customization is not possible with other cafe POS systems (Square and Toast).
• Has Two Cash Drawers: Only true hospitality industry insiders understand the pain of keeping a till balanced between many personnel, several breaks, and multiple shifts. It’s almost impossible. Managers and employees can simply keep track of separate cash drawers thanks to the dual cash drawer function, which works independent of breaks or shifts. This is critical in a fast-paced café.

Best for growth toast

Toast

4.31 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• A free baseline subscription is available.
• Hardware that has been tested in the industry and is designed to endure the demands of a café.
• Drive-thru management solutions are supported.
• Features and functionality that are ideal for expanding beyond a café

What Isn’t There

• Toast is the only payment processor available.
• Toast hardware is required.
• Service agreement for two years

Pricing for Toast

• Fee for software subscription:
  • Starter: $0 as a starter
  • $165 for the essentials
  • $272 in growth
• Pay-as-you-go terminal kits (which include a touch-screen terminal, a card reader, and a router) start at Hardware costs: Pay-as-you-go terminal kits (including touch-screen terminal, card reader, and router) from $0; Up-front terminal price is $799; up-front terminal prices start at $799.
• Depending on your setup and whether you self-install or request in-person installation, one-time installation costs range from One-time Installation fees: From $0 to $299+, depending on your configuration and whether you self-install or request in-person installation to $299+.
• Standard customers pay 2.49 percent plus 15 cents for in-person purchases; pay-as-you-go customers pay 2.99 percent plus 15 cents for in-person transactions. Discounts are offered for processing large amounts of data.

Toast is a restaurant-specific hybrid point-of-sale system. It features a package for cafés of different sizes, with three membership tiers, including a free Starter subscription. Toast will grow with you when your café expands into, say, a city-wide powerhouse with many locations. It makes starting a café simple and uncomplicated with its free entry-level service and starter-kit terminal. It also features in our list of the top POS systems for small companies on a regular basis.

Many cloud-based POS systems depend on consumer-grade technology that can’t stand up to the demands of the business. Toast’s own hardware, on the other hand, is designed to withstand the abuse it will likely get from the hospitality industry. Only Cake’s hardware matches Toast’s in terms of durability in our tests. Toast is also one of the few POS systems that supports drive-thru management, which is critical for many big, high-traffic cafés in suburban and metropolitan areas.

Toast earned a 4.31 out of 5 on our cafe POS scoring system. It earned strong scores for its free Starter POS with pay-as-you-go hardware options. It also scored well for its general POS functions and niche tools like drive-thru management and dual cash drawer tills. But Toast’s durable proprietary hardware comes with a catch: You can’t simply run to an electronics store to grab an additional tablet. Granted, it is so durable that it will likely break far less frequently than, say, Lightspeed’s iPad-based terminals. Toast also locks you into its payment processor and requires a Service agreement for two years.

Check out Lightspeed or Revel if you wish to browse around for the best processing prices. Try Square if you require a month-to-month contract for a limited period of time. However, keep in mind that all of those systems rely on iPads, so you’ll be sacrificing some longevity.

POS terminals, handheld order and payment tablets, and kitchen display system (KDS) displays are all part of Toast’s hardware package. (Image courtesy of Toast)

The order screens on Toast are simple and easy to use. (Image courtesy of Toast)

Customer-facing displays are an option that may help eliminate order mistakes. (Image courtesy of Toast)

Characteristics of Toast

Toast is one of just two alternatives on our list that offers a free introductory membership (Square for Restaurants is the other). Toast is an industry-leading POS system with tough hardware (almost as tough as Cake’s) and outstanding drive-thru capabilities (rivaled only by Revel in our rankings). It provides some of the greatest customer service and training in the industry (right there with Cake). Because of its ubiquity in the market, you may acquire a lot of optimization tips and methods by just asking your neighbors.

The following are some of its notable features:

• Free Starter Membership: Toast provides a free starter subscription. Toast is a POS to be reckoned with, regardless of the size of your organization, because to its low barrier to entry and near limitless features and capabilities.
• Toast’s industry-rated hardware gives a degree of durability that is practically unobtainable elsewhere in a sector flooded with consumer-grade tablets. Cafes need equipment that can handle hot drinks, steam, and the frantic atmosphere of a morning commute coffee rush.
• Drive-thru Management: In the event of a pandemic, contactless service is critical, and drive-thrus can give a degree of comfort and security that few other service alternatives do. Toast’s POS includes drive-thru management features, allowing a café to expand its service possibilities. Drive-thru sales, which have their own workflow via your order screens and, if you use one, a kitchen display system (KDS), are grouped separately from other sales for reporting reasons so you can identify where your drive-thru sales and expenses are coming from.
• Toast features all of the tools a restaurant might possibly need, from ingredient-level inventory with vendor management to online ordering and staff management capabilities. Toast is a great option for those wishing to expand their café beyond coffee and pastries.

Revel is ideal for busy cafés with a drive-thru.

Revel

4.23 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• Excellent management tools for drive-thrus
• Inventory management software that is robust
• Multiple payment processors are supported.
• Dual cash drawer tills are supported.

What Isn’t There

• Contract for three years
• Lack of long-lasting hardware
• Pricey

Pricing Pricing for Revels

• Fee for software subscription: $99/month for a single terminal
• Hardware expenses are determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Installation costs are one-time and start at $674.
• Processing fees vary depending on the processor. TriPOS, FreedomPay, First Data, Heartland, TSYS, Worldpay, Chase Paymentech, Elavon, or Revel Advantage are the options for users.

The first iPad point-of-sale system created exclusively for restaurants was Revel Systems. Some may be thrown off by the cost ($99 per month plus at least $674 for installation), but Revel provides industry-leading drive-thru management as well as inventory management solutions. It’s one of a kind in that it doesn’t tie you down to a single payment method. For high-volume cafés looking for the greatest processing rates, this may be a lifesaver. Revel is eager and ready for those who have already grown up, whereas Toast may grow with you.

On our scoring criteria, Revel earned a 4.23 out of 5. It received high marks for its drive-thru management, dual cash drawer tills, and inventory tools. These three functions are not necessary for all cafes, but for those that need them, they are indispensable. Smaller cafe operations will likely lack drive- thrus and might not need dual cash drawers or inventory tracking —and they should look to Lightspeed or Square. Where Revel lost points is in Lack of long-lasting hardware and its high price. All the other options on this list are lower priced than Revel, making it a tougher sell for some.

Revel uses iPads and created its own stands and accessories. (Image courtesy of Revel)

If your cafe is short on cashiers, you can alternatively employ iPads as self-ordering kiosks. (Photo courtesy of Revel Systems)

You may use Revel’s integrated online ordering features to enable curbside pickup or delivery operations for a custom-quoted cost. (Photo courtesy of Revel Systems)

Highlights to Look For

Revel distinguishes out where it matters, with greater inventory monitoring and drive-thru features than the others on our list. Other functionalities that support a busy café, such as multiple cash drawers and flexible payment processing, are included with these leading features. Revel is a totally unique alternative as a result of this. Although it may be too costly for smaller cafes, it is ideal for one sort of café in particular: high-volume drive-thrus.

The following are some of its notable features:

• Revel’s software enables you to monitor drive-thru orders as well as other important drive-thru information. To eliminate order mix-ups, your staff may keep track of which car is linked with each drive-thru order. The onscreen drive-thru order queue allows cashiers to examine orders and receive payments without having to go to another screen, allowing your drive-thru line to move quickly.
• Leading Inventory Capabilities: Purchase order management is included in Revel’s ingredient-level inventory monitoring tools. When you run out of ingredients, your system will notify you, and you can create fresh orders right from the management dashboard. Orders are then sent to your suppliers. You may save time by receiving deliveries and processing bills with little data input.
• Multiple payment processors are supported.: Like Restaurant Lightspeed, Revel integrates with several payment processors, though Revel supports 10 processors to Lightspeed’s four. Payment processing fees vary widely and wildly. Owners looking to save money on these fees will love that Revel allows them to shop around for the best rates.
• Dual cash drawer tills are supported.: Busy cafes will likely need multiple cash drawers for their large staff. Dual cash drawer tills will allow you to assign tills to staff without the headache of closing tills and reassigning banks at every break and shift change. Or worse, having multiple staff members operate from the same till, which can lead to untraceable cash and a breeding ground for employee theft.

In our entire Revel review, we go over all of the platform’s features.

Square: For switching from a cash register, this is the best option.

Square

3.89 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• Subscriptions to the basic plan are free.
• Third-party hardware is supported.
• There are no long-term contracts.
• Introduction to POS systems in a safe manner

What Isn’t There

• Square’s payment processor is tethered to you.
• Does not enable drive-thru operation, multiple cash drawers, or inventory management at the ingredient level.
• Some gear isn’t built to last.

Pricing in Squares

• Fee for software subscription:
  • Free: $0 per month for unlimited terminals per month for an unlimited number of terminals
  • Plus, for $60 a month, you get limitless terminals.
  • Premium: Quoted on an individual basis
• Hardware expenses range from $49 for a card reader (though Square will give you your first card reader for free) to $1,668 for an iPad, stand, cash drawer, card reader, receipt printer, and kitchen printer in a full Square POS system.
• There are no one-time installation expenses.
• 2.6 percent + 10 cents each tapped, dipped, or swiped transaction in person; 2.9 percent + 30 cents for online purchases; 3.5 percent + 15 cents for manually entered transactions

Square for Restaurants is a cloud-based POS that operates within the ever-expanding Square software ecosystem. For our 2022 cafe POS evaluation, we looked at Square’s current functionality and found it to be the best option for cafes switching from a cash register as it offers a practical, inexpensive, and commitment-free option to transition from cash only to accepting digital payments. Like Toast, Square’s baseline POS subscription is free—though unlike Toast, which requires a Contract for two years, Square has There are no long-term contracts..

All you need is a Square card reader (which Square will provide you for free) and a Square account to use the POS on your existing iPads. It also takes no time to set up the built-in processing, so you can start receiving debit, credit, and mobile payments in an afternoon.

Square for Restaurants has a 3.89 out of 5 rating on our scale. It received high marks for its free baseline software and support for an infinite number of POS devices. The free, integrated internet shop received great praise as well. It was penalized for lacking specialty features such as ingredient-level inventories, drive-thru management, and twin cash drawer tills, among others. If your café requires them, Toast, Revel, or Cake are the best options. Square, on the other hand, should offer all you need if your business is tiny and does not need drive-thru assistance.

Square for restaurants is an iPad app that runs on Square cases and stands. (Image courtesy of Square)

A Square Register with a built-in customer-facing display and integrated card reader is another option. (Image courtesy of Square)

Optional marketing capabilities in Square’s administration panel allow you to construct dynamic email marketing campaigns. (Image courtesy of Square)

Square’s setup wizard will guide you through the process of creating your free Square Online Store. (Image courtesy of Square)

Characteristics of a Square

Square is ideal for the quaint café in need of a cloud-based POS system to replace its decades-old cash registers. It’s simple to join and just as simple to leave. Square lets you either bring your own hardware or buy it from them. It’s ideal for individuals whose main interest is collecting money from clients. Square may lack some of the higher-end, higher-volume capability of other systems, but it’s ideal for tiny eateries.

The following are some of its notable features:

• Square’s free basic POS subscription does not feature table or course management, but it shouldn’t be a deal breaker for cafés that just provide coffee and grab-and-go meals. If you require more capabilities, the Plus plan, which costs $60 per month, offers table and course administration as well as extra reporting.
• Square can operate on a variety of hardware, so there’s no need to buy anything new. Any iPad will be able to run this POS. iPad stands, different kinds of card readers, cash drawers, barcode scanners, and KDS displays may be added to your current hardware as required. As a result, Square is one of the most adaptable point-of-sale systems on our list.
• There are no long-term contracts.: Square is not only easy to join but easy to leave. There are There are no long-term contracts. with Square. This makes Square one of the most flexible POSes on our list.
• Square Compatibility Square Online Store and Online Checkout for pickup and delivery orders, customer feedback tools, and reporting dashboards are just a few of the free options available to small businesses in addition to free POS software.
• Square’s modular add-ons include payroll and team administration, loyalty programs, marketing, gift cards, and customer management capabilities, in addition to the ecosystem of free solutions. Any of these elements may be added or removed by businesses at any time.

Cake is the easiest to use. & Durable Hardware

Cake

3.83 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• Hardware that is very long lasting.
• Online training options that are excellent
• Drive-thru operations and twin cash drawer tills are supported.
• In-POS two-way SMS text messaging is one of the curbside pickup technologies.

What Isn’t There

• It necessitates the use of proprietary hardware.
• Inventory and the online ordering module are not in sync.
• Contract for two years

Pricing for Cakes

• Fee for software subscription: $69 per month for a single terminal; $49 per each additional terminal
• Hardware expenses are determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Installation costs are one-time only. You may install this system yourself utilizing the thorough online guides. In-person installation is optional and will be priced separately.
• Fees for processing are determined on a case-by-case basis.

Cake is a cloud-based point-of-sale system created by major distributor Sysco. Mad Mobile, a retail software business, bought Cake in August 2020 and instantly upgraded the curbside ordering features. Cake’s point-of-sale system is built to withstand even the most jittery customers and personnel. Cafes serve hot beverages to fatigued customers at a time of day when few people are at their most dexterous. If you spill coffee on your Cake POS, it will most likely be alright; the system is spill-proof.

The system’s exceptional technical assistance has earned it wonderful reviews from clients. Cake University, a rich and easy-to-navigate online knowledgebase, contains extensive text and video instructions for everything from system installation to curbside collection management.

The platform earned a 3.83 out of 5 on our cafe POS scoring system. It received solid scores for general POS functions and from our experts and leads the way in customer reviews, earning ratings of 4.6 to 4.8 on popular customer sites. Cake also comes with Inventory management software that is robust, a drive-thru capability, and leading hardware durability. It lost points because that hardware is proprietary and its amazing customer support and training tools come with a Contract for two years. If you want to save little on hardware and avoid long-term contracts, you’ll prefer Square for Restaurants.

Cake’s inventory management does not connect with its online ordering platform, which is an odd glitch. As a result, when a cafe’s internal inventory indicates that they are out of, say, French Roast beans, this information does not instantly enter the Cafe’s online product order. You’ll have to modify it manually in the online order module. Look at Toast or Revel if you want inventory that refreshes across all ordering channels.

Cake’s POS terminals with built-in customer-facing screens come in two colors: white and charcoal. (Cake illustration)

To handle high-volume restaurant situations, Cake’s hardware is engineered to be spill-proof. (Cake illustration)

Cake’s optional Guest Manager modules let you receive customer text messages and respond straight from the POS, making it easier to handle curbside pickups. (Cake illustration)

Features of a Standout Cake

Cake has outstanding customer service and is quite functional. Its curbside order management solutions are among the finest in the cloud POS industry.

The following are some of its notable features:

• Cake’s hardware is engineered to withstand the fast-paced, knock-around environment of cafés. Its terminals can endure direct liquid leakage for an extended period of time, as well as extreme heat and steam.
• Curbside Order Management: Cake’s Guest Management module contains options for managing curbside orders. With a $199 setup charge and $79 per month subscription expenses, this product might be a bit pricy. It does, however, come with a 30-day free trial, so you can see whether it’s right for you before committing. You may use this functionality to observe an ordered order queue for your forthcoming curbside pickups, receive customer text messages in the queue, and reply to messages straight from the POS. To keep curbside functioning, there will be no ringing phones or revealing your personal phone number.
• Comprehensive Online Training and Customer Support: Cake support is accessible year-round, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also offers one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly online training programs on the market. When troubleshooting in the midst of a busy service, you may read a textual instruction for the information you need rather of sitting through a complete video.
• Drive-thru Management: Cafes with drive-thrus need this capability, which is not available in many POS systems. Cake provides personalization, tracking, and functionality for drive-thru orders. You can have your cake and eat it, too, when it comes to drive-throughs.

Conclusion

There are just a few decent POS systems that provide the capabilities that cafés demand. As our overall champion for the best café POS system, Lightspeed comes out on top. It has twin cash drawers, payment processor flexibility, and, most of all, self-installation. You may add order ahead tools to your system to facilitate curbside pickup and run it on appropriate hardware you currently have. Contact Lightspeed for a demo to discover whether this system is perfect for your café.

Lightspeed is a great place to start.

The “coffee shop software free” is a type of software that allows businesses to manage their finances and operations. The 5 best cafe POS for 2022 are the Clover, Square, Shopify, Intuit Quickbooks and FreshBooks.

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