Having the best iPad POS system for restaurants can be more beneficial than a traditional POS system has to offer. They are comparatively less expensive and sleeker, along with offering additional features and flexibility.
By installing iPads as a POS system, you can easily manage the front-end activities of the restaurant, such as streamlining the acceptance of orders from customers, initiating payments, and aligning the backend activities, such as automating the accounts and keeping track of the ingredients inventory. Also, you can instill undefeated confidence in customers who might be cautious about dining out post-pandemic, as you can initiate a contactless payment module.
These iPad POS systems used to initiate a transaction are blended with restaurant management software to provide a hassle-free ordering experience. This management software enables the POS functionality in the iPads to initiate and record customer orders control online orders from your delivery services if you don’t have one, you should think about it and make a food delivery app and process payments through a common server for streamlined operations.
Are you already using an existing point-of-sale system, or are looking for an upgrade for your restaurant? Analyzing the market for both scenarios is one of the most crucial steps, as choosing the best POS system can streamline the operational activity of your restaurant as well as automate the orders and payments on the same page.
You can either go for a custom POS management system developed by a professional software engineering team, or you can choose an existing off-the-shelf solution. Here, we have evaluated some of the best iPad POS systems for restaurants available in the market for you to browse and choose the next best pick:
1. Vend – iPad POS System for Restaurants
Vend is a cloud-based POS that caters to delivering key restaurant management solutions such as inventory management, work schedule management, CRM management, and enhancement of customer experiences to any business size.
It is built and designed to work on diversified devices such as Macs, PCs, and iPads with a dedicated integration of the native application. This POS system can also be attached to peripheral devices as and when required in the restaurant, such as receipt printers, barcode scanners, and cash drawers, for easing the operational activities under one solution.
Vend is used for its add-on feature wherein the system will continue to work and push transactions even when the internet is unstable and automatically syncs all the offline transactions into the cloud database as soon as the connection is restored or is stable again.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- Detailed reports on transactions, inventory management, list menus, etc.
- Customer-centric and delivery service features
- Deep menu customization as per requirements and modules
- Flexible options for accepting payments.
- Supports iOS hardware ability
Pros:
- Vend Integration for iPad restaurant POS system
- Ease of use and friendly interface
- Feature-wise menu customization
- Round-the-clock support via call, e-mail and chat window
- Advanced analytics and reports exporting feature
Cons:
- Pricey than its rebels offering the same features
- Reports of frequent outages with no reference fixing read
- Buggy offline mode and failure of syncing into the cloud
- Requires specific hardware functionalities
Pricing:
Vend offers three pricing plans- Lite ($99 per month), Pro ($129 per month), and Enterprise (Quote on request). A free trial is also available for 14 days. Any restaurant manager can use this tool during the trial period with full accessibility to features before deciding to purchase it.
2. Lightspeed POS System
The Lightspeed restaurant POS system is designed to provide specialized solutions relating to diversified elements in restaurant management operations. With Lightspeed POS, restaurants can streamline and ease the processing of order placement for their customers. Customers can browse the menu affixed on their table and place their orders directly, then proceed to the payment page.
It is rich with attractive front-end features such as menu display and management, customized payment options for combos and single items, inventory management and updating ingredients stock after processing an order.
Administrative functionalities include a detailed billing system and workforce management. This solution syncs with all the major requirements of restaurant management plans as well as provides transparent and highly detailed reports.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- It has a bunch of third-party integrations as per restaurant ease of operations
- It also supports kitchen displays
- It has the option to use the free trial and later adjudicate for purchase
Pros:
- If you are labeling your food in the restaurant for takeaways, it has barcoded inventory management too.
- Round-the-clock support via call, e-mail and chat window
- No hidden costs
Cons:
- Slightly expensive for the same features available with rivals.
Pricing:
The pricing plans to acquire this start from $69 per month and have a cap plan of $229 per month.
3. TouchBistro: Restaurant POS System
Touchbistro is a popular iPad based restaurant POS system catering to the restaurant management needs of small, medium as well as large-sized restaurants. This POS system specifically empowers the contactless payment module along with bill splitting on the table of the customers by inputting the order details. With such rich features, the restaurants can focus on streamlining seamless customer service experience and business expansion.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- Customer-centric with customized functionalities such as bill splitting and contactless transactions.
- Loaded with basic features to support the operations of the back office, like staff management, customer management, customizable receipts with name and card details, etc.
- Options for multi-payment modes such as card, and offline payments, etc.
- Customizable menus for workflows and offerings.
- Easy integration with third-party native applications and cloud reporting.
Pros:
- One of the highest-selling iPad restaurant POS
- Automation of cash flow and sales records
- Easy to use and set-up
- Can work in both online and offline mode
- Flexible integration with third-party native apps
Cons:
- Lack of custom menu uploading feature
- No user-friendly interface
- Lack of standard customer support
Pricing:
The pricing plans start from $69 per month and have a cap plan of $399 per month.
4. Square – iPad POS System
Square is a recognized mobile payment processing POS system accustomed to providing a full suite of restaurant management operations needed not only for established restaurants but also for mobile restaurants, pop-ups, and small food business ventures as well.
Amalgamated with all the basic POS solutions, such as customized menu compartmentalization to single dish and combo and pricing management, the front-end administrative management is systemized.
Additionally, this restaurant management solution is loaded with streamlined back-end and customer-facing features such as inventory control and management, CRM management, and customization of bulk discounting rates on a predetermined set of orders which otherwise traditional POS systems don’t offer.
The Square POS system for the restaurant includes a template of an online commercial store wherein you can manually update your inventory for pick-up lanes as well as delivery with detailed inventory reports in the back end.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- Has no billing cycle and hidden costs attached
- Commission charged on per transaction basis
- Round-the-clock customer support
Pros:
- Free to use for a lifetime
- The slick and easy-to-use hardware system
- Catering to all business sizes of restaurants
- Detailed reports and logs of inventory management, along with flexible integration of native apps
Cons:
- Add-on features as per business sizes vary and can be costly
- High transaction rate for non-card payments billing
- Priority support to add-on paid plans only
Pricing:
While Square’s restaurant POS service is free of cost, the transaction charges deployed on you are:
- 2.6% + 10 cents of each card-based sale
- 3.5% + 15 cents for each keyed-in transaction
- 2.9% + 30 cents for online sales
Add-on features vary as per customizations.
5. Lavu: iPad POS System
Lavu is a POS solution packed with more than 300 restaurant management solutions and features catering to provide services to any format of restaurant ventures such as franchises, bars, nightclubs, lounges, cafes, and food trucks. This POS system has not just limited itself to the basic capability of traditional POS system offerings, which is to just initiate and process a transaction.
Loaded with a handful of abilities, its employee management functionality includes shift scheduling and maintenance, payroll reports generation, customized sales management reports, detailed inventory reports, and online order processing.
Adding to the add-on features, Lavu is also designed to offer delivery routing for orders, customizable combo menu and happy hour menu addition, flat layout customization, and other similar friendly user interface abilities. With its customer-centric module, Lavu has the ability to accept diversified payment modes such as card, cash, and online methods with advanced bill splitting and multiple payment processing under a single window.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- Table mapping and online reservation booking in advance
- Customizable menu with combo builders and upsell suggestions as per present sales over a period
- Workforce management with shift scheduling and clock-in/clock out
- Inventory tracking posts every sale to the ingredient level
- Map routing with online delivery services
Pros:
- Option to modify combos and upsells as per suggestions
- Integration for process mapping and online delivery
- Diversified transaction options
- Detailed inventory management
- Customizable reports
Cons:
- UI can be improved
- Limited integrations
- No trial period
Pricing:
Lavu POS system is priced at $69 per month for a single terminal but it also offers custom pricing for multiple terminals, which is revealed as per needs and customizations.
6. Epos Now
Epos Now is an industry-based POS system solution provider catering to provide distinguished features as per the needs in the retail domain as well as the restaurant industry. Tailored with industry-specific solutions and restaurant operations management, this restaurant management solution has streamlined the core ability to execute front-end and back-end operations systematically for the workforce with its unique offerings.
Epos Now has a handful of features and offerings for its iPad POS system for restaurants, such as order processing and management, inventory management with each order, CRM, client profiles with basic details and order history tracking of specific profiles, workforce management, and sales reports with details of time and payment mode used. Apart from the basic features, it also has additional industry-specific add-on features such as bill-splitting among customers, reservation of tables by token payment, and customized theme-based restaurant booking and table booking plans.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- Integration of third-party applications with ease
- Workforce management ability with individual staff permissions
- Reliable hardware solutions and options
Pros:
- Easy to set up and use
- Friendly UI for staffs usage
- Low cost on training with friendly UI
- Supporting peripheral devices such as printers and barcode scanners
Cons:
- Complex reporting mechanism
- Not available for free
Pricing:
Epos Now’s pricing starts from $39 per month.
7. Clover POS
Clover POS is a domain-specific POS system specifically designed to cater to the iPad POS restaurant operational needs, such as order and payment automation and alignment of front and back-end activities for small and mid-size restaurants as solutions. Clover POS is an all-rounder basic POS solution that can be utilized by reputed small cafes, mobile food vans, and established food ventures wherein the automation of workflows and schedules, along with internal communications between the kitchen, floor, and staff, can be streamlined.
Basic features that the Clover iPad POS system for restaurants delivers as a restaurant management solution include order management and cancellation or modification even after payment, CRM and tracking of customer order histories along with order details, workforce management, discount scheme customization on orders, and many more such additional abilities.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- Accepting and processing online orders and automation of delivery management
- Dynamic floor plans
- Bunch of third-party integrations
Pros:
- Feasible for small and medium-sized business
- Wide range of POS hardware systems as per business sizes and needs
- Free trial for adjudication
Cons:
- Need a domain-based website for the business
- Additional features are not cost-friendly for new ventures
Pricing:
The base plan starts at $4.95 per month. However, there are dedicated restaurant plans as per customization starting at $39.95 per month.
8. Revel Systems
Revel systems were one of the first iPad-based POS solutions to enter the market. They have diversified POS solutions for domain-specific needs such as retail and hospitality, wherein they are catering to restaurant business operations solutions in small, medium as well as large enterprises.
Their POS solutions are suitable for established restaurants, small and large seating café, quick-service, and retail. Their wide range of administrative features includes cash flow and sales management, inventory management, reservation management, order serving time management as well as security management.
They also have customer-centric POS solution features such as CRM management, customer-specific discount coupon management, and order on the go. Apart from these features, they also have the integration to ease the management solutions such as inventory management, workforce management as well as communication management between the front end and the back end of the restaurant.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- Cash-flow and sales management, order processing and delivery management with reports, reservation management and security.
- Customer-centric functionalities such as customized discount coupons, CRM with order history and on-the-go ordering placement and processing.
- Streamlined management solutions for restaurant operational functionalities such as inventory management, workforce management and communication.
Pros:
- Offline mode
- Detailed reporting in the dashboard
- CRM and customer-specified billing
Cons:
- Functionalities flexible with add-on pricing
- Lack of dedicated customer support
Pricing:
A free demo is available for this tool. Revel POS Software’s price starts at $99 per month per terminal. The installation fee starts at $649.
9. eHopper
eHopper POS systems are majorly utilized by small restaurant ventures for streamlining their business operations. Its features include order management, employee management, inventory management, transaction management and receipt generation, CRM management and reporting. Additional features of eHopper that stand it out are restaurant service tipping, contactless transaction options and customer credit management.
eHopper can provide detailed reports to the restaurants for the inventory, employees as well as customers under a single panel. It also has an additional feature of bill splitting by the number of table reservations as well as the number of heads at each table with several options such as cash, card and online banking.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- Detailed reports for transactions, inventory, employees, and customers.
- Multiple payment options like cash, credit card, and split payments.
- CRM database with previous order reports and billing.
- Diversified support and processing of order types like take-out and delivery.
Pros:
- Automated workflows
- Ease of use
- Security over financial transactions and information
Cons:
- Limited functionalities in free or low-cost add-ons
- Lack of priority in customer service
Pricing:
eHopper POS software has three pricing plans compartmentalized and accustomed to the restaurant’s operational needs i.e. Essential Package (Free), Freedom Package ($39.99 per month), and OmniChannel Package ($79.99 per month).
10. Waiterio – Multiplatform POS System for Restaurants
Waiterio is an online POS system compatible with several devices and operating systems, including iOS, MacOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. This is a versatile POS system that can be used for restaurants, food trucks, bars, and ghost kitchens.
All you have to do is install it, upload or add your menu items and extras, and start issuing orders. Your staff members can also install it on their devices and send orders directly to the kitchen through a KDS or a thermal printer. And it’s got a very intuitive interface and advanced safety features like limiting the access your staff has to certain aspects of the app.
It also comes equipped with interesting features such as QR code menus, creating an online menu, and an automatically generated website for your restaurant, which you can link to Google My Business.
Top features of this iPad POS system:
- Detailed sales reports
- Table, order, and staff management features
- Online and QR code menu options
- Free mobile-friendly menu and website
Pros:
- Compatible with iPad and other mobile and desktop devices
- Ease of use and implementation
- Compatible with peripherals such as KDS, thermal printers, and cash registers
- 24-hour chat support
Cons:
- It doesn’t have inventory management features
- Doesn’t work without an internet connection
Pricing:
Waiterio offers three plans and a free trial, and the plans only limit the number of orders you can issue. The large plan includes infinite orders per month and costs $79 per month or $59 billed yearly. The medium plan includes 1200 orders per month and costs $59 per month or $39 billed yearly. And the small plan includes 600 orders per month and costs $39 per month or $19 billed yearly. You can also use the app for free, but it’s limited to 100 orders per month.
Closing lines…
Buying an expensive POS system as a hardware investment terminal can be a costly affair for the entire business cycle. You can easily use an iPad POS system for restaurants as a managed restaurant software solution to yield terrific features such as order management, inventory management, employee management, and more, all with the convenience and portability of affordable cost infrastructure.
