Meta Description: Searching for the best restaurant POS system? We compare Toast, SumUp, and Epos Now to help you find the right epos system for your hospitality business.
If you’ve ever worked a busy Friday night shift, you know that your epos system is basically the heartbeat of the restaurant. When it’s working well, everything is a breeze, tickets fly to the kitchen, bills are split in seconds, and your stock levels stay accurate. But when it’s clunky? It’s a recipe for disaster (and very unhappy diners).
Choosing the best pos system for your specific needs isn't just about picking the one with the flashiest screen. It’s about finding a partner that understands the difference between a quick-service cafe and a three-course fine-dining establishment.
Today, we’re diving deep into three of the biggest names in the game: Toast, SumUp, and Epos Now. We'll look at what they do best, where they might trip you up, and which one will help you keep those margins healthy.
Why the Right Restaurant POS System Matters
In the UK hospitality industry, things move fast. Whether you're running a boutique coffee shop in Shoreditch or a bustling gastropub in Manchester, you need a restaurant pos system that can keep up.
A good system does more than just take payments. It manages your inventory, tracks your staff hours, and gives you the data you need to decide whether that "Vegan Haggis" special is actually worth keeping on the menu. If you're looking for the cheapest pos system, you might be tempted by basic card readers, but for a growing business, you'll likely need something with a bit more "oomph."
1. Toast POS: The Hospitality Specialist
If you've spent any time researching American restaurant tech, you’ve definitely heard of Toast POS. They are laser-focused on the foodservice industry. Unlike a generic retail pos system, Toast is built specifically for kitchens and dining rooms.
The Good Bits
We love how intuitive the interface is. It’s clearly been designed by people who have actually worked in a restaurant. The reporting is some of the best we’ve seen, giving you a granular look at your labor costs and menu engineering.
When it comes to tableside ordering, the "Toast Go" handhelds are fantastic. They’re rugged, spill-proof, and significantly speed up turnover by letting servers send orders to the kitchen without running back to a central terminal.
The Trade-offs
The main catch with Toast is that it’s a closed ecosystem. You have to use their hardware and their payment processing. While this makes troubleshooting easier, it can feel a bit restrictive if you want to shop around for better transaction rates later on.
Alt Text: A waiter using a handheld tablet for tableside ordering in a busy restaurant.
2. SumUp POS: The Simple, Mobile Choice
If you're just starting out or running a mobile food truck, SumUp POS is often the first name that comes to mind. It’s widely considered one of the cheapest pos system options for small businesses because of its low entry cost.
The Good Bits
SumUp excels at simplicity. Their card readers are iconic, small, white, and incredibly easy to set up. There’s no monthly fee for the basic card reader, which is a huge win if you’re a seasonal business.
The SumUp POS software has improved massively over the last few years, now offering table management and basic kitchen printing. It’s perfect for those who want a "no-fuss" approach. If you just need to tap a card and move on, this is a strong contender.
The Trade-offs
As your restaurant grows, you might find SumUp a bit limiting. If you have a massive inventory or need complex multi-site reporting, it can start to feel a bit "lite." It’s a great starter system, but you might outgrow it as your floor plan expands.
3. Epos Now: The Versatile All-Rounder
Now, let’s talk about a system that we reckon hits the sweet spot for a huge variety of UK businesses. The Epos Now till system is incredibly popular for a reason: it’s flexible. Whether you're looking for a restaurant pos system or a retail pos system, they have a setup tailored for you.
Why We Rate It
What makes Epos Now stand out is the sheer amount of customization available. It’s a cloud-based epos system, meaning you can check your sales from your phone while you're at home or even on holiday (though we’d recommend a break!).
The hardware is sleek, and the software is designed to handle high-volume environments. Unlike some systems that struggle when things get complex, Epos Now handles split bills, table transfers, and complex modifiers (like "extra hot, oat milk, half-caff latte") with ease.
One of the biggest advantages is the AppStore. You can integrate it with everything from Xero for your accounting to Deliveroo for your takeaways. It’s this scalability that often makes it the best pos system for owners who have one site now but plan to have five by next year.
If you're considering this for your business, you should definitely read our full Epos Now till system review to see how it stacks up in a real-world environment.
Alt Text: An Epos Now till system terminal on a restaurant counter showing a table layout.
Comparing the Costs
Pricing in the EPOS world can be a bit like reading a wine list: sometimes the "house" option is fine, but sometimes you need the premium vintage.
| Feature | Toast | SumUp | Epos Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal For | Full-service restaurants | Cafes, Food Trucks | All-sized Hospitality |
| Upfront Cost | Varies (often includes hardware bundles) | Low (from £39 for a reader) | Competitive (from £149+ for full kits) |
| Monthly Fee | Starting around £60+ | £0 (Lite) to £49+ (Pro) | Flexible monthly or upfront options |
| Hardware | Proprietary | Proprietary handhelds | Multi-device (iPad, Android, or their own) |
Note: Prices in the POS industry change frequently based on current promotions. It’s always worth checking for the latest deals on the What EPOS blog.
What About Shopify POS?
You might be wondering where Shopify POS fits in. While Shopify is the king of e-commerce, and their retail pos system is excellent for shops selling physical goods, they aren't always the first choice for a busy kitchen. If you run a bakery that sells 80% merchandise and 20% coffee, it’s worth a look. But for a full-blown restaurant? You’re likely better off with a specialist like Toast or Epos Now. You can check out our Shopify POS review if you’re curious about their latest updates.
Key Features Every Restaurant Needs
When you're comparing these systems, don't get distracted by the colour of the terminal. Focus on these "must-haves":
- Inventory Management: You need to know if you're out of steak before the customer orders it. A good epos system tracks ingredients in real-time.
- Table Management: Can you see which tables have been waiting too long for their mains? Can you move a party from the bar to the terrace easily?
- Offline Mode: If your Wi-Fi goes down, does your business stop? Look for a system that can take payments and store data offline.
- Reporting: You need to know your "Busy Hours" so you can staff correctly. Over-staffing on a Tuesday afternoon is a quick way to lose money.
- Staff Management: Clock-in/clock-out features and individual staff permissions are vital for security and payroll.
Alt Text: A close-up of a digital inventory management screen on a POS system.
Our Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
So, after looking at the heavy hitters, where should you put your money?
- Go with Toast if you are a high-volume, full-service restaurant and you want a system that is 100% built for hospitality. Just be prepared for the hardware ecosystem.
- Go with SumUp if you are a pop-up, a small cafe, or a mobile trader who needs the cheapest pos system to get started with no monthly commitment.
- Go with Epos Now if you want the best of both worlds: a professional, scalable system that offers incredible flexibility and UK-based support. It’s a powerhouse for restaurants that want to grow without being held back by their tech.
Choosing a new system is a big step, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. If you want to dive deeper into the technical specs and see why so many UK business owners prefer it, we highly recommend checking out our comprehensive Epos Now till system review. It breaks down the costs, the hardware quality, and the software features in much more detail.
Still not sure? Feel free to browse our tag for restaurant POS to see more comparisons and tips.
The right tech won't just make your life easier: it’ll make your business more profitable. It’s definitely worth taking the time to get a few demos and see which interface feels most natural to you and your staff. Happy hunting!