Meta Description: Planning to buy a coffee shop EPOS system? Read our quick-start guide to find the best POS system for your café. Discover the features you need, compare Epos Now vs SumUp vs Shopify, and avoid costly mistakes before you buy.
So, you’re finally doing it. You’re opening a coffee shop. You’ve found the perfect location, the beans are sourced, and you’ve even picked out those trendy Edison bulbs for the ceiling. But then reality hits: you need a way to actually take people's money.
Choosing an epos system might not be as exciting as choosing a brand of espresso machine, but it’s arguably more important for your day-to-day sanity. If your till is slow during the 8:00 AM morning rush, or it can’t handle a simple "oat milk flat white with an extra shot," you’re going to have a bad time.
Before you go out and buy the first shiny terminal you see, we’ve put together this guide. We’re What EPOS, and we spend our days digging into the tech so you don't have to. Here is everything you need to do before you sign that contract.
1. Understand What You’re Actually Buying
First off, let’s clear up the jargon. You’ll hear people use "POS" and "EPOS" interchangeably. Technically, a pos system (Point of Sale) is where the transaction happens, while an epos system (Electronic Point of Sale) is the whole fancy setup including the software, hardware, and back-office reporting.
In the coffee world, you’re looking for a restaurant pos system specifically tailored for high-volume, quick-service environments. If you’re still a bit confused about the terminology, we’ve got a handy guide on what is the difference between POS and EPOS that breaks it down simply.
2. Map Out Your Workflow
Before looking at software, look at your shop. How will customers order?
- The Counter Rush: Most coffee shops need a system that is lightning-fast. You need a "hot keys" layout where the most popular drinks are just one tap away.
- Table Service: If you’re doing brunch or have a larger seating area, you might need handheld devices so staff can take orders at the table.
- Online/App Ordering: Are you planning to let people order their latte via an app while they’re on the bus? You’ll need a system that integrates these orders directly into your kitchen display.
We always suggest sitting down and drawing a "day in the life" of a coffee order. From the moment the customer walks in to the moment they tap their card, what steps does your staff take? If your best pos system doesn't make that journey easier, it’s not the one for you.
Alt Text: A barista using a modern EPOS terminal to process a coffee order quickly.
3. Don't Just Go for the "Cheapest" Option
We get it. Starting a business is expensive. You’re probably Googling the cheapest pos system right now. While there are some great budget options out there, like the sumup pos, you need to be careful. A "cheap" system can become very expensive if the transaction fees are high or if it lacks the features to help you grow.
For example, if you’re looking for the cheapest POS systems for restaurants, you’ll find that some have low upfront hardware costs but take a bigger slice of every coffee you sell. For a high-volume coffee shop, those 1.75% or 2% fees add up incredibly fast.
4. The "Big Three" Coffee Shop Contenders
When you’re looking for the best pos system for a UK café, four names usually pop up: Epos Now, SumUp, Toast, and Shopify.
Epos Now
In our opinion, the epos now till system is one of the strongest contenders for UK small businesses. It’s incredibly flexible and offers deep reporting that helps you see exactly which pastry is your best-seller and which is just taking up space. It handles hospitality features like "multi-choice products" (perfect for milk alternatives) better than most.
Wait! Before you decide, you really should read our comprehensive Epos Now till system review. It goes into the nitty-gritty of why we think it's a top-tier choice.
SumUp
The sumup pos is the king of simplicity. If you’re running a tiny pop-up or a coffee van, it’s brilliant. However, for a busy permanent shop, you might find the inventory management a little basic. It’s worth checking how much SumUp charges per transaction before committing.
Toast
Toast pos is a giant in the US and is making waves in the UK. It’s a dedicated restaurant pos system, meaning it’s built from the ground up for food and drink. It’s powerful, but it can be more expensive than other options.
Shopify
While primarily a retail pos system, some cafes use shopify pos if they also sell a lot of merchandise or bags of beans online. It’s a great "all-in-one" if e-commerce is a huge part of your business model.
To see how these stack up against each other, check out our comparison of Epos Now vs SumUp vs Shopify POS.
Alt Text: A comparison chart showing Epos Now, SumUp, and Shopify POS hardware side-by-side.
5. Check the "Hidden" Coffee Features
A general retail pos system might not have what you need. When you’re getting a demo, ask about these three things:
- Modifiers: Can you easily add "Extra Hot," "Decaf," "Oat Milk," and "Vanilla Syrup" to one drink without the screen becoming a mess?
- Offline Mode: If your Wi-Fi goes down at 9:00 AM on a Tuesday, can you still take card payments? Some systems (like the Epos Now till system) have robust offline capabilities.
- Loyalty Programs: Coffee drinkers are creatures of habit. You want a system that makes it easy to offer a "10th coffee free" digital card. It’s much better than those soggy paper cards that people always lose!
If you want to see how to actually set these up, we have a guide on how to add upsell products in Epos Now.
6. Hardware Durability
Coffee shops are "wet" environments. There’s steam, spilt milk, and sticky syrup everywhere. Don’t buy a cheap consumer tablet and expect it to survive. You need commercial-grade hardware with a high IP rating (meaning it’s resistant to dust and liquids).
You’ll also need:
- A Thermal Receipt Printer: Faster and quieter than impact printers.
- A Reliable Cash Drawer: Even in a "cashless" world, you’ll likely still need one.
- An Integrated Card Reader: This ensures the amount on the till automatically sends to the card machine, preventing staff from typing in the wrong price.
7. Plan for Growth
You might only have one shop now, but what about next year? Changing your epos system once you have three locations is a massive headache. Look for a system that allows you to manage multiple sites from one central dashboard.
We’ve found that the epos now till system is particularly good for this. You can change the price of a flat white in all three shops with one click from your home laptop. That’s the kind of freedom you want as an owner!
Alt Text: A coffee shop owner looking at sales analytics on a laptop using EPOS software.
Summary Checklist: Before You Buy
Before you put pen to paper, go through this final checklist:
- Have I calculated the total cost of ownership? (Hardware + Monthly Software Fee + Transaction Fees).
- Does it handle modifiers easily? (Test the "Double Shot Oat Latte" workflow).
- Is the hardware "cafe-proof"?
- Does it have an offline mode?
- Can I integrate it with my accounting software (like Xero or QuickBooks)?
- Have I read the reviews? (Seriously, go read our Epos Now review).
Choosing the right epos system is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your new business. It’s the heartbeat of your shop. Take your time, get a few demos, and don't be afraid to ask the tough questions about fees and support.
If you're ready to take the next step and want a system that grows with you, we highly recommend checking out Epos Now. It’s a solid, reliable choice for the UK market that balances features with price.
Ready to see it in action? Read our full Epos Now Till System Review here and see why it might be the perfect fit for your new coffee venture.