When you run a quick service restaurant (QSR), your number one concern is getting orders in and food out as quickly as possible. But food service can be complicated, especially when you’re dealing with different payment types, adjustments to orders, sold-out ingredients, and staff shortages. And then there’s the ever-growing demand to make your menu accessible for online customers. How do you keep profits high, frustrations low, and your restaurant customers happy? 

The answer is to choose the right point of sale (POS) system. Yes, the right QSR POS system can enable you to modernize your restaurant and increase your efficiency. Not only can this type of system help you with fulfilling orders, but it can also enable you to manage your entire restaurant from one screen. This includes managing staff, keeping an eye on inventory, and even marketing your restaurant to current and future customers. 

But, beware that not all QSR POS systems are equal. Some can only offer limited functionality while others can do it all. In this guide, we’ll compare the top quick service POS systems to help you choose the right one for your restaurant.

Truffle POS (Recommended)

Truffle POS is a complete, all-in-one restaurant management software. We offer a robust POS system that can work for every type of restaurant, from food trucks to cloud kitchens to quick service. Whether you’re running a neighborhood pizzeria, a local burger joint, or an entire franchise of restaurants, you’re in good hands with our all-in-one management software. 

For franchise operations, our system enables multi-location reporting. See your inventory in real-time at a glance to ensure that you’re controlling costs across multiple locations. Manage your menus and set promotions for different restaurants, based on their location or food inventory.

For standalone QSRs, Truffle POS can help you scale your restaurant from one location to dozens or even thousands. We enable our users to provide in-demand services, such as contactless food locker pickups, and online ordering. You can use Truffle POS to create your very own online ordering and mobile ordering app, branded specifically for your restaurant. This way, you cut out the middle man (such as UberEats and DoorDash) and accept orders directly. You can also use Truffle POS to set up a loyalty program to reward your top customers.

Top Features

• Enables you to offer contactless food pickup for customers who want to minimize exposure to others
• All-in-one management, including the ability to schedule staff and check inventory levels
• Customized customer display allows your guests to sign up for your loyalty program while waiting for their order
• Accept and manage future orders through your POS, which allows you to prep your kitchen ahead of time
• Automatically send out text alerts to your staff and customers when their order is ready

Pros

• Easy to use
• Affordable
• Feature-rich
• Cloud-based, so your reports are always accessible
• Top-rated customer service
• Transparent pricing

Revel

Revel Systems was one of the first to use the iPad as a POS platform. In addition to its restaurant point of sale system, it also offers a retail POS. With Revel, users have access to all of the basic functionality that they need to run their businesses. However, if you have multiple restaurant locations, Revel may not be the right choice. Compared to other choices on this list, the Revel system can’t easily handle franchises or restaurants that operate out of more than one location. 

Top Features

• Users can easily build their menu with images and descriptions
• The customer display system can enable you to quickly capture customer data, such as their email address, for future marketing purposes
• Integrates with multiple payment processors
• Uses a familiar operating system (iPad)

Pros

• 24/7 customer support
• Provides consultation services that can help you get the most out of POS
• Offers POS administration services up to 2 days per week (for an additional fee)
• Always on, even if your internet goes down

Cons

• Expensive
• Not easy to use
• Reportedly poor customer service
• Some customers have complained that the system is prone to bugs and other errors

Square

Square is one of the most recognizable POS systems on this list. It’s become a name brand because it’s easy to use and, quite frankly, it’s free for the basic plan. But free does not always mean “best.” Even if you get a free plan, you may pay for it in terms of frustration and missing features.

Top Features

• Enables real-time menu updates across multiple devices
• Works with a kitchen display system that can allow you to manage all of your orders digitally
• Allows you to set up advanced discounts without doing the math
• Integrates with other services, such as Postmates (on-demand food delivery), Quickbooks (accounting), and 7Shifts (scheduling)

Pros

• Free basic plan
• Easy to use
• Accept a variety of payments
• Compatible with iOS and Android devices

Cons

• Free plan doesn’t offer 24/7 support
• Limited if you need a system to manage multiple restaurants
• Does not offer its own online ordering platform
• Inefficient back of house reporting

TouchBistro

TouchBistro is a cloud-based POS system that was developed to run on iPads. With this system, you can use iPads as both workstations and self-serve kiosks. Both customers and staff can use the same system to take orders and payments. As a manager, you can use TouchBistro to get an overview of how your restaurant is performing in real-time. 

Top Features

• Includes a customer management system that allows you to keep track of customer preferences
• Enables self-ordering through kiosks
• Provides real-time reporting that you can access from the cloud
• Easily track the costs of goods sold using TouchBistro’s reporting features

Pros

• 24/7 customer support
• Flexible
• Easy to use
• Scalable for use with one or multiple restaurants

Cons

• Only works on iPads
• Requires users to enter a contract
• Automatically renews contracts
• Difficult to get out of contract

Clover

Clover is a POS system that specializes in high volume restaurants. It features a modern  interface that’s easy to use for all types of quick service restaurants, including counter and delivery-only. Clover offers a variety of products to meet different needs, including a large touchscreen POS, a receipt printer, and handheld devices that can be used on the go.

Top Features

• A variety of devices with different screen sizes gives you options on how to set up your POS to meet your needs
• Color-coded menus make it easy for servers to take accurate orders
• Offer flexible payment options, such as check, credit, and gift card
• Works even if your WiFi goes down (the Flex and Mini units have LTE built-in)

Pros

• Easy to use
• Customizable to suit your needs
• Works well for small and medium-sized restaurants
• 24/7 customer support

Cons

• Doesn’t work well for franchises
• No built-in in-house driver tracking
• Doesn’t work well with other third-party apps
• Must buy Clover’s hardware

Lightspeed

When it first launched, Lightspeed POS was designed for retailers. The company has since expanded its services to restaurants. As a quick service POS system, Lightspeed is able to meet the basic needs of a high-traffic restaurant. 

Top Features

• Accepts a variety of payments, making it easy for your customers to order from you
• Setting up the system is quick and easy
• Can use the system to manage all orders, from online to takeout
• Capable of working with multiple restaurant locations

Pros

• Can use your own iPad
• Free trial
• Some features available offline
• Easy to use

Cons

• Unable to manage your in-house delivery drivers
• Add-ons can be expensive
• Payment processing can be expensive 
• Requires back-office hardware

Toast

Toast is a cloud-based POS system designed specifically for use in restaurants, such as cafes, bakeries, and quick service. Unlike other POS systems on this list, Toast is built to use with an Android operating system. This system appeals to users who prefer working on Androids, but if you find the Apple iOS easier to use, you may want to consider other POS systems on this list.

Top Features:

• Customizable guest-facing display that shows guests what they’ve ordered and allows them to tip and sign on screen
• Online ordering integration that allows you to save on commission fees
• Send SMS alerts to guests and servers when order is ready
• Guests can self-order at a kiosk
• Enables tableside ordering with digital receipts

Pros

• Customizable system
• Offers pay as you go pricing for POS terminals/no upfront cost for hardware
• Accept orders in a variety of ways, from tableside to online
• 24/7 customer service

Cons

• Must buy and use proprietary Toast hardware
• Locked into a long term contract
• Must use Toast Payments for payment processing
• Expensive (due to the added cost of hardware and installation)

And the Winner is… 

It’s no secret why we’re picking Truffle POS as the best quick service POS system from this list of all-star contenders. Truffle POS is an award-winning, affordable, all-in-one POS system that’s perfect for every type of restaurant, especially quick service. What makes Truffle POS different from our competitors is that we believe in innovation. We were one of the first to predict the need for restaurants to offer online services in addition to in-person, and this was prior to the pandemic. 

You can rely on Truffle POS to modernize your restaurant, increase your revenue, and improve your staff’s overall efficiency. If you’d like to see how Truffle POS can work for your QSR, book a demo now.