For a typical independent full-service restaurant, I would start with Toast and SpotOn, then bring in Lightspeed or TouchBistro if their service workflows fit the operation better. For a neighborhood bar with a short menu and straightforward service, Square deserves an early demo. For a hotel with room charges and several outlets, Oracle MICROS Simphony and Agilysys InfoGenesis belong on a separate shortlist.
Those are starting points for buying, not a universal ranking. A working Aloha installation with good support may make more sense than replacing the entire system. A well-configured Clover or Heartland proposal can also win when the dealer, payment terms, and daily workflow are right.
The honest answer comes from your actual business: what happens during service, what the full arrangement costs, and what happens if you need to leave.
A bartender needs to find and close the right tab while somebody is asking for another round. The kitchen needs the modifier that changes what gets cooked. The owner needs to reconcile the deposit without spending Sunday rebuilding the numbers. Start there.
The shortlist by type of operation
These are FOH recommendations about fit. They are not results from a controlled speed test or a customer satisfaction survey. The vendor notes below explain the evidence and the conditions.
| Your operation | Start the comparison here | What should decide it |
|---|---|---|
| Small bar with a short menu | Square and a right-sized Toast or SpotOn quote | Tab handling, payment cost, training, and a manageable commitment |
| Busy bar with food and several bartenders | Toast and SpotOn; compare Shift4 Dine | Tab transfers, split tenders, kitchen routing, recovery after an outage |
| Independent full-service restaurant | Toast and SpotOn; add Lightspeed or TouchBistro | Modifiers, coursing, handhelds, closeout, and a complete cost proposal |
| Cafe or counter service | Square; compare Toast and Clover | Queue speed, online orders, device count, and cost per small ticket |
| Fine dining or a beverage-led restaurant | Lightspeed, Toast, and TouchBistro | Seat positions, courses, shared items, wine service, and manager controls |
| Hotel restaurant or resort with several outlets | Oracle MICROS Simphony and Agilysys InfoGenesis | Exact PMS integration, room charges, revenue centers, and reconciliation |
| Restaurant group | Toast, SpotOn, Lightspeed, Aloha, or Simphony as complexity requires | Central controls, local exceptions, reporting, rollout, and support coverage |
| Business with a functioning existing POS | Include the incumbent in the comparison | Whether the proposed improvement exceeds the cost and disruption of switching |
Hotel size alone does not settle the decision. A small independently operated hotel restaurant might be well served by a restaurant platform with a proven PMS connector. An outlet that cannot reliably post, reverse, and reconcile a room charge has a different problem from an independent restaurant accepting cards.
What this comparison can establish
This article compares vendor product pages, support documentation, public pricing, and available agreement terms. The factual references are linked throughout and listed at the end. The recommendations are FOH’s interpretation of those materials.
It is not a claim that we operated every system during a Saturday rush. It does not establish comparative failure rates, support response times, or the cost of an individual merchant’s negotiated contract. Those require live demonstrations, comparable customer references, and actual proposals.
Published prices are starting points or advertised offers. Original comparison research was checked October 26, 2026; equipment and five-year ownership research was updated October 27, 2026. Hardware, location count, licensing units, financing, payment mix, and optional services can change the result. The order form and applicable agreements matter more than a search result.
There are no affiliate purchase links in this article. A useful recommendation also explains how the adviser is paid. Ask about referral fees, reseller margin, and implementation work. FOH Digital offers business technology services, and that commercial role belongs in the conversation too.
The systems and where each earns a place
Toast
Toast is a strong first comparison for an independent restaurant that wants its POS, handhelds, kitchen screens, online ordering, and related restaurant tools within one broader platform. Its published range includes payroll, loyalty, gift cards, cost analytics, and integrations. That breadth is the reason to evaluate it; the existence of a tool does not mean it is included in your package. [1]
The commercial arrangement deserves equal attention. Toast’s payment terms specify exclusive payment processing through Toast. Its merchant agreement restricts supported devices to approved Toast hardware. The initial term comes from the order, and its standard early termination provision can require remaining software subscription fees, or $150 for each remaining month on an applicable pay-as-you-go subscription, with exceptions and other terms in the agreement. [2, 3]
My judgment: Toast belongs in the first two demos for many full-service independents. I would choose it when the daily workflows are convincing and the complete proposal earns its cost. I would hesitate when the owner needs processor portability, is uncertain about the business’s future, or would use only a small part of the package. Ask for the exact cancellation calculation before signing.
SpotOn
SpotOn deserves to be evaluated as a direct alternative to Toast. Its current offering includes restaurant POS functions, implementation and training services, and bundled or optional restaurant tools. The meaningful comparison is the configured system and the agreement you are actually being offered. [5, 6]
The distinction between plans matters. SpotOn currently advertises a $0 All-In plan with processing minimums and a two-year minimum, while POS Essentials is advertised with month-to-month flexibility. Its Core Bundle also introduces a volume-based charge alongside a fixed monthly fee. A blanket statement that SpotOn has no contract, or that the bundle is just its fixed monthly price, would leave out material details. [5]
My judgment: get a SpotOn quote next to the Toast quote using identical devices, services, and card volume. SpotOn can be the more sensible choice when its implementation plan, workflow, and full economics are better for that operator. I would not promise better support or lower cost without evidence from the specific proposal and comparable customers.
Square
Square should be taken seriously for smaller bars, cafes, counter service, and other operations where straightforward deployment and commitment matter. Its restaurant product now includes documented card preauthorization workflows. Dismissing it as a card reader with a cash register attached misses capabilities owners should actually test. [7, 8]
Its current US restaurant pricing presents Square Free, Plus, and Premium. Paid features, kitchen display subscriptions, hardware, and processing still affect the total. Square documents subscription changes and cancellation through its dashboard; that flexibility does not cancel a separate equipment financing obligation. [7, 9]
My judgment: Square is often an appropriate first demo for a simple operation. It can also serve more involved restaurants, but I would make it prove the actual bar and table-service workflow before selecting it for a high-volume venue. Test finding a tab, changing the payer, moving items, and closing with more than one tender.
Square’s pricing page specifically assigns the merchant the risk of expired, declined, or disputed offline payments and sets a reconnection deadline. That is a useful reminder to read the outage details even when the normal checkout looks easy. [7]
Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed belongs on the shortlist for restaurants that care about configurable service, detailed reporting, and how the system handles the floor. Its restaurant materials describe menu and floor-plan configuration, insights, multiple locations, hotel PMS integrations, and partner API access. Its pricing page also lists preauthorization for bar tabs. Plan availability and add-on costs need to be confirmed. [10, 11]
Payment flexibility needs careful wording. Lightspeed’s Restaurant Payments FAQ says merchants are required to use Lightspeed Payments and that merchants using other payment solutions face a monthly third-party processing fee. Product series and market matter; an integration list alone does not establish that keeping another processor is available without an added charge. [12]
My judgment: give Lightspeed a real demo for fine dining, a beverage-led restaurant, or a group that expects to use its reporting. I would ask the manager who builds the menu and the person who closes the books to attend. Make the proposal identify the exact Restaurant product series, supported devices, required plan, and payment conditions.
TouchBistro
TouchBistro is worth comparing when table service is the center of the operation. Its published core POS includes tableside ordering, floor plans, menu management, staff management, and reporting. Kitchen displays, inventory, online ordering, loyalty, reservations, and other services are additional solutions rather than proof that everything is in the starting license. [13]
My judgment: it is a credible alternative for an independent dining room whose team prefers its workflow. A direct demonstration can tell you more than a broad ecosystem comparison. Have a server enter a modified order, hold and fire a course, move a guest, split a shared item, and settle the check using the proposed setup.
The buying risk is treating a starting software price as a complete system. Ask for the hardware, payment processing, support, installation, and each required add-on in one proposal, together with the term and the cost of leaving. This comparison does not establish that TouchBistro is always cheaper or more flexible than the other restaurant platforms.
Clover
Clover has actual restaurant capabilities. Its full-service offering lists table mapping, card-preauthorized tabs, bill splitting, modifiers, and restaurant ordering tools. The correct evaluation is the restaurant configuration and hardware being quoted. A generic Clover terminal demonstration is not enough to establish fit for your dining room. [14]
The seller is part of the decision. Clover’s own FAQ explains that pricing and contract terms can vary among Clover Direct and its partners. Its pricing FAQ also says the equipment subscription described there is non-cancelable and explains end-of-term purchase or return choices. That should not be confused with a simple month-to-month software subscription. [15, 16]
My judgment: Clover can make sense for counter service, simpler hospitality operations, or a restaurant backed by a capable dealer and a clear proposal. I would make a complex bar or full-service restaurant prove the complete workflow first. Ask who provides support, who controls the merchant account, which apps cost extra, and what happens to the hardware if the processor or seller changes.
Shift4 Dine formerly SkyTab
SkyTab became Shift4 Dine in May 2026. An older review may still use SkyTab, so identify the current product when requesting a quote. [17]
Shift4’s published checkout advertises a table-service bundle starting at $29.99 per month with $0 upfront equipment cost, plus a range of included services. The offer requires a Merchant Processing Agreement and a POS Service Agreement. It is therefore a proposal for POS and payments together, with conditions, rather than evidence that the complete merchant bill is $29.99. [18]
My judgment: this belongs in a comparison for a cost-conscious bar or restaurant, particularly when the proposed local installation and support are useful. I would neither dismiss the offer because it has a low headline price nor select it on that price. Obtain the full processing schedule, term, equipment obligations, and exit calculation.
The available advertised offer is not enough to establish one universal US termination policy. Have the seller supply the exact agreements that apply to your location. Do not substitute a Canadian contract or an old SkyTab promotion.
NCR Voyix Aloha
Aloha needs to be discussed by product and version. An existing Aloha installation, Aloha Cloud, and the current Aloha Next offering should not be treated as one identical configuration.
NCR Voyix currently presents Aloha Next as a restaurant POS and commerce platform with cloud-managed local execution. Its POS materials describe complex modifiers, check splitting, kitchen routing, and multiple revenue centers. Those are reasons to examine it for a demanding operation. The vendor’s continuity claims still need to be tested against the exact configuration. [19, 20]
My judgment: Aloha is particularly relevant when a restaurant group already uses it, depends on established workflows, or has strong implementation and support coverage. A competent incumbent should be allowed to quote an upgrade or reconfiguration alongside a replacement.
For a new small independent, I would need the benefits to justify the administration and implementation being proposed. Ask which functions remain local during an outage, what payments require connectivity, who owns each support issue, and what is included in the upgrade path. This research does not establish one published, complete Aloha price.
Oracle MICROS Simphony
MICROS is a familiar name, but the proposal must identify the actual product and version. Simphony is Oracle’s current restaurant platform, with ordering, payments, kitchen operations, reporting, and integrations. It is relevant beyond hotels, including restaurant groups and complex foodservice operations. [21]
For hotels, Oracle explicitly describes Simphony and OPERA Cloud working together and room-charge workflows. That moves the comparison beyond restaurant order entry. The buyer needs the actual PMS version, interfaces, revenue mapping, and financial reconciliation to work as one implementation. [22]
My judgment: Simphony belongs near the front of the evaluation for a hotel with several outlets, established Oracle dependencies, or demanding central controls. I would not assume it is the right answer for a single neighborhood bar merely because a major hotel uses it.
Request an itemized implementation and support proposal. Include interfaces, devices, menu configuration, training, upgrades, and payment arrangements. Oracle’s integration program has participation and validation requirements; publicly available APIs do not make every integration immediate or free. [23]
Agilysys InfoGenesis
Agilysys is the company; InfoGenesis is the POS to put on the comparison sheet. Its published platform is designed for complex hospitality environments and describes centralized configuration, several ordering channels, deployment choices, and continued operation during connectivity disruptions. Agilysys also offers IG Flex for mobile service and Agilysys Pay for payments. [24, 25, 26]
This makes InfoGenesis especially relevant to a hotel, resort, casino, club, or property with several service environments. IG Flex documentation specifically describes room-charge posting through an Agilysys PMS integration. That is a documented use case, not proof that every third-party PMS combination is supported. [25]
My judgment: InfoGenesis deserves a direct comparison with Simphony when the property needs coordinated hospitality operations. I would make a single independent restaurant show a clear reason for the proposed scope and implementation effort.
Ask the seller to demonstrate the named PMS connector, revenue centers, room-charge reversal, offline recovery, and the accounting output. Confirm the exact payment gateway and processor choices and their cost. A wide integration ecosystem does not establish unconditional portability.
Heartland Restaurant
Heartland deserves a place when a local seller or implementation partner can provide a restaurant configuration that meets the need. Its restaurant pricing page describes mobile POS, online ordering, offline sales mode, permissions, and integration options, with plans starting at $89 per month. [27]
My judgment: it can be a sensible proposal, particularly when the people supporting it understand the venue. I would compare it on the same terms as Toast, SpotOn, and any other finalist rather than select it because the existing card-processing salesperson recommends it.
Be precise about the product, hardware, processor, and agreements. A customer testimonial about flexibility on a pricing page is not a contractual promise for a new buyer. Heartland’s own processing FAQ describes several categories of charges, which reinforces the need to compare the complete statement rather than one quoted rate. [28]
Published prices and what they leave out
This is a reference to advertised starting points, not an all-in price ranking. Prices are US dollars. Where a complete comparable public price is not established, the honest entry is a quote request.
| System | Published entry point or offer | What to check before comparing |
|---|---|---|
| Toast | Starter Kit from $0 per month; POS from $69 per month [1] | Eligibility, devices, processing, add-ons, hardware terms, and contract |
| SpotOn | All-In $0 per station per month; Essentials $55 per station per month [5] | All-In has processing minimums and a two-year minimum; paid hardware and implementation extra |
| Square | Free $0; Plus $49; Premium $149 per location per month [7] | Hardware, processing, per-device KDS fees, and required restaurant capabilities |
| Lightspeed | US page lists Starter $69, Essential $189, Premium $399 [11] | Billing basis and commitment, devices, add-ons, and payment conditions |
| TouchBistro | Core POS from $69 per month [13] | Hardware required; processing and additional solutions add cost |
| Clover | Restaurant packages and seller-specific quotes [14, 16] | Software versus equipment subscription, seller terms, payment fees, and apps |
| Shift4 Dine | Advertised bundle from $29.99 per month with $0 upfront equipment [18] | Merchant processing and POS service agreements, other devices and charges |
| NCR Voyix Aloha | Obtain a configuration-specific quote | Exact product, implementation, support, devices, interfaces, and payments |
| Oracle MICROS Simphony | Obtain a configuration-specific quote | Licensing, interfaces, rollout, support, hardware, and payments |
| Agilysys InfoGenesis | Obtain a configuration-specific quote | Deployment, PMS and other interfaces, mobile service, support, and payments |
| Heartland Restaurant | Plans from $89 per month [27] | Hardware, stations, processing schedule, add-ons, and agreement terms |
Two examples show why the footnotes matter. SpotOn’s pricing page lists different card-present rates for All-In and Essentials, and a separate Amex rate for Essentials. Its Core Bundle is advertised at $50 per month plus 20 basis points of gross payment volume, with a $200 cap on that volume-based component. Confirm the volume definition and applicable conditions in your quote. [5]
Twenty basis points means 0.20%. At $50,000 of eligible monthly volume, that component is $100; adding the $50 fixed charge gives $150 before other charges. At $100,000, the volume component reaches $200 and the combined charge is $250. That is arithmetic from the published structure, not an estimate of the full POS bill.
Square separately lists KDS software charges per device. Clover distinguishes an equipment subscription from purchasing hardware. Calling any of those numbers the complete monthly price would hide part of the decision. [7, 15]
Compare the total cost with your own volume
Processing can outweigh a modest software difference. At $100,000 of monthly card volume, a difference of 0.20 percentage points costs $200 a month. An extra five cents across 4,000 chargeable transactions costs another $200. A bar’s small tickets make the fixed transaction charge particularly relevant.
Use the actual amount processed, including tax and tips where the quoted schedule applies them. Separate card-present, online, keyed, and any other differently priced channels. Ask how authorization attempts, preauthorizations, refunds, debit, premium cards, international cards, and chargebacks are billed.
A quoted interchange-plus markup is not an all-in rate. You must also account for the applicable interchange and network costs. A flat-rate proposal and a markup-only proposal cannot be compared by putting their percentages next to each other.
The following fictional quotes illustrate the math. They are not Toast, SpotOn, or another vendor’s prices. Both assume one setup, the same hardware costs, entirely card-present volume, and a $25 average captured payment. Other fees are excluded.
| Fictional quote | Software per month | Processing assumption |
|---|---|---|
| Quote A | $149 | 2.69% plus $0.10 per captured payment |
| Quote B | $249 | 2.49% plus $0.10 per captured payment |
| Monthly card volume | Captured payments | Quote A monthly total | Quote B monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | 1,000 | $921.50 | $971.50 |
| $100,000 | 4,000 | $3,239.00 | $3,139.00 |
| $250,000 | 10,000 | $7,874.00 | $7,474.00 |
Under those assumptions, the quotes break even at $50,000 of monthly card volume. At $100,000, Quote B saves $100 a month despite the higher software charge, or $6,000 over 60 months before any differences in hardware, setup, or other fees.
Build the real 60-month comparison from upfront equipment, installation and menu build, software and add-ons, processing, other recurring fees, training time, maintenance, and migration. Include the overlap period when both systems may be billed. Show the contractual cost of leaving at months 12, 36, and 60 separately, so a hypothetical exit is not silently added to normal operating cost.
Give time savings an honest treatment. Faster closeout may give the owner an evening back without reducing payroll. A claimed increase in sales is not the same as additional profit. Use observed results from your operation before assigning either a dollar value.
If a proposal recovers payment costs from guests, show those guest charges separately. The cost has changed hands. Check the program’s applicable rules and the effect on the guest experience before treating it as savings.
Five year total cost of ownership
For the illustrative operations below, the five-year planning totals are approximately $121,983 for the bar, $239,721 for the restaurant, and $767,139 for the hotel F&B operation. Processing accounts for $96,000, $183,750, and $519,750 of those amounts respectively. The remaining cost buys and operates the POS environment.
These are calculated FOH budgets for explicitly defined examples, not surveyed industry averages, vendor quotes, or an assertion that every bar needs this equipment. The platform and equipment subtotals are $25,983, $55,971, and $247,389. Keeping those subtotals visible prevents a payment-processing bill from being mistaken for software cost. Research and model inputs were updated October 27, 2026.
What ownership cost includes
Count equipment and required peripherals, implementation, menu and data migration, paid staff training, subscriptions, device licenses, integrations, extra support, backup connectivity, consumables, replacement equipment, financing and payment charges. Check tax, shipping and contract obligations separately. A register without a printer or drawer and a bundle containing both are different purchases.
For cash budgeting, include the equipment purchase when paid. Do not also add accounting depreciation as a second cash cost. For financed equipment, substitute the down payment and actual scheduled payments, interest and fees for the cash purchase price. Record any buyout or obligation remaining after month 60. The scenarios below assume cash purchases, no financing, no tax effects and zero resale value.
Published equipment and bundle costs
The following supplier components use current public US offers where available. Sixty-month multiplications hold those particular prices constant only to expose the scale of the commitment. They exclude unpriced items and are not complete TCO rankings. Promotions, underwriting, license counts and the signed agreement must be confirmed.
| System | Equipment or bundle evidence | Five year interpretation and missing costs |
|---|---|---|
| Square | Register $899; Handheld $399; example accessories: receipt printer $319, cash drawer $129, impact printer $379, KDS display $899. [29, 30, 31] | Two Register-based stations with receipt printers and drawers, one handheld and one impact printer total $3,472. The restaurant footprint with three handhelds and two KDS displays totals $6,068. These are device subtotals before network, mounts, setup, tax and replacement. |
| SpotOn | Advertised Station 15 $750 and handheld $297; displayed regular prices $995 and $495. [32] | Two stations plus one handheld start at $1,797 for those devices; two plus three handhelds start at $2,391. Add supported printers, drawers, KDS, router, implementation and the correct device licenses. |
| Shift4 Dine | Workstation bundle $29.99 per month; handheld $29.99; KDS $29.99; remote printer $9.99. [18, 33, 34] | Bar footprint: $99.96 a month or $5,997.60 over 60 months. Restaurant footprint: $219.92 or $13,195.20. These hardware and software bundle components exclude processing and other contract charges; do not add a purchase price for the same supplied devices. |
| Clover | Station Solo $1,799 including receipt printer and drawer; Restaurant Growth purchase option adds $89.95 a month. [36] | One purchased station plus that software totals $7,196 over 60 months at unchanged prices, before payments and other costs. The $179 per month restaurant subscription offer has a 36-month initial term and different ownership and protection terms. |
| Toast | Core POS starts at $69 a month; hardware, implementation and additional devices are configuration-specific. Purchase, finance and lease options differ. [1, 37] | The base license alone would be $4,140 over 60 months with no price changes. It is not a quote for either complete footprint. Price the chosen equipment, add-ons and payment arrangement together. |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | Quoted compatible hardware; US kit lists peripherals while excluding the iPad and payment terminal. KDS app $30 per screen per month. [11, 45] | At current starting prices, Essential software plus two KDS app licenses is $249 a month or $14,940 over 60 months. Add hardware, extra POS device licenses where required, implementation and payments. |
| TouchBistro | Core software from $69 a month; advertised Essentials hardware-and-software bundle from $119. [13] | The starting bundle charge is $7,140 over 60 months if unchanged. Its exact hardware count, payments and additions need a quote; it is not a whole restaurant budget. |
| Heartland Restaurant | Software plans start at $89 a month; hardware and merchant arrangements need the actual proposal. [27, 28] | That starting license is $5,340 over 60 months if unchanged. Obtain purchase or rental prices, station count, setup, processing and support in the same scope. |
| NCR Voyix Aloha | Product-specific purchase or subscription arrangement; full installed price not established here. [20, 42] | Obtain a priced bill of materials and current agreement. An older Aloha Cloud hardware contract cannot price Aloha Next or an existing Aloha installation. |
| Oracle MICROS Simphony | Workstations, mobile units and KDS are part of a configured proposal. Some upgrade offers advertise conditional $1 devices. [39, 43] | Price the actual hardware program, license metric, services, interfaces and support. A promotional device price cannot stand in for a five-year installed quote. |
| Agilysys InfoGenesis | Configuration and commercial quote required. The hotel scenario below is an FOH budget, not Agilysys pricing. [24, 25, 26, 41] | Ask for terminals, mobile units, KDS, deployment, API rights, PMS connection and ongoing service separately; verify which are bundled. |
Square’s device basket is a priced example, not a compatibility guarantee for somebody else’s POS. Do not use Square accessory prices as a binding SpotOn, Toast or hotel-hardware quote. Device cases, charging docks, stands, network installation and spare equipment may still be needed. The common budgets below use their own declared equipment allowances.
Cash purchase and a monthly payment are not interchangeable prices. Square’s advertised Register example is $899 cash or $44 over 24 months: 24 payments total $1,056, a $157 difference before checkout-specific tax and financing conditions. Clover’s subscription also changes equipment protection and ownership terms. Compare the benefits and the full payment schedule, including any end-of-term purchase, rather than multiplying a teaser payment by an assumed term. [15, 36, 46]
Warranty coverage is not a five-year replacement plan. Square documents two years for Register and one year for Handheld, while third-party peripherals have their manufacturer’s arrangements. A vendor’s included replacement program may reduce the budget below; avoid adding a second reserve for the same covered failures. Check exclusions, batteries, accidental damage, shipping and dispatch coverage. [18, 40]
Three operating scenarios
| Example | Bar | Restaurant | Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating scope | One neighborhood bar with a small food menu | One full-service dining room | One 250-room full-service hotel with three F&B revenue centers |
| Fixed stations / handhelds / KDS | 2 / 1 / 0 | 2 / 3 / 2 | 8 / 6 / 3 |
| Additional remote printers | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Monthly direct POS card volume | $50,000 | $100,000 | $300,000 |
| Captured card payments per month | 2,000 | 2,500 | 5,000 |
| Average captured payment | $25 | $40 | $60 |
| Card-present / online share of both volume and count | 100% / 0% | 90% / 10% | 95% / 5% |
These footprints are examples for quote comparison. A smaller bar may need fewer devices; a larger hotel may need substantially more. Card volume means the amount actually captured by the POS processor, including applicable tax and tips. The same channel shares are applied to volume and transaction count so the arithmetic can be reproduced.
The hotel model covers F&B POS only. It excludes room-revenue processing and the base PMS, CRS, booking engine and property-wide network. Food charged to a room is excluded from the POS card volume when its payment is later captured through the PMS. Still budget the POS-to-PMS interface and any POS software charge for that check. A room charge can create a software transaction without creating a second card-processing transaction.
Equipment and deployment budgets
Every value in the next two tables is an FOH planning assumption, not a supplier price or market-average claim. The fixed station set includes its receipt printer and drawer; the remote printers are additional production printers. KDS hardware and its software license are separated.
| Opening budget item | Bar | Restaurant | Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed station sets including one receipt printer and drawer | 2 x $1,250 = $2,500 | 2 x $1,250 = $2,500 | 8 x $1,500 = $12,000 |
| Handhelds | 1 x $400 = $400 | 3 x $400 = $1,200 | 6 x $600 = $3,600 |
| KDS display sets | 0 x $900 = $0 | 2 x $900 = $1,800 | 3 x $1,000 = $3,000 |
| Additional remote printers | 1 x $400 = $400 | 1 x $400 = $400 | 4 x $400 = $1,600 |
| Purchased POS devices subtotal | $3,300 | $5,900 | $20,200 |
| POS network UPS mounts and cabling allowance | $750 | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Menu build installation and data migration allowance | $1,000 | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| Initial PMS and accounting interface setup allowance | $0 | $0 | $5,000 |
| Additional paid training and changeover shifts | 24 hours x $25 = $600 | 60 hours x $25 = $1,500 | 160 hours x $30 = $4,800 |
| Total opening investment | $5,650 | $10,400 | $38,000 |
Training is extra paid staff time outside normal operating coverage, valued at a loaded $25 an hour for the bar and restaurant and $30 for the hotel. Owner time and normal scheduled labor are not added again. Implementation covers supplier or contractor work; it does not include those extra employee shifts.
Recurring costs and payment assumptions
| Monthly non-processing budget in year 1 | Bar | Restaurant | Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core POS and device software including required KDS licenses | $150 | $350 | $1,800 |
| Optional apps not already included in the core quote | $50 | $150 | $200 |
| PMS API or accounting connector licenses | $0 | $0 | $300 |
| Extra local or premium support beyond included vendor help | $50 | $100 | $700 |
| Incremental backup internet | $30 | $50 | $100 |
| Paper and consumables | $25 | $40 | $100 |
| Total recurring non-processing budget | $305 | $690 | $3,200 |
The support row is an explicit allowance for services beyond included vendor phone support, such as local maintenance or a hotel premium service arrangement. The optional-app row covers only tools actually bought outside the core package. Set either to zero where unnecessary or already bundled. The backup allowance is incremental POS continuity cost, not the entire existing internet bill.
For this common planning model, card-present processing is assumed to be 2.60% plus $0.15 and online processing 3.10% plus $0.30. These are model inputs, not offers from any named vendor. Rates are treated as blended across the assumed US-issued card mix; no extra Amex charge is added on top. Card volume, captured-payment count and processing prices stay constant through the five years.
At those inputs, processing is $1,600.00 a month for the bar, $3,062.50 for the restaurant, and $8,662.50 for hotel F&B. For the restaurant, the calculation is $90,000 x 2.60% + 2,250 x $0.15 + $10,000 x 3.10% + 250 x $0.30 = $3,062.50. Apply the same method to the other channel splits.
Recurring non-processing costs rise by an assumed 3% at each annual anniversary. This is a budgeting provision, not a forecast of a vendor’s contractual increase. In year 4, allocate 25% of the initial purchased POS-device cost for replacement, increased by three years of 3% price growth. This is a reserve for budgeting, not a claim that one-quarter of all POS equipment will fail. No full second purchase, separate depreciation charge or resale credit is added.
Excluded or set to zero in these scenarios: sales and use tax, shipping, finance charges, chargebacks and fraud losses, foreign-card surcharges, gift-card load fees, instant-funding fees, delivery-marketplace commissions, annual or gateway fees not specified in a quote, termination costs, and the old system’s remaining obligations. Add applicable amounts before calling a supplier proposal an all-in cost. No growth in sales or productivity benefit is credited.
Five year projections
| Five year budget component | Bar | Restaurant | Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening investment | $5,650 | $10,400 | $38,000 |
| Five years of recurring non-processing costs | $19,431 | $43,960 | $203,871 |
| Year 4 device replacement allocation | $901 | $1,612 | $5,518 |
| Five year platform equipment and operating subtotal | $25,983 | $55,971 | $247,389 |
| Five year modeled processing cost | $96,000 | $183,750 | $519,750 |
| Five year ownership total including processing | $121,983 | $239,721 | $767,139 |
| Annual ownership budget including processing | Bar | Restaurant | Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $28,510 | $55,430 | $180,350 |
| Year 2 | $22,970 | $45,278 | $143,502 |
| Year 3 | $23,083 | $45,534 | $144,689 |
| Year 4 | $24,101 | $47,410 | $151,429 |
| Year 5 | $23,319 | $46,069 | $147,170 |
| Five year total | $121,983 | $239,721 | $767,139 |
All setup is paid in year 1 and the replacement allocation is shown in year 4. Year 2 and later include the 3% non-processing increase; processing stays flat. Totals are calculated before rounding, so displayed annual rows can differ from the displayed total by a dollar. These are undiscounted planning dollars, not a net-present-value or after-tax investment analysis.
The repeatable formula is opening investment + the sum of 12 x year-1 monthly non-processing cost x 1.03 to the power of each year index from 0 through 4 + 60 x monthly processing + 25% x initial POS-device cost x 1.03 cubed. Replace those inputs with the final quote, actual merchant statements and the appropriate replacement coverage.
Public processing schedules can change the result
To isolate processing from equipment, this separate check uses $50,000 a month, 2,000 captured payments, all in person, US-issued cards, and 10% of volume on Amex. It freezes published prices for 60 months. These are processing components only; they are not the three full ownership scenarios above. Eligibility, payment product, P2PE options, fees and negotiated rates may change them. [5, 7, 35, 38]
| Published processing example | Monthly processing only | Sixty month processing only |
|---|---|---|
| Square Plus | $1,550.00 | $93,000 |
| Square Premium | $1,500.00 | $90,000 |
| SpotOn Essentials with 10% Amex | $1,562.00 | $93,720 |
| SpotOn All-In advertised card-present schedule | $1,795.00 | $107,700 |
| Shift4 Dine Standard advertised schedule | $1,675.00 | $100,500 |
| Oracle Restaurants schedule with 10% Amex | $1,557.50 | $93,450 |
Square’s published rates are plan-specific and apply to all supported major cards; SpotOn Essentials and Oracle Restaurants list separate Amex schedules. The Oracle row uses the listed Restaurant rates rather than the separately listed P2PE option. Oracle also publishes a different Hospitality payment schedule, so the Restaurant rate cannot be assumed for a hotel merchant account. An Oracle payment schedule is not a complete Simphony installation quote. [5, 7, 38]
The same math explains why supplied equipment is not automatically the cheaper arrangement. In an illustrative one-station SpotOn comparison at that volume, All-In processing totals $107,700 over five years. Essentials processing plus $55 a month and a $750 station totals $97,770, a $9,930 difference before implementation, peripherals, extra licenses and other charges. This assumes eligibility and the advertised All-In card schedule apply to this mix, with no additional Amex charge beyond that schedule; obtain that confirmation. It is not a five-year price guarantee or the multi-device bar model. [5, 32]
A higher plan can also pay for itself without better processing on every channel. On current Square prices, Premium is $100 a month above Plus, saves 0.10 percentage points on in-person volume and $10 a month per KDS screen. With two KDS screens, the price difference is recovered at $80,000 of monthly in-person volume, assuming the other relevant charges are equal. Support hours differ as well: the published table gives Premium 24/7 phone support while Plus lists weekday hours. Feature and support fit still decide whether either plan is suitable. [7, 44]
What changes the five year result
| Change relative to the common model | Bar | Restaurant | Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processing increases by 0.20 percentage points | $6,000 | $12,000 | $36,000 |
| Each captured payment costs another $0.05 | $6,000 | $7,500 | $15,000 |
| Additional fixed $100 per month with no escalation | $6,000 | $6,000 | $6,000 |
| Card volume and captured payments grow 3% annually at unchanged rates | $5,935 | $11,361 | $32,135 |
The first three rows hold volumes and all other charges unchanged. The last row increases both processed volume and payment count by 3% each year, preserving channel mix; the added processing cost accompanies additional sales and should not be labeled a deterioration in POS efficiency.
Card mix and operational fees can matter as much as a negotiated headline rate. For example, Square lists an additional 1.5% for cards issued outside the US. If 10% of the hotel example’s direct POS card volume incurred that fee, it would add $27,000 over five years at flat volume. That is a conditional Square calculation, not a fee charged by every vendor or a recommendation to use Square for the hotel. [7]
Separate operating improvements from the invoices. Ten minutes of reconciliation saved every day, valued at $30 an hour, is $1,825 a year or $9,125 over five years. That is capacity or owner time unless payroll actually falls. Do not subtract it from cash TCO without evidence. Treat reduced downtime similarly: value genuinely lost contribution, not every dollar of sales during an interruption.
What the hotel must get in writing
For the hotel example, the $38,000 opening and $247,389 five-year non-processing budgets are editable allowances. They do not establish Oracle, Agilysys or Aloha’s price. Obtain one bill of materials covering all revenue centers, POS and payment devices, kitchen displays, peripherals, shared-service machines if needed, configuration, migration and opening support.
Then obtain the license basis: fixed terminal, mobile device, revenue center, property, check, transaction volume, data retention or some combination. Oracle’s PAYG catalogue demonstrates that metered Simphony service categories and payment-processing categories can coexist. Confirm what each transaction means; do not count only card captures if a software meter also counts cash or room-charge checks. [38]
Specify the exact PMS and accounting interfaces, vendor-side API rights, integration-provider charges, setup, testing, upgrades and failure ownership. WISK’s InfoGenesis direct-API instructions explicitly describe a separate Agilysys API license, typically with setup and monthly charges. That is evidence about that connection, not proof that every InfoGenesis integration has the same fee. [41]
Finally, ask for the cost to change processor, add an outlet, replace a damaged handheld, renew in years 2 through 5, and leave at months 12, 36 and 60. Disclose obligations continuing beyond year 5. Export, old gift-card liabilities, overlapping subscriptions and the previous contract belong in the changeover budget. Verify a working room charge and its reversal before accepting the interface.
The practical buying recommendation remains the same: run the shift tests, compare the final 60-month schedules, and require every promised saving to identify which real expense or operational problem it removes. A lower hardware price is useful when the payment terms, support and daily workflow also make sense.
Run the demonstration like a shift
Give every finalist the same menu, floor plan, device list, and scenarios. Have a bartender, server, kitchen lead, and the person responsible for reconciliation participate where those roles exist. Ask staff to perform the tasks after a short explanation.
- Open a tab with a card preauthorization. Add another round from a second device. Find the correct tab when two guests share the same surname. Establish what happens if the final bill exceeds the original authorization.
- Move the tab to a table and transfer it to another employee. Preserve the order history and settle who receives the tip.
- Split a check by seat and by item. Divide a shared item, accept cash and a card, apply a gift card, and leave a tip. Test the combinations your guests actually use.
- Enter a heavily modified item. Hold and fire courses if relevant. Mark an item unavailable and check what happens in online ordering.
- Void an item, issue a comp, and refund a settled payment using the actual permission levels. Find the audit record.
- In a supervised test environment, interrupt internet access while the local network stays up. Then test a local WiFi or device failure separately. Determine which devices share checks, what reaches the kitchen, which tenders work, and how recovery is reconciled.
- Close the shift and business day. Reconcile cash, tips, refunds, gift cards, processing fees, and deposits using the exports the bookkeeper will receive.
- Export useful item-level transactions, modifiers, tax, tips, customer records with consent information, and gift card balances. Identify anything that requires an additional service or cannot be transferred.
For hotels, add a guest lookup, an authorized room charge, a rejected room charge, a reversal, and a posting across the intended revenue centers. Include a room move or checked-out guest scenario if the integration is expected to handle it. Verify the financial output on the PMS side.
Record completion, number of workarounds, training needed, and any unresolved item. Do not invent a universal time benchmark. Compare finalists using the same staff and tasks, and distinguish a configuration problem from a product limitation.
Offline needs its own conversation
Offline order entry, local check sharing, kitchen routing, and card authorization are different capabilities. A cellular connection can address an internet access failure; it cannot resolve every failure inside a vendor platform, payment service, or local network.
Toast’s own guidance says preauthorization does not work offline unless it was completed before the outage. Offline card payments may later be declined. Square’s published conditions also make the merchant responsible for certain offline losses. Neither statement means those products are unusually unreliable. It means the operating procedure and financial risk need to be understood. [4, 7]
Ask each seller for the behavior of the exact devices, payment methods, and network design in the proposal. Include what happens after reconnection, how duplicate or missing orders are identified, and who owns unresolved payments. A checkbox labeled offline does not answer those questions.
For a bar, write a short fallback procedure that the closing manager can use. Test it before the first real outage. Include the recovery process, because a system that resumes taking orders may still leave reconciliation work.
The contract and the support are part of the system
The useful question is whether the agreement explains what you are buying in terms you can act on. Before selecting a finalist, obtain written answers to the following.
- What starts the term, how long is it, how does renewal work, and when must notice be given?
- What happens if the business closes, changes owner, moves, or reduces its device count?
- What can be increased, with what notice, and what right to cancel applies?
- Which hardware is owned, financed, rented, or supplied conditionally? What must be returned?
- Can the business change processor? Which limitations, added fees, or device changes apply?
- What happens to access and data after cancellation? Which exports are available before access ends?
- Who handles a software failure, a card payment problem, a printer failure, and a network fault?
- Is local service available during the venue’s opening hours? What is the cost, dispatch process, replacement time, and escalation path?
Do not translate a promise of 24/7 phone support into a promise that somebody will be at the bar at 11 pm. Ask for references from operators with similar hours and workflows, and ask those owners about recent incidents. Reviews can help identify questions, but they do not provide a controlled comparison of support quality.
Have the owner retain administrative access, use individual staff accounts, and assign refund, comp, export, and remote-access permissions deliberately. Confirm available authentication, audit logs, update responsibilities, and what happens when an employee or contractor leaves. Those controls deserve a place in the rollout plan.
When keeping the current POS is the sensible answer
Replacement has a cost even when the salesperson pays part of the hardware bill. Menus must be rebuilt, staff retrained, gift cards reconciled, accounting mapped, and integrations tested. Service can slow down during the transition.
Start by naming the problem. If the real issue is weak WiFi, a badly built menu, an obsolete device, poor training, or an unused reporting feature, a targeted fix may solve it. If the problem is an unsupported platform, a broken financial workflow, unacceptable payment economics, or a contract that prevents the operation from working as needed, replacement has a stronger case.
Compare the next 60 months of maintaining or improving the incumbent with the next 60 months of switching. Include the cost of staying with a known problem. Existing hardware purchases are sunk costs; future maintenance, new equipment, remaining obligations, and migration costs still affect the decision.
What I would recommend
For an ordinary independent full-service restaurant, put Toast and SpotOn through the same demonstration and quote exercise. Bring in Lightspeed or TouchBistro when service style or reporting gives them a specific reason to compete. A clear win on the actual operation is a better reason than the size of an ecosystem.
For a simple neighborhood bar, start with the smallest setup that handles the real tab and payment workflow. Square may be enough. A larger package should earn its extra cost and commitment through something the team will use.
For a busy food-led bar, evaluate Toast, SpotOn, and Shift4 Dine on tab handling, kitchen communication, support, and the complete payment agreement. Clover and Heartland remain credible when the configured product and dealer can demonstrate the same requirements.
For a hotel or complex property, lead with financial and operational integration. Simphony and InfoGenesis deserve serious evaluation. Add other restaurant systems when the exact PMS connector and property requirements are proven.
If the incumbent works well, require a convincing business case before changing it. The POS that makes sense is the one the team can operate, the owner can afford, the bookkeeper can reconcile, and the business can eventually leave on understood terms.
A useful next step is simple: write down five problems with the current setup, pull three recent processing statements, and ask two vendors to quote the same operation.
Buyer research notes
A consistent way to evaluate finalists
Use hard requirements before assigning points. A missing mandatory PMS connector, unacceptable exit obligation, or inability to perform a critical service task should not be hidden by a high average score.
If several products pass those requirements, the following is a suggested FOH weighting. It is a buying aid, not a set of product ratings.
| Criterion | Suggested weight | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|---|
| Service workflow | 30 | Staff complete the same order, tab, and closeout tasks |
| Total cost | 25 | An itemized 60-month proposal using actual volume and channels |
| Outage behavior and recovery | 15 | A supervised test and written limits for the proposed configuration |
| Implementation and support | 15 | Named responsibilities, coverage, escalation, and relevant references |
| Data and integrations | 10 | Export sample and confirmation of each required connector |
| Ability to change or leave | 5 | Written cancellation, equipment, processor, and access terms |
The documents to request
Ask every finalist for the itemized order form; software and service agreement; payment-processing agreement and complete fee schedule; hardware purchase, finance, or rental terms; implementation scope; support terms; a sample merchant statement; a sample accounting export; and the exact integration list for the proposed version.
Ask the incumbent for the same information. Include which products have separate renewal dates. Obtain an explicit list of third-party apps, who bills them, and what happens to them when the POS is canceled.
Keep a record of what the salesperson demonstrated, the product version, the plan, the hardware, and the date. Have verbal promises included in the agreement or implementation scope where they matter.
Pricing details worth normalizing
Count fixed stations, handhelds, kitchen displays, kiosks, locations, and employees separately. A charge per station is not a charge per location. Confirm whether additional devices can be removed without resetting a term.
Reconcile percentage charges against the right base. Gross sales, card volume, eligible payment volume, and online order value are not necessarily the same number. Check whether quoted caps apply to one component or to the whole fee.
Separate ordinary settlement timing from optional accelerated deposits. Ask how reserves, funding delays, chargebacks, refunds, and holds would affect access to cash. Do not assume that a payout shown in an app is the net bank deposit the bookkeeper needs.
Questions specific to bars
Have the seller demonstrate bar-tab preauthorization with the actual reader, including tap, chip, and any supported swipe behavior. Determine how the tab is named, how another bartender finds it, when an authorization expires, and how a changed or larger bill is handled.
Demonstrate shift change, pooled or distributed tips, walkouts, split tenders, transferred checks, and end-of-night open tabs. Confirm the configuration with the owner and payroll provider where tip treatment is involved.
Beverage inventory needs its own definition. Counting packaged bottles, decrementing ingredients in a cocktail, managing purchasing, and investigating pour variance are different tasks. Ask whether the quoted function handles each required task, who maintains recipes, and which integrations cost extra.
Questions specific to hotel outlets
Name the PMS, version, hosting arrangement, and connector. Confirm guest lookup, room-charge eligibility, posting, reversals, taxes, service charges, outlet mapping, group or house accounts where needed, and night-audit treatment. Have the POS and PMS teams agree who owns failures.
A restaurant logo in a marketplace or a vendor logo on an integration page is insufficient. Ask for a working example of the same combination, a costed scope, and an acceptance test that includes the financial result.
Sources and verification
Primary vendor sources are listed below. Product pages establish advertised capabilities, not measured performance. Public agreements may differ from a merchant’s signed order, market, or negotiated terms. Prices and features should be reconfirmed in a current written proposal.
[1] Toast US pricing — Plans, platform scope, and starting software offers.
[2] Toast merchant agreement — Approved hardware, order-defined term, early termination, and post-termination access provisions.
[3] Toast payment processing terms — Exclusive payment-processing requirement.
[4] Toast offline mode guidance — Operating and preauthorization limitations during outages.
[5] SpotOn restaurant pricing — All-In and Essentials terms, processing schedules, hardware, and Core Bundle structure.
[6] SpotOn restaurant service terms — Installation and training scope. The page is dated 2019; use the current proposal and plan conditions for commitment terms.
[7] Square US restaurant pricing — Free, Plus, Premium, device add-ons, and offline payment conditions.
[8] Square US preauthorization documentation — Supported card-preauthorization workflows and behavior.
[9] Square subscription management — Subscription changes and cancellation.
[10] Lightspeed Restaurant product overview — Configuration, reporting, locations, and integrations.
[11] Lightspeed US restaurant pricing — Published USD tiers, bar mode, optional functions, and KDS charges.
[12] Lightspeed Restaurant Payments FAQ — Payment requirements, third-party processing fee, and device conditions. Confirm the applicable product series and market.
[13] TouchBistro pricing — Core POS scope, starting price, hardware requirement, and additional solutions.
[14] Clover full-service restaurant offering — Restaurant workflows, package structure, and hardware-dependent capabilities.
[15] Clover pricing FAQ — Equipment subscription cancellation and end-of-term conditions.
[16] Clover US FAQ — Differences among sellers, prices, and contract terms.
[17] Shift4 announcement of the SkyTab name change — May 2026 transition to Shift4 Dine.
[18] Shift4 Dine published checkout offer — Advertised bundle and required agreements. Offer details were available through indexed vendor content; obtain a current US proposal.
[19] NCR Voyix restaurant platform — Current Aloha Next positioning and cloud-managed edge execution.
[20] NCR Voyix restaurant POS — Modifiers, check splitting, routing, and revenue centers.
[21] Oracle Simphony restaurant POS — Restaurant platform scope and capabilities.
[22] Oracle hotel POS — OPERA Cloud connections, hotel outlets, and room-charge workflows.
[23] Oracle Simphony integration partner program — Integration scope and program participation.
[24] Agilysys InfoGenesis POS — Hospitality scope, deployment choices, configuration, and documented resiliency.
[25] Agilysys IG Flex — Mobile service and PMS-connected room charges.
[26] Agilysys Pay — Payment platform and hospitality connections.
[27] Heartland Restaurant pricing — Starting software offer and restaurant functions.
[28] Heartland processing FAQ — Processing fee categories and statement considerations.
[29] Square Register pricing — US cash price for the second-generation Register.
[30] Square Handheld shop — US cash price for the handheld.
[31] Square hardware accessories — Receipt and impact printers, cash drawers and KDS display prices; compatibility and promotions must be confirmed.
[32] SpotOn restaurant hardware — Advertised station and handheld prices, including displayed promotions and regular prices.
[33] Shift4 Dine front of house configuration — Advertised monthly handheld and other device charges.
[34] Shift4 Dine back of house configuration — Advertised printer and KDS monthly charges.
[35] Shift4 Dine processing selection — Advertised Standard payment option; indexed vendor content, confirm the current US offer.
[36] Clover Station Solo pricing — Purchase and Restaurant Growth bundle examples; seller and agreement conditions apply.
[37] Toast hardware payment options — Purchase, financing and lease or withholding options; confirm the exact agreement and remaining balance.
[38] Oracle Industries PAYG price list — Separate Restaurant and Hospitality payment schedules and metered Simphony service categories. These are not a complete installed POS quote.
[39] Oracle restaurant POS hardware — Workstations, mobile devices, kitchen hardware and peripherals within the quoted implementation scope.
[40] Square hardware warranty and returns — Different device warranty periods and separate third-party manufacturer support.
[41] WISK InfoGenesis direct API integration — Integration provider documents a separately licensed InfoGenesis API connection, typically with setup and monthly charges. Not a universal fee for every integration.
[42] NCR Voyix US Aloha Cloud merchant agreement — Public May 2024 agreement illustrates purchased versus subscribed hardware. Check the current product-specific contract; it does not establish all Aloha Next terms.
[43] Oracle Simphony upgrade hardware offer — Advertised conditional one-dollar hardware offer, requiring a complete quote and terms.
[44] Square kitchen display system pricing — Per-device KDS application fees and required paid Square plan.
[45] Lightspeed Restaurant hardware kit — Kit contents; the published kit excludes the iPad and payment terminal.
[46] Square hardware catalogue and financing example — Advertised Register cash price and 24-month payment example; checkout financing conditions apply.
