5 Best Cafe and Coffee Shop POS Systems of June 2023
Restaurant point-of-sale systems can work well for cafes and coffee shops, but don’t opt for more features than you need.
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If you’ve ever faced a throng of caffeine-craving customers from behind the register, you know how important it is to have a reliable point-of-sale system. The right POS system will keep the line moving, include easy-to-use features and help turn customers into regulars. Look for a system that offers customer-facing displays for tipping, loyalty programs, employee time-tracking features and online ordering options.
Here are NerdWallet’s picks for best cafe and coffee shop POS systems.
If you’ve ever faced a throng of caffeine-craving customers from behind the register, you know how important it is to have a reliable point-of-sale system. The right POS system will keep the line moving, include easy-to-use features and help turn customers into regulars. Look for a system that offers customer-facing displays for tipping, loyalty programs, employee time-tracking features and online ordering options.
Here are NerdWallet’s picks for best cafe and coffee shop POS systems.
Best Cafe and Coffee Shop POS Systems
| Product | Best for | Payment processing fees | Monthly fee | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Square Restaurant POS Learn more on Square Restaurant POS's secure website | Best for Overall cafe and coffee shop POS | 2.6% + 10¢ in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online. | $0 Free plan; $60 Plus plan; Custom plan available. | Learn more on Square Restaurant POS's secure website |
 Clover POS Learn more on Clover POS's secure website | Best for Taking payments from customers in line | 2.3% + 10¢ or 2.6% + 10¢ in-person; 3.5% + 10¢ online. | $15 $14.95 and up. | Learn more on Clover POS's secure website |
 Toast POS Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | Best for Larger coffee shops that serve food | 2.99% + 15¢ if you pay for hardware monthly; 2.49% + 15¢ if you buy upfront. | $0 Quick Start Bundle; $69 Core plan; $165 Growth plan. Custom plan also available. | Learn more on Toast POS's secure website |
 TouchBistro | Best for Customer relationship management platform | Varies Determined by the payment processor you select. | $69 and up. | Read review |
 Lavu | Best for Cash discount program | Quote- | $59 and up. | Read review |
Our pick for
Overall cafe and coffee shop POS
on Square Restaurant POS's secure website
Square Restaurant POS
Payment processing fees
2.6% + 10¢in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.
Monthly fee
$0Free plan; $60 Plus plan; Custom plan available.
on Square Restaurant POS's secure website
Our pick for
Taking payments from customers in line
on Clover POS's secure website
Clover POS
Payment processing fees
2.3% + 10¢ or 2.6% + 10¢in-person; 3.5% + 10¢ online.
Monthly fee
$15$14.95 and up.
on Clover POS's secure website
Our pick for
Larger coffee shops that serve food
on Toast POS's secure website
Toast POS
Payment processing fees
2.99% + 15¢if you pay for hardware monthly; 2.49% + 15¢ if you buy upfront.
Monthly fee
$0Quick Start Bundle; $69 Core plan; $165 Growth plan. Custom plan also available.
on Toast POS's secure website
Our pick for
Customer relationship management platform
TouchBistro
Payment processing fees
VariesDetermined by the payment processor you select.
Monthly fee
$69and up.
Our pick for
Cash discount program
Square POS for Restaurants: Best overall cafe and coffee shop POS
Monthly fees:
$0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.
$29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.
$60 for Square Restaurant and Retail Plus plans.
$69 for Square Appointments Premium plan.
Hardware pricing:
$0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
$49 for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.
$149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included).
$299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer.
$799 for Square Register two-screen system.
$659-$1,479 for various bundles of stands, cash drawers, printers and card readers.
Payment processing:
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
Why we like it: Square is easy to use and built to incorporate customer-facing displays for tipping. The Square Stand swivels to face the customer, while the Square Register has a separate customer-facing screen. The free software plan, which comes with an online ordering page, may be sufficient for smaller cafes and coffee shops. However, with an array of add-ons, plan tiers and kitchen display system hardware, the product leaves room for growth, too. Read our full Square POS for Restaurants review.
» MORE: Best small-business apps
Clover: Best for taking payments from customers in line
Monthly fees:
$14.95 for Starter Retail, Starter Personal Services, Starter and Standard Professional Services and Home & Field Services plans.
$44.95 for Standard Retail, Starter and Standard QSR, Standard and Advanced Personal Services and Advanced Professional Services plans.
$54.90 for Advanced Retail and Advanced QSR plans.
$74.95 for Starter Full-Service Dining plan.
$84.90 for Standard Full-Service Dining plan.
$94.85 for Advanced Full-Service Dining plan.
Hardware pricing:
$49 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.
$599 for Clover Flex mobile POS with printer.
$799 for Clover Mini POS.
$1,699 for Clover Station Solo.
$1,799 for Clover Station Duo.
Payment processing:
2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions for most plans.
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Starter, Personal Services Starter and Professional Services Standard plans, as well as Home & Field Services Standard and Advanced plans.
3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
Why we like it: Clover's core software plan for counter service restaurants like coffee shops includes a loyalty program and no-fee online ordering. In addition, Clover Flex and Mini POS systems are equipped with LTE, a standard for wireless data transmission, which will kick in during Wi-Fi outages and allow cashiers to continue taking orders as usual. And if your coffee shop deals with long lines, the handheld Flex POS system enables staff to take orders anywhere. Read our full Clover POS review.
Toast: Best for larger coffee shops that serve food
Monthly fees:
$0 for Quick Start Bundle.
$69 for Core plan.
$110 plus $4 per employee for Restaurant Basics plan.
$165 for Growth plan.
Custom plans available.
Hardware pricing:
$627 for Handheld Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$875 for Countertop Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$1,009 for Guest Self-Service Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
Payment processing:
2.99% plus 15 cents per transaction, if you choose pay-as-you-go option on hardware.
2.49% plus 15 cents for card-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
3.50% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
Why we like it: As NerdWallet's top overall pick for restaurant POS systems, Toast is a solid pick for cafes and coffee shops that sell made-to-order food options and plan to expand. Highlights include an offline mode, in-house delivery service, the Toast TakeOut app for online ordering, a $50-per-month loyalty program and a kitchen display system. Read our full Toast POS review.
TouchBistro: Best customer relationship management platform
Monthly fees:
$69 for base plan.
$25 for gift cards feature.
$50 for online ordering feature.
$99 for loyalty features or marketing features.
$229 for reservations feature.
Hardware pricing: Quote-based.
Payment processing: TouchBistro Payments is quote-based and works with third-party payment solutions.
Why we like it: TouchBistro's software is locally installed, meaning it's fully functional in the event of a Wi-Fi outage. Just ensure your payment processor is integrated with the POS or has its own offline mode so you can continue accepting payments. In addition, the company's loyalty program, which starts at $99 per month, doubles as a customer relationship management platform. The program keeps track of customer data like allergies, birthdays and preferences and sends targeted offers to customers, making it easier to recognize repeat customers and their orders. Read our full TouchBistro review.
Lavu: Best cash discount program
Monthly fees:
Pricing varies depending on whether you choose to include Lavu Pay in your plan.
$59-$79 for Starter plan.
$129-$149 for Growth plan.
$279-$299 for Optimize plan.
Hardware pricing: Lavu's POS terminals use iPads, which can be bought through Lavu or elsewhere. The Vault Pro iPad enclosure is $219. Stands, rotation bases, receipt printers and cash drawers are sold separately. Read our full Lavu POS review.
Payment processing: Lavu Pay, the system's integrated solution, is quote-based; using a third-party payment processor costs $20 per month per terminal.
Why we like it: Lavu's terminals are entirely iPad-based and business owners can piece their hardware components down to the rotation bases and brackets. One of the company's most unique features is its cash discount program that rewards customers for paying in cash and upcharges those who pay with a card.
How to choose a coffee shop POS system
Here are some of the most important questions to ask while comparing your options:
Fees
Does the system charge a monthly fee to integrate with your accounting software?
Hardware features
Does the terminal come with a customer-facing display? Can you add one to it?
Can you set tipping options on the customer-facing display?
Does the company offer mobile POS options for taking orders from customers standing in line?
Will an offline mode kick in when the Wi-Fi inevitably goes out?
Customizability and loyalty
Can employees add special notes to orders?
Is there a loyalty program that rewards customers for each visit?
Will the system help your employees spot regulars and remember their orders?
Payments
Is there an online ordering option or order-ahead option available?
Does the system let you accept contactless payments?
Are you stuck with the in-house payment processor, or can you use a third-party processor?
Time-tracking
Does the system let employees easily clock in and out?
Does it let employees tip out when a shift is over?
Last updated on March 21, 2023
Methodology
NerdWallet’s point-of-sale systems provider ratings reward companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including cost, system capabilities, contract requirements, customer service and integrations and add-ons. Learn more about how we rate point-of-sale (POS) systems providers.
These ratings are a guide, but services, hardware and pricing can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
To recap our selections...
NerdWallet's Best Cafe and Coffee Shop POS Systems of June 2023
- Square Restaurant POS: Best for Overall cafe and coffee shop POS
- Clover POS: Best for Taking payments from customers in line
- Toast POS: Best for Larger coffee shops that serve food
- TouchBistro: Best for Customer relationship management platform
- Lavu: Best for Cash discount program
