A great iPad restaurant point-of-sale (POS) system built for iPads is functional, affordable, and mobile. I’ve used several iPad restaurant POS systems in real-world restaurant settings and love how easy they are to set up and use. I also understand their limitations (like limited offline modes and connection errors). Read on for my ranking of the best iPad restaurant POS systems, plus tips on how to choose and the pros and cons of iPad POS systems for restaurants.
Based on my evaluation and personal experience, the best iPad restaurant POS systems are:
- Lightspeed Restaurant: Best overall iPad restaurant POS
- Square For Restaurants: Best free iPad restaurant POS
- Rezku: Best for small restaurants that need an affordable, all-in-one POS
- TouchBistro: Best for ease of use
- Lavu: Best for customer management tools
- Tabit: Best for bringing your own payment processor
Top iPad Restaurant POS Systems Compared
Our Rating | Minimum Monthly Fee | Contract Length | Processing Rates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4.36 out of 5 | $69 | 1 year | |
 | 4.10 out of 5 | $0 | No long-term contract | |
 | 3.95 out of 5 | $0 | 2 years | From 1.99% + 15 cents |
 | 3.93 out of 5 | $69 | 1 year | Custom-quoted |
 | 3.69 out of 5 | $59 | 1–3 years | Custom-quoted |
 | 3.69 out of 5 | Custom-quoted | No long-term contract | Varies by processor |
Quiz: Which iPad POS Is Right for Your Restaurant?
Why You Can Trust Fit Small Business Rankings
My colleagues and I evaluate iPad restaurant POS systems multiple times per year. We use our personal experience with point-of-sale software and real-world restaurant and small business experience to grade restaurant POS software on features that matter to small, independent restaurant owners. Learn more about our relevant experience in the table below.
Meet the Experts
 | Ray Delucci has 10 years of food industry experience and has managed full-service restaurants and large events and has worked in food development as well. His experience in different restaurant industry sectors gives him insight into what a quality POS needs. |
 | Mary King has worked in every food service business from coffee shops and pizzerias to full-service fine dining restaurants. With over 14 years of industry experience, she has used many POS systems in real-world food service businesses. |
 | Meaghan Brophy has 10-plus years of retail experience, during which she has operated a variety of cash registers and POS systems in different settings and applications. Since working in retail, Meaghan has 7-plus years of experience writing for retailers and 4-plus years of experience evaluating POS systems. |
Lightspeed Restaurant: Best Overall iPad Restaurant POS
Pros
- Affordable and full-featured
- Order Ahead capability for dine-in and take-out
- Can operate via Wi-Fi hotspot or completely offline
Cons
- Some features come with additional monthly fees
- Vendor management requires an integration
What We Like
Lightspeed Restaurant is a cloud-based, all-in-one iPad POS that regularly lands on our list of the best restaurant POS systems. With multiple hardware configurations and do-it-yourself installation, Lightspeed Restaurant is equipped to support restaurants of all types. All the features you need are present, from complex menu modifiers and ingredient-level inventory to check splitting, offline payments, and an integrated kitchen display system (KDS).
A few of these features come with additional monthly fees, however, which kept Lightspeed Restaurant from getting a perfect score. It also does not offer a free plan (like Square and Rezku do), so it lost points there. Overall, Lightspeed received a 4.36 out of 5 in our review. I like how user-friendly this system is, and I am particularly impressed with the reporting and inventory tools.
- Subscription plans*:
- Starter – $69
- Essentials – $189
- Premium – $399
- Enterprise – Custom quote
* Prices are lower for users who pay fees annually and enroll in Lightspeed Payments.
- One-time Installation fee: None
- Payment processing: Lightspeed Payments starts at 2.6% + 10 cents for in-person payments.
- Quick Service mode: For bars and counter-service restaurants, Lightspeed Restaurant includes a Quick Service ordering mode for bars and counter-service restaurants. This mode keeps ordering and payment buttons on a single screen, creating efficient ordering.
- Order Ahead: You design your Order Ahead online ordering site from the Lightspeed Restaurant back-office dashboard. The site fully integrates with your POS; online orders appear automatically in your order stream. You can accept orders for in-house pickup, curbside pickup, or delivery. You can rely on third-party delivery drivers or use an in-house team (though you’ll need an integration to manage delivery routes).
- Customer self-ordering tools: Lightspeed Restaurant users have several options for customer self-ordering. You can use QR codes to receive orders and payments from customers’ smartphones.
- Automated Analytics: Lightspeed Restaurant supports the strongest reporting I have seen in an iPad restaurant POS. Customer history syncs with your Lightspeed Payments data to automatically compile purchase and spending history, even if the same customer uses different cards on different visits. Menu reporting and staff productivity are similarly detailed, helping you identify opportunities to strengthen your menu and your staff training.
Lightspeed Restaurant user reviews average 4.4 to 4.5 out of 5 on popular software review sites. Negative reviews note that the built-in timeclock and employee management tools are basic, and ding Lightspeed for charging extra for loyalty tools. Some users have experienced glitches with supported third-party integrations.
Positive user reviews mention how fast Lightspeed allows them to ring in sales and close checks (the one exception seems to be gift card sales, which some users find time-consuming). Lightspeed’s customer support gets a lot of raves, and many users note the sheer number of available functions as a major bonus.
Square for Restaurants: Best Free iPad Restaurant POS
Pros
- Free baseline POS
- 30-day free trial for higher subscription tiers
- No long-term contract
- Supports handheld payment terminal
Cons
- Free POS does not include multiple user permissions
- Inventory and employee scheduling require additional fees or integrations
- Can be hard to reach live customer service representatives
What We Like
Square for Restaurants is hot on Lightspeed’s heels. This popular and easy-to-use POS system is a frequent contender on our list of the best POS software for small businesses. Square offers a few things that most restaurant iPad POS systems don’t—a free baseline subscription, no long term contracts, and no chargeback fees. Yes, you’ll be locked into Square’s payment processing, but the rates are transparent and truly flat; you won’t pay extra fees when customers pay with American Express or rewards cards.
I’ve set up multiple Square for Restaurants’ POS systems, and have found Square to be one of the easiest and fastest POS installations around. It is a great choice for budget-minded restaurants but it lost some points for customer service. Live customer service reps can be hard to reach, and free subscribers don’t get 24/7 support. This brought Square for Restaurant’s score down to an overall 4.30 out of 5.
- Three subscription tiers:
- Free – $0 per month
- Plus – $60 per month
- Premium – Custom quote
- One-time Installation fee: $0; Square is self-installed, but you can request on-site installation assistance for $600
- Processing fees: 2.6% + 10 cents for in-person transactions, 2.9% + 30 cents for online or invoice transactions and 3.5% + 15 cents per transaction for manually keying in a customer’s credit card
- Free baseline POS: Unlike the other systems on this list, Square for Restaurants offers free software for its entry-level iPad POS. You can use iPads you already own and start using Square for free. With no long-term contracts, you can use the POS for as long as you need it, then move to a higher subscription tier or a whole different system if your restaurant’s needs change.
- Free online ordering: All Square users can get an online ordering site for free. Setup is easy via Square’s site creation wizard. Most users can start accepting online sales in an hour or two. You don’t even need a web address; you can get a free Square URL to host a website where customers can self-order their food.
- Square small business suite: Square for Restaurants POS users also gain access to the full suite of Square’s small business tools. In addition to the Square Online store, you can get their easy-to-use marketing, payroll, and appointment booking.
- Flexible hardware: The Square Mount stand can convert your iPad into a freestanding or wall-mounted self service kiosk—all you need to allow them to use the tablet ergonomically like a POS stand. It can even be mounted to the wall for ease of access.
Square for Restaurants’ user reviews range from 4.1 to 4.5, with an average rating of 4.3 on major software review sites. Critical reviews mention a lack of credit card pre-authorizations, specifically for bar tabs. Square just added this feature in November 2023, though, so you can disregard those comments. Others note that Square’s reporting is more limited than competitors—if you want advanced reporting in an iPad POS, give Lightspeed a look—and the difficulty reaching a live customer support representative is a big drawback for some.
But overall, users love the free baseline tools, the pay-as-you-go options for add-on modules, and Square’s mobility and lightning-fast setup. The KDS also gets a lot of love from users.
Rezku: Best for Small Restaurants Needing an Affordable, All-in-One POS
Pros
- All functions included in baseline POS
- Gift cards included for no extra cost
- Free pricing tier for small restaurants
- Includes robust loyalty and customer management software
Cons
- Reporting has limitations
- Vendor management requires third-party integration
- Customer service not 24/7
- Requires two-year contract
What we like
Rezku is an iPad POS that, like TouchBistro, is built specifically to support food and beverage businesses. However, unlike the other systems on this list, Rezku aims to include every function an independent restaurant needs in its baseline POS. And when I say everything, I mean it. It offers everything from gift cards to online ordering, delivery management, and marketing tools for $0 per terminal per month up to two terminals.
This POS system earned a 3.93 out of 5 in our evaluation. Its almost-perfect mobility score was offset by a two-year contract, limited reporting, and lack of built-in kiosk mode.
- Three Subscription Tiers:
- Startup (2 terminals) – $0
- Growth (3–5 terminals) – $99
- Established (Unlimited Terminals) – $199
- Processing Fees: From 1.99% + 15 cents
- One-time Installation Fee: $0
- Free baseline POS: Rezku has moved to a free baseline POS tier. This gives you access to all its great features for free, furthering the quality and resources available to smaller restaurants.
- Comprehensive all-in-one POS: Rezku includes an exhaustive list of software tools in its baseline POS. You get ingredient-level inventory tracking with low-stock alerts, online ordering with delivery management, points or dollar-based loyalty and rewards, gift cards, and more.
- Cash discount setting: Rezku includes a setting that automatically calculates a discount for customers that pay in cash. The discount amount will be the same as your credit card processing fees. So, if customers pay with a credit or debit card, your processing fees are covered. This is a clever way to sidestep laws in 10 states prohibiting small businesses from passing card processing fees onto customers. If the prospect of credit card processing fees has kept you from getting a POS, Rezku might be your perfect fit.
- Employee management: Rezku’s employee management tools include an integrated timecard system, clock in/out, photo clock-in to prevent buddy punching, and more. The reports include labor cost analysis, payroll exports, and shift management applications. Payroll is even calculated for you based on employee position, pay rate, and hours.
Rezku users are big fans of this all-in-one POS. I typically see user reviews from 4.3 to 4.5 out of 5 across major software review sites and the App Store. When users have something critical to say, it’s usually a granular pet peeve about report names or slight aggravations with the system updating frequently.
But users cannot say enough about all the bells and whistles Rezku includes in the baseline POS. Many also mention the friendliness and helpfulness of Rezku staff, something I have experienced myself whenever I have demoed this system.
TouchBistro: Best for Cafes, Pubs & Breweries
Pros
- Tableside ordering mode is easy to use
- Integrated online ordering tool works as a self-ordering kiosk
- Speed order screens and pre-authorized bar tabs are excellent for pubs and bars
- Terminals include suggestive spelling
Cons
- Third-party online ordering and delivery integrations require middleman app
- No free plan or free trial
- Online ordering is an extra monthly cost
What We Like
TouchBistro is an iPad POS designed specifically for food and beverage businesses. It includes a food ordering system and other features for full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, food trucks, and breweries. However, its features for running and organizing tabs and quick order screens make it the best choice for bars, cafes, and breweries. It is also a great option for small restaurants wanting affordable hardware peripherals, from customer-facing display to KDS screens.
Those qualities helped it earn a 3.93 out of 5 in our evaluation; the lack of a free plan brought down its score, as did the discontinuation of its built-in kiosk mode and limited vendor management and purchase order creation features.
- Software subscription fee: $69 per terminal monthly
- One-time Installation fee: $0; this system is self-installed
- Processing fees: Varies by processor; choose from TouchBistro Payments, TSYS, or Square
- Integrated online ordering: For an additional $50 per month, TouchBistro users can add integrated online ordering. You can accept online orders for pickup, curbside pickup, or delivery. Like Square for Restaurants, TouchBistro includes map-based delivery tools to help you manage a team of on-staff drivers. If you prefer to use third-party ordering and delivery apps, you can integrate them into your TouchBistro POS via middleman plug-ins Deliverect or Ordermark.
- Flexible hardware: TouchBistro includes customer-facing displays, KDS screens, and tableside ordering tablets. You can manage all of these peripherals from your TouchBistro management dashboard. TouchBistro offers software for these tools with transparent monthly pricing.
- Bar features: Like Lightspeed Restaurant, TouchBistro offers a condensed quick-order screen to help your bartenders speed through orders. With TouchBistro, you can also pre-authorize bar tabs with a card swipe, customize tab names, and quickly transfer bar tabs to tables.
- Ease of Use: TouchBistro’s user interface resembles an iPhone more than any other system on this list. This makes TouchBistro easy to learn for both you and your staff. Anyone who has used an iPhone can navigate TouchBistro in no time. Many user reviews mention how quickly new staff learn the system.
TouchBistro averages 4 out of 5 on software review sites. Users complain that TouchBistro’s online ordering system only supports a single menu, so if you have some items available for lunch but not dinner, you could run into confused customers or cooks. Some also note that TouchBistro’s customer support technicians don’t seem equipped to resolve major issues. Several users mention specifically that the TouchBistro team is helpful with small, everyday problems, though.
Positive user reviews note their competitive processing rates with TouchBistro (though no one mentions their exact rate). Many also rave about TouchBistro’s user-friendliness and how quickly their employees learn to use the system.
Lavu: Best for Customer Management Tools
Pros
- Downloadable from the App Store and self-installable
- Options for built-in or third-party payment processing
- Niche features for all restaurant types
- Great FOH and customer experience tools
Cons
- Customer support is not well-reviewed
- Offline functionality is glitchy
- Customization and add-ons can get pricey
What We Like
With ingredient-level inventory management and online ordering, as well as a host of third-party integrations, Lavu is a strong option for an iPad POS software. It has great customer management features—including loyalty tools and customizable customer profiles that can show email, birthday, company name, and more—menu efficiencies, and even an integration with DoorDash for smooth and efficient delivery.
Lavu’s extra features can be pricey, and some reviews of its offline features are negative, which brought down its overall score. Lavu earned a 3.69 out of 5 in our evaluation.
- Three subscription fee tiers:
- Starter – $59* per month ($129 without Lavu Pay)
- Growth – $129* per month ($199 without Lavu Pay)
- Optimize – $279* per month ($349 without Lavu Pay)
* Baseline subscription fees are with a Lavu Pay processing subscription.
- One-time Installation fee: $0
- Processing fees: Custom-quoted through Lavu Pay, varies by other processors
- Customer management: Lavu creates detailed customer profiles that track contact information, birthdays, and how the customer learned about your restaurant. You can add custom fields to track additional information and set your Lavu POS to prompt servers to add a customer before beginning a check to ensure that you never miss the chance to track a transaction. Customer profiles also sync with Lavu’s built-in loyalty tools.
- Efficient customer-facing menus: You can create time-restricted menus, such as a Happy Hour menu, for your customers to experience at different times throughout service. For pizzerias, it has a pizza customization module, which extends to online delivery as well.
- MenuDrive integration: At the Growth tier ($129/mo), you have the option to work with the MenuDrive Software. This software allows you to create vivid, branded menus for online ordering and connect to third-party delivery drivers.
- No-Wi-Fi payment option: While some of its offline features may not be the best, Lavu does offer a PCI (Payment Card Industry) standard payment processor that will accept payments even if the Wi-Fi goes out.
Lavu POS user reviews range widely, from 4.00 to 4.70 out of 5, with an average of 4.3, which puts it in line with most of the systems on this list. Most negative user experiences mention issues with billing—like being charged for services the user did not enroll in or being charged after they canceled their Lavu account. Some users also wish the inventory tracking and employee scheduling tools were stronger.
Positive Lavu reviews mention saving money on processing fees and how easy Lavu is to use. I have seen Lavu in action in a few real-world restaurants and can attest to the user-friendliness and ease of setup.
Tabit: Best for Flexible Payments
Pros
- Downloadable from the App Store and self-installable
- Supports numerous third-party processors
- Several apps for niche functions from self-service kiosks, online ordering, delivery, employee management and more
Cons
- Ingredient-level inventory requires a third-party integration
- Large operations may need to subscribe to several Tabit apps to get all the tools you need
- Relatively new system to the US; may still have bugs to work out
What we Like
Tabit, like Rezku, is a relative newcomer to the restaurant iPad POS space. This system just became available in the US in 2020. Unlike many iPad POS systems for restaurants, Tabit is processor agnostic, so you can shop for the lowest available processing rates. It also includes several built-in sibling apps for everything from reservations and self-service kiosks to employee scheduling. Ingredient-level inventory requires an integration, but Tabit integrates with our top-ranked inventory tool MarketMan (and Compeat and Craftable).
Tabit tied with Lavu in our restaurant iPad POS ranking, earning a 3.69 out of a possible 5. The system scored well for its available features, but lost some ground on price (Tabit requires a custom quote) and on niche restaurant tools. Tabit offers virtually anything your restaurant could need, but several tools require additional custom price quotes. Tabit may still have some adjustments to make before it dominates the US market, but it’s a fascinating newcomer to the iPad restaurant POS space.
To get pricing on Tabit, you’ll need to contact the company directly. They offer the POS software and hardware at custom quoted prices.
- Flexible payment processing: Supporting multiple processors is a major mission for Tabit. Its president and co-founder recently published an op-ed in Modern Restaurant Management discussing what he sees as overreach by POS companies requiring users to commit to built-in processing services. If you want an iPad POS for your restaurant that lets you bring your own processor, Tabit is worth a look.
- Numerous built-in modules: You can easily expand your Tabit POS with Tabit-designed tools for employee scheduling, reservations, reporting, self-service kiosks, delivery driver management, customer feedback, online ordering, kitchen display systems, and two reporting and analytics applications—Tabit Insights and Tabit Chef—designed to appeal to FOH and BOH managers respectively.
- Modern user interface: The Tabit POS user interfaces are designed to be fully mobile and operate on iPads and smartphones. The buttons are reactive, with lots of useful dropdowns and expanded functions based on whether you swipe or single- or double-tap. The screens are clean, uncluttered, and easy to customize.
- Automated messaging: Customers who order online or for delivery receive automated text messages as your kitchen team updates the order status on your Tabit Kitchen KDS. You won’t need to call customers when their order is ready for pick up or out for delivery; your Tabit POS does the work for you.
There are few user reviews of Tabit on US review sites. On Facebook, however, the system earns 4.50 out of 5 stars from 23 reviewers. Few reviews—positive or negative—contain many details beyond “great system” or “terrible system.” Looking at reviews on restaurant network threads, users mention some issues with card readers turning off while the POS tablet is still running, and some say that new-to-the-industry employees pick up the system incredibly quickly, while seasoned industry workers (who are accustomed to older restaurant POS systems) experience a learning curve.
From what I have seen of Tabit in action, this makes sense. The POS reveals options based on taps and double taps, more like a smartphone, while traditional restaurant POS systems function almost entirely on single taps that reveal new screens, not pop-up options. So if your team is mostly seasoned industry veterans, it might take some time to learn Tabit.
Methodology: How We Evaluated iPad Restaurant POS Systems
I compared more than a dozen of the most popular iPad POS systems based on what’s important to independent restaurants. I evaluated each contender for the price, mobility, payment processing features, and front-of-house tools alongside back-of-house and back-office functionality. Finally, I considered other Fit Small Business retail and restaurant experts’ evaluations of each tool.
Based on the above criteria, Lightspeed Restaurant is the best iPad restaurant POS. The software received the highest overall score according to our grading system for iPad restaurant POS software (4.36 out of 5). From my personal experience testing different POS software and working in and with restaurants that use POS systems daily, Lightspeed Restaurant is one of the top software I would recommend.
Click through the tabs below for our full evaluation criteria:
20% of Overall Score
We looked for inexpensive systems that didn’t limit the number of users on a terminal. Also, we gave favor to systems with a free plan and month-to-month contracts.
20% of Overall Score
We gave extra points to POS systems with integrated payment processing. Systems with an offline mode were also scored higher.
20% of Overall Score
We considered table mapping, order taking that allowed modifications, loyalty programs, and gift cards in addition to standard order-and-pay functions.
20% of Overall Score
Details impact profits, so we looked for inventory and reporting tools that got down to the ingredient level. We also favored systems with kitchen display systems, workforce management (such as clocking in and role assignments), and vendor management tools.
20% of Overall Score
We gave our own score based on the features and functionality vs price and looked at real-user reviews on reputable sites like Capterra and G2.
How to Choose an iPad Restaurant POS
Choosing an iPad POS for your restaurant is just like selecting any restaurant software. The process is straightforward, but it’s important to give yourself enough time to fully consider several options for settling on a final selection. Here are the basic steps:
Step 1: Assess Your Needs
Before you can select the best iPad POS for your restaurant, you need to know what you’re looking for. There is an iPad POS that can perform just about any restaurant function you can think of. Typical iPad restaurant POS system functions include:
- Menu management: Most can create and edit menus for different day parts, add modifiers, build combos, and create timed menus like happy hour.
- Check management: You should be able to start checks, split them, hold for later, and accept multiple payment types.
- Table management: Most iPad restaurant POS systems include a copy of your floorplan so you can assign orders to tables if needed.
- Tab management: Many allow you to pre-authorize credit cards on tabs for bar operations, or simply manage multiple open tabs in a quick service restaurant setting.
- Payment processing: The best iPad POS systems for restaurants have integrated or built-in payment processing for cards, digital wallets, and gift cards.
- Online ordering: Built-in online ordering ensures your online orders appear in your POS order stream without double entry from a third-party tablet.
- Custom user permissions: This is a baseline function that ensures your employees only have access to the information they need to do their jobs.
- Employee timekeeping: Most iPad POS systems can also act as a time clock to record your employee’s hours.
- Kitchen display systems: Built-in or integrated KDS screens can help streamline kitchen operations, especially in quick service restaurants.
- Sales reporting: Your iPad POS should show you reports of the products you sold, and this information can typically be filtered by date to show daily, weekly, monthly, and annual figures.
- Customer management: Your POS should have basic customer profiles to help you track customers who visit frequently; advanced iPad restaurant POS systems may have full-blown reservation and waitlist software, too.
- Loyalty: Simple points-based loyalty is becoming an expected part of independent restaurant operations and your iPad POS should make it easy to track and redeem points.
- Email and text marketing: Usually syncing with your customer management system, email and text message marketing allow you to send custom promotions to a filtered customer list to turn first-time customers into regulars.
Some iPad restaurant POS systems will also support reservations, self-service kiosks, menu displays, ingredient-level inventory tracking, delivery management, and cash discounting. So the sky might be the limit. List everything you want to run your restaurant. And don’t forget about your staff needs. Your employees will use this system every day, so if there is a feature (like KDS screens or tip pool management) that will make their lives easier, add it to your list.
Step 2: Set a Budget
You can find iPad POS systems for restaurants at virtually every price point, from $0 per month to more than $100 per tablet. Most iPad POS systems require monthly software fees. You’ll also need to budget for hardware; even if you have your own iPads already, you may need printers, card readers, Wi-Fi boosters, and routers. Finally, you’ll need to determine what payment processing fees you can afford. If your menu is priced low, you may prefer a POS that supports cash discounting or surcharging so you can pass credit card fees on to your customers (where legally permitted).
Take a look at your sales and profitability and determine how much you can afford per month. There is no use looking at a system you ultimately can’t afford. So know your limits before you test drive any systems.
Step 3: Sign Up for Demos & Free Trials
Every restaurant iPad POS offers a demo, where a live agent walks you through the system on video call. Some (like Square) also offer a free trial. Search for systems that fit your budget, then schedule demos or free trials with three to five POS providers. To ensure they show you the most relevant features, most POS brands will ask for your restaurant style and sometimes your location before scheduling a demo. They’ll also want an email address and phone number.
Have your list of desired features on hand for any demo you attend. It’s also useful to write down a list of questions you might have about granular functionality or additional costs. Most demos take around 30 minutes, but I’ve seen them go 45 minutes to an hour if I have a lot of questions.
You might really love the first system you demo. But I always like to look at least two more. By considering multiple systems, you can feel more confident in your final choice.
Step 4: Compare Systems
After getting several demos or free trials, compare each system to your list of must-have features and your budget.
Step 5: Make a Decision
The best iPad restaurant POS system for your restaurant is the one that has most of your desired features at a price you can afford. The best POS may be different for different restaurant types. Get input from your managers and chefs to help you make your selection. Then, follow up with the brands you demoed to let them know you’ve made a decision.
This is an important step, because the sales representatives from the POS brands you contacted will continue following up with you via phone or email until you either sign up or tell them you’ve selected a different POS provider. This can be pretty annoying, so save yourself the back and forth by letting the sales teams know that you’ve made your choice.
It’s OK if you choose a different system than neighboring restaurants use, or if you take a risk and try a new system you’ve never heard of before. One of the bonuses of an iPad POS is that most of these systems’ contracts only last a year or less, so you have some flexibility if your initial POS provider proves lackluster.
Step 6: Schedule Installation
With iPad POS systems, installation is frequently as simple as creating an account with the POS provider’s sales team, then downloading an app from the Apple App Store and installing the app on hardware you already own. However, some iPad restaurant POS systems only operate on iPads purchased directly from the brand itself. In that case, there will be some lead time waiting for your hardware to ship. Though typically purchased hardware will come with at least some of the pre-configuration already done for you.
Once you have created your POS account and received your hardware, most iPad restaurant POS companies provide you with remote installation assistance. A customer support representative will walk you through connecting receipt printers, kitchen printers, cash drawers, and other hardware. The rep will also usually help you install your card readers and ensure that your payment process works. Once your hardware is configured, you can enter your menu and start ringing in orders.
iPad Restaurant POS Pros & Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Can typically use hardware you already own | Customer support can be spotty |
| Contracts tend to be shorter (or not required) | Requires a strong internet connection to work |
| Most are self-installable for fast set-up | iPads are not industry-grade; they can break faster than traditional restaurant hardware |
| Easy to add more tools when you need them | |
Bottom Line
When you’re looking for an iPad restaurant POS, Lightspeed Restaurant offers the best combination of affordable price and robust functions. You can bring your compatible hardware and, for $69 per month, get user-friendly tools for managing orders and payments. Lightspeed also includes options for loyalty, online ordering, inventory, and KDS screens for transparent, affordable prices. To see if Lightspeed Restaurant is a fit for you, contact Lightspeed for a demo.
