Best POS Systems for Delivery Restaurants: Complete 2024 Guide

The POS Decision

Your POS system is the backbone of your restaurant. It processes orders, tracks inventory, manages staff, and handles payments.

For delivery restaurants, the right POS can:

But the wrong POS can cost you time, money, and customers.

Here's how to choose the right one.

What Delivery Restaurants Need

Essential Features

Nice-to-Have Features

Top POS Systems for Delivery

Toast (Best Overall)

Price: $165-275/month + processing fees

Pros:

Cons:

Best for: Restaurants $50k+/month revenue, multiple locations

Square for Restaurants (Best Value)

Price: $60-165/month + processing fees

Pros:

Cons:

Best for: Small to medium restaurants, budget-conscious

Lightspeed Restaurant (Best for Multi-Location)

Price: $69-229/month + processing fees

Pros:

Cons:

Best for: Multi-location restaurants, chains

TouchBistro (Best for Simplicity)

Price: $69-149/month + processing fees

Pros:

Cons:

Best for: Small restaurants, simple operations

Clover (Best Hardware)

Price: $39-199/month + processing fees

Pros:

Cons:

Best for: Small restaurants, value-focused

Key Considerations

1. Delivery Platform Integration

Critical: Your POS must integrate with delivery platforms:

Check: Which platforms are supported? How seamless is integration?

2. Kitchen Display System

Important: KDS shows orders to kitchen:

Check: Does it have KDS? How good is it?

3. Order Management

Critical: Handle multiple channels:

Check: Can it handle your order volume? How does it prioritize?

4. Inventory Management

Important: Track inventory automatically:

Check: How automated is inventory? Does it track waste?

5. Reporting and Analytics

Important: Understand your business:

Check: What reports are available? Can you export data?

6. Cost

Consider:

Calculate: Total cost of ownership over 3 years

Implementation Process

Phase 1: Research (Week 1-2)

Phase 2: Selection (Week 3)

Phase 3: Setup (Week 4-6)

Phase 4: Launch (Week 7)

Phase 5: Optimization (Ongoing)

Cost Breakdown

Software Fees

Payment Processing

Hardware

Setup and Training

Making the Decision

For Small Restaurants (<$30k/month)

Recommendation: Square for Restaurants or TouchBistro

For Medium Restaurants ($30k-100k/month)

Recommendation: Toast or Lightspeed

For Large Restaurants ($100k+/month)

Recommendation: Toast or Lightspeed

Common Mistakes

1. Choosing Based on Price Alone

Cheapest isn't always best. Consider total value and ROI.

2. Ignoring Integration

If it doesn't integrate with your delivery platforms, it's not the right choice.

3. Not Testing

Always do a demo and trial before committing.

4. Underestimating Training

New POS requires training. Budget time and money.

5. Not Planning for Growth

Choose a system that can grow with you.

Getting Started

The Bottom Line

The right POS system is an investment that pays for itself through:

For delivery restaurants, integration with delivery platforms is non-negotiable. Choose a system that makes delivery operations seamless.

Start by identifying your needs, then research options that fit. Don't just choose the cheapest—choose the one that will help you grow.

The right POS can increase efficiency by 25% and reduce errors by 30%. For a restaurant doing $50k/month, that's $1,250-1,500/month in value.

Worth the investment? Absolutely.