- Compare the best Restaurant POS software that Integrates with WooCommerce of 2021 for your business. Find the highest rated Restaurant POS software that Integrates with WooCommerce pricing, reviews.
- Sage Intacct is a provider of cloud-based financial management and accounting software. Sage Intacct's software solution is suitable for small to midsize accounting firms and can provide financial reporting and operational insights.
- Best Accounting Software for Cafe: FreshBooks We chose FreshBooks for the best accounting software for a cafe. The reason this platform shines as small restaurant accounting software is because of its feature set and price point. It’s designed with the lean operation in mind.
The best accounting software for your restaurant gives you real-time insights into your restaurant's financial health. It has both accounts payable and accounts receivable features so you can manage money coming in and going out of your restaurant. Find and compare top Restaurant Management software on Capterra, with our free and interactive tool. Quickly browse through hundreds of Restaurant Management tools and systems and narrow down your top choices. Filter by popular features, pricing options, number of users, and read reviews from real users and find a tool that fits your needs.
Most of the time, restaurant owners have to contend with the daily grind of running their businesses. Managing a restaurant is undoubtedly one of the most daunting tasks that an entrepreneur can undertake.
Restaurant management involves a lot of processes that, if done right, would ensure the smooth flow of enterprise and even increased profits. While profits may be harder to achieve with the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurateurs can still capitalize on the pent-up demand for on-premise dining as well as the increased demand for off-premise dining. And you do that—and save time—by employing restaurant management software. Here, we discuss the 10 leading in the field so you can find one that works for you.
10 Best Restaurant Management Software
The restaurant industry is one of the most badly hit industries by the COVID-19 pandemic. A report detailing how Americans changed eating habits during the pandemic revealed that 55% of shoppers have been eating at home more since the pandemic began. However, eating at home is not without its challenges, with consumers saying that their biggest struggles are grocery shopping and planning different meals.
Eating at home also doesn’t mean that consumers don’t want to return to restaurants at all. On the contrary, a report on the state of the restaurant industry reveals that 67% of adults in the U.S. said that they are not eating on-premise at restaurants and fast food places as often as they would like.
Source: National Restaurant Association, 2021
Restaurant management applications allow restaurateurs to oversee all processes of their operations using a single solution. For first-time users, focus on certain areas can be useful in their selection of restaurant management software providers. Ideally, key features should include functions such as billing, CRM, stock and inventory, and reporting and analytics. Automation of these tasks helps ease management burdens while improving sales and enriching customer experience. Using restaurant management software can equip you to reopen your business and ride the wave of recent restaurant trends.
10 Best Restaurant Management Software
1. Toast POS
Toast POS is a tool specifically targeted at US-based businesses such as bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. It allows for the improvement of worker efficiencies and customer experience while reducing costs. The software has a menu management feature that can handle menu pricing, customization for both online and offline clients, and preparation of the entire menu. An ordering capability allows managers to split items and customer bills and can generate notification upon the completion of an order.
The vendor offers a great free demo that lets you try out all the key features first. You can easily sign up for Toast POS free demo.
Toast POS
Try out Toast POS with their free demo
Orders are taken using POS Android-based tablet computers, eliminating the need to make runs in between kitchen, terminals and tables. Also, the system can monitor stocks and add or remove menu items. Customers can use the interface to sign receipts, pay, and hand out tips. Automation of loyalty and discount workflows, along with menu customization is achievable using the app; staff performance can be monitored through daily email alerts that the solution automatically sends out.
Transactions are hastened using the interface’s Quick Order feature as working from tablets servers easily take orders and receive payments at tableside. Another useful feature is that the application presents restaurant clients with reasonable tip percentages. All these transactions can be remotely monitored in real-time. However, as mentioned previously, this platform is only available to businesses that operate within the US.
2. Sapaad
Sapaad is a POS and delivery management designed to make running a restaurant easier. The system works seamlessly for food service businesses of all sizes, from cafes and take-away counters to large multi-chain restaurants and fast-food chains. The Sapaad system can also accommodate all types of orders, including dine-in, take away, and online ordering.
Aside from being versatile, Sapaad is designed to be easy to use. The system’s dashboard allows restaurant staff to browse available menu categories, place orders, and add customer preferences to orders. Moreover, the system’s Dine In module also provides a convenient overview of the status of all tables at the restaurant, so front-of-house staff know exactly how many tables are available, no matter how busy it gets.
Sapaad also helps streamline the back-office processes involved in running a restaurant. The dashboard’s Inventory tab provides features for managing suppliers, sending purchase orders, and checking received goods against invoices. The software can also help restaurants account for wastage by tracking damaged items, expired items, and cancelled orders.
For easier restaurant management, Sapaad also provides a robust business dashboard. This dashboard gives users a real-time view of the restaurant’s performance, with live updates for orders and sales as these come in. Widgets on the dashboard can be resized and rearranged so restaurant owners can focus on the most important metrics.
3. Menumiz
Menumiz has a ton of features that enables managers and staff alike to have an easy time managing their restaurants. From its robust menu-maker that can create and modify menu items to its top-of-the-line POS, Menumiz is an agile, cloud-based restaurant management software that deserves a spot on our top 10.
It also includes kitchen management capabilities alongside mainstays in this category such as order, table, and customer management. It comes with a built-in loyalty program for repeat customers and supports payment through a cashier (with an RJ11 cash drawer trigger) or through its app. And yes, Menumiz has a free mobile app (for iOS and Android) that customers can use to view menus and prices for restaurants that use this software.
Menumiz
Try out Menumiz with their free trial
Through the mobile app, customers can browse through the restaurant’s menu and services. Once submitted, orders are directly routed to the kitchen staff to speed up the kitchen-to-table process and improve order accuracy.
Another unique feature of Menumiz is its floor layout design. With Menumiz, you can upload a layout in supported formats like DWG files or even a photo. The software allows you to base a floor using this layout and number the tables accordingly.
4. 7shifts
7Shifts is, like When I Work, an employee scheduling software. This is, however, not the biggest reason we’ve included it in our top 10 list. This software is specifically made for use by restaurant managers because it can improve employee attendance and schedule shifts seamlessly. As a result, your restaurant will be staffed accordingly, without redundancies and conflicts.
The best thing about 7shifts is that it simplifies the creation and modification of schedules. It has a native mobile app, so you can clock in anywhere and managers can approve schedule requests on the go. Other features include in-app messaging, push and email notifications, and integrations with payroll software.
7shifts also has comprehensive analytics with forecasting features. This software can allow you to project costs and budgets and give you numerical data on the performance of your restaurant—in real-time.
The system facilitates communication between managers and staff through integrated communication tools. One-on-one and group chat features make it easier for employees and management to communicate shift changes and other concerns. Managers can also use the system to send one-way and all-call messages to staff.
5. Oracle Hospitality
Oracle Hospitality is not a single application but rather a suite of software, hardware, and cloud solutions designed to enhance hotel and restaurant operations while at the same elevating each guest’s experience. This represents Oracle’s full commitment in transitioning its hospitality unit into the digital economy.
Designed to create solutions that enable growth for the hotel and restaurant business, Oracle Hospitality provides the tools to create property management and point-of-sale systems that can better manage operations, increase efficiency, and provide improved guest experiences.
The complete suite is designed to maximize both profits and productivity by providing deeper insights into client behaviors. Through Oracle Hospitality, you can gather feedback from your customer base, tailor personalized services, and encourage direct reservations and bookings. At the same time, it can help address concerns in reservations, housekeeping, finances, guest management, and loyalty programs.
6. TouchBistro
TouchBistro is an application targeted at restaurants and just about every type of foodservice there is. The platform is designed to automate virtually every business process involved in restaurant management. It can effectively manage orders, tables, and staff scheduling, among others. The software can be accessed by iPad, making tasks such as access reporting and analytics easy to do anytime, anywhere.
Operating on local area networks, the system does not need to be online to do its job. This means that no downtime will ever occur, even if an internet outage takes place. This important feature is complemented by the application’s capability to report and manage menus using the cloud, which enables managers to continually monitor their businesses from anywhere.
TouchBistro comes with a Self-Ordering Kiosk, which can benefit fast-food services by helping cut costs associated with labor as it speeds up the ordering process. The application’s smart features help cater to the needs of most restaurants, which include table management, bill splitting, and menu updates. All these are done through the system’s iPad interface.
Also, TouchBistro can provide restaurant staff with needed mobility by customizing the ordering process. This feature enables employees to cater to incoming customers, generating more tips and sales in the process. Order errors are also prevented, allowing for a richer customer experience.
7. Clover
Clover is an integrated POS system specially designed for small and medium restaurants. With its user-friendly interface, the system makes it easier for restaurant staff to take orders and accept payments. The software allows restaurants to accept credit and debit cards and checks as well as payments through NFC and mobile wallets.
Using Clover’s POS hardware and software, restaurants will also be able to improve the dining experience for customers. Digital receipts and one-touch tipping become available, and safer transactions become possible through contactless payments. Through Clover’s POS system, restaurants can also accept payments even offline.
Clover also facilitates seamless online ordering for restaurants. Online orders are routed directly to the POS system to ensure accuracy. Orders can also be customized with more descriptive modifiers to ensure orders are prepared correctly. Additionally, the software allows staff to easily combine multiple orders, open tabs, and split bills.
This POS software also makes it easier for restaurant owners to track sales and revenue. The system provides accurate data on a wide variety of metrics, including overall and hourly revenue, open orders, and top-selling items. Sales can be monitored as they come in, and reports are accessible via mobile devices as well.
8. Revel Systems POS
Revel Systems POS is a comprehensive and scalable iPad-based POS platform made specifically for retail stores, bars, and restaurants. It allows you to fully stay on top of your business with its employee management, inventory management, and sales reporting capabilities.
The POS system comes fully integrated with both finance and accounting tools, along with a flexible payment system to ensure the smooth operation of your business. The inventory module informs you which item is currently selling most so you can prevent running out of stock and ensure satisfied customers.
For flexibility, Revel Systems POS lets you accept multiple payment types, hold bar tabs, and split bills. Versatile table management, cash management, and delivery management features let you deliver the best service to your customers according to their preferences.
While it’s a cloud-based tool, it’s fully capable of offline mode, syncing data once internet connection is fully restored.
9. Cake
Accounting System For Restaurant
CAKE is a low-cost POS system with online ordering function and guest management features. The restaurant management solution allows business owners to handle reservations, waitlists, and payment. CAKE’s table management features make taking orders and turning tables seamless and efficient, especially during peak hours.
Improving customer service is one of CAKE’s top priorities. In order to achieve this, it is important to understand your customers’ preferences. By utilizing CAKE’s Guest Manager feature, you can gather enough information from your customers’ previous transactions and make intelligent decisions on how to give them a better customer experience.
Aside from full-service and quick-service restaurants, the software solution also caters to other establishments like pubs and bars.
For added convenience, CAKE is also available at various bundles and price points. CAKE’s POS Software and Service Bundle, for instance, costs $69 per month and includes the software, along with security monitoring and 24/7 tech support.
10. ShopKeep by Lightspeed
ShopKeep by Lightspeed is a POS software designed purposely for iPad and Android devices. Built by merchants for merchants, ShopKeep by Lightspeed offers a number of tools to help retail and food and beverage businesses in solving challenges common to POS systems. Its main features include inventory management, invoicing, and payment processing. With ShopKeep by Lightspeed, business owners can streamline inventory tasks payments and sales and marketing processes.
As a restaurant POS software, ShopKeep by Lightspeed comes with an intuitive and user-friendly interface to simplify your POS transactions and payment processing. It has smart POS features that let you speed through customer transactions, split payments, manage refunds and returns, as well as customize recommended tip amounts.
Moreover, ShopKeep by Lightspeed offers staff management tools that allow you to oversee the performance of your team from a single, unified POS platform. For instance, you can use ShopKeep by Lightspeed to record employee hours and keep track of their performance. The time clock feature also allows employees to clock in directly from the register so you don’t have to switch to another application for employee time tracking.
When it comes to payment processing, ShopKeep by Lightspeed offers an integrated payments solution that helps you save big on processing fees. With ShopKeep by Lightspeed, you can accept all payment types, whether cash, credit, debit, or contactless payments.
Manage Your Restaurant With a Powerful Tool
After reading this top 10 restaurant management software guide, you should now be able to choose the one that’s appropriate for you. But keep in mind that you need not stare at the flashy features, consider your needs and pick the one that can give them to you.
Our top pick is Toast POS, which has all the things you need to manage your restaurant operations—and a bit more. It’s tooled specifically for restaurants and other food and beverage establishments, but its flexible features allow it to find work in places that serve clients using a POS system if you want to know more about the features, you can easily sign up for a Toast POS free demo.
Otherwise, you can take a look at our list of inventory management software. These are programs that can complement your restaurant management application by making sure your restaurant or establishment has the necessary stocks on hand, helping your business survive during and even beyond the pandemic.
Bar and restaurant accounting is a different animal.
This is why:
It depends on many unique metrics and reports, and they all have to be considered simultaneously.
Food cost, liquor cost, COGS, prime cost, labor cost, you get the idea.
That’s why restaurant accounting software is necessary.
If you want to run a successful bar or restaurant, there’s no way around it. You need to know how to manage restaurant accounts and automate and centralize your financial reporting. Or else you’ll spend way too much time and effort doing it yourself.
Quickbooks For Restaurants And Bars
We designed our bar inventory software to plug directly into bar and restaurant accounting software. We know a thing or two about bar and restaurant accounting.
So we rounded up the options we think are the best so you can compare them.
Let’s get to it.
Best Accounting Software for Restaurants: QuickBooks Online
For our money, QuickBooks Online is the best restaurant accounting system (90). Here’s why.
First, it’s a very popular platform with many resources for learning it. If you’re doing your own restaurant accounting, choosing a platform with a large, active community is a big help. And if you pay someone to do your accounting, they’ll likely be familiar with QuickBooks because most accounts are.
Second, it seamlessly integrates with a whole host of bar-and-restaurant-specific software platforms and bar POS systems. That allows bar and restaurant operators to build their tech stack exactly how they want. By easily plugging in other platforms to QuickBooks. It’s everything that’s great about an all-in-one solution coupled with everything great about a custom-built solution. A great example of this is BinWise Pro. It’s compatible with QuickBooks and funnels reams of valuable restaurant and bar inventory data into your accounting dashboard.
Third, it has an intuitive interface with a centralized dashboard that auto-schedules reporting. Some of those reports even track time and payroll so scheduling inefficiencies can be brought to heel.
Best Accounting Software for Cafe: FreshBooks
We chose FreshBooks for the best accounting software for a cafe. The reason this platform shines as small restaurant accounting software is because of its feature set and price point. It’s designed with the lean operation in mind.
FreshBooks is quite similar to QuickBooks, believe it or not. While it’s not as feature-rich as QuickBooks, it’s jam-packed with useful features for the price.
First, FreshBooks automates accounting tasks like expense organization, time tracking, and report running. It's also great for conducting an internal audit of restaurant.
It also offers:
- Late payment reminders with custom messaging
- Tracks all expenses automatically by tying to a business bank account
- Photo receipt upload option for expense tracking
- Ability for seamless bar inventory app integration
- Sleek, branded, exportable reports that reflect your operation’s professionalism
- Cash flow monitoring
- A built-in restaurant break even point calculator
Altogether, FreshBooks is a system designed with small businesses in mind. And to make it easy to get paid and track expenses and performance. It’s basically the perfect cafe accounting software (50).
And it starts at, as of this writing, $4.50 per month. Can’t beat that with a stick.
Best Accounting Software for Pubs: ZipBooks
We give ZipBooks the nod for bar bookkeeping software because it’s budget-friendly software that’s designed specifically to free up time for its users. No more spending all day clicking away at accounting software.
It frees good bar managers up to work on other bar-related stuff. Like building relationships and devising psychological pricing strategies in underground laboratories.
It’s also got a free option, which is great for test drives. And the monthly plan happens to be downright reasonable, too.
Here’s what ZipBooks will get a busy bar manager:
- Automated expense tracking
- Full spectrum financial analysis and reporting
- Secure document sharing
- Customized taxonomy system for financial books
- One-time and recurring billing
- Streamlined, easy-to-use interface
- Integration with POS systems and their inventory management capabilities
- Simplified restaurant profit and loss statement
Take BinWise Pro, for example. It’s a bar inventory management system that integrates into virtually every POS system. If you’re using ZipBooks, it automatically benefits from inventory software like BinWise Pro. By using the POS. It’s literally that easy to build a custom software stack for your bar or restaurants.
Best Accounting Software for Food Trucks: Xero
Here’s why we recommend Xero if you’re looking for the best accounting software for good trucks: it integrates with TouchBistro.
And we think TouchBistro is the leanest, meanest POS a food truck can get.
That said, what does Xero get you besides TouchBistro integration?
A bunch of admin taken off your plate and streamlined finances.
Like these:
- Create customized recurring online invoices
- Syncs easily with third-party apps of all sorts, including both TouchBistro and BinWise Pro
- Instantly generates an up-to-date view of cash flow through an online dashboard
- Advanced purchase order management
And it starts at, as of this writing, 11 bucks a month.
How to Choose Food and Beverage Accounting Software
There are a few guidelines we think benefit bar and restaurant owners when it comes to choosing food and beverage accounting software. It should be easy to use and integrate with payroll and inventory management software.
Find a Simple Accounting Software for Restaurant
Simple is relative, of course. You won’t know if accounting software for a restaurant is simple until you try it. That said, there are a few hallmarks of simple accounting software for restaurants.
Simple accounting software for a restaurant will:
- Be cloud-based. You should be able to access your platform and data at any time, from anywhere. From a phone or a tablet, from a desktop computer in a far-flung vacation destination. Anywhere you get the hankering for some sweet restaurant numbers, you can indulge.
- Have both accounts payable and accounts receivable reporting features. Seems obvious, but there are a lot of questionable options out there. Options that don’t offer tracking and management for both sides of your cash flow. You'll also want an easy to use restaurant chart of accounts.
- Offer connectivity with bank accounts. If your bank accounts and accounting software don’t share information, that information has to be input manually. By you. It’s time consuming to say the least.
Restaurant Accounting and Payroll Software Integration
Managing payroll is a unique challenge in hospitality. There are large staffs with a lot of turnover and different pay. Hours per week and per shift are inconsistent. Oh, tips, too. Strangely, there exist restaurant and bar accounting software that doesn’t hook up to your payroll software.
Avoid that.
The concepts of accounting and payroll are intimately linked from an operational standpoint. And if your restaurant accounting software doesn’t consider payroll in its calculations, or generate payroll reports, insights, and analyses, it’s not pulling its weight.
Bar Inventory Management Software
And, finally, bar inventory management. A restaurant or bar’s inventory is typically its largest asset. It’s also the asset with the most volatility. Get your inventory control methods wrong and you’re looking at excess inventory, high inventory variance, and money swirling down the drain.
With an inventory management system that syncs to accounting software, a large part of bookkeeping is streamlined. Purchase orders and invoices are sent directly to accounting. And restaurant KPI like pour cost, inventory usage, and par level inventory can be folded in for extra robust reporting.
And the more information you have at your disposal, the more profitable your decisions. That’s how to do liquor inventory right. It’s how to do wine inventory or draft beer inventory right, too. A successful bar means successful inventory management.