--- title: "Best Restaurant Management Software - 2026 Reviews & Pricing" description: "Find the best Restaurant Management Software for your organization. Compare top Restaurant Management Software systems with customer reviews, pricing, and free demos." source_url: "https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-management-comparison/" page_type: "subcategory" language: "en" --- [Home](https://www.softwareadvice.com/) / Restaurant Management Software Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee. # Best Restaurant Management Software of 2026 Updated October 22, 2026 On this page 1. FrontRunners 2. Popular Comparisons 3. Buyers Guide 4. Related Software Filter products 367 results ### Compare Products Showing 1 - 25 of 367 products #### Company Size - Self-Employed - 2-10 - 11-50 - 51-200 - 201-500 - 501-1000 - 1000+ #### Pricing Options - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ ### Compare Products Sort by **Recommendations**: Sorts listings by the number of recommendations our advisors have made over the past 30 days. Our advisors assess buyers’ needs for free and only recommend products that meet buyers’ needs. Vendors pay Software Advice for these referrals. **Reviews**: Sorts listings by the number of user reviews we have published, greatest to least. **Average Rating**: Sorts listings by overall star rating based on user reviews, highest to lowest. **Alphabetically (A-Z)**: Sorts listings by product name from A to Z. ### [Clover](/retail/clover-profile/) - Overall rating: 3.8/5 - Reviews: 586 - Best for: Popular - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Clover is a POS system designed to help small businesses streamline their operations. The system offers a range of features, including payment processing, inventory management, [Read more](/retail/clover-profile/) ##### What users love - Versatile payment acceptance options - Customizable and modern interface - Simple learning and daily operation ##### To take in mind - Slow and unhelpful support experiences - Expensive hardware and add-ons - Sales tracking and limitations issues #### Features ##### Best rated features - API: 5/5 - Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5 - Sales Tax Management: 5/5 - Real-Time Reporting: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Retail POS: 1/5 - Retail Management: 1.2/5 - Returns Tracking: 1.3/5 - For Salons and Spas: 1.5/5 [See all features](/retail/clover-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request [See full pricing details](/retail/clover-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Toast POS](/retail/toast-pos-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.1/5 - Reviews: 554 - Starting price: $69.00/month - Best for: Ease of use - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Toast POS is a cloud-based restaurant point of sale system built specifically for the food service industry. It serves restaurants of every service model — quick service, fast [Read more](/retail/toast-pos-profile/) ##### What users love - Highly customizable user experience - Quick learning and onboarding - Streamlined staff operations ##### To take in mind - Inconsistent and slow support response - Limitations for restaurant workflows - Connectivity and outage problems #### Features ##### Best rated features - Real-Time Reporting: 5/5 - Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5 - SMS Messaging: 5/5 - Real-Time Analytics: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Delivery Management: 1.7/5 - Reservations Management: 2/5 - Wait List Management: 2/5 [See all features](/retail/toast-pos-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Epos Now](/retail/epos-now-profile/) - Overall rating: 3.8/5 - Reviews: 730 - Starting price: $349.00one time - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Epos Now POS systems are an effective business management, sales, and payment solution for single-site, multi-site, and online businesses. Popular with retailers and hospitality [Read more](/retail/epos-now-profile/) ##### What users love - Intuitive interface for all users - Streamlined staff operations - Accessible training and onboarding ##### To take in mind - Slow and unresponsive service - Long waits and inconsistent help - Unexpected and recurring charges #### Features ##### Best rated features - Customer History: 5/5 - User Management: 5/5 - Time Clock: 5/5 - Reservations Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - PCI Compliance: 1/5 - Ordering Automation: 1/5 - Point of Sale (POS) Integration: 1/5 - In-Person Payments: 1/5 [See all features](/retail/epos-now-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Rezku POS](/retail/rezku-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 42 - Starting price: $49.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Rezku is the premier POS, used by successful restaurants, bars and pizzerias to compete at a higher level, earn new business and eliminate headaches. Rezku comes complete with [Read more](/retail/rezku-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Cash Management: 5/5 - Customizable Branding: 5/5 - Online Ordering: 5/5 - Loyalty Program: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Reporting & Statistics: 4/5 - Discount Management: 4/5 - Sales Trend Analysis: 4/5 [See all features](/retail/rezku-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Starter - Price: $49.00/month - Starting at just $49. Perfect for small restaurants, bars and food trucks. Rezku makes it easy to [See full pricing details](/retail/rezku-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [LS Retail](/hotel-management/ls-central-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.3/5 - Reviews: 125 - Best for: Features - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Running a retail or hospitality business today means balancing endless moving parts: changing customer expectations, new sales channels, growing product ranges, and pressure to [Read more](/hotel-management/ls-central-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Payment Processing: 5/5 - Gift Card Management: 5/5 - Discount Management: 5/5 - Retail Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Commission Management: 3/5 - Pricing Management: 3.5/5 - Sales Reports: 3.7/5 - Purchase Order Management: 4/5 [See all features](/hotel-management/ls-central-profile/#key-features) --- ### [LineNow](/product/550630-LineNow/) - Overall rating: 4.3/5 - Reviews: 4 - Starting price: $100.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview LineNow is a software solution designed for purchase order and inventory management. It automates procurement workflows for small and medium-sized businesses across industries such [Read more](/product/550630-LineNow/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Purchase Order Management: 5/5 - Order Entry: 5/5 - Receiving: 4.5/5 - Search/Filter: 4.5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Third-Party Integrations: 3/5 - Alerts/Notifications: 4/5 - Accounting Integration: 4/5 [See all features](/product/550630-LineNow/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Flat Rate Plan - Price: $100.00/month - Includes automated purchase orders, real-time stock tracking, AI-powered insights, integration with [See full pricing details](/product/550630-LineNow/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [HungerRush](/retail/hungerrush360-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.1/5 - Reviews: 76 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview HungerRush is a leading provider of integrated restaurant technology solutions, serving restaurants of all sizes and cuisines. The flagship POS platform is a comprehensive [Read more](/retail/hungerrush360-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Real-Time Reporting: 5/5 - Loyalty Program: 5/5 - Customizable Branding: 5/5 - Delivery Estimate: 5/5 [See all features](/retail/hungerrush360-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Restroworks](/product/77505-Restroworks/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 698 - Best for: Small businesses - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Restroworks is a cloud-based enterprise restaurant management platform trusted by 25,000+ restaurants across global markets. Purpose-built for multi-format restaurant [Read more](/product/77505-Restroworks/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Contact Database: 5/5 - Customizable Reports: 5/5 - Real-Time Notifications: 5/5 - Point of Sale (POS) Integration: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Time Clock: 3/5 - Activity Dashboard: 3/5 - Employee Management: 3/5 [See all features](/product/77505-Restroworks/#key-features) --- ### [KickFin](/retail/kickfin-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 117 - Best for: Multi-Location - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Kickfin is a tip distribution solution that helps restaurants, bars, clubs, nightclub venues, hotels and entertainment centers directly deposit tips into employees’ bank accounts. [Read more](/retail/kickfin-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Multi-Location: 4.9/5 - Electronic Payments: 4.9/5 - Real-Time Notifications: 4.8/5 - Employee Management: 4.7/5 ##### Worst rated features - Performance Metrics: 2/5 - API: 3/5 - Billing & Invoicing: 3.3/5 - Third-Party Integrations: 4/5 [See all features](/retail/kickfin-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request [See full pricing details](/retail/kickfin-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Magestore](/retail/magestore-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 44 - Starting price: $69.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Magestore POS is a Magento-native point of sale that helps you process checkouts quickly in-store, at pop-ups, and even during outages with offline mode. It keeps stock consistent [Read more](/retail/magestore-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Returns Management: 5/5 - Loyalty Program: 5/5 - Touch Screen: 5/5 - Data Security: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Barcoding/RFID: 2.5/5 [See all features](/retail/magestore-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### POS Lite - Price: $69.00/month - A 7-day free trial ##### POS Simple (Subscription) - Price: $89.00/month - A 20-day free trial ##### POS Simple (One-time payment) - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request - A 1-year warranty and a 90-day money-back guarantee [See full pricing details](/retail/magestore-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Square Point of Sale](/retail/square-point-of-sale-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 3,042 - Starting price: $0.00/month - Best for: Enterprise businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Square Point of Sale is a cloud-based system designed to process payments and manage business operations across various industries. It serves food and beverage establishments, [Read more](/retail/square-point-of-sale-profile/) ##### What users love - Intuitive interface and setup - Versatile payment acceptance options - Flexible sales and reporting tools ##### To take in mind - High and accumulating transaction fees - Limited and slow customer assistance - Challenges with account holds and reporting #### Features ##### Best rated features - Price/Margin Management: 5/5 - CRM: 5/5 - Transaction History: 5/5 - Separate Checks: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Delivery Management: 3/5 - Email Marketing: 3/5 [See all features](/retail/square-point-of-sale-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Square Free - Price: $0.00/month - The essentials your business needs to sell in-person, online, over the phone, or out in the field. ##### Square Plus - Price: $49.00/month - A full suite of features built specifically for food, retail, and appointment-based businesses. ##### Square Premium - Price: $149.00/month - Our most advanced capabilities backed by 24/7 support. Built to streamline operations and help you [See full pricing details](/retail/square-point-of-sale-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Flipdish](/retail/flipdish-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 113 - Starting price: $99.00/month - Best for: Value for money - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Flipdish is an all-in-one restaurant POS and restaurant management system powering thousands of restaurants and takeaways around the world. Streamline operations with an intuitive [Read more](/retail/flipdish-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Multi-Location: 5/5 - Electronic Payments: 5/5 - Online Payments: 5/5 - Loyalty Program: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Restaurant POS: 1/5 - For Restaurants: 1/5 - Mobile Access: 1/5 - Forecasting: 1/5 [See all features](/retail/flipdish-profile/#key-features) --- ### [MYR POS](/retail/myr-pos-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 122 - Starting price: $80.00/month - Best for: Small businesses - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview MYR POS is a cloud-based point of sale solution and was created specifically for the quick-serve and fast-casual restaurant segments. Customers typically include coffee shops, [Read more](/retail/myr-pos-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Receipt Management: 5/5 - Real-Time Updates: 5/5 - Sales Management: 5/5 - Split Checks: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Barcode/Ticket Scanning: 1/5 - eCommerce Management: 2/5 - Pricing Management: 3/5 [See all features](/retail/myr-pos-profile/#key-features) --- ### [UpMenu](/retail/upmenu-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 14 - Starting price: $49.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview UpMenu is an online ordering system that allows restaurant customers to order food directly from the website. In addition, each restaurant can run its own mobile application, which [Read more](/retail/upmenu-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - For Restaurants: 5/5 - Reporting/Analytics: 5/5 - Discount Management: 5/5 - Loyalty Program: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - API: 1/5 - Customizable Reports: 2/5 - Third-Party Integrations: 3.5/5 - Employee Management: 4/5 [See all features](/retail/upmenu-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $49.00/month [See full pricing details](/retail/upmenu-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Petpooja](/retail/petpooja-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 37 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Petpooja POSS is a restaurant POS software built to manage day-to-day restaurant operations with ease, speed, and accuracy. Trusted by 1,00,000+ food outlets worldwide, the [Read more](/retail/petpooja-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Employee Management: 5/5 - Customizable Reports: 5/5 - Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5 - Billing & Invoicing: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Customer History: 3/5 - Electronic Payments: 3.6/5 - Loyalty Program: 3.7/5 [See all features](/retail/petpooja-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Brigade POS](/retail/brigade-profile/) - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviews: 10 - Starting price: $99.00/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Brigade is a cloud-based point of sale (POS) solution designed for small restaurants. It offers reservation management, staff management and service management within a [Read more](/retail/brigade-profile/) --- ### [SynergySuite](/retail/synergysuite-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 12 - Starting price: $225.00/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview SynergySuite for Restaurants offers a suite of cloud-based software for restaurant management. It enables restaurant chains, pub groups and other multi-location facilities to [Read more](/retail/synergysuite-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Sales Reports: 5/5 - Multi-Location: 5/5 - Labor Cost Reporting: 5/5 - Reporting & Statistics: 5/5 [See all features](/retail/synergysuite-profile/#key-features) --- ### [AB POS](/retail/ab-pos-solutions-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 11 - Starting price: $69.99/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview AB POS is a cloud-based point of sale system that assists small to large-sized restaurants, bars and clubs with menu creation, seat reservation, and multi-store management. [Read more](/retail/ab-pos-solutions-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Payment Processing: 5/5 - Inventory Management: 5/5 - Reporting/Analytics: 5/5 - Order Entry: 5/5 [See all features](/retail/ab-pos-solutions-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $69.99/month [See full pricing details](/retail/ab-pos-solutions-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [CAKE POS](/retail/cake-pos-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 522 - Starting price: $69.00/month - Best for: Ease of use - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview CAKE provides a comprehensive and easy-to-use POS designed specifically for restaurants. The software benefits independent restaurant owners who want to replace their current POS [Read more](/retail/cake-pos-profile/) ##### What users love - Responsive and reliable assistance - Intuitive and user-friendly interface - Comprehensive and customizable reporting ##### To take in mind - Processing delays and limitations - Complex fees and payment restrictions #### Features ##### Best rated features - Third-Party Integrations: 5/5 - Alerts/Notifications: 5/5 - Real-Time Data: 5/5 - Real-Time Updates: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Reservations Management: 1/5 - Order Tracking: 1/5 [See all features](/retail/cake-pos-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Eat App](/retail/eat-app-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 21 - Starting price: $49.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Eat App is a cloud-based reservation management system designed to help restaurants manage guests, bookings, payments, orders, and more on a unified portal. The platform enables [Read more](/retail/eat-app-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Real-Time Data: 5/5 - Wait List Management: 5/5 - Real-Time Notifications: 5/5 - Point of Sale (POS): 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Customer Database: 4/5 [See all features](/retail/eat-app-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $49.00/month [See full pricing details](/retail/eat-app-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [TastyIgniter](/retail/tastyigniter-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 59 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview TastyIgniter is an open-source online ordering and food delivery software that helps restaurants manage online reservations and streamline point-of-sale operations. Using its table [Read more](/retail/tastyigniter-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Activity Dashboard: 5/5 - Customer History: 5/5 - For Restaurants: 5/5 - Stock Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Loyalty Program: 3.3/5 - Food Delivery Dispatching: 3.3/5 - Reporting & Statistics: 3.4/5 - Third-Party Integrations: 3.5/5 [See all features](/retail/tastyigniter-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Microworks Prism POS](/retail/prism-pos-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 16 - Starting price: $5,000.00 - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Microworks Prism POS is an advanced touch-screen point of sale solution designed to provide full support for dining, delivery, and take-out operations. With advanced touch screen [Read more](/retail/prism-pos-profile/) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $5,000.00 [See full pricing details](/retail/prism-pos-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [SmartSwipe](/retail/smartswipe-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 15 - Starting price: $1.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview SmartSwipe is a cloud-based POS system designed for restaurant and retail businesses of any size. This solution helps businesses manage inventory, track customers, process [Read more](/retail/smartswipe-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Order Management: 5/5 - Payment Processing: 5/5 - Sales Reports: 5/5 - Inventory Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Point of Sale (POS): 4/5 [See all features](/retail/smartswipe-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $1.00/month [See full pricing details](/retail/smartswipe-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Tabology EPOS](/retail/rpos-cloud-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 13 - Starting price: £39.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview With Tabology’s EPOS and management suite, tech never gets in the way of outstanding service. It gives you everything you need to keep your hospitality business running smoothly, [Read more](/retail/rpos-cloud-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Credit Card Processing: 5/5 - Product Catalog: 5/5 - Separate Checks: 5/5 - Discount Management: 5/5 [See all features](/retail/rpos-cloud-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Essentials - Price: £39.00/month - A full featured hospitality EPOS with industry focussed reporting, stock management & mobile or ##### Pro - Price: £59.00/month - Full hospitality management suite with built-in booking system, loyalty CRM, staff scheduling tools ##### Partner - Price: £99.00/month - Custom branding and API access for growing brands [See full pricing details](/retail/rpos-cloud-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Push Operations](/calendar-app/push-operations-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 48 - Starting price: $4.00 - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Available #### Overview Push Operations is a cloud-based restaurant labor management platform designed to help HR managers and recruiters automate processes for streamlining payroll, time tracking and [Read more](/calendar-app/push-operations-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - W-2 Preparation: 5/5 - Payroll Reporting: 5/5 - Direct Deposit: 5/5 - Payroll Management: 5/5 [See all features](/calendar-app/push-operations-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $4.00 [See full pricing details](/calendar-app/push-operations-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- 1 [2](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-management-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=2)[3](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-management-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=3)[4](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-management-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=4)[5](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-management-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=5) ... [15](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-management-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=15) ## Popular Comparisons [ Epos Now vs Square Point of Sale ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/epos-now-profile/vs/square-point-of-sale/)[ Connecteam vs When I Work ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/connecteam-profile/vs/when-i-work/)[ Toast POS vs Restroworks ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/compare/4997-toast-pos/vs/77505-Restroworks/)[ Clover vs CAKE POS ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/cake-pos-profile/vs/clover/)[ 7shifts vs HotSchedules ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/7shifts-profile/vs/hotschedules/)[ SpotOn vs TouchBistro ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/spoton-restaurant-profile/vs/touchbistro/)[ Lavu vs Lightspeed Restaurant ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/lavu-profile/vs/lightspeed-restaurant/) ## Your Guide to Top Restaurant Management Software, March 2025 Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated Restaurant Management products in North America. [Learn how products are chosen](https://www.softwareadvice.com/legal-page/frontrunners-methodology/) #### Explore FrontRunners - [CAKE POS](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/cake-pos-profile/) - [eposbuddy](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/eposbuddy-profile/) - [Genius for Restaurants](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/435569-Genius-for-Restaurants/) - [Invu POS](https://www.softwareadvice.com/barbershop/invu-pos-profile/) - [Lavu](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/lavu-profile/) - [MarginEdge](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/marginedge-profile/) - [OpenTable](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hospital-management/opentable-profile/) - [Poster POS](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/poster-profile/) - [Restroworks](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restroworks-profile/) - [Skytab POS](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/skytab-pos-profile/) - [TastyIgniter](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/tastyigniter-profile/) - [Toast POS](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/toast-pos-profile/) “Usability” includes user ratings for Functionality and Ease of Use. “Customer Satisfaction” includes user ratings for Customer Support, Likelihood to Recommend and Value for Money. Reviews analysis period: The reviews analysis period spans two years and ends the 15th of the month prior to publication. ## Send me a copy of this list to my inbox ### Get a copy of this list with pricing info sent to your inbox so you can pick up where you left off when convenient to you. The dinner rush has begun, and once again, your kitchen is struggling to get plates out on time. You’re short-staffed because a server forgot their shift, and the cooks are worried there aren’t enough ingredients to serve the daily special until closing. Everyone is scrambling, and for good reason. You can’t afford another bad revenue day or negative Yelp review in this competitive market. Such is the life of managing a restaurant, where a thousand things need to go right to keep you afloat, but one thing going wrong can sink you immediately. If you find yourself struggling to keep on top of day-to-day operations, or you don’t have an accurate picture of the road ahead, restaurant management software can help. If you’ve never researched or purchased a restaurant management system before, that’s OK. This Buyer’s Guide highlights everything you need to know to help find the right solution. Here’s what we’ll cover: [What Is Restaurant Management Software?](#WhatIsRestaurantManagementSoftware) [Common Functionality of Restaurant Management Systems](#CommonFunctionalityofRestaurantManagementSystems) [5 Benefits of Restaurant Management Software](#5BenefitsofRestaurantManagementSoftware) [How Much Does Restaurant Management Software Cost?](#HowMuchDoesRestaurantManagementSoftwareCost) [Additional Restaurant Management Software Resources](#AdditionalRestaurantManagementSoftwareResources) ## What Is Restaurant Management Software? Restaurant management software is designed specifically to help users manage their food service establishment. Some platforms have functionality related to customer interactions, such as that found in a [point of sale (POS) system](https://www.softwareadvice.com/resources/what-is-a-point-of-sale-system/), but more often restaurant management software focuses on behind-the-scenes processes such as restaurant employee scheduling, inventory management and accounting. _Restaurant employee shift schedule in_ [HotSchedules](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/hotschedules-profile/) Restaurant management software exists in two forms. Systems like HotSchedules are best-of-breed applications that focus on one particular need. But, there are also all-encompassing suites like [PeachWorks](https://peachworks.com/), which are designed to take care of everything related to managing your restaurant. ## Common Functionality of Restaurant Management Systems Though products vary, here are some examples of common functions you can find in restaurant management systems: | Feature | Description | | --- | --- | | Labor management | Create and manage employee schedules, calculate labor costs and track compliance with laws and regulations. | | Inventory management | Keep running counts of what’s in stock and create custom reports. | | Recipe management | Create and maintain recipes based on inventory, set menu prices and analyze historical trends. | | Accounting | Manage your general ledger, compare financials against budget and generate reports. | | Logbook | Collaborate with other users, store customer feedback, take notes and create to-do lists. | | POS integration | Collect sales data from your POS system and track how it affects other areas of your restaurant. | --- ## 5 Benefits of Restaurant Management Software Using dedicated software to manage your restaurant offers a number of benefits over manual methods like pen and paper or Excel spreadsheets. These include: - **Reducing duplicate entry.** Instead of having to transfer inventory numbers and labor costs into your accounting ledger manually, restaurant management software can do it automatically. Better integration between applications means you don’t have to enter numbers twice, saving valuable time. - **Improved communication.** Individual user logins allow all of your staff to keep up-to-date with information and tasks relevant to them, while automated reminders can ensure that workers never forget when their next shift is again. - **Greater flexibility.** Cloud-based systems allow you to access your account from anywhere with any device if you have an internet connection. If you need to generate a report or switch someone’s schedule from home or while you’re out and about, you can. - **Fewer errors.** Audit trails and flagged entries for anything that appears out of the ordinary can ensure that the information you have is complete and accurate. - **More accurate forecasting.** Using historical data, restaurant management systems can give you more accurate predictions regarding future sales, inventory needs and otherwise. You can dig into your numbers and view them in different ways to uncover trends you might not have otherwise. ## How Much Does Restaurant Management Software Cost? The cost of a restaurant management software system largely depends on the complexity of the system’s functionality and how many locations you need to manage with it. A basic restaurant POS system to manage your sales and accounting needs may only cost $150 a year, while a more complex restaurant management suite to track every aspect of multiple locations may run you thousands of dollars a month. If you need integrated hardware, such as a tablet or cash register, that will bump up the price as well. Your payment schedule is also going to vary depending on whether the software is sold with perpetual or subscription licensing. With perpetual licensing, you pay one large fee upfront to use the software indefinitely. Recurring costs are lower, but the initial cost is substantial. With subscription licensing, you pay a smaller monthly or annual fee as you go along. The upfront cost is lower, but the recurring costs are higher than those with a perpetual license. Costs associated with each licensing option tend to equal out over time. Ask vendors about the specifics of their particular pricing structure so you can budget for the system accordingly. ## Additional Restaurant Management Software Resources The information found in this Buyer’s Guide offers a good baseline to help you begin researching restaurant management software vendors. Here are some additional Software Advice resources to check out as you decide on a system and learn how to get the best use out of it for your business: - [How to Inventory Items With Your POS Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/resources/how-to-inventory-items-with-pos/): If you’ve never digitized your inventory numbers before, it can feel like a daunting task. This guide offers best practices to help with the transition. We even have an Excel inventory template to get you started. - **Increase Restaurant Upselling and Grow Revenue With Mobile POS Systems**: Did you know your restaurant management software can actually make you money? It’s true. We show how automated server prompts found in mobile POS systems can aid your upselling tactics. An embedded calculator allows you to see how even a $1 average ticket increase can benefit your bottom line. - **Why Restaurants Fail—and How Yours Can Succeed**: There’s no guarantee that a restaurant will succeed. We talk to experts to uncover common mistakes that new restaurants make and offer advice on how yours can excel from the start. ### Related Restaurant Management Software - [Catering Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/catering/) - [Food Costing Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/4748-food-costing/) - [Food Service Management Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/food-service-management/) - [Nutrition Analysis Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nutrition-analysis/) - [Restaurant POS Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-pos-software-comparison/)