Founded in Toronto in 2010, TouchBistro has rapidly expanded beyond the city to take over the entire restaurant POS industry, and for good reason: The interface is clean but versatile, it offers a broad range of features, it's priced well, and it comes with a round-the-clock support team.
The iPad app makes providing service to customers quick and easy, and it comes with features designed for tableside ordering. In short, TouchBistro offers all the features and benefits a restaurant POS needs.
- Free Trial
- 24/7 Support
- Serves all business sizes
- Established: 2010
- HQ: Toronto, Canada
- Tableside service features
- Custom menus and layouts
- Loyalty CRM
TouchBistro is, without doubt, a great choice for restaurants in need of a POS system. However, it's not the only solution on the market and it's worth taking a look at some of the other providers before taking the plunge. The easiest way to compare POS system providers is by filling in our quick and easy quotes form. It only takes a few minutes and you'll receive tailored quotes specifically for your restaurant.
In this review
TouchBistro's POS app is based in the cloud and was designed from the ground up for the restaurant industry: If your small business isn't in the food industry, this review isn't for you. If you do run a restaurant, TouchBistroshould be among your top choices. It's certainly popular in the industry: Over 12,000 venues run TouchBistro worldwide and over $6 billion in payments have been processed through the software.
TouchBistro has an excellent range of POS features. Some are fairly typical of all POS services such as sales reporting and analytics, while others are more specialist such as tableside ordering and loyalty programs.
This review focuses on TouchBistro's full-service restaurant POS app but the vendor offers four more POS apps aimed at more specific niches within the food industry: The Quick Service, Bars and Clubs, Food Truck, and Brewery POS apps all offer their own venue-specific features and benefits.
Compare price quotes before deciding
TouchBistro POS: Core Features
Tableside Order Management
TouchBistro makes tableside ordering simple for a server to place an order and send it directly to the kitchen while still standing in front of the table they're serving. Servers can select the quantity and type of menu item, sorting by both seats and courses in order to get everything right. Automatic prompts can remind servers what potential upsells could be suggested with each item. Then, when the meal's over, servers can separate or join seats with a simple swipe or tap in order to split the bill with minimal effort.
Menu Management
Managers can create, edit and upload customized menus to TouchBistro’s app, adding and subtracting menu items as needed. Low inventory alerts can help managers know which items to remove before a customer orders something that isn't available. In addition, data reports help managers know which menus and items sell the best, allowing them to create even better menus in the future.
CRM Features
TouchBistro’s customer relationship management (CRM) features allow servers to reward repeat visitors. Once an account is set up for a regular customer, favorite items can be suggested to servers whose memories might not supply “the usual” quite as quickly as TouchBistro's software can. These customers' favorite orders can also help guide managers as they build new menus or consider special promotions.
Floor Plan & Table Management
TouchBistro also offers table management options, a staple feature of restaurant POS services. A customizable floor plan allows you to layout your entire operation, down to the table size. Servers can then move parties around as needed. The result? Portable maps that update in real time, putting everyone on the same page and speeding up service.
Staff Management
With TouchBistro POS, staff can clock in and out, and managers can easily track their hours. Accounts for individual employees allow managers to keep staff-specific details in mind, and in-app messaging allows staff members to contact each other throughout a shift.
Seamless staff management pays off. TouchBistro has helped restaurateurs save up to 4% on labor.
Mobile Sales
TouchBistro supports a host of mobile payment processors. Including Square, iZettle, Chase Paymentech, Moneris, Worldpay, and PayPal. Servers will be able to take cash, card and debit.
Inventory Management
TouchBistro has fantastic inventory management. It allows restaurateurs to track items sold and the ingredients which make up each dish. Alerts let managers and staff know when an item needs to be restocked. In addition, profit margins for each item can be tracked, letting managers know which items offer the worst return on investment.
Reporting & Analytics
TouchBistro can deliver daily reports to senior staff members. Managers can use the data collected from every other feature in order to determine future plans: Which tables are most popular, which menu items should be promoted, and which servers work the fastest at which times. Since inventory and sales are tracked to the last detail, theft can be noted and deterred.
Hardware Needs
TouchBistro runs on all iPads after the first four generations. You’ll need a wireless router, which allows the TouchBistro POS to run on a secured local network. If you're a small operation, one iPad and a router should be all the hardware you need.
If you're using multiple iPads, you'll need a central hub to serve as the “brain” of your POS software. If you use five or fewer iPads, an Apple Mac Mini Computer is best. If you use six or more iPads, try a iMac Computer, and if you have fifteen or more, TouchBistro recommends a Mac Pro.
Hardware Highlight: TouchBistro Kiosk
TouchBistro's hardware product line isn't as extensive as that of many other POS vendors. However, one hardware item stands out: A kiosk that lets customers tap product buttons to compose and pay for their unique order. If you manage a quick service or a fast casual restaurant, a self-serve kiosk might be the hardware investment you need to fill orders faster and save money in the process. Watch this video for a demonstration.
Set Up and Customer Support
TouchBistro's online help portal offers as much customer support as you can expect to get through a computer screen, including setup guides, training videos, and user guides for staff, managers, and administrators.
Users in any of the four service plans will have access to 24/7 phone & email app support. All restaurant data is backed up on the cloud daily, so if the app crashes, you won't lose your sales and inventory history. Hardware installation and troubleshooting is available for an additional fee.
A 28-day free trial of the POS is available to anyone who signs up for an account on the website.
Support & Training
Support options
- Phone: 888-342-0131 (U.S.)
- Phone support 24/7
- Email: support@touchbistro.com
- Email support 24/7
Training options
- Help portal
- User guides
- Online videos
TouchBistro POS Pricing Plans
TouchBistro has a unique pricing system. Instead of pricing its services on a per user per month basis, TouchBistro’s plans offer a cap on the number of monthly users.
TouchBistro’s Solo plan costs $69 per month for one license, the Dual plan costs $129 per month for two licenses, the Team plan costs $249 per month and gives you five licences, and finally, the Unlimited plan costs $399 per month for unlimited users.
As a result, it might be cheaper for some businesses to opt for the Unlimited plan as they will pay less over time. TouchBistro’s prices are competitive with the rest of the POS industry, regardless of which plan you use. However, the size of your business will determine just how good a deal you’ll get.
The Verdict
TouchBistro's many features cover all the basics of restaurant operations as well as a few bells and whistles, and they're highly configurable to boot. Both pricing and support meet or exceed industry standards. TouchBistro is a solid choice for most restaurant businesses, and a particularly great option for a restaurant with iPad-powered tableside service.
Before you start rushing off to sign-up for TouchBistro, though, it's worth taking a look at the competition. There are loads of great restaurant POS systems out there and the easiest way to compare the different providers is by filling in our quick and easy form. You'll get tailor-made quotes for your business in minutes, with no obligations.
but it's worth comparing prices with the competition
Get tailored quotes now from leading POS providers like TouchBistro.
Tech.co is reader-supported. Using Tech.co's comparison form, you can receive quotes from various suppliers, tailored to the needs of your business. If you enter into a contract with a provider, we may receive a payment for the introduction. Equally, if you make a purchase through the links on our site, we may earn a commission from the retailers of the products we have reviewed. This helps Tech.co to provide free advice and reviews. It carries no additional cost to you, and doesn’t affect our editorial independence.