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TouchBistro is a reliable POS system designed specifically for restaurants. It offers just about every feature a hospitality business would need, including advanced cost management capabilities, streamlined table management, and tableside ordering features. Its flexible iPad and Mac-based hardware setup and intuitive software make the TouchBistro POS a solid option for first-time POS users too.
TouchBistro won’t be a perfect match for every venue, however. Unlike our leading POS system for restaurants, Toast, it lacks some sophisticated features like tip management and QR code ordering. Since the provider is iPad-based, it won’t be suitable for businesses looking for a physical terminal, either.
Read on for our full review of TouchBistro, including its key features, how much it costs, what hardware it offers, and how it compares to other leading POS systems like Toast, Clover and Square.
- TouchBistro plans start at $69 per month, but it does not offer a free plan, a free trial, or month-to-month contracts.
- TouchBistro stands out for in-depth hospitality analytics with over 50 reports covering ingredient-level inventory, labor costs, and table turnover speed.
- The software runs exclusively on Apple iPads and Mac computers, making it incompatible with venues that need standard standalone physical terminals.
- Key operational features like online ordering, reservations, and kitchen display systems require separate paid add-ons with custom quotes.
- Restaurants needing dedicated QR code ordering or built-in tip management should consider alternatives like Toast instead.
TouchBistro POS: At a Glance
Here’s a quick overview of TouchBistro’s highlights, lowlights, and price points, to help you determine its suitability off the bat:
- TouchBistro’s entry price is $69 per month, and the POS doesn’t offer a free version or a free trial.
- TouchBistro’s software is exclusively iPad-based, which makes the system highly portable, but means that it’s unsuitable for businesses needing a physical POS terminal.
- Thanks to the provider’s intuitive software and low learning curve, TouchBistro is one of the most user-friendly POS systems I’ve tested.
- While TouchBistro offers 24/7 support via phone, email, and live chat, its chat response times are longer than those of competitors like Square and Lightspeed.
- A lot of useful features are only available as paid add-ons, which bumps up the overall price of TouchBistro and makes it less suitable for small businesses compared to solutions like Square and Toast.
TouchBistro POS
In Short
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Pros
- Supports in-person and online ordering
- Strong table and order management
- In-depth inventory and cost calculation
- Automatic daily backups
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Cons
- Pricing based on the number of users, which could add up
- Only works with Apple iPads and computers
- No training mode (but 24/7 support and videos available)
Pricing
- $69 per month for one license
- Prices based on monthly user limit
- Better value for large businesses than SMBs
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How Much Does TouchBistro Cost?
TouchBistro starts at $69 per month under its Point of Sale plan, which includes menu management, reporting & analytics, floor plan and table management, staff management, POS integrations, and 24/7 customer support.
Meanwhile, its Essentials Bundle starts at $119 per month, which gives you everything in Point of Sale, plus integrated payments and restaurant-grade hardware. You can also opt for the Custom Setup plan at a tailored price, which adds front-of-house (FOH), back-of-house (BOH) and guest engagement solutions on top of the features you get with Point of Sale and the Essentials Bundle.
Beyond its core packages, TouchBistro also offers paid add-ons that add extra features to your POS system. Unfortunately, these prices are no longer publicly available, so you’ll need to contact TouchBistro directly for a quote.
Does TouchBistro have a free plan?
No, TouchBistro does not currently offer a free plan like providers Square and SumUp, nor does it offer a free trial for users who want to test out the system before committing. TouchBistro also doesn’t currently offer a month-to-month contract option, so you’ll have to be prepared to sign a multi-year contract if you’re interested in using the POS.
Looking to sell without any monthly overheads? Check out our guide to the best free POS software to learn about the best complementary options out there.
Is TouchBistro good value?
While TouchBistro starts at $69/month, comparable systems like Toast, Square, and SumUp offer $0/month entry tiers, making TouchBistro’s average ongoing software costs higher for budget-conscious food vendors.
What’s more, businesses are required to pay extra for lots of features, which bumps up their price tag even more. Because of this, TouchBistro is less suited to smaller or budget-conscious food vendors.
What are TouchBistro’s core features?
TouchBistro provides over 200 restaurant-tailored features — including ingredient-level inventory, 50+ analytical reports, and customizable floor plans — across dedicated apps for full-service venues, quick service, bars, food trucks, and breweries.
All things considered, TouchBistro’s toolkit is reasonably strong, especially compared to free systems such as SumUp and PayPal POS. Read on to learn more about TouchBistro’s general and restaurant-focused features:
Menu management
You can create, edit, and upload customized menus to TouchBistro’s app, adding and subtracting menu items as needed.
Low inventory alerts can help you know which items to remove before a customer orders something that isn’t available. In addition, data reports help you know which menus and items sell the best, allowing you to create even better menus in the future.
Your servers can route orders to different kitchen printers or displays – useful if you need to send different orders to the bar or the kitchen. You can also add modifiers on-the-spot so that servers can react to customer needs.
Customer loyalty
TouchBistro’s customer relationship management (CRM) features allow you to reward repeat visitors.
Once an account is set up for a regular customer, favorite items can be suggested to your servers whose memories might not supply “the usual” quite as quickly as TouchBistro’s software can. These customers’ favorite orders can also help guide you as you build new menus or consider special promotions.
TouchBistro’s CRM software can also help your restaurant communicate with customers about loyalty programs and discounts through SMS, push notifications, or email.
Floor plan & table management
TouchBistro also offers table management options, a staple feature of restaurant POS services. A customizable floor plan allows you to lay out your entire operation, even down to the table size. Servers can then move parties around as needed. Real-time synchronization across iPads ensures floor plan updates and seating adjustments are instantly visible to all staff, preventing double-seating and reducing order lag.
It was easy for me to create my floor plan with TouchBistro; I could even color-code the tables and edit their size and shape. Source: Tech.co user testing
TouchBistro also makes tableside ordering simple. A server can place an order and send it directly to the kitchen, while still standing in front of the table they’re serving. You can create a custom table plan for your restaurant and use it to identify slow-turning or high-value tables, as well as add or remove seats, change parties, and more. Servers can also access the table plans on their iPads and carry them around the restaurant as they’re serving.
Staff management
With TouchBistro POS, staff can clock in and out, and managers can easily track their hours. Each employee can get an individual account, allowing managers to keep staff-specific details in mind, as well as ensure everyone gets paid.
Comprehensive security controls and access rights keep everything safe, while in-app messaging allows staff members to contact each other throughout a shift. These tools can have a tangible impact on a business’s bottom line too, with TouchBistro’s management helping restaurateurs save 2% on labor costs according to a survey by the provider.
Payments
TouchBistro supports a host of mobile payment processors, including Chase, TSYS, TD Bank, and Moneris. Servers will be able to take cash, card, and debit.
The POS also offers a range of useful payment options. For example, its Bar Tabs feature lets you take a diner’s payment details at the start of their meal by swiping, dipping, or tapping the card. Whichever way you decide to bill your customer, TouchBistro also provides you with a replica of the customer receipt on the screen, helping you to view important order information at a glance.
TouchBistro presented me with a mock-up customer receipt so I could view payment info at a glance. Source: Tech.co user testing
Inventory management
TouchBistro has fantastic inventory management. The system allows restaurateurs to track items sold and the ingredients which make up each dish. Alerts let you and your staff know when an item needs to be restocked.
Its real-time reporting on stock levels helps you know when to order food from vendors too. This helps businesses to ensure their stocks never run dry, and it’s also a powerful tool for reducing food waste. TouchBistro’s profit management software also lets users track food costs, pinpoint ingredient and product waste, and identify saving opportunities, making it easier for them to reduce unnecessary waste and improve profits in the long term.
Reporting & analytics
TouchBistro can deliver daily reports to senior staff members. In fact, with over 50 reports available to users, the POS system has the most reporting features of any other provider researched.
You can use the data collected from each of the platform’s features in order to determine plans. Which tables are most popular? Which menu items should be promoted? Which of your servers work the fastest, and at which times? Since inventory and sales are tracked to the last detail, theft can also be noted and deterred.
TouchBistro’s Sales Dashboard gives users an overview of sales data for a particular reporting range. Source: TouchBistro
Compare TouchBistro with leading POS providers
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What hardware does TouchBistro offer?
TouchBistro’s hardware setup is 100% iPad or Mac-based, and the POS runs on iPads from the 9th generation onward (or iPad Pro 4th generation or later). You’re also able to customize your setup based on the size and needs of your venue. For example, you can purchase POS equipment such as iPad stands, card terminals, receipt printers, cash drawers, and more separately.
While TouchBistro doesn’t make its own POS terminals, its iPad-based setup is simple and flexible, making it ideal for smaller businesses just looking for a streamlined iPad POS. However, TouchBistro’s hardware can also meet the needs of larger food businesses like full-service restaurants, as larger systems can be custom-built and a Mac computer can be used to handle the central operations.
TouchBistro requires quote-based pricing for all proprietary hardware packages, whereas competitors like Toast and Square publish hardware kits starting at $1,024 and $689, respectively.
Businesses can customize TouchBistro’s Apple-based hardware set-up to meet their venue’s need. Source: TouchBistro
What is TouchBistro’s customer support like?
TouchBistro’s help and support options are up there with the best POS providers.
Users signed up to any of the four service plans will have access to 24/7 phone and email app support. The provider also offers help via live chat, but when I tested it out for myself, I found its response times were slightly longer than with Square and Lightspeed.
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 are also available for an additional fee.
Support options
- Phone support 24/7
- Email: support@touchbistro.com
- Email support 24/7
- Live AI chatbot 24/7
Training options
- Help portal
- User guides
- Online videos
- Knowledge guide
What’s TouchBistro’s mobile app like?
As TouchBistro is a tablet-based POS, its POS app is the heart of its offering. Aside from offering a wide range of features, including dedicated tableside ordering, inventory management, and menu management capabilities, the app also works as an integrated payment tool, helping to facilitate a wide range of payment forms, including digital wallet payments and gift cards.
On the iOS App Store, TouchBistro holds a 3.7/5 user rating across customer reviews, significantly lagging Square’s 4.8/5 rating.
Aside from its main POS app, TouchBistro offers a number of other applications, all of which are capable of integrating seamlessly with its main service. These apps include:
- TouchBistro Online Ordering: An online ordering system that lets you accept orders directly through your restaurant’s website.
- TouchBistro Reservations: A complete reservation and guest management platform that helps restaurateurs tailor their guests’ experience and manage operations.
- PeachWorks Mobile: An inventory and labor management platform that lets you enter restaurant stock counts and enter waste, update employee schedules, track labor performance, and more.
- VIP: An online customer community that gives fellow restaurants a space to connect.
- Customer Facing Display: Customer Facing Display (CFD) is TouchBistro’s order confirmation system for over-the-counter and quick-serve style restaurants. These apps support businesses using customer-facing display hardware.
- Reports to Go: This platform gives you access to over 50 performance reports and lets you access your real-time data anywhere with a stable internet connection.
- Kitchen Display System: TouchBistro’s Kitchen Display System (KDS) software, powered by Fresh, helps you seamlessly integrate the front and back-of-house by allowing you to view tickets from multiple ordering channels.
- TouchBistro Loyalty: This CRM platform helps you deliver a better guest experience, collect customer information, and turn one-off customers into regulars.
- TouchBistro Gift Cards: This app lets you create and sell gift cards directly through your restaurant POS, or through your unique Customer Web App.
- eCard Physical Gift Cards: This app lets you create and sell physical gift cards to help boost brand awareness and give customers more reasons to return.
TouchBistro let me integrate my POS with a range of other in-house apps through its Settings menu. Source: Tech.co user testing
Planning on using a POS on your tablet? Check out our guide to the best iPad POS systems.
How Does TouchBistro Compare to Other POS Alternatives?
TouchBistro is a reliable POS system, but this isn’t to say it’s guaranteed to be the best fit for your business.
Toast is currently the best restaurant POS for small businesses because its hospitality features remain unmatched. The Android POS system boasts a number of standout capabilities TouchBistro lacks, including a dedicated QR ordering system, and also offers hardware for businesses looking to move beyond a simple tablet setup.
With more hardware options and a quality free plan, Square is stronger than TouchBistro in most respects – especially if you’re managing a small or remote location like a market stall or food truck. However, after testing both, I found Square’s software slightly less intuitive than TouchBistro’s, suggesting that it may take longer for beginners to get to grips with the platform.
Take a look at how TouchBistro weighs up to the wider competition in our comparison table below.
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Price
The typical lowest starting price. The lowest price available for your business will depend on your needs
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Tech.co hospitality rating
Score out of 5 for general restaurant suitability, based on Tech.co's independent market research
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Best for
Tech.co's verdict to help you identify the most suitable choice for your restaurant
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Lowest transaction fee
The lowest possible fee that will be incurred with each transaction
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iPad app
Is there a version of the software made specifically for iPad use?
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Android app
Is there a version of the software made specifically for Android tablet use?
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24/7 support
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Hardware packages
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BEST OVERALL
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Toast |
Square POS |
Clover POS |
SpotOn |
Lightspeed |
Epos Now |
SumUp |
TouchBistro POS |
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From $0/month |
From $0/month |
From $135/month (for 36 months) |
From $0/month |
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Around $39-$79/month |
From $0/month |
From $69/month |
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4.7
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4.8
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4.5
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4.3
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4.4
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3.9
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4.2
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4.2
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Complex restaurant operations |
Scaling and growing your business |
Professional restaurant hardware |
Simplifying staff communications |
Driving repeat business & loyalty |
Complex inventories |
Providing a quick and efficient service |
Full-service restaurants |
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2.49% + 15¢ |
2.4% + 15¢ |
2.3% + 10¢ |
2.45% + $0.15 |
2.6% + 10¢ |
2.6% + 10¢ |
2.6% + 10¢ (flat) |
N/A (quote-based) |
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Offers a full hardware suite for $1,024 but custom pricing is available on more expensive software tiers |
Options include: Square Stand Kit for $689 and Square Stand Kit for Restaurants at $1,199 |
Sells a range of proprietary hardware devices, from handheld tableside tablets to full POS terminals |
Offers several hardware options for businesses, including touchscreen monitors and payment terminals |
Offers kits for iPads, MacOS devices, Windows PCs but all are $POA. |
Restaurant POS package costs $1,099. Also works with a variety of third-party peripherals |
Sells a range of in-house hardware, including iPad stands, card readers, and kitchen display systems |
Sold separately but works with lots of third-party devices |
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| Visit Toast | Visit Square | Compare Quotes | Compare Quotes | Compare Quotes | Compare Quotes | Try SumUp | Compare Quotes |
Research and Methodology
By testing 16 POS systems and conducting rigorous research, we carried out 40 user testing sessions, which amounted to 720 hours of testing in total.
These categories were broken down into a further 41 subcategories, so we were able to drill down further into certain topics to make our insights as granular and useful as possible. Here’s an overview of our main testing categories for POS systems:
- Software (35%): Floor plans and table management, order bill-splitting, ingredient-level inventory tracking, offline reliability, KDS integration, menu customization, and third-party app marketplace integrations.
- Hardware (20%): Build quality of primary registers, mobility of handheld ordering devices, KDS screens, receipt printers, and connectivity (like scanners and cash drawers).
- Usability (20%): User testing task completion speed, ease of staff training, workflow simplicity, layout customization, and front-end transaction efficiency.
- Pricing (10%): Software subscription plans, card processing transaction fees (flat-rate vs. custom interchange-plus), hardware purchase/lease terms, and contract commitments.
- Help & Support (10%): Availability of 24/7 phone support, live chat resolution speed, dedicated account management, on-site setup options, and training resources.
- Reputation (5%): Customer sentiment across review platforms (like Trustpilot, Capterra, and Reddit), brand market share, and peer recommendations.
TouchBistro is a feature-rich restaurant POS system with a solid user experience. It offers many tools to streamline restaurant operations, as well as a few additional perks – and they’re highly configurable to boot. While its price points are slightly higher than its competitors, its hardware options are flexible, and its customer support center is reliable if you were to incur any bumps down the road.
If TouchBistro’s iPad and Mac setup, or lack of a free plan or trial are deal breakers for you, there are many more quality restaurant POS systems to choose from. For example, Toast will be a great option for businesses after dedicated tip-management features, while Square will be a safe bet for smaller vendors looking for a generous free plan.
Want to find the best deal for your restaurant?
FAQs
Yes. TouchBistro often uses an on-site Mac mini server or direct iPad-to-iPad communication over a local network. This allows staff to continue sending kitchen tickets, updating floor plans, and printing receipts even during an internet blackout.
Offline payment processing (store-and-forward) is also supported depending on your chosen payment processor, though payments will batch and settle only after internet connectivity is restored.
In many cases, you can use your own compatible hardware. As long as your tablets meet TouchBistro’s minimum hardware requirements (iPad 9th gen or later, or iPad Pro 4th gen or later running an up-to-date iPadOS), you can download the app from the App Store and license it.
Certain certified third-party ESC/POS printers, routers, and cash drawers are also supported, though payment terminals must be configured to work with TouchBistro’s payment processing partners.
Yes. Because TouchBistro operates primarily on multi-year software agreements rather than month-to-month contracts, early cancellation typically triggers an early termination fee (ETF) or requires paying out the remainder of the agreed contract term. Therefore, you should always verify the cancellation clause and notice period before signing a contract.
Yes. While each venue requires its own iPad setup and software license, TouchBistro’s cloud management portal allows multi-unit operators to view consolidated reporting across locations, standardize core menu templates, and manage multi-site user permissions from a central browser.
Third-party delivery platforms do not automatically push orders straight into TouchBistro out of the box without setup.
To avoid manually re-entering orders from separate tablets, TouchBistro integrates with delivery aggregation services (such as Deliverect or Ordermark) to funnel incoming delivery orders directly into the TouchBistro POS and kitchen display system (KDS)
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