A Point of Sale (POS) system is the nerve centre of any hospitality business — handling everything from order management and payment processing to inventory, staff, and sales analytics. For restaurant, bar, and pub owners, choosing the right one is a critical operational and financial decision.
In this guide, we’ve reviewed and compared the leading POS systems available in the UK market. We’ve assessed each on features, pricing transparency, hardware options, and suitability for different types of hospitality businesses — from independent cafés to multi-site restaurant groups.
Square Reader (2nd Generation)
EPOS Now Complete Solution
YUMAPOS
Quick Comparison: Best Restaurant POS Systems UK 2026
| Feature | Square | YumaPOS | Takepayments | EPOS Now | Lightspeed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Small to large restaurants | All-in-one, hospitality-focused | Entry-level, small restaurants | Mid-to-large, scalable | Established multi-site restaurants |
| Monthly Fee | £0 – £69/mo | From £40/mo | £55–£65/mo (hospitality) | From £25/mo | From £59/mo |
| Transaction Fee | 1.75% (in-person) | 1.69% (contactless) | 0.3% – 2.5% | From 1.6% | Custom (via Lightspeed Payments) |
| Setup Cost | From £19 + VAT | £0 upfront | £250 + VAT | From £399 | Hardware extra |
| Contract | None | Min. 24 months | 12 months | Varies (1–3 yrs) | Annual required |
| Learn More | Visit Square | Visit YumaPOS | Visit Takepayments | Visit EPOS Now | Visit Lightspeed |
Our Top Picks at a Glance
- Square — Best Overall / Best for Flexibility
- YumaPOS — Best Value / Best All-In-One Package
- Takepayments — Best Entry-Level System
- Epos Now — Best for Growing Businesses
- Lightspeed — Best for Established Multi-Site Restaurants
What is a Restaurant POS System?
POS systems for hospitality provide a centralised platform to manage orders, payments, stock, and staff. Unlike a traditional cash register, a modern EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) system connects front-of-house operations with the kitchen, your accounting software, and your online ordering channels.
Key features to look for include:
- Order and table management
- Integrated card and contactless payments
- Kitchen Display System (KDS) connectivity
- Inventory and stock management
- Staff management and time tracking
- Sales reporting and analytics
- Loyalty programmes and CRM
- Online ordering and delivery integrations
5 Best Restaurant POS Systems in the UK
How We Evaluate POS Systems
Each system in this guide has been assessed against the following criteria:
- Suitability for different business sizes
- Pricing transparency and total cost of ownership
- Feature depth for hospitality specifically
- Hardware quality and flexibility
- Ease of use and onboarding experience
- Customer support quality
- Integration capabilities
Square for Restaurants – Best Overall
| Best For | From independent cafés to large multi-site restaurant groups |
| Our Rating | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Monthly Fee | £0 (Free) or £69/month (Plus) |
| Transaction Fee | 1.75% in-person; 1.4% + 25p (online, UK cards) |
| Hardware | Square Reader, Square Terminal, Square Register, iPad-compatible |
| Contract | None — pay monthly, cancel anytime |
| Can you try before committing? | Yes. The Free plan can be used indefinitely. The Plus plan has a 30-day free trial. |
| Payment Integrations | Square Payments only |
Square is one of the most widely used POS systems in the UK, and for good reason. Its free entry-level plan makes it uniquely accessible for new and small businesses, while the paid Square for Restaurants Plus plan (£69/month + VAT) unlocks a comprehensive set of features that can serve larger operations.
Square for Restaurants offers table and floor plan management, kitchen display system integration, coursing, staff management, and loyalty tools. It connects with Deliverect for third-party delivery integration (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat) and Square Online for click-and-collect ordering. The system runs on iPad and Square’s own hardware, and supports both front and back of house with kitchen display screens now running on Android.
One genuine strength is scalability — you can start for free and grow into more advanced features as your business expands. Square also offers a range of hardware, from the affordable Reader (£19 + VAT) up to the Square Terminal (£149 + VAT), and the all-in-one Square Register. Next-day settlement is available as standard for most transactions, with instant transfers available for an additional 1.5% fee.
Square for Restaurants Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Features Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | £0/month | Unlimited POS terminals at 1 location, basic reporting, table management |
| Plus | £69 + VAT/month | All Free features + advanced reporting, kitchen sync, multi-location, loyalty, 24/7 support |
| Premium | Custom | Enterprise features, custom transaction rates, dedicated account management |
Transaction Fees
- 1.75% (in-person)
- 1.4% + 25p (online, UK cards)
- 2.5% + 25p (non-UK/online)
- 2.5% (manual entry)
- No long-term contract — switch or cancel anytime
- Free plan available — great for start-ups and pop-ups
- Intuitive, fast to learn — minimal training required
- Strong integration ecosystem (Deliverect, Xero, QuickBooks)
- Transparent, flat-rate transaction fees
- In-person support not available — online/phone only
- No Android tablet compatibility for the Restaurants app
- Advanced reporting requires the paid Plus plan
- Transaction fees may be costly at high sales volumes
YumaPOS – Best Value All-In-One System
| Best For | Small to medium restaurants, bars, cafés, and pub groups wanting a comprehensive package without hidden costs |
| Our Rating | 4.4 out of 5 |
| Monthly Fee | From £40/month (primary terminal) |
| Transaction Fee | 1.69% (contactless via YumaPOS Payments) |
| Hardware | Included in subscription (Android and Windows compatible) |
| Contract | Minimum 24 months |
| Can you try before committing? | Yes — a free trial is available on request. |
| Payment Integrations | YumaPOS Payments (optional) or your own payment provider |
Founded in 2015 and based in Cheshire, YumaPOS is one of the most competitively priced full-featured EPOS systems on the UK market. Unlike most providers, the single monthly fee of £40/month includes hardware — there are no surprise costs for terminals, kitchen printers, or back-office software. Additional terminals are available at just £10/month each.
The system is built specifically for hospitality and retail, and its feature set reflects this. You get custom floor plans, kitchen display system integration, waiter app functionality, QR code ordering, self-service kiosk support, delivery driver app, marketing and loyalty tools, and a full cloud-based back office for inventory, staff management, and analytics — all included as standard.
Unusually for the sector, YumaPOS does not require you to use its payment processing. Businesses can retain their existing payment provider, which makes it much easier to switch from another system or negotiate better transaction rates separately. However, those using YumaPOS Payments benefit from a competitive 1.69% contactless rate.
The 24-month minimum contract is the main drawback — it may be off-putting for businesses that are just starting out or testing a new system. That said, the free trial option allows prospective customers to evaluate the software before committing.
YumaPOS Pricing
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| Primary terminal licence | £40/month |
| Additional terminal licences | £10/month each |
| Mobile ordering website | £10/month |
| Branded iOS/Android customer app | £20/month |
| Kitchen Display System | £10/month |
| Waiter/handheld app | £5/month |
| Driver app (delivery) | £5/month |
| Hardware | Included in subscription |
| Contactless payments (YumaPOS Payments) | 1.69% per transaction |
- Transparent, all-inclusive pricing with no hidden extras
- Hardware included in the monthly subscription
- Flexible payment processing — not forced to use their own
- Comprehensive feature set: loyalty, KDS, delivery, self-service kiosk
- 24/7 support via phone, email, and WhatsApp
- Dedicated account manager for onboarding and ongoing use
- Works on Android and Windows — not restricted to Apple
- 24-month minimum contract required
- Not as widely reviewed as larger competitors — smaller market profile
- Less extensive third-party integration marketplace than Lightspeed or Epos Now
Takepayments – Best Entry-Level Hospitality POS
| Best For | Small restaurants, cafés, bars, and pubs looking for a straightforward, all-in-one system with strong customer support |
| Our Rating | 4 out of 5 |
| Monthly Fee | £55/month (tPOS Counter) or £65/month (tPOS Complete) for hospitality |
| Transaction Fee | Customised rates: 0.3% to 2.5% |
| Hardware | tPOS Counter (tablet-format) or tPOS Complete (dual-display with printer) |
| Contract | 12 months (standard) |
| Can you try before committing? | Contact Takepayments to request a demo or visit. |
| Payment Integrations | Takepayments acquiring bank (customised rates) |
Takepayments is a UK-based payments specialist with a strong Trustpilot reputation (rated Excellent, with more 5-star reviews than any comparable UK provider). Their tPOS system is purpose-built for hospitality, sitting comfortably between the simplicity of Square and the complexity of Lightspeed.
The tPOS hospitality system includes a visual table plan for reservations, integration with the Fresk kitchen display system, product modifiers for order customisation, tab management, and gratuity handling — all standard. The tPOS Complete adds a dual-display setup (merchant and customer-facing screens) and a built-in receipt printer, suited to high-volume counter service.
Transaction fees at Takepayments are negotiable based on your volume — higher-volume businesses can secure rates significantly below 1%, which makes it potentially cheaper than fixed-rate providers like Square or Zettle at scale. However, pricing is not published publicly on the website; you’ll need to request a bespoke quote.
Setup carries a one-time fee of £250 + VAT, which is a notable upfront commitment. Customer support is available seven days a week and is UK-based — one of the strongest support offers in the sector. Next-day settlement is available as standard.
tPOS Pricing
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| tPOS Counter (hospitality) | £55/month + VAT |
| tPOS Complete (hospitality) | £65/month + VAT |
| Setup fee (one-off) | £250 + VAT |
| Transaction fees | Customised: 0.3% – 2.5% |
| Contract length | 12 months |
- UK-based customer support, 7 days a week
- Highest-rated UK card payment provider on Trustpilot by review volume
- Negotiable transaction fees — potential for very low rates at volume
- Next-day settlement as standard
- Intuitive interface with dedicated Welcome Team for onboarding
- Order & pay at table, pay by link, and phone payment options included
- £250 + VAT setup fee is a notable upfront cost
- Pricing not published online — requires a sales call for a quote
- 12-month contract minimum
- Limited e-commerce / online ordering integration compared to Square or Lightspeed
Epos Now – Best for Growing Restaurants
| Best For | Medium-to-large restaurants, bars, and multi-site chains with growing operational needs |
| Our Rating | 4 out of 5 |
| Monthly Fee | From £25/month (software only); hardware bundles from £249 + VAT |
| Transaction Fee | From 1.6% (via Epos Now Payments); custom rates available |
| Hardware | iPad, Android tablet, PC/Mac, Pro+ handheld terminal |
| Contract | Varies — 1 to 3 years on hardware bundles; software can be month-to-month |
| Can you try before committing? | Yes — Epos Now offers a demo, trial, and quote on request. |
| Payment Integrations | Epos Now Payments, Verifone, Paymentsense, PayPal, Worldpay, and others |
Epos Now is the UK’s largest SMB EPOS provider, serving over 65,000 businesses across 64 countries. Founded in Norwich, it has a well-established reputation in the hospitality sector, particularly among mid-market restaurants, bars, and pubs looking for a scalable, integrated system.
The hospitality package includes full front and back of house synchronisation, table management, floor plan customisation, kitchen display system integration, and inventory management. The Pro+ handheld terminal can take over 650 payments on a single charge — an impressive feature for busy table-service environments. The Epos Now Bill Pay add-on is claimed to speed up table turnover by up to 20%, which is valuable during peak service.
One of Epos Now’s standout strengths is its AppStore, which contains over 100 integrations, including Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Sage, Xero, QuickBooks, Deputy for staff management, Mailchimp for marketing, and OpenTable for reservations. The system runs on iPad, Android, PC, and Mac — giving hardware flexibility that competitors like Lightspeed don’t offer.
A note of caution: Epos Now receives mixed customer reviews around pricing transparency and hidden fees. Their hardware bundles often come with 1–3 year contracts, and additional add-ons can push up monthly costs quickly. We recommend reading the contract carefully before signing.
Epos Now Pricing
| Option | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Complete System (upfront) | From £399 | Pro-C15 terminal, cash drawer, receipt printer, installation |
| Monthly (software only) | From £25/month | Hospitality POS software, basic support |
| Epos Now Payments | From 1.6% per transaction | Card processing for all major cards and contactless |
| AppStore integrations | Varies by app | Delivery, accounting, loyalty, staff management, KDS |
- Hardware-agnostic — runs on iPad, Android, PC, and Mac
- 100+ app integrations including major delivery platforms
- Scalable — proven from single sites to 65,000+ deployments
- Pro+ handheld device: 650+ payments per charge
- Epos Now Bill Pay claimed to increase table turnover by 20%
- Comprehensive kitchen display and stock management capabilities
- Mixed customer reviews around pricing transparency and hidden fees
- Hardware bundles often require 1–3 year contracts
- Some add-ons (like advanced KDS or loyalty) cost extra
- Customer support quality can vary — premium support is an added cost
Lightspeed Restaurant – Best for Established Multi-Site Restaurants
| Best For | Established restaurants with multiple locations, high operational complexity, or fine dining requirements |
| Our Rating | 4.3 out of 5 |
| Monthly Fee | From £59/month (Starter, annual plan) |
| Transaction Fee | Custom via Lightspeed Payments |
| Hardware | iPad only (iOS 13 or later required) |
| Contract | Annual commitment required on all plans |
| Can you try before committing? | A limited in-app demo is available. A 14-day free trial is offered. No full trial without commitment to annual contract. |
| Payment Integrations | Lightspeed Payments only (custom rates) |
Lightspeed Restaurant is a premium, cloud-based ePOS system purpose-built for the hospitality industry. Over 160 Michelin-starred restaurants use it globally, and it’s the system of choice for established operators who need deep customisation, multi-location management, and sophisticated analytics.
The platform runs on iPad only, which is a meaningful constraint for businesses that prefer Android. However, the trade-off is a refined, consistent user experience. The handheld Tableside feature allows servers to take orders from the table directly on an iPhone or iPad, with orders flowing in real time to the kitchen display system.
Lightspeed’s inventory management stands out across the market — it supports ingredient-level tracking, automated stock ordering, recipe costing, and wastage logging. The system also integrates directly with PMS systems for hotel restaurants and connects with Deliveroo and Uber Eats via Deliverect. Accounting software integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, Sage) automate bookkeeping with real-time transaction sync.
The pricing reflects its premium positioning. The Starter plan (£59/month) gives you core POS features and Lightspeed Payments for one location. Essential (£109/month) adds inventory management and real-time reporting for up to 15 locations. Premium (£339/month) adds PMS integration and raw API access for large-scale operations. An annual contract is required on all plans — there is no monthly rolling option.
Lightspeed Restaurant Pricing (UK)
| Plan | Monthly Cost (annual) | Best For | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | £59 + VAT/month | 1–2 locations | Core POS, Lightspeed Payments, basic reports, loyalty, 24/7 support |
| Essential | £109 + VAT/month | 1–15 locations | All Starter + online ordering, inventory management, real-time reporting |
| Premium | £339 + VAT/month | 16–500+ locations | All Essential + PMS integration, raw API access |
| Enterprise | Custom | Chains/franchise | Tailored software and hardware, dedicated support team |
| Additional register | £33 + VAT/month each | Any plan | Tailored software and hardware, dedicated support team |
- Highly customisable — menus, floor plans, modifiers, user permissions
- Ingredient-level inventory management with automated ordering
- Tableside ordering and handheld POS for table service
- Strong integrations: OpenTable, Deliverect, Xero, QuickBooks
- 24/7 customer support on all plans
- Trusted by 160+ Michelin-starred restaurants globally
- iPad only — no Android compatibility
- Annual contract required — no month-to-month option
- Higher price point than most alternatives
- Hardware costs extra — not included in subscription
- Some advanced features (KDS, inventory, Order Anywhere) are add-ons or tied to higher tiers
How Much Does a Restaurant POS System Cost?
The cost of a POS system for restaurants breaks down into several components:
- Hardware: From £19 (Square Reader) to £1,300+ (all-in-one terminals). Some providers (YumaPOS) include hardware in their subscription.
- Software subscription: From £0/month (Square Free) to £339/month (Lightspeed Premium). Most quality systems for restaurants fall between £40 and £120/month.
- Transaction fees: From 0.3% (Takepayments, negotiated) to 2.5% (online transactions). These add up significantly at high volumes.
- Setup fees: Some providers (Takepayments: £250 + VAT) charge one-off setup fees. Others have no setup charge.
- Add-ons and integrations: Additional features like online ordering, KDS, loyalty programmes, or advanced analytics often cost extra.
For a small restaurant processing around £10,000/month in card payments, a typical annual cost (software + transactions) might range from:
- £2,100 – £3,000 on Square (£0/month + 1.75% fees)
- £1,680 – £2,880 on YumaPOS (£40/month + 1.69% fees)
- £2,460 – £3,060 on Takepayments (£65/month + ~1.5% fees)
- £2,220 – £3,120 on Epos Now (£25/month + 1.6% fees)
- £2,508+ on Lightspeed (£59/month + custom fees)
Always factor in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — including contract length, hardware depreciation, support costs, and the fees for any essential add-ons.
Choosing a POS for Multiple Restaurant Locations
If you operate or plan to operate multiple sites, look for:
- Centralised menu and pricing management across all locations
- Consolidated reporting and analytics from a single dashboard
- Inventory management with inter-location stock transfers
- Scalable licensing — the ability to add new sites without starting from scratch
- Reliable cloud sync and offline mode to avoid downtime
Of the systems in this guide, Lightspeed and Epos Now are best suited to multi-site management at scale. Square for Restaurants Plus also handles multi-location well at a lower price point. YumaPOS supports multi-site through its back office.
Restaurant POS vs Traditional Cash Registers
A traditional cash register records sales and handles cash. A modern restaurant POS system goes much further: it connects your front-of-house with your kitchen, manages inventory, tracks staff performance, processes card payments, and generates actionable analytics — often accessible remotely from any device.
For any hospitality business accepting card payments or managing more than a handful of menu items, a POS system is now an operational necessity rather than a luxury.
Restaurant and Hospitality POS System FAQs
What is the best POS system for a small restaurant in the UK?
For most small restaurants, Square for Restaurants Free or YumaPOS offer the best combination of features and value. Square’s no-contract, no-monthly-fee option is ideal for businesses just starting out, while YumaPOS’s all-inclusive package at £40/month is hard to beat for established small restaurants.
Do I have to use the POS provider’s payment processing?
Not always. YumaPOS is unusual in that it does not require you to use their payment processing — you can bring your own merchant account. Epos Now also works with a range of third-party processors. Square and Lightspeed, however, require you to use their own payment systems.
Which restaurant POS system is best for multiple locations?
Lightspeed and Epos Now are the strongest options for multi-site operations. Lightspeed offers the most sophisticated multi-location management tools, while Epos Now provides broader hardware flexibility. For businesses that want multi-site at a lower price point, Square for Restaurants Plus handles multiple locations well.
Can I use a POS system offline?
Most modern systems offer an offline mode, but with limitations. Square, Lightspeed, and Epos Now all continue to function offline for taking orders and cash payments, but card payments typically require an internet connection. YumaPOS and Takepayments handle offline scenarios similarly. Always check the specific offline capabilities before committing.
What is the cheapest restaurant POS system in the UK?
Square’s Free plan has no monthly fee, making it technically the cheapest entry point. However, transaction fees at 1.75% can become expensive at volume. YumaPOS at £40/month with hardware included offers better value for established businesses, while Takepayments can be the cheapest option for high-volume operations once transaction rates are negotiated.
All prices correct as of publication date. Always verify pricing directly with the provider before purchasing.
