TouchBistro POS Reviews
TouchBistro has years of experience pairing innovative restaurant technology to individual business needs, and the potential to streamline your operations.
But with dozens of restaurant management POS systems out there, how do you know if TouchBistro is right for you?
In this review, I’ll analyze the wide variety of customizable features offered by the TouchBistro POS system as well as its two top competitors. Continue reading as we aim to help you find a system that has everything you need.
TouchBistro POS Review
Pricing
The wide selection of pricing options makes it easy to personalize this all-in-one POS and restaurant management system. Software prices start from $69/ month. Hardware costs are factored in separately. Kitchen display systems and customer-facing displays are among the available hardware offered by this provider. Optional TouchBistro software products for customer engagement and restaurant operations include:
Features and Benefits
The TouchBistro company has been around for over a decade and focuses on providing innovative restaurant technology that makes restaurant management as simple as possible. The TouchBistro all-in-one POS includes payment processing, reservations, online ordering, amongst many other functions, all of which are designed to save time and money in the restaurant industry. It is suitable for differing types of eateries, from food trucks to coffee shops to fine dining establishments and even bars and clubs. This company earned its place on our top restaurant POS systems list.
Ordering and Payment Processing
This hybrid POS system's digital menu board feature is useful in the ever-changing restaurant environment. This contactless menu lets you update prices, items, product descriptions and special dishes in just a few seconds.
The simple user interface of the tableside ordering feature allows servers to take and place orders tableside with this mobile POS.
If you opt for self-service kiosks, these user-friendly tablet-based self-ordering systems allows customers to place their own orders in just a couple of taps. A higher amount of orders can be taken in less time, without the need to increase the number of staff.
Accuracy is also improved, as the orders are sent to the TouchBistro POS and kitchen display system automatically, thus reducing communication errors as well as ticket times.
The online ordering feature allows you to benefit from off-premise orders by letting customers order takeout and delivery directly from your restaurant. This online ordering platform is integrated into your restaurant's website. The online ordering feature is also easy and simple to manage and update.
For payment processing, TouchBistro Payments offers a transparent price structure. Powered by the Chase, customers can pay any way they prefer. It accepts credit and debit cards, and includes Mastercard and Visa services. Contactless and digital wallet payments such as Samsung Pay, Google Pay and Apple Pay are also accepted. However, you won't be locked into TouchBistro's plan. You'll have the option of selecting a third-party payment processing company. TouchBistro is one of the few POS systems without credit card processing commitments. While TouchBistro does charge extra fees to use outside providers, this also allows a freedom not found with all POS brands.
The offline payment function allows business to keep going in the event of internet problems and connection issues. Plus, online menus can be altered from any location with an internet connection using the TouchBistro Cloud, which is why this is a great choice for pop-up eateries and food trucks.
Table Management
The TouchBistro POS comes with a user-friendly table management system. It is straightforward to design the layout for your entire restaurant in a couple of taps. Perfect for busy restaurants, the capacity can be managed easily. Staff can increase productivity by maximizing covers at the same time as improving the customer experience.
Menu and Inventory Management
The TouchBistro restaurant menu management system lets you organize food and drinks in minimal time. Dishes can be added, copied, and the menu organized with ease. Specials can be introduced during particular mealtimes.
This TouchBistro POS software can boost profits with the upselling tools. It assists with increasing sales of premium dishes as well as non-food items. It can also allow easy management of takeouts by minimizing confusion and streamlining restaurant operations.
The inventory management feature tells you when supplies are running low and must be reordered. Inventory management is broken down even further with recipe logging. You'll also have access to sales information and food prices which assist in deciding which dishes to keep or remove based on profitability. This can decrease food waste which may be of particular concern to the environmentally-minded restauranteur.
Customizable alerts inform staff when a dish or item is running low, avoiding confusion and complaints from customers.
Customer Relationship Management
The TouchBistro software for reservations has multiple online booking touchpoints, helping you to make the most out of your restaurant's capacity. Bookings can be taken through the TouchBistro app as well as through your website.
There is a two-way communication feature via text message that reminds customers of approaching reservations. It also lets them inform you if they've had a change of plans, making it a great tool for optimizing customer management and the smooth running of your entire restaurant.
The TouchBistro loyalty program helps boost the number of regular customers by generating rewards each time they visit. This optional TouchBistro software also enables you to produce gift cards, both physical and digital.
Back Office Features
TouchBistro's restaurant analytics and POS reporting features provide accurate, real-time business data. It can produce more than 50 different reports, giving detailed insights into your daily operations.
When it comes to employee management, staff can clock in and out effortlessly. Simple shift management and payroll features are highlighted in this user-friendly system. Staffing costs, sales performance, and overtime spending data will allow you to make informed decisions about your staffing requirements.
Cloud connection allows restaurant managers to keep track of their employees from anywhere, as long as they have an internet connection. Plus, because TouchBistro can be operated through an iPad, you won't necessarily need to spend tons on additional hardware. This company earned the top spot on our restaurant POS iPad list.
Customer Support
As one of the highest-rated POS Companies, it's no wonder that TouchBistro has a high level of customer support available and a responsive customer service department. Their help site shows step-by-step guides which helps resolve an array of issues that may arise. The company helps you set up barcode scanners and other hardware, and assists with tech support for software bugs. There are also videos, tutorials, and live workshops available. If you cannot find the answer to your question on the help site, their customer support team is available around the clock, even on weekends and on holidays.
TouchBistro Partners
The partnership program allows business owners to generate extra revenue. Those who become a TouchBistro partner by registering on their website can receive $100 for referring someone for a demonstration of this restaurant POS. $1000 can be earned if the referral opts to use TouchBistro after the demo. Smaller businesses in particular may benefit from referrals.
Complaints and Limitations
Overall this restaurant POS System has many positives. However, some customers have stated that it does not integrate well with certain other payment processing systems, despite these being supposedly supported (Square particularly). This can result in slow communication between the two systems and an addition of extra steps for certain processes. Paying with gift card has been reported to be time consuming. This is not ideal for busy restaurants.
Other complaints have been that, although the core POS features are good, some inventory management and reporting functions require costly add-ons. Make sure you check that your package has all the features you require. If not, you could be spending quite a bit for each additional feature.
Software glitches can result in the restaurant POS system not working properly (updates are not automatically synced). It is important to stay on top of all software and hardware updates to avoid the system going down mid-service.
Toast point-of-sale is a complete restaurant management system that has been serving restaurants of all sizes since 2013. With a wide range of POS hardware and software solutions, Toast is highly customizable depending on your needs.
A big strength of the Toast POS software is customer management. Customer data can be used to generate custom loyalty rewards and gift card programs. This module is a strong competitor to the TouchBistro loyalty system.
Another upside of Toast POS is order processing. It has a whole range of ordering and payment options to suit any business model. Several features are aimed at reducing the need for direct contact, which is extremely useful in the post-covid environment.
As for concerns, there is limited clarity to the posted pricing information and customers need to be especially aware of early termination fees if switching providers before the end of a contract period.
Toast also insists on using their in-house payment processing service. If you have a preferred outside payment processing company, it won't be supported. This is in contrast to TouchBistro who allows the integration of third-party payment processing companies.
Upserve by Lightspeed
Lightspeed provides POS systems for a range of businesses. Their restaurant industry-specific platform, Upserve (formerly Breadcrumb), has become a popular option for food trucks, quick-service, and full-service restaurant operations alike.
Highlights of the Upserve restaurant POS system include the online ordering platform, comprehensive inventory management and menu intelligence features, and a training mode that allows staff to practice using the system without disrupting live data.
Some customers have reservations about the reliance on iOS and iPad technology (no Android or Windows options as yet). Although not necessarily a complaint, some businesses operating on a simple counter-service model have said there are many features they don't use and they could have opted for a more streamlined, cheaper restaurant POS.
Final Verdict
TouchBistro is a very competitive restaurant POS system option. For simple operations, it could represent excellent value compared to a system like Toast.
However, the core features are relatively limited compared to other POS systems on the market and higher volume establishments may need to spend more to get the features they need.
When performing price comparisons, be sure to include the cost of any extra add-ons that you require.
Tyler Connaghan
Contributing Author
