7 best cafe POS systems for coffee shops in the UK

When it comes to point of sale (POS) systems, it pays to choose one that’s made for food-and-drink when you run a café. General tills may not have specialised features essential for coffee shops, but hospitality EPOS will.

A small café does not always require all the larger-scale operations of a big restaurant, so the complexity of the software also matters.

For some, a simpler checkout can be more efficient, but a single café POS system to manage all daily operations with staff management and ingredient tracking can really save you time and money in the long run.

Fret not – we have tested the leading register software and found that the following POS systems for cafés are best.

What should coffee shops look for?

It’s easier to choose your ideal till system if the cafe you run has defined their limitations and plans. Ask yourself these questions:

• Prefer a tablet till or hard-wearing touchscreen register? Different providers offer hardware bundles for low and high budgets.
• Do you have a kitchen to send orders to? If so, look for EPOS with a kitchen display system.
• Is your internet reliable? If not, choose an EPOS with offline mode.
• Do you take orders online or in person only? Since Covid, many – but not all – POS systems have integrated Click and Collect.
• Which card machine do you prefer? Coffee shop POS often comes with integrated payments, but maybe not for a price you like.

In addition, you should look at hidden contract terms, because some require a certain commitment. Even without lock-in, you can sometimes lower the monthly cost by going for an annual instead of monthly subscription.

But in the end, getting a feel for the software will help you see if it’s the right fit for your establishment. We recommend trialling a few options before committing to a plan.

Full review

Lightspeed Restaurant contains a well-rounded set of features for cafés wanting shop floor and management operations covered by one system. The software works well offline, though card payments may still require a network connection.

It is relatively user-friendly, but setting up products and the app layout can take longer than other POS systems because of the customisation options. But once you get the hang of it, the system will be easy and clearly built for fast-paced businesses.

Image: Mobile Transaction

Lightspeed Restaurant is not just for restaurants – its features suit cafés too.

There is no minimum contract, and you can choose to pay the subscription monthly, although annual plans are available for a lower price.

The Essentials plan includes one iPad till licence and enough features if you don’t do table service. You’ll need the Plus subscription for table service management and customer loyalty features.

Plans include the built-in Lightspeed Payments system with specific card machines provided by Lightspeed. Alternatively, you can integrate a Zettle, SumUp or Paymentsense card machine, which may cost extra.

The till features go beyond the mere basics. For instance, different modifiers or instructions are easily added to any order. You can split bills in any way, create VAT groups, customise the product menu and create various discounts. It also allows you to accept takeaways and delivery orders, if you get the right integrations.

Lightspeed can connect with Uber Eats and Deliveroo through its Delivery add-on, or take QR code orders on your premises through Order Anywhere. Some of these add-ons cost extra, unless you’re on a high enough plan that includes it.

Customer service is included 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You get free onboarding to help you set up and get your questions answered.

Payment integrations: Zettle, Paymentsense, SumUp

Can you try before committing? Only a limited demo of the app – otherwise, get an offer from Lightspeed.

Full review

Photo: Mobile Transaction

Although built for restaurants, Square for Restaurants can suit many cafés.

Full review

SumUp Point of Sale (previously Goodtill), also referred to as SumUp POS Pro, is an iPad EPOS system starting at a low price: £29 + VAT for the core POS module. Cafés may then add the Hospitality module for an additional £9 per month and other feature modules like advanced promotions, kitchen display and customer loyalty.

The till software gets good reviews by users and has a nice, adaptable interface for the checkout screen. Whether you need more than the Core POS module depends on how complex your food and drink operations are. For instance, the Hospitality module includes ingredient management, customer profiles, table management and tabs – none of which are in the Core module. The till software works offline, so poor internet is no barrier.

Photo: Goodtill by SumUp

SumUp’s self-service checkout can replace face-to-face ordering in your cafe.

SumUp POS is one of the cheapest options for coffee shops that need alternative setups for online selling too. At no monthly cost, you can create a web page for your website or social media profile for ordering food online. The only thing you pay are transaction fees. This system, called Goodeats, lets you print QR codes for customers to scan with their phones to order and pay at the table.

Goodtill syncs with the accounting programs FreeAgent, QuickBooks and Xero. The EPOS system connects with a choice of traditional card machines and contract-free card readers, meaning you can start out cheap and later upgrade to a long-term card machine contract.

Payment integrations: Barclaycard Business, Zettle, Paymentsense, Retail Merchant Services, Square, SumUp

Can you try before committing? Yes, you can get a 30-day free trial or book a demo through SumUp’s website.

Best for: User-friendliness

Pricing: From £49 + VAT/mo per till

Compatibility: iPad only

Pros: Intuitive app, affordable, lots of features

Cons: Doesn’t work on Android, customer loyalty features cost extra, 12 months’ commitment

Full review

You can use TouchBistro either in landscape or portrait mode on the iPad.

Best for: Busy cafés on a budget

Pricing: From £39 + VAT/mo per till

Compatibility: iPad only

Pros: Offline mode, ease of use, 24/7 UK support

Cons: Not the most feature-rich table orders, support can be slow

Nobly is another user-friendly coffee shop POS system. The software is built for iPad and is speedy and intuitive to navigate. Although cloud-based, it also works offline, making it a reliable system for busy cafés where the internet may be temperamental.

You can pay monthly or annually per iPad licence, the latter being cheapest. There is no contract or minimum subscription required, but exact pricing is unfortunately not communicated until you speak with Nobly on the phone.

Tableside orders are managed via a simple table plan in the app. Photo: Nobly

Best for: High-growth cafés that want an adaptable solution with room to grow

Pricing: From £50 + VAT/mo per till

Compatibility: iPad, Android tablets, PC, Mac, PC touchscreen register

Pros: Good-value hardware packages, very customisable, integrated payments

Cons: Costs can rack up, contract lock-in, service complaints

Epos Now is a popular till system for cafés and retailers alike. Coffee shops can choose its Hospitality subscription for either iPad, Android tablets or your choice of computer. Often, the company offers an affordable touchscreen till monitor built for food-and-drink environments in a discounted bundle from £399 + VAT upfront.

Image: Mobile Transaction

The food and drink menu in Epos Now can be organised neatly into Mains, Hot Drinks etc.

Full review

Zettle POS is a great till system for small eateries like food trucks, bars and cafés. It works on iPad, iPhone and Android devices and is easy to get the hang of from the start, after the initial quick registration online that does not require a phone call.

Photo: Mobile Transaction

Zettle EPOS fits in neatly in a modern coffee shop.

The app is called Zettle Go POS, and it comes with a product library that you can add food items to along with variants and images. You can create user PINs for different staff and add tips at checkout. There are no formal end-of-day reports, but you can view sales reports any time from the till and web portal.

The POS system can send payment links for remote payments, and accept cash, PayPal QR code payments and cards. Online payments are processed by Zettle, but the payment methods aren’t linked to an online ordering system for click and collect.

For accounting, Zettle integrates with Xero and QuickBooks.

Customer support is included and can be reached by phone, email and web chat on working days between 9am-5pm only, not weekends or evenings.

In terms of card machines, only Zettle Reader works with the system. This is a cheap card reader for £29 + VAT. If you need a standalone, mobile terminal, Zettle Terminal comes with the Go POS app built in, which would suit table-service or pop-up cafés especially.

Payment integration: Zettle

Can you try before committing? You can sign up on Zettle’s website and download the app for free.

Summary