Top 10 POS Systems in the UK for 2025: Best Picks for Restaurants, Cafes and Takeaways
Introduction
The UK’s restaurant scene is going through a digital revolution. With 94.6% of in-store card payments under £100 made via contactless in 2024 and one-third of hospitality venues operating at a loss in 2025, choosing the right POS system has never been more important.
Whether you run a cosy cafe in Edinburgh, a busy London takeaway, or a multi-site restaurant chain across Wales and Northern Ireland, the right POS can help you speed up service, cut costs, and boost revenue.
What is a POS System for Restaurants, Cafés, and Takeaways?
A POS system is the digital hub that helps restaurants, cafés, and takeaways take orders, accept payments, manage menus, track sales, and connect with online ordering or delivery apps. Modern POS systems run on mobiles or tablets, making it easy to serve customers faster and smarter.
Top 10 POS Systems in the UK for 2025
1 — FoodChow (Best for small businesses that want to start free on mobile/tablet)
Why it’s #1: FoodChow lets UK operators launch fast—free to start, works on Android/iOS tablets and phones, includes direct online ordering, QR menus, takeaway/delivery workflows, and marketing tools. It’s purpose-built for independents that need to get trading without heavy hardware or long contracts.
Standout for the UK:
- Mobile-first POS & KDS; QR order & pay at table
- Direct ordering (avoid third-party mark-ups), takeaway & delivery
- Runs on existing devices; easy multi-site menus by region
- Built-in marketing (offers/coupons) and simple fees as you scale
Best fit: cafés, takeaways, food trucks, quick-service, small FSRs; owners who want to operate from a phone or tablet with minimal setup.
Start free and upgrade only when your volumes demand it.
2 — Lightspeed Restaurant
A flexible iPad-based restaurant platform with table management, delivery integrations, KDS, advanced insights, and loyalty add-ons. UK pricing commonly shows tiered plans (e.g., Basic/Core/Pro) and add-ons for loyalty/KDS. Great for multi-site venues wanting strong reporting and integrations.
Why UK operators pick it: Well-rounded FOH/BOH, deep integrations, hotel/revenue-centre support.
Watch-outs: Add-ons can raise total cost.
3 — Square for Restaurants
Square’s restaurant suite is easy to deploy, with transparent software tiers and flat-rate processing. Strong for pop-ups and cafés that want to start simple and add KDS/Kiosk later. (Square lists plan pricing by device; Premium has unlimited devices.)
Why UK operators pick it: Minimal setup, good hardware options, solid delivery integrations.
Watch-outs: Per-device pricing can add up as you grow.
4 — Toast (now available in the UK, starting with Greater London)
A popular US restaurant platform that rolled out in the UK, bringing handhelds, KDS, and deep restaurant workflows. Great for full-service and high-volume QSR looking for an all-in-one stack.
Why UK operators pick it: Deep restaurant feature set; proven in high-volume US venues.
Watch-outs: Historically involves contracts; check UK-specific pricing and terms.
5 — Epos Now (UK-based)
A Norwich-born provider with hospitality-specific workflows for dine-in, takeaway, and delivery, often running deals on hardware bundles. Strong for budget-conscious teams that still want multichannel features.
Why UK operators pick it: Local support, wide app marketplace, frequent hardware offers.
Watch-outs: Pricing varies by bundle/term; verify contract details.
6 — SumUp Point of Sale (POS Pro)
Simple pricing from £49/month per till, with low-cost hardware readers and straightforward onboarding—ideal for cafés, bars, and small eateries that already use SumUp readers and want to upgrade to a full till.
Why UK operators pick it: Low monthly price, easy jump from card reader to POS.
Watch-outs: Feature depth and integrations are lighter than top-end systems.
7 — Zettle by PayPal (POS + payments)
Transaction-based pricing with no recurring software fee, fast hardware setup (readers from £29 for eligible new users). Good for micro-venues, market stalls, and simple cafés that mainly need payments and basic POS.
Why UK operators pick it: No monthly POS fee; plugs into PayPal ecosystem.
Watch-outs: Less restaurant-specific depth vs. specialist platforms.
8 — Clover (Fiserv) UK
All-in-one devices with UK website showing monthly service from £15 and processing at 1.49% (offer-dependent). Suits quick-service and counter-service sites that want integrated hardware and merchant services.
Why UK operators pick it: Integrated devices, simple onboarding with merchant account.
Watch-outs: Plan structures vary; check restaurant-specific features and terms.
9 — Revel Systems
An iPad-based platform with robust multi-location tools, strong inventory/recipe costing, and extensive integrations—popular with larger or scaling concepts. UK presence and guides are available via local partners.
Why UK operators pick it: Enterprise-grade control, multi-channel ordering, deep reporting.
Watch-outs: Higher total cost and setup complexity than lightweight systems.
10 — TouchBistro
Restaurant-first POS with reservation/guest tools and menu engineering features. Commonly cited entry pricing around US$69/month (confirm UK quotes). Good for table-service venues that want FOH polish.
Why UK operators pick it: Built specifically for restaurants; intuitive menu and table tools.
Watch-outs: Verify UK support hours, payments, and local integrations.
Choosing a POS by business type (quick picks)
- Food trucks, kiosks, market stalls: FoodChow, Square, SumUp, Zettle
- Cafés & coffee bars: FoodChow, Lightspeed, SumUp
- Pubs & late-night bars: FoodChow (QR order/pay + tabs), Lightspeed, Toast, Epos Now
- Busy QSR & multi-site takeaways: FoodChow, Toast, Lightspeed, Revel
- Full-service dining: FoodChow, Toast, Lightspeed, TouchBistro, Revel
Why this matters now in the UK
- Customers expect tap-and-go: Contactless usage is entrenched (94.6% of in-store card payments under £100 in 2024; nearly 4 in 10 payments overall). Your POS must support fast contactless, wallet payments, and mobile checkout to reduce queues.
- Costs are tight: With one-third of UK hospitality venues at a loss in Q2 2025, avoid long contracts and opaque fees; pick software you can start on mobile/tablet and scale without a hardware overhaul.
Ready to Get Started?
🔥 Get Lifetime POS Access for Just $89 (USD)
🎁 Free Demo + Setup Support
👉 Start Now with FoodChow POS
📧 Contact: support@foodchow.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.What’s the most affordable way to start?
If you already own a smartphone or tablet, FoodChow lets you get started free, then layer in printers, cash drawers, or KDS as you grow. SumUp or Zettle can be good payment add-ons if you only need a simple till now (but you’ll outgrow them sooner).
Q.Which POS is best for multi-site growth?
Lightspeed and Revel offer strong multi-location reporting and controls; FoodChow also supports multi-site menus and central offers with a lighter footprint.
Q.Is now the time to go fully cashless?
Card and wallet payments dominate in the UK; ensure your POS supports offline mode and fast contactless to keep service moving.
TAGGED
- CONTACTLESS FOOD ORDERING SYSTEM
- CONTACTLESS FOOD ORDERING SYSTEM
Jigar Doriwala
Founder, Tenacious Techies
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He is the founder of Tenacious Techies, a leading digital agency servicing clients across the world. Till date, he has helped hundreds of businesses in developing their own website, app ideas and digital marketing. Jigar is a foodie and have developed FoodChow to help restaurants owners to grow their profit and sales. If you are looking to start your own online businesses or want to take your existing business online, contact him today.
