Hello there! If you’re running a restaurant, you know that efficient management, staff productivity, and customer service are an integral part of your success. That’s where Point of Sale (POS) systems like TouchBistro and Toast come in, offering modern tech solutions to streamline your hospitality operations.
POS systems emerged in the late 20th century, replacing the traditional cash register with digital functionality and enhanced analytics to assist businesses. These powerful assets help in managing orders, tracking inventory, processing payments, and generating comprehensive reports. Having a POS system like TouchBistro or Toast at your disposal means significantly reducing human errors, gaining insight into your business performance, and improving your customers’ experience.
Our purpose here is to relieve your uncertainties about the best POS system for your restaurant. Stick around as we offer a detailed comparison between TouchBistro and Toast. We will analyze their price, features, and let you judge which one tips the balance in their favor for 2023. We promise a friendly and informative ride, so sit back, relax, and let’s dive into the world of efficient restaurant management technology.
TouchBistro vs Toast: Price, Features & What’s Best in 2023
This image is property of fitsmallbusiness.com.
Both TouchBistro and Toast are restaurant point-of-sale (POS) systems, with TouchBistro being a more user-friendly choice and Toast offering advanced features. In general, they are designed to simplify payment processing, inventory management, and overall restaurant operations.
Ideal for smaller operations, TouchBistro is a great option for eateries with simple inventories or restaurants that prefer using iPads. Its one-year contract agreement is favorable for those businesses hesitant to commit to longer terms.
On the other hand, Toast is robust enough to grow with your restaurant business. Notably, it offers expansive online ordering, workforce management tools, and more customizable features than TouchBistro. Although it requires a two-year contract, the baseline POS subscription is free, and you can choose to ‘pay as you go’ for hardware and additional software.
The reason we recommend both TouchBistro and Toast is their adaptability to the needs of different types of restaurants, ease of use, and 24/7 support.
TouchBistro and Toast are both designed to streamline the operations in your restaurant by providing efficient payment solutions, easy ordering and delivery integrations, and manageable inventory systems.
TouchBistro makes use of iPads for its POS terminals, providing a familiar interface for many users. Plus, the templatized system aids in the faster setup and easier navigation.
Toast operates on proprietary touch-screen tablets and peripherals. While making it more customizable, this also carries the benefit of having exclusive hardware designed to operate seamlessly with their software.
Quality is at the forefront of what both TouchBistro and Toast have to offer. They both earned a score of 5 out of 5 in terms of ease of use, demonstrating their dedication to providing high-quality and user-friendly products.
Like any product or service, TouchBistro and Toast each has its unique set of strengths and liabilities.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Shorter contract terms
- Suitable for smaller businesses
Cons:
- Limited feature set
- Less customizable than Toast
Pros:
- Highly customizable
- Provides advanced features and add-ons
- Has extensive online ordering and workforce management tools
Cons:
- Required longer contract term
- Some features come with additional monthly fees.
Despite minor shortfalls, if you choose either TouchBistro or Toast, you will be choosing powerful and reliable POS systems. Both systems provide high-quality platforms with top-notch customer support. The choice between them depends on the size, growth plans, and specific operations of your restaurant.
TouchBistro vs Toast: Restaurant POS Review
When it comes to operating a restaurant, the demands of the business require a robust and reliable Point of Sale (POS) system. Two big players in this market are TouchBistro and Toast, both offering restaurant-specific solutions. They differ, however, in their primary operating systems.
TouchBistro operates on iOS and Apple iPad tablets. This makes it especially suitable for restaurants that are growing and scaling, and for staff members already familiar with Apple products’ user-friendly interface.
On the contrary, Toast operates on an Android operating system and requires the purchase of proprietary Android hardware. Toast, however, may not be as universally accessible as TouchBistro due to limited availability in some regions.
While both serve food-specific establishments, Toast is more suitable for niche multi-location restaurant concepts that need a more custom solution.
Both Toast and TouchBistro are powerful tools, each with its unique strengths.
TouchBistro’s hybrid system cleverly combines cloud-based and POS-based systems. This means that the system continues to function even during an internet outage – an immense advantage to ensure seamless operation.
These are reasons to like Toast: Toast’s Android platform provides an alternative for those who prefer this system. Additionally, the need for specific Android hardware can often mean that the system is more tailored, and often more secure, to the specific needs of the business.
TouchBistro prides itself on its restaurant-centric approach. Its features are geared towards enhancing staff efficiency, improving customer experience, and increasing profitability.
Core features of TouchBistro include:
-
Point of Sale – It’s more than just a cash register. It empowers you to manage menu items, take orders and payments, and even overview your entire restaurant floor.
-
Reporting & Analytics – In-depth reporting allows you to know your best-selling items, track sales, and manage inventory in real-time.
-
Payment Processing – Accept all types of payments, split bills, and even send digital receipts.
-
Staff & Menu Management – Manage your staff shifts, roles, and even their access to certain system features. On the other hand, update your menu items anytime.
-
Tableside Ordering & Floor Plan & Table Management – Take orders right at the table and send them directly to the kitchen, eliminating communication errors and improving service speed.
In addition to the above, TouchBistro also offers customer-facing display, profit management, and various tools for guest engagement and marketing.
Like TouchBistro, Toast also follows a restaurant-centric approach. It empowers restaurant owners to streamline their operations, offer a better dining experience, and grow their business with a suite of integrated tools.
Key features of Toast include:
-
A robust POS system tailored specifically for the food service industry.
-
Real-time reporting and analytics to help you make data-driven decisions.
-
Online ordering, delivery, and loyalty programs to increase your revenue sources.
-
Management of staff and inventory in real-time.
-
Integrated payment processing solution eliminates the need for third-party payment processors.
The TouchBistro and Toast systems are both top-quality solutions, offering robust features that cater to restaurant-specific needs.
TouchBistro happens to stand out due to its security claim, being less likely to fall victim to virus and security breaches. It’s also appreciated for offering similar product suites, whether the restaurant is located in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico.
On the other hand, Toast shines with its proprietary Android hardware, offering a distinct sense of uniqueness and assurance to its users.
Just like any other products, both TouchBistro and Toast have their upsides and downsides.
One of the major pros of TouchBistro is its user-friendly interface, a hybrid system that can function even without internet, and an extensive array of features for restaurant management. The downside is that it’s limited to iOS and Apple devices. For establishments that heavily utilize Android or other operating systems, this might not be the best fit.
On the other hand, Toast shows strength in its tailored system for Android, excellent for restaurants that rely heavily on the Android ecosystem. However, with limited availability in some regions and the need for specific Android hardware, it may not be the ideal choice for some users.
Comparison Between TouchBistro and Toast
Making a choice between TouchBistro and Toast for your restaurant operation could be a daunting task, but we have broken down the specifics and compared their key features so you can easily make your decision.
Specifications Table
| Features | TouchBistro | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Small operations, restaurants with simple inventories | Growing restaurants of all types with expansive online ordering |
| Pricing Structure | More favorable contract terms | Free baseline POS subscription, pay-as-you-go options |
| Term Length | One year | Two years |
| POS Terminal | iPad | Proprietary touchscreen tablets |
| Function | Hybrid | Cloud-based |
| Ease of Use | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Support | 24/7 year-round | 24/7 year-round |
| Operating System | iOS / Apple | Android |
| Regional Availability | International (U.S, Canada, Mexico) | Mostly U.S-centric |
| Advanced Features | Manager reports, gift cards, reservations, online ordering | Manager reports, gift cards, online ordering plus more with additional fees |
Detailed Comparison
TouchBistro is an excellent choice if your operational system is iPad-based. Unlike Toast, it is a hybrid POS system meaning it can operate with or without the internet. It offers essential features like the point of sale, reporting & analytics, payment processing, staff and menu management, tableside ordering, and floor plan & table management.
Toast, on the other hand, is suitable for extensive restaurant operations. It uses proprietary Android-based tablets and offers advanced features as optional add-ons. Its suite of features such as expansive online ordering, delivery, and workforce management tools, management reports, and gift cards are available at additional costs.
In terms of security, TouchBistro tends to have a slight edge as it is described as less prone to virus and security breaches. Also, its user-friendly interface is something to look out for if your staff are already familiar with iOS / Apple products.
While both systems target a variety of food-specific establishments, TouchBistro has a more extensive international reach offering similar suites in countries like the U.S, Canada, and Mexico. Toast has a more limited regional availability and is often better suited for niche multi-location restaurant concepts within the U.S.
As for customer support, both TouchBistro and Toast have got you covered 24/7 all year round. Their ease of use score is also equal, standing at 5 out of 5.
Both TouchBistro and Toast offer a wide range of features suitable for different restaurant operations. Your choice would ultimately depend on your specific requirements, regional operation scale, and preferred operational system.
Conclusion
After carefully analyzing both TouchBistro and Toast, it’s clear these restaurant Point of Sale (POS) systems come with their unique strengths and limitations.
TouchBistro
TouchBistro is a well-rounded, affordable POS system. Its intuitive design offers simple navigation, which makes it easy for staff to pick up. Incorporating features like table management, customer relationship management, and reporting, it provides a comprehensive roster of capabilities for most restaurant types. However, while TouchBistro’s pricing is commendable, it requires an Apple ecosystem, which could add significant costs to your setup if you aren’t already using Apple devices.
Toast
Toast, on the other hand, offers a highly customizable platform with a range of add-on features suitable for various restaurant types, from cafes and bakeries to fine-dining and bars. It’s designed to streamline operations and boost efficiency, courtesy of its labor and inventory management features. However, Toast’s pricing plans tend to be more expensive, with hardware and add-ons potentially adding a substantial amount to the overall cost.
Recommendation
Choosing between TouchBistro and Toast would largely depend on your specific needs and budget. If your restaurant operates within an Apple environment, and you are seeking a more cost-effective, easy-to-use solution, TouchBistro would be an ideal choice. It offers robust features for overall restaurant operations.
However, if the higher price tag isn’t an issue and flexibility and scalability are your priorities, you may lean more towards Toast. It provides more customizability and complements it with advanced features, making this system suitable for a larger or rapidly expanding restaurant.
Remember, both TouchBistro and Toast offer trial periods. It could never hurt to give both a test run before making a final decision that aligns best with your business model and operational needs. Choose what will help you provide an unmatched dining experience to your customers and streamline your operations effectively.