Every restaurant has felt the pressure of getting orders right and getting them out on time, especially during peak hours. Even a tiny mistake can lead to customer dissatisfaction. Imagine doing this while trying to manage a sudden surge of takeaway orders from an app you just integrated with your POS system. How to choose a point of sale system? It’s a critical question, as investing in the best POS system is one of the best ways to get organized and streamline takeaway operations. This article will help you sift through the noise to find a solution that enhances order accuracy, integrates with online ordering platforms, and supports efficient management of high-volume takeaway orders.

The POS Exchange can help you achieve your goals by connecting you with a top-rated POS system for takeaway. These systems come with specialized features to help streamline takeaway operations so you can get organized, improve order accuracy, and boost your bottom line.

What Does a POS System for Takeaway Orders Need to Do?

Takeaway restaurants operate in fast-paced environments requiring consistency, reliability, and efficiency. A POS system designed for managing takeaway orders can help achieve this goal. These specialized systems come with features that help efficiently manage takeaway orders from start to finish. For instance, they help process incoming orders, keep track of stock levels, and generate reports to help make informed business decisions.

Quick Customization to Improve Your Takeaway Menu

A POS system built for takeaway operations can help you customize your restaurant's menu to fit your delivery or takeaway services. This means quickly creating a takeaway-specific menu, highlighting popular items, and removing unavailable dishes. You can also customize your online orders to improve your customers’ experiences. 

For example, you can create separate categories for delivery and takeaway to avoid confusion. You can also include notes to help your kitchen staff prepare orders accurately. A purpose-built POS system can help you manage multiple channels, such as orders from:

• Your website
• A mobile app
• Third-party delivery services

For reliability and a better customer experience, working with a POS partner offering its online ordering system is preferable. That way, you know you’re getting top-notch online ordering that works seamlessly with your POS system.

Seamless Integration With Delivery Services

A purpose-built POS system can help you manage those orders seamlessly if you offer delivery through third-party services. These systems often include integrations with order management systems, allowing you to track orders and manage your restaurant's online presence through a single system. 

With these integrations, incoming orders from delivery services are processed like your website orders. Stock levels are automatically updated, and orders are sent straight to the kitchen, allowing efficient delivery operations.

Enhanced Kitchen Management

A purpose-built POS system for takeaway restaurants can also help with kitchen management by providing real-time updates on orders and allowing you to track inventory. This can help improve efficiency and reduce waste in the kitchen. 

Health and food safety features are also necessary to take the stress out of maintaining excellent hygiene in your restaurant, such as:

• Digital checklists
• Temperature monitoring
• Documentation

Advanced Reporting and Analytics

Many purpose-built restaurant POS systems also include advanced reporting and analytics tools, allowing you to track sales, analyze customer data, and make informed business decisions. If you’re running multiple locations, you can compare performance easily and even access your reports from any device at any location.

Reliable Support for Smooth Operations

When you choose a purpose-built POS system, you can also expect a higher level of reliability and support from the provider. These systems are designed specifically for the needs of your industry, so you can feel confident that you're getting a product that's been tested and proven to work well for restaurants. 

On top of that, a software provider working specifically in your sector will always be looking for new ways to improve operational efficiency and make running your restaurant easier. So you can be sure that new tools and features will become available as your relationship develops.

Related Reading

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9 Best POS Systems for Takeaway for Seamless Order Management

1. SpotOn: The All-in-One Solution for Deliveries

SpotOn offers an all-encompassing food delivery service with a pricing model that reflects the demand for stability in this part of the food world. It launched SpotOn Order, an online ordering platform powered through DoorDash. It provides incredible usability and flat-rate quotes per delivery ($7.95 per delivery vs up to 30% per order charged by third-party platforms). This can lead to better margins and more revenue when applied correctly.

It includes various features, including:

• A white-label website
• Detailed customer notification updates

The system is also a great restaurant POS system, making it a good choice for in-house dining.

Who Should Use It

For restaurants that want in-depth food delivery software while using a third-party platform, SpotOn takes away the varying costs of a third-party platform while still offering the reliable driver network of DoorDash at a flat rate.

Standout features:

• SpotOn Order: SpotOn Order drives the consistent growth of the software’s online delivery offerings. Its online ordering menu is commission-free, only charging a flat rate per delivery. You can also manage your delivery through a Captain AI integration now with SpotOn, but its built-in system powered through DoorDash is effective.
• Order pacing: With this feature, orders are placed and accepted according to the speed you set, ensuring your kitchen is never overrun during peak delivery times.
  Dynamic, white-labeled ordering site: The SpotOn team can build a fully integrated online ordering site for your POS setup. SpotOn also focuses on an efficient user interface with its website, offering upsells and minimum-click checkouts.
• Order With Google integration: You can place an online ordering link directly in your Google business listing. Orders placed via Google appear directly in your POS order stream, and payments are processed in SpotOn, along with all your other credit card payments.
• Virtual terminal: You can run payments on SpotOn on a smartphone with an attached card reader when away from your restaurant. This is excellent for off-site events or for processing in-person payments for deliveries. SpotOn is the only system with such strong offsite payment tools on this list.
• Intuitive reporting: SpotOn uses the data from your online orders and guests to help you understand which items do well and build out highly targeted marketing campaigns if you choose to use them.

Pros:

• Robust, industry-grade hardware.
• Excellent workforce, delivery, and reservation management tools.
• Game-changer SpotOn Order for food delivery pricing models.

Cons:

• SpotOn is the only payment processor.
• Setup can take a few weeks.

2. Toast: The Best All-Around POS System for Restaurants and Takeout

Toast is an industry-leading POS system found in many of our POS buyer’s guides—it is our best overall restaurant POS. It is reliable, intuitive, and always leading regarding new features and product offerings. Rugged hardware makes it very useful in any kitchen setting. Regarding food delivery, Toast is the great middle ground between restaurants that offer in-house delivery and those that use third-party integrations.

Toast’s new offering, Toast Delivery, is like SpotOn’s delivery platform, but rates change per distance. For example, deliveries within 6 miles have a rate of $6.99, whereas deliveries between 6 and 8 miles have a rate of $8.74.

Who Should Use It

For restaurants wanting control over their drivers or the ability to integrate with third-party platforms, Toast is excellent if you seek a cutting-edge food delivery POS system with other in-depth restaurant features.

Standout features:

• Toast Delivery: Toast launched a new program called Toast Delivery, a tool that integrates with DoorDash to offer a complete food delivery program. Toast charges a flat rate so that you can build this cost into your pricing and use real-time data to help drive sales and reach more customers.
• Cost offsetting tools: Toast gets creative regarding delivery pricing, allowing you to set order minimums to help manage the cost you incur on delivery orders. Furthermore, you can set each order to automatically pass the delivery cost off to your guests, taking the management of this process out of the equation.
• Free Starter POS: Toast offers a free Starter POS. Users can also opt for a pay-as-you-go option for hardware for up to two terminals. So, small restaurants can get started with Toast virtually for free. Online ordering and delivery tools are not free, of course. You must get a custom quote from Toast when you add these tools.
• Kitchen display system sync: Online orders print directly in your kitchen or are routed to KDS screens. As orders are marked completed by your kitchen team, short message service (SMS) texts alert customers that their orders are ready. Toast’s KDS are highly intuitive and are efficiently created so that kitchen staff can read during a busy service.
• Online Ordering Customization: Toast users can integrate directly with Grubhub or other third-party platforms via the go-between apps Chowly and ItsaCheckmate. You can keep these integrations live while adding Toast Online Ordering to receive orders through your website.

Pros:

• Robust driver management with GPS integration
  Real-time order tracking for customers
  Streamlined third-party platform integrations

Cons:

• Locked into Toast Payments
• 2-year contract
• Extra fees are needed for online ordering and delivery tools

3. TouchBistro: The Best POS System for Restaurants That Want to Manage Delivery In-House

TouchBistro is an iPad-based POS system, making it easy to train staff. This ease of use translates into its food delivery function, allowing you to effortlessly manage your drivers or integrate with third-party platforms to offer delivery to guests. TouchBistro also provides transparent pricing for its add-ons, including online ordering, so you can budget accordingly before committing to the software.

While its delivery features are less robust than SpotOn or Toast, it offers your business a simple, reliable, consistent food delivery tool.

Who Should Use It

Users who manage their delivery program and have a limited need to use it—think full-service restaurants with limited delivery menus.

Standout features:

• TB Dine: Like Toast, TouchBistro features member restaurants on a centralized online ordering site. This helps you reach new customers when they search for restaurants in their area.
• Transparent pricing: TouchBistro’s online ordering module costs $50 per month. This price is listed on the TouchBistro website; no guesswork or custom quotes are necessary.
• Fleet management: Restaurants that manage an in-house driver fleet can get delivery management tools as part of their online ordering package. The delivery tools are less robust than those of Toast or Revel, but they allow you to assign orders to drivers and track drivers’ transactions. This may be all a small restaurant needs.
• Third-party orders and delivery: You can route third-party delivery orders to your TouchBistro POS via Deliverect or Ordermark. These go-between apps aggregate orders from popular third-party platforms and send them directly to your POS, such as:some text
  • DoorDash
  • Uber Eats
  • Postmates
• Cloud-based menu: TouchBistro offers an easy-to-edit cloud-based menu that allows you to make changes from any device whenever you want. This is great for those who need efficient and easy control of their menu and what they may be selling.

Pros:

• Able to operate on iPads
• Easy to self-install
• Manual delivery systems supported by detailed receipts

Cons:

• Middleman app required for third-party delivery
• Limited reporting
• Extra fees needed for marketing tools

4. Revel Systems: The Best POS System for Restaurants with Complex Delivery Needs

Revel Systems is a powerhouse POS system I have used in the industry. The ability to connect restaurants in a POS ecosystem is one that Revel does almost better than any other software, and its delivery tools echo that strength.

Revel offers highly customizable delivery tools and key driver management options that make managing your in-house delivery easy and efficient. This allows you to avoid the fees of a third-party platform and to focus on how you execute delivery with the staff you have at your disposal.

Who Should Use It

Best used for restaurant groups with five or more locations

Standout features:

• Delivery dispatch: Map-based driver dispatch tools find the most efficient routes for your delivery team and validate each address before your drivers leave the restaurant. You can email turn-by-turn directions to your drivers’ smartphones and collect tons of data about your delivery operation to create high-level reports. Drivers access orders and delivery directions via an integrated smartphone app.
• Delivery XT: Revel offers a full suite of online ordering tools at an extra custom-quoted fee. This suite includes a dedicated app for driver assignment, a driver’s app to accept deliveries, and a manager’s app to manage all of the factors in providing delivery. This information is then stored and shared with you on a dedicated platform.
• Revel Driver XT: Revel partners with DoorDash to offer white-labeled, immersive driver management software for anyone using Revel’s Online Ordering XT tool. This service allows for real-time tracking of drivers and an in-depth analysis of your customer’s order patterns.
• Automated alerts: Like Toast, Revel’s KDS syncs with your online ordering system. So, customers are automatically alerted when your cooks mark an order complete. Revel also supports a customer-facing order status display screen that shows order names and statuses in real-time. This screen shows orders separated by type―dine-in, pickup, or delivery―and is excellent for restaurants with in-house online ordering and third-party delivery platforms.

Pros:

• Highly customizable
• Extensive add-on delivery features
• Robust dispatch functions with GPS integrations

Cons:

• 3-year contract
• Pricey, custom monthly fee
• More machines than a small restaurant will use

5. Square for Restaurants: The Best POS System for Affordability

Square for Restaurants is one of the most popular and user-friendly POS software. With excellent POS functionality in various restaurant types, it is reliable and often the most cost-friendly for operators.

It has a base $1.50 delivery rate for third-party, on-demand deliveries and charges 50 cents for in-house deliveries. These rates are highly competitive and easy for restaurants to build into their costs. While Toast is also pay-as-you-go, the online delivery for Toast is limited to several terminals. In contrast, Square includes it for unlimited terminals at higher price tiers. This, plus some outstanding delivery fees and easy integrations, makes it a top contender for POS delivery software.

Who Should Use It

Restaurant operators looking for easy-to-use and affordable online delivery tools that are also easy to integrate into existing hardware

Standout features:

• Customizable delivery program: Square allows you to rely entirely on third-party delivery platforms, on-demand third-party couriers, or deliver via an in-house team. Unlike others on this list, Square charges a fee of 50 cents for each delivery processed by your in-house team. If you do a lot of in-house delivery, you might be better served by Toast or Revel to avoid this fee and gain more profit.
• BYOD ordering: Like Toast, Square for Restaurants supports contactless ordering via scannable QR codes. This lets customers scan a QR code and place orders through their smartphones. Orders are sent directly to your POS order stream and printed in your kitchen. Customers can pay via the QR code with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Square Pay, or your staff can drop a check and process payment in the POS.
• No long-term contracts: Square for Restaurants allows small restaurants to pay for the POS with month-to-month memberships. A seasonal seafood shack, for example, can use the POS for the summer months they are in business, then close their account without penalties when they shut in the winter.
• Personalized customer ordering: Customers will experience recent orders, personal recommendations, and boosted orders when ordering through your site. This builds loyalty and allows you to repeatedly offer new items to customers who enjoy returning to your site.

Pros:

• Free baseline POS
• Online ordering is included in the free plan
• Able to use the hardware you already have

Cons:

• Predelivery fee for in-house deliveries
• Only accepts Square as the payment processor
• Only one set of user permissions in the free POS plan

6. Epos Now: Best for Takeaway Businesses

If you’re looking for an elite POS solution for your takeaway business, then EPOS Now could be the perfect fit. For around £25 a month (exact pricing depends on your company finances), you’ll get a mighty POS system that includes 24/7 support, integration with over 100 apps, and a Kitchen Display System (KDS) that lets you electronically send orders straight to the kitchen. Moreover, Epos Now Delivery quickly sets your business up on all the primary food ordering apps (including Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo), making tracking all the orders flying in from these platforms easy. Regarding our testing, Epos Now scored highly on business management, stock management, and usability, and its impressive range of app integrations includes Xero accounting software and Mailchimp for email marketing campaigns.

Pros:

• Epos Now Delivery sets your business up on the significant delivery platforms
• First-class inventory tracking lets you efficiently manage stock levels
• 24/7 support is perfect for late-night takeaway businesses

Cons:

• Premium price
• No inbuilt CRM features

7. Nobly POS: Best for Startups

Nobly POS and its Nobly Ordering app come with zero monthly or setup costs, charging 3% plus 20 cents per order instead. We also found the Nobly Ordering dashboard was packed with features (it might seem overwhelming initially if you’re a tech beginner, though), enabling you to track revenue, new customer details, and overall performance.

Nobly includes complete inventory management tools to track inventory levels, ensuring you never run out quickly. Stock checks and inventory updates can happen with just a few clicks. The system produces sales reports so you can make accurate decisions about your takeaway.

Nobly integrates with accounting and management tools to consolidate your processes. Integrations include:

• Quick books
• Xero
• Deputy

Pros:

• Award-winning customer support
• Loyalty and gift card schemes available
• Very affordable

Cons:

• Dashboard might be too sophisticated for tech beginners

8. Hike: Best for Online Takeaway Businesses

Catering specifically to online takeaway businesses, Hike believes it can help you hike up your sales using its simple-to-use, feature-heavy POS software. After our research, we don’t disagree.

With Hike, you can accept all the leading payment processors, including PayPal, Tyro, and iZettle, plus accept gift cards and loyalty point payments. We found the interface intuitive, with your real-time sales figures available within a few taps of the screen.

Hike works on any iPad, PC, and Mac, making it versatile software and ensuring you and your staff aren't limited to behind-the-counter, chunky hardware. The software also works offline so you can continue serving even if the internet goes down.

Hike integrates with many apps, such as:

• Xero
• QuickBooks
• Mailchimp

Pros:

• Very customizable
• Ideal for pop-up takeaway stalls with long queues
• Excellent reporting and analytics

Cons:

• Customer support options could be better

9. Goodtill: Best for Customisation

Goodtill is a very customizable POS system for iPad. It is ‘modular’ because there’s a core POS module suitable for different businesses, and then there are optional modules with industry-specific features, e.g., food and drink. You must subscribe to a minimum of 12 months, which becomes a rolling contract.

It’s recommended that food-and-drink businesses subscribe to the Hospitality module (£9 + VAT/month) on top of the Core POS Module (£29 + VAT/month). This will give you table, tab, and customer management features not included in the Core POS Module, which syncs nicely with online orders.

GoodEats: Online Ordering Made Easy with POS Integration and Custom Features

Online ordering is enabled through the Goodreads platform (created by Goodtill). There’s no need for customers to use a specific takeaway app like Uber Eats to access your store. Instead, Good Eats allows merchants to build a web page with your ordering menu, which can be added to your website or linked to social media.

This can be used for several purposes:

• Customers can scan a QR code and order without talking to staff (good for social distancing, queue-busting and table ordering)
• Customers can order online for delivery or collection

GoodEats integrates with your POS food menu and kitchen display, and you can manage orders from the POS app or web browser. There are lots of customizations, such as:

• Putting a limit to how many orders you can handle at the same time
• Opening hours
• Branding
• Types of services offered

Goodtill: Affordable, Flexible POS with No Monthly Fees and Great Integrations

The best part is perhaps that there are no monthly fees – you only pay a charge per transaction accepted.

Goodtill connects with no-contract card readers from Zettle, Square, and SumUp and traditional terminals from Barclaycard and Paymentsense. You can also sync the system with:

• Xero
• QuickBooks
• WooCommerce
• Your website and food delivery software

Customer support is limited to undisclosed opening hours (we asked them about opening times, but they evaded the question). Generally, Goodtill gets good customer reviews and positive feedback on the software.

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What to Look for in a Delivery POS

When searching for a POS system for a delivery service, one of the first points to figure out is whether delivery is included in your plan or costs extra. Like with any software, you can expect to pay a monthly subscription fee for a delivery POS. However, some systems will charge you extra for delivery features. 

If you have a budget for your POS monthly fees, understanding this will shape your decisions and the POS systems you can choose from. Doing your due diligence on what you get when paying for a subscription POS plan is key.

Driver Management or Integrations: Connecting You to Delivery Staff

Arguably, one of the most significant factors in food delivery is the ability to connect to drivers who can deliver your food. If you do not have an in-house fleet, connecting to third-party drivers is necessary. The functions of a POS may sound great, but if you lack access to the labor delivering your food, all of this work is for naught.

Customer Ordering Experience: Creating a User-Friendly Interface

Delivery food can be tricky, as most restaurant food should be consumed as close to the time it was prepared as possible. The same can be said for ordering, as the only experience a guest will have is your website or app when they go to order their meal. 

Ensuring the ordering interface is smooth and easy to use is paramount to getting customers to order from you without getting frustrated. You also want your ordering site to reflect your business, so understanding how a POS will represent you is essential.

In-Depth Reporting: Tracking Your Delivery Performance

Understanding your sales data helps you react in your business and move in ways that better serve you and the customer. That being said, precise data and timely reporting are integral features for any POS system you choose for online delivery. This will help you understand customer behavior, your delivery program's success, and your business's overall health.

Payment Processing: Knowing Your Rates and Options

For this point, you understand how and at what rates your payment processor charges are sufficient. You should know whether you can shop around for processors for better rates or if the standard rate for the POS system you choose is the only option.

Delivery-To-Kitchen Accuracy: Streamlining Incoming Orders

The last prominent feature I'd recommend understanding is how exactly orders will feed into your kitchen and KDS screens. If you choose confusing software and subsequently prepare incorrect dishes, this can devastate your customers and their willingness to order from you again. 

Know how the orders will be received and read user reviews on using the POS software during service before committing to a POS provider.

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Book a Free Demo With POS Exchange to Learn About Our Customized POS System Solutions Today!

The POS Exchange brings over 20 years of restaurant expertise, serving 200,000+ merchants and processing billions annually. Our tailored POS system solutions help businesses speed up checkouts by 30%, implement dynamic pricing, and manage customer reviews while reducing overhead. Perfect for:

• Full-service restaurants
• Pizza shops
• Coffee houses
• Multi-location enterprises

We offer end-to-end service, from brilliant consultation and interactive demos to local installation and 24/7 support. Our mobile iPad POS systems streamline operations with features like:

• Order management
• Bill splitting
• Inventory control

With integrations for business management tools and advanced security measures, we ensure your POS system grows with your business. Trust our expertise to help you avoid the common pitfall that affects 38% of new business owners who choose the wrong POS system. 

Whether you're managing:

• A busy restaurant
• A local café
• Operating a multi-location business

The POS Exchange delivers customized POS system solutions that tell your unique business story. Book a free demo with POS exchange to learn about our customized POS system solutions today.

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