Choosing between Toast and Lavu for your business? Both are popular restaurant solutions, but they serve different needs. Toast starts at $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month and is Restaurant-focused POS and management platform, while Lavu starts at $99/month (Starter) and is iPad-based restaurant POS with easy 15-minute staff training.. This comprehensive comparison will help you decide which POS system is the right fit for your operation.
Quick Comparison: Toast vs Lavu
| Feature | Toast | Lavu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Restaurant | Restaurant |
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | $99/month (Starter) |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Target Business | Small Business | Small Business |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
| Free Version | Yes | No |
| Best For | Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes | Quick-service restaurants, cafes, food trucks using Apple devices |
Toast Overview
Toast is a restaurant-specific point-of-sale and management system built exclusively for the food service industry. It offers hardware and software solutions for dine-in, takeout, and delivery operations.
Toast is offered by Toast, Inc. (founded 2012) based in Boston, MA. The system focuses on Full-service restaurants, Quick service, Bars, Cafes, Food trucks.
Key Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Delivery management
- Menu management
- Payroll integration
Lavu Overview
Lavu POS is an iPad-based point-of-sale system designed for restaurants, bars, cafes, and food trucks. Features customizable menus, dual pricing options, kitchen display systems, and offline capabilities. Staff can master the system in under 15 minutes.
Lavu is offered by Lavu Inc. (founded 2010) based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. The system focuses on Restaurants, Bars, Cafes, Food Trucks, Quick Service.
Key Features:
- Customizable iPad interface
- Dual pricing (cash/card)
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Self-ordering kiosks
- Inventory management
Feature Comparison
Toast Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Delivery management
- Menu management
Lavu Features:
- Customizable iPad interface
- Dual pricing (cash/card)
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Self-ordering kiosks
When comparing features, Toast stands out with Restaurant-specific features, while Lavu differentiates itself with 15-minute staff training. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.
Pricing Comparison
| Pricing Aspect | Toast | Lavu |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | $99/month (Starter) |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Price Range | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Free Trial | Available | Available |
| Free Version | Yes | No |
Toast offers a free version, which is great for testing or small operations. Consider the total cost of ownership including hardware, processing fees, and add-on modules when making your decision.
Pros and Cons
Toast
Pros:
- Built specifically for restaurants
- Robust reporting
- Excellent kitchen management
- Strong online ordering
- Good hardware durability
Cons:
- 2-year contracts typical
- Can be expensive with add-ons
- Limited to restaurant industry
Lavu
Pros:
- Easy to learn (15 minutes)
- iOS/Apple integration
- Highly customizable
- Offline capabilities
- Dual pricing saves on processing
Cons:
- No free plan
- Cannot cancel before term
- Hardware dependent on Apple
- Price increases reported
Who Should Choose Toast?
Toast is ideal for Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes. The system is particularly well-suited for Full-service restaurants, Quick service, Bars, Cafes, Food trucks.
However, Toast may not be the best fit for Non-restaurant businesses.
Who Should Choose Lavu?
Lavu is ideal for Quick-service restaurants, cafes, food trucks using Apple devices. The system is particularly well-suited for Restaurants, Bars, Cafes, Food Trucks, Quick Service.
However, Lavu may not be the best fit for Businesses without Apple hardware, those needing free options.
Our Recommendation
Both Toast and Lavu are solid POS solutions, but they excel in different areas. Choose Toast if you’re Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes. Choose Lavu if you’re Quick-service restaurants, cafes, food trucks using Apple devices. Toast has a higher user rating (4.5 vs 4.3). Also, choose Toast if you want to start with a free version. We recommend trying demos or free trials of both systems before making your final decision.