When comparing Toast vs Popmenu, you’re looking at two distinct approaches to restaurant point-of-sale technology. Toast, rated 4.5/5, offers Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes. Meanwhile, Popmenu, rated 4.4/5, provides Restaurants wanting to boost online presence and reduce third-party fees. Let’s dive into the details to help you make an informed decision.
Quick Comparison: Toast vs Popmenu
| Feature | Toast | Popmenu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Restaurant | Restaurant |
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | Contact for pricing |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Target Business | Small Business | Small Business to Mid-Market |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Free Trial | Yes | No |
| Free Version | Yes | No |
| Best For | Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes | Restaurants wanting to boost online presence and reduce third-party fees |
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
Popmenu Overview
Popmenu is a restaurant technology platform combining digital marketing, online ordering, and on-premise technologies with AI automation. Serving 10,000+ restaurants in the US, UK, and Canada with interactive menus, website design, and marketing tools.
Popmenu is offered by Popmenu (founded 2016) based in Atlanta, GA. The system focuses on Full Service, Casual Dining, Fine Dining.
Key Features:
- Interactive Menus
- Online Ordering
- Website Design
- AI Phone Answering
- Email Marketing
- Loyalty Programs
Feature Comparison
Toast Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Delivery management
- Menu management
Popmenu Features:
- Interactive Menus
- Online Ordering
- Website Design
- AI Phone Answering
- Email Marketing
When comparing features, Toast stands out with Restaurant-specific features, while Popmenu differentiates itself with AI-powered phone ordering. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.
Pricing Comparison
| Pricing Aspect | Toast | Popmenu |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | Contact for pricing |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Price Range | Mid-range | Mid-range to Premium |
| Free Trial | Available | Not 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
Popmenu
Pros:
- AI fields calls 24/7
- Helps rank high on Google
- No third-party fees on direct orders
- Beautiful interactive menus
Cons:
- Custom pricing requires sales call
- May be overkill for small operations
- Learning curve for all features
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 Popmenu?
Popmenu is ideal for Restaurants wanting to boost online presence and reduce third-party fees. The system is particularly well-suited for Full Service, Casual Dining, Fine Dining.
However, Popmenu may not be the best fit for Restaurants not focused on digital marketing.
Our Recommendation
Both Toast and Popmenu 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 Popmenu if you’re Restaurants wanting to boost online presence and reduce third-party fees. Toast has a higher user rating (4.5 vs 4.4). 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.